FDA Mulls Motive In Pet Food Case

Theory Probed On Imports As Melamine Turns Up At Calif. Hog Farm

(AP)  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.

[advanceus]

The Chinese are probably practicing on our pets to see how far they can go without detection, when they figure that out they can start poisoning people. Also, the suppliers that are not pulling their products off the shelf don't care about the pets dying, it only money. Think they are practicing politicians?

[afmca]

Ban all food imports from China until we know what happened. Japan did this to our meat industry because of the mad cow incident. I will guarentee that it was deliberate and that the visas for the inspectors will not be granted until the Chenese have totally cleaned the plants and hidden the evidence. Remeber China is NOT an open society so to think their leadership have morals is naive.

[gramto7]

Regardless of who did it, this does indeed prove that our food supply is at risk. As easily as this has killed so many pets, it could have been humans that had died. But our country 'is safe' because all our troops are overseas fighting, and all our money is going over there to 'fight the insurgents'. Yeah, right!!

We need more of that money spent here at home for our own safety, including bringing our troops home to protect US not to protect someone else. We need more money for inspectors at plants, sea ports, airports, etc.

I do know the argument about cleaning up the mess Bush has made. I sort of agree with it, but not to the point of leaving us without protection like we are now.

[nothappyatall]

The FDA and Agriculture Department also were investigating whether some pet food made by one of the five companies supplied by Wilbur-Ellis was diverted for use as hog feed after it was found unsuitable for pet consumption.

"We understand it did make it into some hog feed and we are following up on that as well," Sundlof said. "

Oh great, use the HOGS as a garbage dump, real smart since people EAT the meat!

[fatherteresa]

I would not be surprised if contaminated chicken got into the pet food chain. When the bird flu epidemic occurred, thousands of chickens were slaughtered. Were most disposed via the pet food? Or our food via the pig feed?

[beanerman4]

"FDA investigators are awaiting visas that will allow them to visit the Chinese plants where the vegetable protein ingredients were produced."

Allow us? Pretty please, let us come in and visit. Were we there before the mass poisoning to check out the plant? I don't know but would find that interesting to see if they ever even bothered to check out the facilities ahead of time. Does the FDA only rule in the US? And by the time they get there, the evidence will be gone. How "open" do you think a foreign govt like China is going to be anyway. So great to have a global economy isn't it? Are we really saving a buck? This will wind up costing taxpayers, again, a bundle.

[cathaleen]

Why are we importing our pet foods from China.
The simultaneously kill cats and dogs there for no reason. What makes us think they would care what was in the pet food. We're stupid.

[hollyt2-2009]

I agree with beanerman4. the first thing that caught my eye was the FDA are awaiting visa's to go check out chinas plants. What is that about . if they allow us to import all this stuff from other countries they should atleast be able to check the places out. and if there is or was something at those plants dont you think it is gone by now???DUH! why to go FDA. Its always about the money.. when it comes to our food and to our drugs. I happene to work at a drug companie and know if you get smoothed and payola enough new drugs can get marketed faster even if there hasnt been long term testing. get paid -get out then recall. Thats the FDA's motto

[toolmangler-2009]

This has nothing to do with ethnicity; only GREED.
Posted by afmca at 08:56 AM : Apr 20, 2007

Absoposislutely!!! I agree 100%

[toolmangler-2009]

Were most disposed via the pet food? Or our food via the pig feed?
Posted by FatherTeresa at 10:10 AM : Apr 20, 2007


Hmmm hadn't thought of that!!!! WOW!

[erasmus6]

Yes, good luck on the FDA getting into those plants and even if they do they AIN'T going to find anything.

What the FDA should also be doing is testing some pet foods and letting everyone know exactly what foods are SAFE! People need to know what foods are SAFE to feed their animals!!!

[galaxiana]

Wow, it must be nice to be an investigator for the FDA, considering the upcoming taxpayer-paid vacation to China they will all be taking.

Surely they don't really expect to find anything meaninful in plants that have had more than a month to clean up. Heck, who knows, the Chinese might even be holding off on the visas until the plant owners give the "okay." After all, it's all about saving face in the Chinese culture. I guarantee you, the way the Chinese see this scandal is VERY VERY different from the way the average American sees it!

