Exclusive: Lab Reports Melamine In Unrecalled Dry Pet Food Exported From US
A lab report provided by a reader indicates that a sample of Country Value Puppy formula exported from the US contained melamine. The report obtained and translated by Itchmo states that the sample was tested by a South Korean university’s veterinary research center. This report has not been verified in the US. Country Value is also sold in the US, but has not been recalled.
This is also the first report of a lab — besides Expertox in Texas — reporting on possible contamination of unrecalled pet food.
Jim Fallon, a spokesman for Diamond Pet Foods, said that the food with the best by date of March 2008 was made in September 2006 at their South Carolina plant.
The lab reported finding melamine concentrations of 346.21 parts per million, a number that is higher than the amounts typically found through cross contamination according to the manufacturer Diamond Pet Food. Fallon also said that they have received no calls regarding Country Value through their recall hotlines. Diamond is working on pulling the retained samples and will test them for melamine and says they will pursue this “aggressively and cautiously.”
Diamond has recalled several products in recent months due to melamine contamination. The Itchmo reader also wrote that the importer denied that the food was contaminated.
The FDA could not be reached in time for comment.
The ingredient list for Country Value Puppy formula is after the jump.
Top 10 ingredients in Country Value Puppy formula according to About.com
Meat meal
Whole grain ground corn
Rice bran
Corn gluten meal
Chicken fat (preserved with mixed toco-pherols)
Wheat flour
Beet pulp
Natural chicken flavor
Flaxseed
Potassium chloride
June 9th, 2007 at 8:37 am
I think we’re going to see alot of these toxic flash firea pop up until all the product that has been contaminated is either consumed ( God forbid) or pulled and tested. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that samples of products produced when these first tainted shipments arrived should be tested. We can’t go back to when it veryfirst started, but we can go back to when it started killing our fur angels.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:38 am
I have an opportunity to serve on a citizens advisory committee for one of our local senators. I think I might do that…
June 9th, 2007 at 8:41 am
I have only found two foods not made by menu and the others
only two foods are made by their own canneries and plants
those were
eagle pack and merrick
they have there own plants and are made by their own people
also use organic (no peticides or crap) and from what I understand they feed their own pets their own foods so these are the one I feel safe with.
I switched to merrick when all this started and so far its been good
also the company does answer your questions and does not walk around the issues.
as far as the other brands even wellness and the so called good brands of foods I found have some connection or have some or all of their foods made by menu but when asked they walk around the question and will not give you a straight answer and when you call them on it then they just stop answering you altogether as i found this to be what wellness did to me . I no longer use any of their foods.
But this whole thing sounds fishy to me . this is a really big recall and it seems to be never ending . sounds more like its intentional I think they need to look further and beyound accidental contamanation too
June 9th, 2007 at 8:50 am
chloe,
The short answer is that many of us are avoiding foods from BIG BRANDS, BIG BOX STORES, GROCERY STORE BRANDS, and/or contract manufacturing companies.
Try to find a specialty store near you that sells “natural” food, or order online.
Research this website and get help in the forums.
Also see: http://www.thepetfoodlist.com/
June 9th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Unless I’m mistaken, Eagle pack canned is made by Menu. Evangers has its own cannery and also co-packs candidae and felidae.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:52 am
PS Merrick is owned and operated by the owners of the country’s largest rendering plant. On the same property too.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:52 am
I’m trying to set up a meeting with the Congressman from my district (he’s a newbie). Anyone from the Northeast interested in attending, send me a pm on the forum. I’m listed as suelovescats there. Thanks.
(I’m a different Susan)
June 9th, 2007 at 9:09 am
If you don’t want to eat Frankenfood, you need to look at some of these brands. There is also a link in the upper right-hand corner to “Take Action”.
http://www.krafty.org/
June 9th, 2007 at 9:16 am
barb–I agree totally with you, I don’t think most people are going to change. My sister & mother just won’t listen to me on this & are feeding their pets junk. I quit sending Itchmo reports to them because they just won’t see this for what it is. It’s too much trouble to really look into this & make the change, too scary, too expensive. I tried to talk my sister into swtiching to Canidae for her pets but she says its too expensive & she has to drive too far to get it, yet she has no trouble driving all over the place to shop for the people part of the family & go to all her social functions.
