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Another Pet Food Ingredient Is Contaminated by Chemical

By Patricia Sullivan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 20, 2007; Page A08

The industrial chemical that led to a nationwide recall of cat and dog food has been found in another pet food ingredient imported from China, and in corn gluten sent to South Africa.

Melamine-tainted rice protein was used by five pet food makers, including Natural Balance Pet Foods, which recalled some lines Monday, and Blue Buffalo Co., which yesterday recalled its Spa Select Kitten dry food. Royal Canin South Africa recalled some of its dog food that used Chinese-made corn gluten.



Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) plans to introduce a bill addressing the FDA's oversight of food safety. (By Lauren Victoria Burke -- Associated Press)






Melamine, strongly suspected of causing kidney and liver failure in cats and dogs, was previously found in wheat gluten.

The Food and Drug Administration, which has increased its surveillance of pet food imports from China, has not been able to obtain visas for its investigators who want to visit the Chinese plants where the melamine-tainted bulk foods are believed to have originated. One theory investigators will pursue is whether melamine was deliberately added to boost the protein content, potentially making the bulk foods more valuable, FDA officials said.

Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said Wednesday that FDA Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach told them that the agency has twice asked for an invitation letter from the Chinese government, necessary to obtain the visas, without success.

"The fact that the Chinese are refusing to cooperate really is unacceptable," Durbin said. "If they won't cooperate at this level, it raises questions about all their exports to the United States."

Durbin and DeLauro, who plans to introduce bills addressing the FDA's oversight of food safety, sought the intervention of the Chinese ambassador in a letter pointing out that the United States imported $2.1 billion in agricultural products from China last year.

"At the moment, we don't have any ties in to the human food supplies, but every day we see another recurrence of pet food recall," DeLauro said. "The Chinese have a very poor record in their plans to control food contamination."

FDA officials said yesterday that the agency is investigating a report that tainted pet food was fed to hogs, possibly bound for the human food market. No melamine contamination of human food has been uncovered during the monthlong pet food scare, but it's a topic that federal officials worry about.

So much food -- for both pets and humans -- is imported that the FDA cannot inspect it all, although inspections routinely turn up fish, vegetables, fruits and other foods unfit for consumption. Imports account for 13 percent of the average American's annual diet, but only 1.3 percent receive even cursory inspection. In addition, many imported grains are not identified as meeting either human or animal standards.

No one knows how many animals have died as a result of the current pet food contamination, but the latest numbers from the Oregon state veterinary office and the Michigan veterinary association connect 96 deaths of dogs and cats to the pet food scare.

The recalls began March 16 after Menu Foods reported the deaths of dogs and cats to the FDA. The Canadian company makes more than 100 brands, with so many variations that the FDA has a searchable index and a downloadable spreadsheet with 5,500 items at http://www.fda.gov. One organization is listing pet foods that have not been recalled at http://www.thepetfoodlist.com.

The latest expansion of the pet food recall occurred early yesterday when a San Francisco distributor, Wilbur-Ellis Co., recalled 181 metric tons of rice protein concentrate after it tested positive for melamine.

The concentrate came from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co. Wilbur-Ellis Chief Executive John Thacher said the April 4 shipment contained 145 white bags of rice protein concentrate and one pink bag. While the pink bag was labeled "melamine," it contained rice protein concentrate. The Chinese said that apparently it was used when the proper bag broke, Thacher said. Melamine residue contaminated the rice protein, and not just in the pink bag, FDA officials said yesterday.