Blue Buffalo Spa Select Dry Formula for Cats Recalled
Due to the melamine found in the Wilbur-Ellis rice protein, Blue Buffalo has recalled one production run of their Spa Select Kitten dry food marked “Best Used By Mar. 07 08 B.”
Of the 4,752 bags produced in this one run, we were able to prevent the majority from ever entering retail distribution.
FDA confirms that Blue Buffalo is one of four other companies that received this supply.
Full release after the jump.
(Post bumped. Original timestamp 4:45pm Eastern)
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Voluntary Recall of Spa Select Kitten Dry Food
Dear Pet Parents:
The Blue Buffalo Company has undertaken a voluntary recall of one production run of our Spa Select Kitten dry food. The production code on the recalled product is:
“Best Used By Mar. 07 08 B.”
We have taken this action because the rice protein concentrate used for this run was obtained from Wilbur-Ellis, the same company who supplied this ingredient to Natural Balance. Test results received late last evening (4/18) indicated that this rice protein concentrate tested positive for melamine. This is the first and only time our manufacturing partner sourced an ingredient from Wilbur-Ellis, and we had no knowledge that they had imported the ingredients from China.
We have advised the FDA of this finding and will be working closely with them on this issue.
Of the 4,752 bags produced in this one run, we were able to prevent the majority from ever entering retail distribution. We are working closely with our retail partners to remove this product immediately and will be re-stocking the shelves with Spa Select Kitten dry food that was produced without any rice protein sourced from Wilbur-Ellis as soon as possible.
If you currently have a bag of Spa Select Kitten dry food, please check the code date and if it matches the one shown above discontinue use immediately and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. If your cat has eaten any of the recalled food, please call your veterinarian immediately to discuss if there are any risks to your pet.
Should you have a specific question call our Customer Service Department at 1-800-919-2833 or email us at info@bluebuff.com. We understand your desire for immediate answers and we will be working to get back to you as quickly as we can.
No other Spa Select cat food or dog food, canned or dry, is included in this recall.
As a family owned company whose reason for being is to provide cats and dogs with the highest quality natural foods, we are extremely upset by this recall and can’t begin to apologize enough to our customers. From our perspective, it is unacceptable to produce even one bag of food with the potential to cause a pet to become ill, and we will further tighten our ingredient sourcing and quality assurance procedures as a result of this incident.
Sincerely,
Bill Bishop
President
The Blue Buffalo Company
April 19th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Everyone out there! You cannot believe anything! The companies do not even know themself about the products they send out for to put in the pet foods. They call a US cmpany. They do not ask if it is made in China. And!!! I cannot stress this enough. There are not that many canning places in the US. If it says distributed by on the label that means they did not make it, only their name is on it. For instance Paul Newmans line of pet foods. The wet is made by menu foods. Almost all wet food is made by them. They have the canning process to do it. Alot of places do the dry foods only. When these companies say all products are made by a US supplier, this only means that they get their stuff from them, but it does not mean that the supplier gets it from the US! American nutrition is another packing place and diamond uses them, but they have also used menu foods in some of their wets. don’t let them fool you!! I know about foods. I used to work in the grocery business and was surprised at the sources of some of our products. Merrick says they make all of their dry and canned products in their own facility and they do not contain wheat gluten, but if they contain rice protein that they could not make themself then they have to order it from an outside source. just like so many of the products put in the pet foods. So none of us know for sure. Another thing i found out. My dog does not like anything and he was eating the Alpo tainted stuff. He is okay for now, I guess. The vet said he was clear, but i still wonder. i tried several kinds, holistic, organic and returned them. he hated them all. i was getting really upset. I tried the home made.. he ate just a little.. not much! Probably from hunger only. I finally went to the store and picked up some pedigree. I read the labels. Almost all of them said wheat gluten. I read the ground beef and ground chicken. Neither one of them said anything about corn gluten or wheat gluten. i thought okay for a little while maybe i am safe and maybe he will eat it. i looked on the pedigree sight and read about the kind i bought. WEll!! The beef still states that it does not have any corn or wheat gluten in it nor rice protein. but the rice said it had wheat and corn gluten both. NOW this does not say this on the cans i have, But only at their sight!! Why is that??? Really made me angry!!! now i wonder if they are lieing about all of it!!! What is in this pet food???? Will someone somewhere tell us the truth!! I am going to have a nervous break down from all of this HELP