My mother is limited to where she can buy her food since she depends on my sister to take her to the grocery store & won’t ask for more that that. I bring her pet food once a month but I think she’s still buying from the grocery store in between. She has a case of FF in her cupboard with wheat gluten & just couldn’t believe it could be bad. She said she wouldn’t feed it but I suspect she does. My co-workers & the students I teach are the same way–if it’s not directly listed on the FDA list, it’s OK. I’m not seeing a huge change in the way people are going about their lives, or a huge concern about our food supply, beyond those of us who use these sites.
And there is soooo much even we don’t know. as someone said a few days ago, we’re just starting to see the tip of the iceberg. We think we’re informed now, but I think there is sooo much more going on out there. I think the greed, corruption & evil is much much bigger than wha’t we’ve seen the past half year. I’m listenening to an audio book right now called The Outlaw Seas that talks about the total lack of control of the shipping world. If you want to see how very little control there is in the real world, vs. our little padded fuzzy (or so we want to believe) American lives, read this. The author narrates it on the audio book & is really good. Very scary stuff.
June 9th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Ann and Susan, good luck with the political/advisory board thing! That would be at least a foot in the door of this thing.
Also Ann what is the web site for the Platinum products you use?
Thanks!
June 9th, 2007 at 9:30 am
To High Note,
I am from Florida (or in some instances Flori-duh!
I purchased the Hills food from a national chain pet store. I do not know how many manufacturing plants Hills has but I would be very wary of the response your Vet received from Hills. Their response that they “did not think it’s a problem your area” is frankly incredible to me. What information is that based on? That response indicates they either know more than they are revealing or they are still in the calming coverup mode.
My advice, based on my experience, would be for you to find another food for your cat and never think twice about that decision. You have to understand that I was very patient with Hills. I was not and am not out to sully them. But the fact is, they were not interested in my reporting to them that I thought their food was contaminated. They wanted me to send in a request for reimbursement for my Vet expenses and be done with me. No interest in finding out if their food was responsible for my cats death. They only decided to pick up a sample after I informed them I was posting my story on the net. I guess maybe their PR Department got involved after I revealed my web postings to them.
June 9th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Some here might be interested in this book. I read it a few years ago and did change some of the ways I evaluate and purchase products based on it.
I have to admit though to not being as vigiliant as I should. This ordeal now is changing me rapidly though.
http://www.amazon.com/Fateful-.....0060931833
June 9th, 2007 at 9:53 am
I’m glad I have been “an itchmo member” almost from the beginning. I also am saddened that some new members that are giving their opinions ~ without having read through all the information first ~ may be posting what other new members will take as fact simply because this site has been a vital source of factual information.
For safety’s sake, if you are a new member, please check out the archived info. Itchmo’s covered alot of ground since February.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Lisa Clay and jean s : thanks for the info on HealthyPetNet. Their website did not state who made their product and only that they used US suppliers which does not mean US ingredients. So they are made by Menu. That is all I need to know.
The same thing about Flint River Ranch, I cant find out who makes it or where the ingredients are from
barb I understand economics 101 which I took at college and it is true the companies are supplying the cheap stuff the public demands but they are also supplying the same cheap unsafe product in the higher priced so called premium product. They are mislabeling the product to con people into thinking they are buying American pet food
This is where economics 101 ends and price fixing, price gouging, false advertising, false labeling, lying, cheating, scamming and defrauding the public takes over. And pet murder too.
For instance it would cost $50 per cow to test every cow in America for mad cow. That is pennies a pound increase on finished meat, but even if I wanted to pay it, and I do, I am not allowed to buy it because of complicity of the cattlegrowers and the government who have stopped individually tested beef from being allowed for sale.
Although I am poor, I buy a ground beef that costs me almost 5 dollar a pound to avoid beef fed animal product. But even at such high price this beef is not allowed to be tested for mad cow.
I don’t call that a free market. I call it a captive market.
