The 2007 animal feed recall consists of contamination and widespread withdrawal from many cat and dog food brands beginning in March 2007, and subsequent developments involving human food supplies. Recalls in North America, Europe and South Africa came in response to reports of kidney failure in pets. Initially, the withdrawal was attributed to the consumption of most of the wet animal foods made with wheat gluten from a Chinese company. After more than three weeks of consumer complaints, the withdrawal began voluntarily with the Canadian Food Menu Company on March 16, 2007, when a company showed sickness and death in some test animals. Soon after, there were many media reports about animal deaths due to kidney failure. In the weeks that followed, several other companies that received contaminated wheat gluten also voluntarily recalled dozens of pet food brands. One month after recall, contaminated rice proteins from different sources in China were also identified as linked to kidney failure in pets in the United States, while contaminated maize gluten was associated with renal failure with pets in South Africa. As a result of a 2007 pet food investigation, a broader investigation of Chinese export protein contamination occurred, raising concerns about the security of human food supplies.
At the end of March, veterinary organizations reported more than 100 pet deaths among nearly 500 cases of kidney failure, with an online database reporting 3,600 deaths as of April 11. The US Food and Drug Administration has received reports from several thousand cats and dogs that have died after eating contaminated food, but only confirmed 14 cases, in part because there is no centralized government database of animal diseases or deaths in the United States, humans (such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). As a result, many sources speculate about the actual number of affected pets that may never be known, and experts fear that the actual death toll could reach thousands.
Overall, some large companies have attracted more than 5300 pet food products, with most of the withdrawals coming from Menu Foods. The contamination is caused by melamine in the affected food. The Chinese company behind contaminated wheat gluten initially denied involvement in the contamination, but cooperated with Chinese and American investigators.
In the United States, there is extensive media coverage of recalls. There is widespread public outrage and calls for government pet food regulations, which have previously been self-regulated by pet food manufacturers. The United States Senate held an oversight session on the issue on April 12. The economic impact on pet food markets has been widespread, with Menu Foods alone losing at least $ 42 million from withdrawals, even without taking into account reduced sales. Some waves of recalls, many issued on Friday night night may be to avoid media coverage, and those events have caused some mistrust of some consumers.
Reports of Chinese food fraud with widespread and perhaps deliberate melamine have caused the problem of melamine contamination in human food supplies, both in China and abroad. On April 27, the US FDA subdued all vegetable proteins imported from China, intended for human or animal consumption, for incarceration without physical examination, including: wheat gluten, rice gluten, rice protein, rice protein concentrate, corn gluten, corn gluten meal , corn byproducts, soy protein, soybean gluten, protein (including amino acids and protein hydrosilates), and green bean proteins. In a teleconference with reporters on May 1, officials from the FDA and the US Department of Agriculture say between 2.5 and 3 million people in the United States have consumed chickens that have consumed feeds containing contaminated vegetable proteins from China.
Current research is focused on the combination of melamine and cyanuric acid in causing renal failure. Reports that cyanuric acid may be an independent and potentially widely used trigger in China have raised fears for pets and human health.
On May 7, US food security officials stated: "There is a very low risk to human health from consuming meat from pigs and chickens that are known to have been fed animal feeds supplemented with food residues of pellets containing melamine and melamine related compounds"
Video 2007 pet food recalls
Recall history
The first withdrawal was announced by Menu Foods on Friday night, March 16, 2007, for cat and dog food products in the United States. In subsequent months, many additional withdrawals were announced by Menu and other companies as withdrawals expanded throughout North America and into Europe and South Africa. The Foods menu admitted receiving the first pet pet complaints on February 20, 2007, and initiated a recall after an unexpected death after a routinely scheduled internal "taste test".
Recall associated with contaminated vegetable protein, imported from China in 2006 and early 2007, is used as a pet food. The process of identification and accounting for the source of contamination and how contaminants cause disease is in progress.
Maps 2007 pet food recalls
Affected brand
- Note: The following list may not be complete. Please see the external links section for more resources.
The majority of the recalled food comes from one company, Menu Foods of Streetsville, Ontario. The Foods' menu remembers itself representing nearly 100 cat and dog food brands, and on April 11, is the only brand known to have caused disease in animals. Below is an overview of affected brands, such as those provided by FDA and companies:
- Food Menu: Over 50 dog food brands, and over 40 cat food brands. Almost all foods are wet foods, especially the varieties 'cut and sauce'. As a precaution, Menu Foods also attracts all food brands with wheat gluten in it even though the source of gluten is not the same as the source behind the contaminated findings.