But the taxpayer-paid vacations to China are outright scandalous! I wonder how many FDA bigwigs will manage to jump on this bandwagon? I wonder how often they take these "fact-finding" vacations at our expense?

[erasmus6]

galaxiana

Do you not think that someone should be going over there? Yes they may have cleaned up, but if you are stupid enough to put c-r-a-p in food, maybe they aren't smart enough to clean up properly.
Regardless they need to be held accountable and know that we mean business. Someone needs to meet them face to face. Sometimes it just doesn't come down to MONEY.

[cantshutup]

Is there one good reason why these products can not be produced by our own American farmers? Why on earth does AMerica need to import ANY foreign wheat or corn or whatever??? Our national anthem praises our AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN!!!! we don't need any cheap, polluted, cruddy chinese c r a p!!!

[gkc99]

And as all our science and manufacturing goes to Asia, thanks to the globalizers, what kinds and qualities of products do you think we will continue to get from there, in increasingly greater numbers?

[sevenveils]

"FDA investigators are awaiting visas that will allow them to visit the Chinese plants where the vegetable protein ingredients were produced. " Apparent Chinese stall tactics until the plants get a thorough cleaning.

"Chinese authorities have told the FDA that the wheat gluten was an industrial product not meant for pet food..." Recall earlier the FDA stated the wheat gluten was human grade.

With the sense of distrust of current Chinese evasion of the truth, and its obvious disregard for international public safety, the US should ban all Chinese vegetable products until that government gets its act together on this matter.

Those with a great degree of paranoia could suggest this is a Chinese plot to destabilize the western economy through its food industry.

[fatherteresa]

Remember the bird flu epidemic? Thousands of chickens, contaminated and not contaminated, were slaughtered. Could they have been disposed of via the pet food? Or our food via the pig feed?

[susha4]

The additives that are being put in all food these days, and coming from God knows what third world county with unsanitary conditions, it's a wonder we haven't all been poisoned by now.

I think that the SOURCE of these additives should be on the label. From now on, if I can't pronounce the names of what is in a food, I'm not buying it!

Remember the movie "Soilent Green"? Well that time may be here!

[bythepeople]

This country is totaly capable of feeding everyone here, people and animals. we need to stop importing cheap stuff from cheap sources just so the CEO'S can have more yachts.

[barbaraf4]

Not too long ago, the Chinese government was ordering their citizens to kill their pets. This sounds like something was done to the food to accomplish just that.

[booyaw_77]

What are we importing food for anyway? We're the food capital of the world. Oil? Yah. Flags? Yah. But food? C'mon.

[walt1944-2009]

I expect that more and more chemicals are going to be discovered in food as the investigation really picks up steam. God knows what is ending up in not just pet food, but ALL food. I wouldn't be surprised if it came out that we all have been eating junk from overseas that is unfit for human consumption. You can't trust what a big food company lists on the label of anything you buy because the big food companies know the FDA can not and won't police every one of them. It all boils down to that bottom line and the insatiable corporate greed at the top level. Who cares if animals and people get sick and die from being poisoned by the cheap food that's bought from China, just so long as the corporate big shots can get their expensive perks and bonuses! It's the George Bush way!!!!

[tbweb]

Looks like Weapons of Mass Destruction have migrated to the food supply! Ever since the Caveman, humans have excelled at finding creative ways to kill.

[cgene1]

Knew *** well someone would drag G Bush into anything that happens, hope your wife dosent get pregnent

[cgene1]

George did it.

[incog-nito]

Looks like globalization is going real well. Manufacturing is overated anyway. We'll all just be salespeople and sell stuff to each other. I'm glad the Chinese are really looking out for our well-being.

[erasmus6]

didntinhale

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.

[lastdance2]

Remember :

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

[erasmus6]

lastdance2

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.:)

[johnshenweixiang]

yes,we china can shot down the satellite now,but The USA had this ability 20 years ago!
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!!

[johnshenweixiang]

yes,we china can shot down the satellite now,but The USA had this ability 20 years ago!
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!!

[erasmus6]

johnshen

It is truly amazing how many ignorant people are in this world.