April 19th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Hi All, Since the recall I have been cooking for my dogs. About 4 days ago after doing much research on Blue buffalo, I started feeding them the dry the canned and treats. Much to my horror while searching the web, I found blue buffalo had the rice protein concentrate in it. I looked on my bag and sure enough the ingrdients are there. I knew last night they were going to start recalls. It is not even on the FDA site yet, I just checked, but the blue buffalo site says the are recalling some BB cat food. Just a matter of time before all their products with the rice protein concentrate are recalled. On there web site they say the have received shipments from WILBUR-ELLIS. www.bluebuff.com
After researching I found the supplier is WILBUR-ELLIS. They imported the rice protein concentrate from BINAHOU FUTIAN BIOLOGY TECH in China. When Wilbur-Ellis received the bags, they were all white except for one that was pink. The pink one had the word MELAMINE stenciled on it. They had shipped out bags before discovering this to 5 US pet food manufacturers in Utah, Ny, Kansas & two in Missouri. Blue buffalo is in CT and Ntural balance is in CA. So what is going on here?
BTW, the FDA doesn’t even have it on their site yet about the cat recall from blue buffalo!
April 19th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Lioness0811,
I was told that Canidae makes their own canned food at there own plant. Dry food is from their own plant in Texas. I have asked numerous times “Where is your plant in Texas”? The question has never been answered. They say they DO NOT USE MENU & no gluten of any kind. I really hope they are telling the truth.
Anymore it’s just a crap-shoot!
April 19th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Now how did we know that this was going to happen. I checked the ingredients in my dog and cats BB dry food just to be sure that there was no rice protein concentrate in the ingredients. I wouldn’t trust wheat gluten nor rice protein concentrate in any pet product. This is almost dejavu when they were recalling wheat gluten products one by one..DON’T TAKE ANY CHANCES!
Oh, and the fact that we were LIED to about BB using only products from USA just makes me want to scream! If they don’t know for sure, they sure as heck shouldn’t announce that!
The whole “confidential” manufacturing is just a big fat clue that they don’t trust where their food is being processed.
We need to stamp a STUPID sign up on each of these irresponsible companies!!
April 19th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Vonne44 I agree with you more with rice protien are coming was talking to a lady at my organic store today and she said she heard Wellness and Nutro dry are having issues and it is only amatter of time. before they are recalling somethings
April 19th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
to answer wolley’s question in forum–hypercalcemia causes nausea, vomiting, pancreatitis, bladder stones, increased urination, depression, confusion, etc. yes, my dog got sick on royal canin with these symptoms
April 19th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
FDA will not name companies until the companies say they used the shipment of rice protein in the manufacturing of foods.
WHY NOT!!!! What’s the point of having these Jack Asses if they dont advise us when they know there is a problem!!! Dont we as tax payers pay their salary?
April 19th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Let me make it clear. I don’t want to feed my pets or my family BIOLOGY TECH or BIO TECHNOLOGY FROM CHINA.
Do you understand that?
April 19th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Re: Canidae, I’ve been trying to find out who makes their food as well. I ran across an article in a newsletter or something that said Canidae dry is manufactured by Pied Piper. I e-mailed them to ask if they used Diamond before I found the reference to Pied Piper, and I received a form response, with a cryptic one line added (almost in broken English) that said no (which I took to mean that they do not use Diamond). Their canned is made by a “family-owned facility” in IN I think (could be Evanger’s?).