Similarly from this web site we can see a demand for pet food with USA grown ingredients, manufactured in the USA. It may be a limited demand, but many at this site are willing to go to extremes to find such a product
No company is obligated to make such a product. However, many of the pet food companies are using every type of evasion to con people into thinking their pet products meet the standards of itchmo customers
Farmers have to sell their goods to the highest bidder of lose the farm to taxes. So the good food is being shipped out. Some is reprocessed and the dregs are coming back to us in pet food, while the middlemen become rich and foreigners are eating better than us on our food
We are working like dogs every day to try and figure out what is a lie and what is the truth.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:03 am
In regards to change. Many folks did not Buy Cheap. Many bought some of the more Expensive brands, and got Burned badly. Because the Expensive stuff was made in the same places and in the same manners as the cheap junk. The companies deceive.
And for What-ever the reason an ‘owner’ chooses a brand, Ill health and death should Never be the results of that choice.
In the case of prices, going up, Menu raised their prices at least twice before getting in the CHEAPER poison ingredients {to cheapen THEIR costs} yet never passed the saving On to the consumers. Just pocketed the over-priced profits. Their financial statements tells it all.
I’d say Most Food producer have done the Same thing in this country. Buy cheaper and cheaper and sell HIGH.
And Never passed the savings on to the consumer or even a percent of the savings.
It’s one reason so many companies “show a profit” right now.
IF they were to change their purchase methods and buy Decently, wholesome and Good foods from now on; they should sell it at the CURRENT prices that they’ve previously been cheating US by.
They need to learn to eat the losses that an Honest change would demand. And regain the Trust of the consumer at the same time.
It’s all been Artificial, like bait and switch, like fraud. And Definitely Not, “Real” foods.
The foods have turned into Cheap crap with Cheap ingredients tainted with gawd only knows what now and they Still charge More and more and for What? PROFITS, not their cost/expenses to produce it. We’ve been ripped off for approx 10 years now inmy estimations.
That’s why the Economy is “So Good” right now.
IT”S ALL FAKE. The foods and their ‘expenses’. ALL Except their Profits.
They must change their methods to find ways to deliver Real and Nutritous foods at decent and Humane prices PERIOD. Let the best survive, to feed us Decently!
This is Food. Not the concrete that paves my sidewalks. I can live without the concrete but Not the Food.
BTW, I think there is More regulation for concrete safety and quality and legal enforcement of said, than with FOODS!
Hmmmmmm, must not be under the FDA’s {unenforceable} regulations and standards! :-P
My opinions and end of rant!
June 9th, 2007 at 10:04 am
petslave,
I agree. There is so much we don’t know about. Thanks for the book recommendation.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:09 am
YaYa - long time no blog! I have all three of my furbabies on Plantinum now, and within 1-2 weeks you see an amazing difference! You can only purchase it direct form the company, or through your vet. The website is www.platinumperformance.com. They make an amazing product. It was recommended to me by Dr. Elizabeth Hodgekins. She’s thevet that testified at the subcommittee hearings hen the pet fod mess started.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Did anyone else bristle at this info from Diamond: “The lab reported finding melamine concentrations of 346.21 parts per million, a number that is higher than the amounts typically found through cross contamination according to the manufacturer Diamond Pet Food.”
Typically found?
June 9th, 2007 at 10:24 am
E wem,
If by “cattle growers”, you mean ranchers, your statement is incorrect. It is the meatpackers, in conjunction with the ISDA that do not want to test for BSE.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:28 am
We just had a White Shepard mix puppy (11wks) given to us and I’m considering using dry mixed with home cooked. I have a shih tzu which I only home cook for now, but since this new puppy is probably going to weight near 100lbs in the future, I’m thinking I’m going to need alittle help with the mixture. I would be so happy to hear everyone’s feed back before I make my decision. I’ve looked at the forums and I think I’ve seen the most popular brands to be Canidae, Merrick, Calif. Natural…..would love to hear the lastest on what everyone thinks…
June 9th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Thanks YaYa for spelling it out … it’s not a rant…it’s frustration at having to repeat the same responses over and over to clarify mistaken assumptions.
(I couldn’t believe that anyone could still be using the “CHEAP food” rational.)