- Sunshine Mills: About 20 brands of dried dog biscuits
- NestlÃÆ' Â © Purina PetCare: All sizes and variations of Alpo "Main Pieces in Gravy"
- Del Monte: More than a dozen dried hawker brands, or jerky, cats and dogs, and/or mobile phones
- Pet Nutrition on the Hill: Diet Diet, Sliced ​​Pot, and one dry cat food product, "Feline Diet Recipe"
- Royal Canin Canada: Feline Medi-Cal Prohibition (canned) Prohibition
- Royal Canin United States: Eight varieties of Reasonable Choice, three varieties of Animal Diet, six types of Kasco dogs and one varieties of cat food Kasco
- Natural Pet Balance Foods: Venison and Brown Rice canned dog and pies, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats, Venison and Green Pea dried cat food, Chicken Formula 13 oz Dogs, Formula Lamb 13 oz Canned Dog Food, 13-oz Cow Meat, and Canned Catfish Fish Formula
- Blue Buffalo Company: Spa Choose dry food Cat, all canned products and biscuits
- SmartPak: LiveSmart Chicken Weight Management and Red Rice Dog Food
- Chenango Valley Pet Foods: Doctor Foster & amp; Smith Chicken and Brown Rice Adult Lite Formula Cat and Dog Food; Doctor Foster & amp; Smith Lamb and Brown Rice Adult Dog Food Formula; Lick Your Chops Lamb Meal, Rice and Egg Cat Food; Shopping Rick-Mixt Rite Dog Food; SHEP chunk-style dog food; 8 in 1 Ferret Ultra-Blend Advanced Nutritional Diet; Diet Health Foods Chicken Cat and Rice Dinner; Evolution of Kitten Formula; Sheep's Food Contains Chocolate and Rice; and a large chicken and Brown Rice Adult Lite Dog Food Formula
- Diamond Pet Foods: Chicken Soup for the Pet Soul Pet Beloved Formula 5.5 oz. cans, Chicken Soup for Spiritual Spiritual Soul Formula 13 oz. cans, Diamond Lamb & amp; Rice Formula for Dog 13 oz. cans and Nutrils Nuggets Lamb Meal and Nasi Formula dry dog ​​food
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) maintains a combined list of all varieties of retractable animal foods.
Impact on pets
Number of affected animals
By the end of March, the animal organization reported more than 100 pet deaths among nearly 500 cases of kidney failure, and experts estimate the death toll to thousands, with an online database already reporting 3,600 deaths on April 11. The US Food and Drug Administration has received reports of about 8500 animal deaths, including at least 1950 cats and 2200 dogs that have died after eating contaminated food, but only confirmed 14 cases, in part because there is no centralized government database of animal diseases or deaths in United States because there are humans (such as the Centers for Disease Control). For this reason, many sources speculate about the complete deaths and diseases of pets caused by contamination that may never be known. In October, results from the "AAVLD survey of North American food nephrotoxicity, April to June 2007," were reported, showing 347 of the 486 cases reported voluntarily on June 6, 2007 had met diagnostic criteria, with most cases reported from the United States States, but also includes cases of 20 dogs and 7 cats reported from Canada. The case involved 235 cats and 112 dogs, with 61 percent of cats and 74 percent of dead dogs. Dr. Barbara Powers, president of AAVLD and director of the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, said the survey may only find a percentage of actual cases. He also said the mortality rate is unlikely to represent all cases, as survey respondents have more information to send animals that have died. A number of dogs were also reportedly affected in Australia, with four in Melbourne and several more in Sydney. No action or legal impact has occurred regarding these cases. Powers explains further: "But there could be more deaths due to contaminated animal food.... This survey does not capture all the deaths that occur.To calculate in our survey you must meet certain criteria.... If anyone has pets that died and they buried it behind [the page], they did not qualify for our survey We had to confirm exposure to retractable animal foods, evidence of toxicity, and clinical signs of kidney failure So this is only the percentage of deaths in There's no way to guess how many pets are affected. "
In a potentially related incident in China, on February 22, 2006, Xinhua reported at least 38 dead cats immediately after being fed with Xiduoyu, a brand of "cat food producer based in Tianjin". A veterinarian mentioned in the story said "test results from the Beijing Animal Hospital showed dead cats suffering from kidney fatigue and sick people suffering kidney damage." The suspicions at that time focused on lead poisoning, although Gu Junhua, an engineer chief of the "China national food quality check center under the Ministry of Agriculture", reportedly said: "But at present, he says it is difficult to draw any conclusions because the country has not yet compiled food safety criteria for pets in terms of quality and quantity of each ingredient element. "No mention of melamine is made.