April 19th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Correction, I just re-checked the e-mail and they say it is a small family-operated facility in Illinois. Evangers is a small family-operated facility in Illinois. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Evangers makes the Canidae canned.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Just like many of the other DISGUSTING pet food companies, Blue Buffallo waited until 5:15pm to announce the recall. AND why don’t we have the right to know who the other companies are! THis is disgusting. GREED personified!
April 19th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Evy,
Talk to you soon. Your food arrived today. Smells great. Looks great. Nice foil bag. Cats are grinnin’.
Thanks for your help - I’ve learned tons from your posts.
Most of all - Thanks for Kumpikat!
April 19th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
TERIC,
According to info I have seen online on various sites, Canidae is made by Pied Piper in Hamlin, Texas.
Pied Piper website says
” ATTENTION: Pied Piper Pet Foods is not involved in
any recall of our dry pet foods or treats.
Pied Piper Pet Foods uses grain products grown in the USA.
WHEAT GLUTEN AND RICE PROTEIN CONCENTRATE
ARE NOT USED IN ANY OF OUR PRODUCTS. “
April 19th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
I was just trying Felidae for my cats (since Sunday). I only put a few cans at a time to make sure they would eat it. Just picked up a few more today since I still wasn’t sure about one of the cats liking it. I noticed right away that the can I purchased today looked different - darker color, more broth. My picky cat gobbled it up right awy. I noticed the dates on the older cans were use by August 2007, the ones today are use by 2009! Thought that was odd. Just how old were the other cans I wonder.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
meant to say “bought a few cans at a time”
April 19th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
TERIC,
I have found numerous places online that state that Canidae is made at Pied Piper in Hamlin Texas. The Pied Piper website says:
“ATTENTION: Pied Piper Pet Foods is not involved in
any recall of our dry pet foods or treats.
Pied Piper Pet Foods uses grain products grown in the USA.
WHEAT GLUTEN AND RICE PROTEIN CONCENTRATE
ARE NOT USED IN ANY OF OUR PRODUCTS. “
April 19th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
I just found the Pied Piper website up, it wasn’t working yesterday:
www.piedpiperpetfood.net. They talk about recent expansion, which Canidae does in their e-mails. Also, Pied Piper’s site says that all of their raw materials are from the USA and none of the products produced there have rice protein concentrate or wheat gluten in them. So it does sound like this could be Canidae’s manufacturer…Anyone else have any other clues?
April 19th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Beware of all who post here promoting their homemade foods and companies. I am making my own food for my pets NO corn…no rice protein and no wheat
April 19th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Jenny,
I noticed that also. I’m wondering if the older cans may be safer than the new?????
April 19th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
I’ve been following and reading the blogs all week, I have sure learned a lot. This whole pet food thing is a nightmare! I feed my fur kids (I have 3 dogs) dry food in the morning, raw at night. I’m at my wits end as to what dry food to give them anymore, if any.
I was reading an article on Forbes web site. They think some of the contaminated rice protein concentrate made its way in to hog feed. Grrrr, this could get even uglier than it is. Here is the link if anyone wants to read the article. I hope I did it right and the link works…..
http://www.forbes.com/forbesli.....03892.html
April 19th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
I was just wondering what George Bush is feeding his dogs.
I havent heard him speak one word about this horrible mess.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Thanks Bonni! I only found the one reference to Pied Piper. I feel better now.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
An interesting bit on Solid Gold - don’t know if there is any truth to it since there is no source given.