June 9th, 2007 at 10:36 am
(Oops. Lost the “e” in rationale.)
June 9th, 2007 at 10:36 am
Steve M. I too thought that was a strange response from Hills. I do not think my Vet caught it like I did. They told her at first that they did not think any thing was wrong and then she spoke to them again and they said that she did not have to wrorry about any of the food in her area. I just do not think she picked up on what they said. But I did. It stuck out in my mind. Not My area! I of course wondered What area for other people with animals.. I also wondered if Hills had other plants. But to tell the truth I think they only have the one in Kansas and if this is so. It sure would not make a difference in what area it was. Thanks Steve
June 9th, 2007 at 11:05 am
I was just thinking last night about all this crap in the pet food and as I was brushing my teeth I got to thinking about the toothpaste again. the FDA said do not use any toothpaste from China. Well how the heck are we to tell? Yes they pulled the ones off the shelf that had manufactured from China but what about the companies that only have distributed by? They will not say manufactured from China on them? Nor will anything that we eat. Now even organic milk suppliers buy a lot of their soy products from China too then this tells me that there is not enough of vitamins, preservatives, soy, and so many other things that go into our food and the manufacturers are buying so many things from China because this is their only source. We do not know from the labels on our products where the additives may come from or where they are even made. Almost everything I pick up says distributor on it.
There is not a way the American manufacturer any more can get all of the things they need to make up a product in this country any more. China with their lower prices has put too many of them out of business.
We need to change the the laws in this country. Quickly! We have to change the labeling in all products. More things must be checked that come from foreign countries. Too many things get passed by and are ending up in our food supply and our pets food supply.
It will do no good just to have the manufacturer on the label. The ingredients could still come from China. We need it to say some ingredients come from China and also that it has been checked for possible tainted ingredients on the label. This is the only way that we could be sure that something is not tainted. We may not even be sure at that point since we have to rely on the honesty of the manufacturer telling the truth.
Personally I feel like I can’t eat! I had chicken breast last night and I only buy the good stuff. But even then I wondered in my mind if the company was telling me the truth about their product! I could not finish eating it. I brush my teeth and wonder if my toothpaste is truly all American. Okay so I am going over board! But still I wash out my mouth really good because I feel like I may have anti freeze in it and may swallow some.
I do not want to buy any pork and there is not a single fish product in the store that does not come from China. Guess I will have to start fishing because I do not want to buy any fish that is from tainted waters.
I feel like I am going to be poisoned somehow anyway without knowing it. I can either stop eating, brushing my teeth, and even washing or… give up living at all!
I smoke and was trying to stop! Now I think why worry about cancer!
Then I think about my sweet cat and my adorable dog and know that I may be feeding them melamine in my home quicking or pet food. Either way they will get it too. If not in the cooking of homemade or in the dog food then in the vitamins and preservatives.
They have to eat and my family has to eat but what at this point? I have wrote to several different federal officials and ask what about the dog food getting melamine in it from all the chickens they let out? What harm could it cause them? Yes they said little harm to us but no one and I mean no one has said a word about the harm to our pets!!! IF all the pet food manufacturers are checking their food and they use these chickens in it then it will have to show up in the food and how are they going to decide how much is too much for our pets? Or will they just sell it as it is?
All of these go though my mind and I am sure they have would through several of yours. What can we do? Is it a losing battle? I do not know at this point. I wish I was very rich and maybe then my voice would be heard.
June 9th, 2007 at 11:26 am
YaYa:
“And for What-ever the reason an ‘owner’ chooses a brand, Ill health and death should Never be the results of that choice.”
Right on! Couldn’t have said it better myself.
I’m retired & on a fixed income but I have always bought “name brands” because I thought we were talking about good, wholesome food for my dog. Silly me. I can see why people go generic because we don’t all have lots of money but your statement is absolutely, positively correct. I don’t think any pet parent buys generic food thinking it’s going to sicken or kill their pet……it just fits within their budget.