Symptoms
Pet owners are advised to monitor their animals for the following signs of possible kidney failure that may be associated with unknown toxins: loss of appetite, lethargy, depression, vomiting, diarrhea, sudden changes in water consumption, and changes in the frequency or amount of water small. It is recommended that pets showing these symptoms should be taken for animal care as soon as possible, even if the animal does not eat retractable animal foods, as these signs may be indicative of other diseases. Animal ultrasound that has ingested contaminated food in many cases shows cortical echogenicity, perirenal fluid and pyelectasia.
One of the largest animal hospital chains in the US, Banfield, has released statistics about the rate of recent pet kidney failure. Veterinary Banfield treats about 6 percent of nation's cats and dogs, and their findings provide "the most authoritative picture of the dangers of cat and dog food being polluted," according to the FDA. Based on data analysis gathered by more than 600 hospitals and clinics in 43 states, out of every 10,000 cats and dogs seen at the Banfield clinic, three kidney failures developed during melamine-contaminated pet food are on the market. They reported 284 cases of renal failure in cats more than expected "background levels," corresponding to a 30 percent increase. During that period, Banfield veterinarians saw 100,000 cats. According to Hugh Lewis, who analyzed the results for Banfield, extrapolating the US cat population may mean "several hundred cats a week across the country" are affected. No significant statistically significant improvement was seen among dogs, suggesting contamination is more toxic to cats.
Pest prevention in pets
On May 4, the FDA advises: "If your pet's food is not listed [as it is remembered on the website], pet food is not affected by the recall and you can continue to give it to your pet; however, if your pet shows symptoms suddenly including loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, stop feeding pet food and call your veterinarian. "
The ever-increasing number has motivated at least one famous animal protection organization, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to recommend "until this crisis is resolved... pets are fed products containing protein sourced from the US. only. "
Lack of food in pet shelters
Many non-profit pet shelters depend on donated food to feed animals and remain financially stable, but due to the use of wheat gluten and other ingredients contaminated in many wet pet foods and the large portions of food that are represented in the recall, many Pet shelters have to dispose of food even though there is a financial burden.
Find the cause of the disease
Unable to find the source of renal failure demonstrated by test subjects who consumed some of their wet food products, Menu Foods sent food samples to Cornell University between March 13 and March 15 for chemical analysis. They, too, were not immediately able to find the cause of the disease, so they sent samples to the New York State Food Laboratory, part of the federally funded Food Emergency Response Network.
Initial focus on aminopterin
On March 23, the New York State Food Laboratory reported that aminopterin was found in samples sent to them by Cornell. Michigan State University is also investigating the source of kidney failure and makes available to researchers and veterinarians of affected animal pictures and photographs "showing acute tubular necrosis in the kidney with intratubular crystals." Aminopterin is widely described in news reports as "rat poison", although the statement may be based on the hypothetical usage contained in the 1951 patent application and not on the actual use of the chemical. Aminopterin is illegal in China, and neither Cornell University nor the FDA can replicate the New York lab results. On March 27, the American Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty reported symptoms described in affected animals were not "completely consistent with the consumption of rat toxins containing aminopterin."
The next finding changes the focus to melamine
One time in mid-March, an "anonymous pet company" reported to Cornell that they had found an industrial chemical used in the manufacture of plastics, melamine, in an internal test of wheat gluten samples. On March 21st, it was clear that the common factor was wheat gluten used to thicken the sauce in a "cut and sauce" wet style. On March 27, Cornell has confirmed the presence of melamine in originally retractable animal food, wheat gluten used in its manufacture, dead pet cells, and in urine samples from dead and sick pets. On March 30, both Cornell and FDA announced the presence of melamine has been confirmed. The chemicals were found in estimated wheat gluten in a crude concentration as high as 6.6%. Stephen Sundlof, head of the FDA veterinarian said, "There is a lot of melamine.You can see the crystal in wheat gluten."
In addition to wheat gluten, products containing protein rice have also been contaminated with melamine. Natural Balance Pet Foods withdrew two products on April 16 because of kidney damage associated with melamine contamination even though the product did not contain wheat gluten. Melamine has also been involved in corn gluten in South Africa.
