I guess I'm bumping a pretty old thread about our FGF pets. Recently pet foods were adulterated by adding Melamine, a powder substrate used in manufacturing plastic items, counter tops and sometimes used as a fertilizer because of it's nitrogen content. This news hit the media for a day or two and then it got quite. Pet food manufactures buy advertising, so it's not surprising that media has stopped covering the story. The problem is much greater than the toxic peanut butter of last year. It brings into question the safety of all of our food stuffs.
The FDA reports, even a month later, report that 16 animals died from this contamination. Other sources, such as petconnection.com place the figures at welll over 4000 and rising.
Original reports blamed an 800 ton shipment of wheat gluten powder from China. Weeks later, rice powder and other protein powders are all implicated and in question.
Melamine contains nitrogen in a ring molecule. Protein for wheat gluten, rice protein concentrate, corn gluten etc is assayed for protein value by measuring the nitrogen count. This Melamine content is thought to have been "kicked up" in protein assay by adding Melamine by suppliers of the product in China. Protein powders derive their economic value by how much protein it assays at per unit volume.
The trouble is that melmaine and it's bacterial degradation products cause crystals to form in the kidney and ultimately accute kidney failure and death.
Menu Food had notice of dying and dead pets three weeks before they started their recall. Their recall only started after Iams for whom they manufactured products insisted. Menu Foods had numerous complaints about pet deaths, but instead of acting with recall, they started animal testing. Most of the test animals died.
Many more of our precious pets died in the interested in preserving corporate profits at great financial and personal loss to pet owners. Meanwhile, Mark Weins of Menu Foods sold half of his shares three weeks before the start of the recall, in what Mr Wiens calls an "unfortunate coincidence".
Folks, our FDA, CDC, and Homeland security have lost their way. Over 800 metric tons of Melamine laced wheat gluten was imported by Chem Nutra from China into this country, labeled as human food grade. Not a scrap, not a single sample was checked for toxins as it entered our ports.
Some of this toxic food was fed to hogs as "salvage". Three thousand hogs have been removed from market and paid/purchased by the FDA. So clearly, this toxin has entered the human food supply.
Reports are this toxin began with a shippment late November, 2006. I belive it started earlier. Our cat Crunchy, became ill in late August when a friend gave us food their cat's wouldn't eat. Their cat's won't eat much, so we gave it to our 16 pound buddy. Soon Crunchy was ill and rescued at great cost with IV fluids. His mental state, energy, activity, interest in toys vanished following this episode. He declined the next six months to become very lethargic and depressed.
I want to urge folks who have family pets to be aware of the current danger in our pet food and human food supply. The symptoms in pets are excessive drinking, excessive urinating, vomiting and ultimately death. Look into what products are recalled. Look at ingredients and know that many protein powders are suspect and more products are added to the recall list every day.
When Vikkie remarked a while back about contaminated peanut butter , I went and checked the dates on ours. Sure enough, we had one of the recalled batch. We had not eaten much of it because it had a bad taste. I had heard of the recall but not paid much attention because that is stuff that happens to someone else. When Vikkie wrote of repeated food poisoning from this stuff, I went looking.
I don't know if folks understand this, but some folks died from the spinach contamination last year. These incidents seem to get forgotten very quickly.
For Menu foods to continue manufacturing, distributing and selling toxic foods weeks after consumers reported deaths changes this from a matter of accidental food contamination into 4000 plus instances of animal cruelty. I have complained to my State's Attorney demanding prosecution of those at Menu Foods who had the authority and responsibility to act weeks sooner with a recall. This conduct, animal cruelty, is a felony in Maryland and most other states. It's no different that someone setting a dish of antifreeze out in my yard.
Senator Durbin is heading the congressional investigation. I hope folks will contact him and their own senators to demand action. Agricultural trade with China is extensive and expanding, while nothing imported is checked for safety.
I contacted Senator Mikulski (D) Maryland. Over a week later, I received an email reply that was copied and pasted concerning diabetes research. Thought that is an interest I have, perhaps on file at her office, it is not remotely related to my inquiry. Bascially, I received the "roach letter" even though I had not inquired about roaches.
Sorry for rambling and thanks for reading. I get this way when I'm pissed.
