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FOOD RECALL TIMELINE |
Friday, March 16th: Menu Foods announces recall of “cuts and gravy type” of diets due to reports of kidney failure and deaths in a small number of cats and one dog. More than 60 million cans representing more than 90 brands of food are affected by the recall. Premium diets like Iams and Hill’s as well as brands as diverse as Ol’ Roy and other mass market brands were all included. According to Menu Foods, affected products were manufactured between the dates of December 3rd, 2006 and March 6th, 2007. Initial reports pinpointed wheat gluten from a new supplier as the potential cause of the recall. A complete list of the affected foods can be found at www.menufoods.com/recall. Also check www.fda.gov. Friday, March 23rd: A New York state laboratory announces that the toxin, aminopterin, was found in the suspect wheat gluten. Aminopterin is illegal in the United States and is used as a rat poison in other parts of the world, particularly Asia. Aminopterin appears to cause crystal formation in the urine as well as kidney toxicity at toxic levels. It was unknown how the aminopterin got into the wheat supply. Rumors continue to circulate concerning an expansion of the recall by Menu Foods. This extension did not occur, although Menu Foods did ask retailers to pull all “cuts and gravy” type of diets regardless of the lot number or production date in an effort to stop any sales of products inadvertently left on retailers’ shelves. Friday, March 30th: FDA researchers announce that the chemical, melamine, has been found in the wheat gluten used in the affected foods. Melamine is a chemical used in the formation of plastic kitchenware and countertops. Elsewhere in the world, melamine is used as a fertilizer. Researchers at Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine validated the FDA findings by reporting that melamine was found in the urine of sick cats and the kidneys of a cat who is believed to have died due to the affected food. Friday, March 30th: The FDA releases information that the affected wheat gluten may have been shipped to a manufacturer of dry pet food. No more information is released other than to report that FDA inspectors were in the process of inspecting the manufacturer in question. Friday, March 30th, evening: Hill’s Pet Foods announces a voluntary recall of their Prescription Diet m/d for Cats. This is the only dry food recalled to date. More information on this particular and unique product can be found at www.hillspet.com. This is a very unique case and the only dry food we know of that contained wheat gluten. It has been completely recalled and is being re-formulated. Saturday, March 31st: Purina voluntarily recalls cans of Alpo Prime Cuts after determining that the wheat gluten contaminated with melamine may have been used at one of their 17 production plants. Information about lot numbers and product affected can be found at www.purina.com Saturday, March 31st: DelMonte Pet Products voluntarily recalls several lines of treats for dogs and cats after learning it too may have used the affected wheat gluten. Information on the recalled treats can be found at www.delmonte.com. Monday, April 2nd: In an unrelated story, Eight in One, Inc voluntarily recalled its Dingo Chick’n Jerky Treats due to potential salmonella contamination. Thursday, April 5th: Menu Foods expands recall back to include product manufactured after November 8th, 2006. This recall adds 20 varieties, but no knew brands to the recall list. Friday, April 6th: DelMonte Foods modifies recalled diets by expanding number of code dates involved. No new brands or types of treats are included. Tuesday, April 10th: Menu Foods increases number of recalled foods by 26. Tuesday, April 17th: Nature’s Balance issues recall of dog and cat diets. Venison and Brown Rice dry dog food and Venison and Green Pea dry cat foods have been implicated with illnesses in several pets. Tuesday, April 17th: Melamine contaminant also found in rice protein concentrate present in the Natural Balance dry dog and cat foods. Natural Balance expands recall to include all production dates of the Venison and Brown Rice dog food and Venison and Green Pea cat food. Wednesday, April 18th: Menu Foods refines recall list to include Natural Life dog food and two more production dates of eight other diets. Thursday, April 19th: Wilbur-Ellis, a distributor of pet food ingredients voluntarily recalls rice protein concentrate sold to 5 US pet food manufacturers. Thursday, April 19th: Blue Buffalo Foods recalls one run of dry cat food. “Spa Select Kitten” dry food (“Best By Mar 07, 08B”) was recalled due to the presence of melamine in the rice protein concentrate used by the manufacturer. Blue Buffalo believes that most of the 5,000 bag run was caught prior to leaving the distributor. Thursday, April 19th: Melamine found in corn gluten in South African dog food. Royal Canin Diets recalled all of its Vets Choice dog foods after the contaminant was found in corn gluten imported from China. Seventeen dogs in Johannesburg and Cape Town were affected with kidney problems. Friday, April 20th: Royal Canin USA recalls all of its dry diets containing rice protein concentrate. |