Despite the presence of industrial chemicals both in food and in animals, the FDA has explained that they are still in the midst of extensive investigations, and "not yet fully convinced that melamine is a causative agent."
Melamine and cyanuric acid in pet ailments
Previous animal studies have shown that melamine consumption can cause kidney stones, cancer or reproductive damage. One study in 1945 suggested chemicals increased the output of urine when fed to large numbers of dogs. This chemical is known to have very low toxicity in rodents. The US FDA is not aware of any melamine studies involving cats and, if melamine is responsible, increased cat sensitivity is a mystery to officials. One hypothesis is poisonous cat food that may have higher melamine concentrations than dog food. Melamine can be detected in blood or urine tests.
Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, said: "Melamine is not too toxic as a chemical, so we wonder why we see any kind of serious condition, especially kidney failure, which we see in cats and dogs... We focus on melamine at this time because we believe that, although melamine is not a causative agent, it is somehow related to the causative agent, thus functioning as a marker ". Even at the highest concentrations found in wheat gluten, melamine exposure is much smaller than the dose of mice and mice whose effects are seen. In contrast, the FDA has suggested a second contaminant may be responsible for adverse effects and melamine, as the most readily identifiable contaminant, may serve as a biomarker, or indicator, for contaminated wheat gluten.
According to the FDA, "the relationship between melamine in the kidneys and dead catfish and melamine in the food they consume is undeniable, and melamine is a substance that should not be in pet food at any level." However, Richard Goldstein of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine stated that "There seems to be something else there, besides melamine, but identifying what they are is a long process."
Researchers have focused on the role of melamine and related compounds in causing kidney failure. Beginning on April 19, researchers have reportedly ruled out aminopterin contamination and have found "talking-like crystals" in contaminated wheat gluten and rice protein concentrates and tissue and urine of affected animals. (Formerly known that melamine and cyanuric acid can form hydrogen bonding networks, creating planar structures such as tile through self-assembly molecules.) Crystals have been said to function as biomarkers for contamination and about 30% melamine. The rest have been identified as cyanuric acid, ammelide and ammeline, with recovered crystals from urine reported to be about 70% cyanuric acid. While some researchers have theorized the last three chemicals may have formed because animals metabolize melamine, or as a by-product of bacterial metabolism (cyanuric acid is a known byproduct of melamine bacterial metabolism), their presence in crystals found in contaminated proteins. itself, combined with media reports of widespread falsification with melamine and cyanuric acid in China, has focused research efforts on their combined effects on animals. Both melamine and cyanuric acid, a chemical commonly used in chlorination of ponds, have been considered highly toxic by themselves. The current hypothesis is that, although these contaminants are not highly toxic individually, their potential seems to increase as they come together.
On April 27, researchers from the University of Guelph in Ontario announced that they have made crystals chemically similar to those found in contaminated animals by combining melamine and cyanuric acid in the laboratory under conditions of pH similar to those in the animal's kidneys.
Given these findings, on May 1, the American Veterinary Medical Association noted in the release of a "very insoluble" crystalline press formed on the kidneys of animals suspected of inhibiting kidney function. On May 7, Barbara Powers, president of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians and a professor of veterinary diagnosis at Colorado State University warned "There is something more happening than just mechanical blockage because you will not see so many necrosis." (cell death) and inflammation. "
On May 2, in a further investigation into the source of cyanuric acid in the contaminated material and the toxic effects of a chemical combination, Richard Goldstein of the Cornell University University of Veterinary Medicine, in response to a contaminant report may "scrap the melamine" left over from processing coal to melamine, hypothesized: "It is possible that other items remaining with them are items under the barrel, the remaining melamine and possibly cyanuric acid." I think this melamine with other toxic compounds. "The crystal composition analyzed in contaminated pet food ingredients similar to the composition of waste products produced in cyanuric acid production.
On May 8, 2007, the International Herald Tribune reported three Chinese chemical makers have said animal feed producers often buy, or attempt to buy, chemicals, cyanuric acid, from their factories to merge with animal feed to be given. the false appearance of higher protein levels, suggests another potentially dangerous way that melamine and cyanuric acid might join in protein products.
