FDA Mulls Motive In Pet Food Case
French President Francois Hollande addresses reporters during a joint press conference with Benin and African Union President Thomas Boni Yayi, unseen, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Tuesday May 29, 2012. Francois Hollande says Syria's ambassador is being expelled amid continuing violence by Syrian government forces against civilians and opposition members. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon) / Jacques Brinon
Imported ingredients used in recalled pet food may have been intentionally spiked with an industrial chemical to boost their apparent protein content, federal officials said Thursday.
That's one theory being pursued by the Food and Drug Administration as it investigates how the chemical, melamine, contaminated at least two ingredients used to make more than 100 brands of dog and cat foods.
In California, state agriculture officials placed a hog farm under quarantine after melamine was found in pig urine there. Additional testing is under way to determine whether the chemical was present in the meat produced by American Hog Farm in Ceres since April 3, the state Department of Food and Agriculture said.
So far, melamine's been found in both wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate imported from China. Media reports from South Africa suggest a third pet food ingredient, corn gluten, used in that country also was contaminated with melamine. That tainted ingredient has not been found in the United States, according to the FDA, which is maintaining a pet food recall website with advice for worried pet owners.
FDA officials say they need to inspect the plants in China. But the Chinese government has not yet let them in, CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes reports.
"Melamine was found in all three of those - it would certainly lend credibility to the theory that it may be intentional. That will be one of the theories we will pursue when we get into the plants in China," Stephen Sundlof, the FDA's chief veterinarian, told reporters.
Chinese authorities have told the FDA that the wheat gluten was an industrial product not meant for pet food, Sundlof said. Still, melamine can skew test results to make a product appear more protein-rich than it really is, he added. That raises the possibility the contamination was deliberate.
"What we expect to do with our inspections in China will answer some of those questions," said Michael Rogers, director of the division of field investigations within the FDA's office of regulatory affairs.
Still, scientists examining the tainted products say even high levels of melamine should not have killed cats and dogs — and for that matter shouldn't be harmful to humans, Cordes reports. They're now examining what happens when the chemical breaks down.
Wilbur-Ellis Co., the U.S. importer of the tainted rice protein, said Thursday it was recalling all the ingredient it had distributed to five U.S. pet food manufacturers. The San Francisco company in turn urged its customers to recall any products that may be on store shelves.
So far, just two of those companies have done so: Natural Balance Pet Foods and Blue Buffalo Co.
Natural Balance, of Pacoima, Calif., announced a limited recall Monday of its Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. That's one theory being pursued by the Food and Drug Administration as it investigates how the chemical, melamine, contaminated at least two ingredients used to make more than 100 brands of dog and cat foods.
In California, state agriculture officials placed a hog farm under quarantine after melamine was found in pig urine there. Additional testing is under way to determine whether the chemical was present in the meat produced by American Hog Farm in Ceres since April 3, the state Department of Food and Agriculture said.
So far, melamine's been found in both wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate imported from China. Media reports from South Africa suggest a third pet food ingredient, corn gluten, used in that country also was contaminated with melamine. That tainted ingredient has not been found in the United States, according to the FDA, which is maintaining a pet food recall website with advice for worried pet owners.
FDA officials say they need to inspect the plants in China. But the Chinese government has not yet let them in, CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes reports.
"Melamine was found in all three of those - it would certainly lend credibility to the theory that it may be intentional. That will be one of the theories we will pursue when we get into the plants in China," Stephen Sundlof, the FDA's chief veterinarian, told reporters.
Chinese authorities have told the FDA that the wheat gluten was an industrial product not meant for pet food, Sundlof said. Still, melamine can skew test results to make a product appear more protein-rich than it really is, he added. That raises the possibility the contamination was deliberate.
"What we expect to do with our inspections in China will answer some of those questions," said Michael Rogers, director of the division of field investigations within the FDA's office of regulatory affairs.
Still, scientists examining the tainted products say even high levels of melamine should not have killed cats and dogs — and for that matter shouldn't be harmful to humans, Cordes reports. They're now examining what happens when the chemical breaks down.
Wilbur-Ellis Co., the U.S. importer of the tainted rice protein, said Thursday it was recalling all the ingredient it had distributed to five U.S. pet food manufacturers. The San Francisco company in turn urged its customers to recall any products that may be on store shelves.
So far, just two of those companies have done so: Natural Balance Pet Foods and Blue Buffalo Co.
Natural Balance, of Pacoima, Calif., announced a limited recall Monday of its Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.
- no previous page
- next
1/2
Popular in Health
- "Clouds" singer known for viral hit dies from osteosarcoma
- Mysterious respiratory disease infects 7 in Ala., 2 dead
- Skin cancer self-exam: What to look for (PHOTOS)
- Molecule may be able to block cocaine addiction
- Emergency face transplant successfully performed in Poland
- Miami face-chewing victim still recovering one year later
- Disney pulls show that makes fun of gluten-free child
- Experimental asthma drug helps untreatable patients in study
It is truly amazing how many ignorant people are in this world.
U think we danger USA,we also think USA threaten China(u have forces in JP/s-korea)!
How do u think of invading Iraq?
How do u think of the USA force other country to do what u want?
USA is the world's plice?
Really Think about your police and remember every country has their own culture and interests not only you.
Don't make other country and people into corner!!
U think we danger USA,we also think USA threaten China(u have forces in JP/s-korea)!
How do u think of invading Iraq?
How do u think of the USA force other country to do what u want?
USA is the world's plice?
Really Think about your police and remember every country has their own culture and interests not only you.
Don't make other country and people into corner!!
If what your saying is true that would mean you have one f**cked up country. If what your saying isn't true, that means you are one f**cked up person.:)
In 1967, When the CIA dumped a flu virus.
Into the New York subway system.
How many people, did they kill that year ??
At the same time, it was rumored :
The CIA dumped a flu virus in the :
San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sea-Tac Airports.
Those of us, who were at age at the time.
Remember, the newscasts and the newspaper headlines.
Go up on the net now !!
Try and find the information.
What you will find is :
The US Army, has been credited.
With dumping that flu virus.
_______________________________________
"Contaminated Pet Food"
May be in retaliation :
For a dumped : "Bird Ful Virus"
( a history lesson - worth thinking about)
lastdance
The contaminated wheat gluten that went into the food came from your country. It was your country that got it from China. And that bit of information came from this website which is in your country.