Drew Good
03-30-2007, 03:18 PM
Damn,
The FDA has found more chemicals in the pet food.......
Here is the link to the original story on MSN.....
http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/TopStories/ContentPosting.aspx?feedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V2&showbyline=True&newsitemid=CTVNews%2f20070330%2fFDA_petfoods_07033 0
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has identified the toxic agent melamine in their probe into what sickened pets that consumed products from Menu Foods.
Melamine is used as a fertilizer in Asia and has some commercial uses, including as a component in utensils and plates, the FDA said during a news conference Friday.
The substance was found both in wheat gluten that was used as an ingredient in the pet food, and in samples of the food itself.
"Additionally, Cornell University scientists have found melamine in the urine and in one kidney in deceased cats that were part of the original taste test study," said FDA official Dr. Stephen Sundlof.
He said there is little information in scientific literature about the effect of melamine on dogs or cats, so it's difficult to determine what would be a lethal dose.
Nor are officials certain melamine caused any deaths.
"Melamine is an ingredient that should not be in pet food at any level, however I want to make it very clear we are not fully yet certain that melamine is the causative agent of the illness and death of pets," Sundlof said.
The FDA said it could not confirm earlier reports from the New York State Food Laboratory that aminopterin, a rat poison and cancer drug, had been found in the samples.
However, officials said melamine may not be the only "causative agent" in the pet food.
Menu Foods recalled 60 million containers of cat and dog food earlier this month after animals died of kidney failure after eating the company's products.
It is unclear how many pets may have been poisoned by the apparently contaminated food, although anecdotal reports suggest hundreds, if not thousands, have died.
Animal advocates have called for the current recall -- which involved nearly 100 brands of "cuts and gravy'' style dog and cat food -- to expand to all dry foods sold by Menu Foods.
Michael O'Sullivan, of the Humane Society of Canada, told CTV Newsnet the only safe option is to issue a complete recall.
"I think I'd rather err on the side of caution, and in our opinion it makes more sense to do a complete recall in order to protect those 13 million dogs and cats," O'Sullivan said.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, held a news conference to the same effect on Friday.
"Some people now believe dry food is what caused their animals' deaths, so the question has to be asked, shouldn't dry foods be added to the recall list," said Bruce Friedrich, PETA's vice-president of international grass roots campaigns.
"PETA is calling for precautionary dry food recall until it can be chemically tested and its safety assured."
Both Friedrich and O'Sullivan said more stringent mandatory requirements must be imposed on the pet food industry.
FDA officials have not indicated that the recall will be expanded.
The FDA has received more than 8,000 complaints.
The FDA's primary concern, officials said, is to identify the source of the melamine, ensure the recall is effective and provide information to the public
The FDA has found more chemicals in the pet food.......
Here is the link to the original story on MSN.....
http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/TopStories/ContentPosting.aspx?feedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V2&showbyline=True&newsitemid=CTVNews%2f20070330%2fFDA_petfoods_07033 0
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has identified the toxic agent melamine in their probe into what sickened pets that consumed products from Menu Foods.
Melamine is used as a fertilizer in Asia and has some commercial uses, including as a component in utensils and plates, the FDA said during a news conference Friday.
The substance was found both in wheat gluten that was used as an ingredient in the pet food, and in samples of the food itself.
"Additionally, Cornell University scientists have found melamine in the urine and in one kidney in deceased cats that were part of the original taste test study," said FDA official Dr. Stephen Sundlof.
He said there is little information in scientific literature about the effect of melamine on dogs or cats, so it's difficult to determine what would be a lethal dose.
Nor are officials certain melamine caused any deaths.
"Melamine is an ingredient that should not be in pet food at any level, however I want to make it very clear we are not fully yet certain that melamine is the causative agent of the illness and death of pets," Sundlof said.
The FDA said it could not confirm earlier reports from the New York State Food Laboratory that aminopterin, a rat poison and cancer drug, had been found in the samples.
However, officials said melamine may not be the only "causative agent" in the pet food.
Menu Foods recalled 60 million containers of cat and dog food earlier this month after animals died of kidney failure after eating the company's products.
It is unclear how many pets may have been poisoned by the apparently contaminated food, although anecdotal reports suggest hundreds, if not thousands, have died.
Animal advocates have called for the current recall -- which involved nearly 100 brands of "cuts and gravy'' style dog and cat food -- to expand to all dry foods sold by Menu Foods.
Michael O'Sullivan, of the Humane Society of Canada, told CTV Newsnet the only safe option is to issue a complete recall.
"I think I'd rather err on the side of caution, and in our opinion it makes more sense to do a complete recall in order to protect those 13 million dogs and cats," O'Sullivan said.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, held a news conference to the same effect on Friday.
"Some people now believe dry food is what caused their animals' deaths, so the question has to be asked, shouldn't dry foods be added to the recall list," said Bruce Friedrich, PETA's vice-president of international grass roots campaigns.
"PETA is calling for precautionary dry food recall until it can be chemically tested and its safety assured."
Both Friedrich and O'Sullivan said more stringent mandatory requirements must be imposed on the pet food industry.
FDA officials have not indicated that the recall will be expanded.
The FDA has received more than 8,000 complaints.
The FDA's primary concern, officials said, is to identify the source of the melamine, ensure the recall is effective and provide information to the public