A toxicology study conducted at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine after recall concluded that the combination of melamine and cyanuric acid in the diet did not lead to acute renal failure in cats. Wilson Rumbeiha, a professor at the MSU Diagnostic and Animal Health Center, commented on the results of a survey commissioned by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians and designed and carried out by the MSU toxicology expert who was also presented at the AAVLD meeting in October 2007. "Unfortunately, these [melamine cyanurate] crystals are not easily soluble, they go slowly, if any, so there is the potential for chronic toxicity."
Alternative pet food sources
Some pet owners have become concerned over the safety of all processed animal foods, and have chosen not to buy any of the shop-bought pet food to prepare food from ingredients at home. The popularity of books on pet food home preparations has skyrocketed at Amazon.com. Several veterinarians have demonstrated that animal diets are difficult to maintain in terms of nutritional feasibility and safety, and are best served by store-bought preparations, statements disputed by some artificial animal food practitioners.
Industry and government responses
The American and Chinese authorities investigated the source of contamination related to pet deaths, and Chinese authorities shut down the Xuzhou Biological Technology Development Company and Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co. Ltd., both companies linked to contaminated products.
Litigation
Many pet owners attacked after consuming Menu Foods' products have considered filing a lawsuit against the company, but face difficulties with the assessment of pets who died. While many pet owners regard their pets as "part of the family", the lost pet is traditionally treated as a property, with potential liability limited to the retail value of the animal. Some countries determine the value of pet money for litigation or insurance purposes. Other countries have allowed lawsuits for punitive damages and emotional distress suffered due to loss of pets.
After news of a recall and animal death report began to spread, Menu Foods was presented with several individual suits for the deaths of affected pets. On March 20, following the death of her cat, a woman in Chicago, Illinois sued Menu Foods for negligence in delaying the withdrawal. On the same day, a lawyer for a Knoxville, Tennessee woman filed a lawsuit in Federal Court against a $ 25 million Food Menu and hoped to achieve classroom action status, citing negligence in testing food before distribution.
When an individual lawsuit is filed across the nation, an Ontario family, Oregon filed a class action lawsuit against Menu Foods, citing emotional damages and economic losses. Lawyers filing a federal lawsuit argue that the Washington state, which has jurisdiction, has a history of a favorable consumer protection precedent in pet-related lawsuits, but finding the value set for a lost pet may be difficult.
On March 23, Menu Foods said they would replace pet owners who could track their pet disease into company products. One estimate is that the cost to the owner treating an already disgusted animal is between $ 2 million and $ 20 million.
On April 5, the Chicago March 20 lawsuit extended to a federal class action status, with over 200 plaintiffs seeking redress for emotional distress. The plaintiffs specifically accused the Food Menu of fraud, claiming the company may have known the problem since early December.
The Foods menu faces 90 class action claims as a result of contamination. US District Court Judge Hillman has ordered Menu Foods to have no contact with the plaintiff unless their lawyer is involved in the discussion, after lawyers from six companies representing pet owners claim the company illegally attempted to contact their clients directly. Hillman said, "It appears that Menu Foods is out to do whatever the Foods Menu wants to do in a way that could adversely affect the rights of the plaintiffs.
The 2004 outbreak involving animal foods left more than 6,000 dogs and cats in Asia less. Renal failure in animals is associated with food produced in Thailand by Mars, Inc. Veterinarians in Asia initially blamed the 2004 problem on toxic fungi, but a pathology test conducted in 2007 found melamine and cyanuric acid present in kidney tissue from both outbreaks. According to the pathologist: "These results suggest that failure of renal-related renal injections in 2004 and 2007 has similar clinical, histological, and toxicological findings, providing compelling evidence that they share the same cause."
See also
- Chinese export quotas 2007
- baby milk scandal 2008
- China's mandatory certification
- Chinese protein export contamination
- Pet insurance
References
External links
- Food FDA Food Page
- FDA Withdrawal FAQ Oregon Oil Veterinary Association (OVMA) Pet Food Contamination Page - News & amp; developments updated regularly
- The American Veterinary Association (AVMA) Pet Pood Recall Page
- The Food Menu Calling Page
- Itchmo - Pet News - Comprehensive resources of withdrawal news are updated daily
- The C-SPAN video from the Senate's Senate Copy Committee meeting on recall.
- ASPCA Pet Food Recall Resource Center FAQ and reminder list, presented by experts at ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
- The map searches for the spread of contaminated materials.
- [1] Possibility of cross contamination to "safe" animal food.
- Pet Super Store Dog Food Recall Page
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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