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forum.....683.html?9
April 19th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
I have switched my dog from Natural Balance to The Honest Kitchen. 100% of the ingredients are made in USA, FORCE and EMBARK are GRAIN free (so no wheat or rice protein). All ingredients are human grade. I can’t trust NB any more. — Paul
April 19th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Teric - just don’t know. I have three cats and I had to prod one of them to eat the older cans. He loved the new stuff. Interesting that you noticed it too.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Apparently, the good folks at Blue Buffalo don’t have a clue where the crap they put in their food comes from. How can they when they “source” and have “manufacturing partners” and so many layers of suppliers, dealers, and manufacturers that they can’t possibly keep track of? And yet, they dare to assure people that their food is safe, but for that “oops — one got by us — we had NO idea!” When I made inquiries a few weeks back they replied and told me that they don’t get ANY of their ingredients from China or overseas. I think this pet food company, and all the others, had better pull their damn heads out. The letter they sent me assuring me that they don’t get any ingredients from China or overseas is going to be copied to Senator Durbin. I’m so sick of the lying, obfuscating, money-grubbing pet food companies.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Paul,
We use the Honest Kitchen and Canidae. I sure hope those are good choices, too!
April 19th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Well, and if Blue didn’t want people to keep asking about their Menadione, they should have updated their web page to remove it before last week (or it may have been the week before).
April 19th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Lorie,
Just switched my cat today to Wellness wet and dry on my vet’s recommendation because the Rx. Royal Canin weight mgt had corn gluten and I was worried about. . . what did the organic store lady specifically say. Now I’m worried I may have made a worse decision!
April 19th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Any gluten or “protein” in the Wellness?
April 19th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Royal Canin has been recalled in South Africa for melanine in the corn gluten.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Jenny,
I thought it was just me being paranoid. I called Canidae about it and they said they had not had any problems and it must be due to the freshness of the new can.
The older can’s contents was much smoother than the newer. I dont know what to think?????
April 19th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Chad,
Menu makes Wellness.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Wellness has a couple of things with rice protein concentrate. I believe the wellness bars (brown rice protein concentrate) and two of their foods.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Some info on MENU FOODS:
http://www.zoominfo.com/Search.....3df4ed80ff
Summary
Industry: Manufacturing, Consumer Goods, Pet Products
Revenues: $315 Million
Employees: 721
Menu strives to execute a “quick-to-follow” strategy whereby once a leading brand establishes a popular product format or formulation, Menu offers an analogous product to its customers. Menu’s manufacturing and product development capabilities often permit it to introduce analogous products for retail customers within a matter of months following the introduction of the new product by a branded manufacturer. Menu also develops proprietary and innovative products at the request of certain customers
Translation: The BRAND hooks you with slick advertising, then turns to MENU for low cost production.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Chad,
There is no gluten or protein; just rice and ground rice. Their website says:
“We do not source rice protein concentrate from Binzhou Futian Biological Technology, the manufacturer of the contaminated rice protein concentrate used in the Natural Balance products.
We do not purchase rice protein concentrate from Wilbur-Ellis.
We have visited the plants where we source our rice protein concentrate, and they have consistently met our stringent standards. We have been purchasing from them for several years and have not recently added any new suppliers.” Further added that only four items actually contain the RPC. So I initially had no concerns–at least no more than we’re all feeling with the constant “shifting sand” so to speak. . .
April 19th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
I have been feeding Solid Gold to my pets for about 9 years.
I did alot of research on dog food before I got my first dog, and I continue to do so. I have not found a kibble other than Solid Gold that I feel 100% comfortable feeding to my dogs and cats. If something was to happen and I had to switch foods, I would go with a totally home cooked food with supplements. Believe me I’ve been researching that too.
When ever I called Solid Gold I would end up talking with the owner. She has always been very helpful and is extremely educated on pet nutrition.
Below is a quote from Solid Gold.
“INGREDIENT SOURCING
We would like to assure our customers that all the ingredients in Solid Gold products are sourced domestically with three exceptions. The lamb meal used in our dry foods is sourced from New Zealand, which produces some of the cleanest meat in the world. The potato protein used in Barking at the Moon is sourced in Europe. Our Blended Tuna canned cat food is produced in an American owned plant in Thailand, due to the lack of tuna processing plants in the United States.”
April 19th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
Teric - at least all my cats liked it. Althought that isn’t necessarily a good thing today!
