North American recall of wet dog and cat food

Got this off the gardening board I belong to. They're recalling a number of brands of wet dog and cat food. People on the board were having problems linking to the web site mentioned in the article below, but it's also posted on the FDA site.

FDA Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts

Quote:

Subject Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food
Body: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

By ANDREW BRIDGES, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 25 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food Friday after reports of kidney failure and deaths.

An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said.

"At this juncture, we're not 100 percent sure what's happened," said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source, spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.

The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6 throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Company, Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, Henderson said.

Menu Foods did not immediately provide a full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall, saying they would be posted on its Web site — Menu Foods Income Fund - Annual General Meeting — early Saturday. Consumers with questions can call (866) 463-6738.

The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies, including Procter & Gamble Co.

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said.

Menu Foods' three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1 billion containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food made at company plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J., Henderson said.

Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness.

"To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the product," Henderson said.

The company alerted the
Food and Drug Administration, which already has inspectors in one of the two plants, Henderson said. The FDA was working to nail down brand names covered by the recall, agency spokesman Mike Herndon said.

Menu Foods is majority owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based in Ontario, Canada.

Henderson said the recall would cost the company the Canadian equivalent of $26 million to $34 million.

Scary! Thanks for the heads up. Sure glad mine eat dry.

Mine have wet food, thanks for the information.

Don't worry Tessa, I don't think the brand you give Tinky was on the list of bad foods.

It isn't....

It's so depressing how many poor doggies and kitties have died. It's terrible.

Can anyone figgure out how much poison must have been in that shipment to have contaminated sooo much?? I'm math impaired,and can only come up with "a lot",& "not an accident." I'm so mad and heartsick for all the people that lost their friends and companions..

I heard today that some dry cat food was being recalled too! Be safe people...

If "it's "in the wheat,who's to say "it's" not in people food?
How do you tell where the food is grown? America imports too much of our food.. and we're building too many houses on farmland.
Our supply line is getting too long,and too easeily cut.