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AgVetLink: Number 61, April 2007

Pet food recall

Background

In March 2007 the US Food and Drug Administration became aware of the illness and death of cats and dogs associated with certain pet food. The main effect reported was acute renal failure, primarily in cats. Signs of kidney illness reported include loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting.

All the suspect pet food contained wheat gluten sourced from a single supplier, Xuzhou AnYing Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd, of China. A voluntary recall of 95 brands of pet food (mainly gravy type foods) was initiated. In April 12 more brands were added to the list.

Initially, the chemical aminopterin (a form of rat poison) was implicated because it was found in some of the cat foods. Since then, this theory has been discounted. At the time of writing, samples of the implicated pet food and the wheat gluten were analysed and found to contain melamine, a chemical used as a fertiliser and in the production of plastics. Melamine was also identified in urine and tissue samples taken from some sick cats.

While there appears to be a clear correlation between the kidney damage seen in cats and the consumption of contaminated wheat gluten, scientists investigating the situation are concerned that the levels of melamine detected in pet food are lower than they would expect to cause the toxic effects that have been seen in pets and that melamine may not be the cause of kidney failure. It is possible that there is another, as yet unidentified, contaminant that is present alongside the melamine that is the primary causative agent. Studies continue.

New Zealand situation: pet food

NZFSA is aware of three brands of pet food available in New Zealand that were affected in the US. However, shipping delays to New Zealand mean that none of the product in question was distributed here. Some product was shipped to New Zealand but was reshipped or destroyed. Hills has advised that they are voluntarily re-calling their product even though it is now clear that product imported into New Zealand is not in the batches of concern. They have decided to continue the recall so as not to lead to any confusion.

NZFSA has been monitoring the situation, but has not taken an active role because there is no known affected product here. Distributors involved have been very responsible, keeping NZFSA up to date.

New Zealand situation: wheat gluten

Given the concerns of the US scientists that the primary cause of illness and death following consumption of contaminated wheat gluten has not yet been identified, NZFSA is currently unable to provide assurance as to the safety of any wheat gluten sourced from Xuzhou AnYing Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd, of China. Until the contaminant in the wheat gluten that is the cause of illness and death is positively identified, the presence or absence of that contaminant remains unknown.

For further information, see the following websites:

http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia9926.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_47329.html

http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood/transcript040507.pdf

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/news/FoodRecall/prApril5.htm