April 19th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
After $3000 in Vet bills and four biopsy done to my Bichon Fise Lacey I find that her Natural Balance and Blue Buffalo might be the one to blame. She is improving I think, but sure hope that she will be well. I am going to make my own dog food from now on I think. This is horrible what is happening.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
The recall has exposed the fact that, although sold under many different brand names, most pet foods are created only a few manufacturers, such as Menu Foods, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The companies that own the brand hire these “contract manufacturers” to make their particular pet food. The contract company owns the processing plant where the food is made and rent out time on their production equipment to make each particular kind of food. Officials explain it is a much cheaper way of making the food because each individual brand doesn’t have to buy the expensive manufacturing equipment themselves.
The manufacturing company purchases the ingredients while the brand often provides the recipe or formula for their particular brand of pet food.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Well, and one of my other cats with pancreatitis/IBD just gobbled up the remains of his Felidae dinner. So, I certainly hope that one is OK. Odd how the cans changed. And two years between the dates?
April 19th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Jenny,
I feel exactly the same way…..
April 19th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
The problem with most of these companies is they spend more on marketing and packaging and clothing lines and executive salary packages and options and golden parachutes then they do on quality food.
April 19th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
And a Thank You to Steve also. No more China!!!!!!
April 19th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Just a heads up…Canidae uses only ingredients grown & raised in the US…They manufacture their own dry food in their own facility…Their canned food is manufactured by “a small family owned cannery in IL that deals in organics foods” which I happen to know is Evangers located near Chicago IL…All ingredients are USDA approved human grade ingredients…No wheat gluten, corn gluten, or rice protein concentrate…No artificial preservatives & an awesome ingredients list…& all meat is free range raised!…We’ve been feeding Canidae for over a yr. now & couldn’t be more pleased & we still trust in Canidae after this horrible mess…I am paying about 30.00 for 40 lbs.
April 19th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Canidae is also in IL. Not a State they are mentioning that purchased this junk. That’s a good thing!!
April 19th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
To Any Pet Food Manufacturers & Distributors reading these comments: I do not want to buy anything that contains ingredients sourced from China. If any of you want to get my business, you must certify, in writing that your products do not contain any protein boosting ingredients and no ingredients from China. Unless you do that, you will never see another penny of my money. I have a post-graduate degree, and I’m a very good cook. I love my dogs and will spend whatever time it takes to learn enough about pet nutrition to feed them safely. Most of the others on these blogs are smart enough and love their pets enough to do the same. You need to heed our desire for safe pet food, or go out of business.
April 19th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
I frankly cannot afford the “high-priced spread” for my dog and cat. My cat gets Friskies canned and Purina Special Care dry. My dog gets Beneful dry and a spoonful of Mighty Dog canned (not pouch) twice a day to take medication. (She has Cushings Disease.) I know Beneful has corn gluten, but no idea where it comes from. Does anyone know anything else about Beneful, Friskies, Purina Special Care or Mighty Dog not the pouch?
April 19th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
I DITTO PAM’S COMMENT!!!
April 19th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
To those discussing the safety of continuing to feed Wellness, this was just posted on their site (http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com/wellness/aboutus_philosophy.html)
__________________
Dear Pet Parents,
Like many of you, we were upset to learn that the presence of an illegal contaminant has again been found in the pet-food supply, this time involving rice protein concentrate.
We have no reason to believe that any Wellness or Old Mother Hubbard products are affected in any way. In fact:
We do not source rice protein concentrate from Binzhou Futian Biological Technology, the manufacturer of the contaminated rice protein concentrate used in the Natural Balance products.
We do not purchase rice protein concentrate from Wilbur-Ellis.
We have visited the plants where we source our rice protein concentrate, and they have consistently met our stringent standards. We have been purchasing from them for several years and have not recently added any new suppliers.
_______________________________
It goes on to talk about the recall and their quality assurance process, etc…