Pet Food Recall Gets Bigger

Continuing the wave of recalls, Menu Foods recalled all products that used wheat gluten from its former supplier, ChemNutra Inc. In turn, ChemNutra Inc. issued its own recall of wheat gluten it imported from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. in Wangdien, China.

A further recall for pet treats made by Sunshine Mills of Red Bay, Ala., primarily dog biscuits sold by Wal-Mart under the Ol'Roy brand, was also announced due to the treats that they were made with the contaminated wheat gluten.

The recalled Sunshine Mills dog biscuits are sold across the U.S. at supermarkets and pet specialty stores. In addition to the Ol'Roy brand, Nurture Chicken & Rice, Pet Life and Lassie biscuits were also recalled. Six of Sunshine's private-label customers also were notified that their treats may contain wheat gluten with melamine.

Menu Foods, the Canadian based wet pet food manufacturer had earlier, on March 16, announced the recall of over 60 million cans of dog and cat food after numerous cases of renal health of the pets popped upon consumption of the food. This recall had covered a production period between December 3, 2006, and March 6, 2007.

The recent recall covers five more cat food varieties and four more dog food varieties of the moist products. It also includes seven new varieties sold in Europe. Twenty more dog and cat foods have thus been added in an already huge list of recalled pet products.

Dr. Stephen F. Sundlof, the FDA's chief veterinarian, said, "Consumers should (still) feel safe in purchasing products not on the recall list." Referring to the fact that the FDA had no idea how many pets have died or become sick from the recalled food, he said, "We know that there are a lot more animals that have been affected by this, made ill and died, but trying to put an estimate to it at this time is just not something we can do."

The nationwide recall is based on the finding that melamine wound up in the pet food and in the wheat gluten imported from China that was used in the pet food.