I’m no different from anyone else……as a pet parent, I have been absolutely shocked by the info I have learned since the recall. I never would’ve thought that the premium food was made with the same ingredients as the generic or that a lot of those ingredients were coming from out of the country. And even more shocked to find out that food that I’m eating also contains ingredients from out of the country. Something I never even thought about but sure do now. However, as we all are finding out, trying to read a label to find out if the product is safe is an exercise in futility. I see so much of “distributed by” which tells you jacks***. So you play Russian Roulette not only with pet foods these days but with your own food for your family.
I don’t know what the answer is but I’m willing to go along with E. Hamilton & whatever her plans are…….I’ll gladly join the EPPB (E’s Pet Parent Brigade) if it will shake up these people, both in our non-caring government & big business. They need to see what they are doing to our country & everyone in it. We need to join together & shake things up a bit…..even more than what the off-the-wall, hysterical bloggers have accomplished so far.
And once more: thanks to Itchmo for giving us a place to get together & rant & rave & also for keeping us up to date. All of the pet websites have been a blessing to me through this.
My rant is now over……….
June 9th, 2007 at 11:37 am
I read on the internet that when a company list ‘meat meal” instead of say chicken meal or beef meal that the meat could be anything. Which can include out dated meat from the grocery stores, road kill, dog and cats from shelters, pets.. etc.. Some of the medicines they were on and the drugs they use to put them to sleep do not render out. Real sick. Talk about a witch’s brew! I wonder how much of that ends up in our pets food?
June 9th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Deb G - yes it gets expensive home feeding big dogs. I to have a small dog, 15 lb schipperke, & it wouldn’t be anything to just feed him home cooked meals. But add my 2 big dogs, brother & sister at 70 & 55 lbs, & I’m feeding 3-4 lbs of meat a day. Even with the cheaper cuts at $2 a lb, this is really draining my pocket. I didn’t think about it until you said it, but I may try going to half Canidae dry this summer for the big dogs when my job cuts back & I enter the too poor to home cook zone.
Problem is they have a lot of food sensitivities so I’m not sure they will do as well on the dry. They are doing GREAT on the all home cooked so it will hurt me (and them) to put them back on commercial dry. Nice thing about home cooked is I know the baseline ingredient list they do really well on, then can add one ingredient to see how they react. So far, NO to corn & chicken–in 2 days they are chewing themselves to pieces again. I’m trying pork right now so they can get some variety from beef, but they’re not doing as well. Even with the lower cost meats, they probably are still getting better quality than most commercial foods.
June 9th, 2007 at 11:45 am
sorry, that was me on the anonymous posting
Gerry–I have seen reports that they have actually found the sodium phenobarbital in pet food, proving that euthanized animal are put into pet foods. Also some outright admissions to that by rendering plants. They have to do something with all those killed unwanted & sick pets, so why not make some money on it. China isn’t the only one recycling their waste products into the food chain!
June 9th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Martha, My Head Exploded over the 346.21 ppm in the Diamond samples/test results! That’s OVER The TOP! Even if the FDA says melamine isn’t “toxic”, THAT reading Has to be Deadly! Good Gawd!
It’s become a free-for-all. Or like a contest to see Who can get in the Most in the foods!
Was there ANY *Food* at all in the sample left? after that much melamine? Duh!
Ann! LOL
Thanks for the Platinum link! I kept forgetting the “performance’ part :-D
Didn’t you use this for your horse too? If so, Did you see any/worry about, the horse getting ‘hot’?
I try not to supplement mine in hot weather any-way with the Vita-plus, it’s just too much added nutrition for her, makes her ‘hot’ {as do some foods, trial and error, we’ve found at the Barn for all of them, settled on the Kents, which they get only 2x’s a day, and has everything they really need}
I’m not breeding her either so she’s good to go as it is. But wondered about the Platinum for the horse too.
What do you think Ann?
How many weeks has it Been now Gang?
I’ve lost count. :-(
June 9th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Hi DebG, you know, I do homemade wet for my Cat and Kumpi Dry for her dry bits she insists upon.
At this Stage and point in This nightmare I will NOT argue about the very few “safe” foods left right now. It just is not meaningful imho. Unless a 5 alarm fire hit one of them.
Someone posted above the petfoodlist dot com site. I’d check there see what might work for you, for an ‘outside’ source.
My Cat is picky and likes the KumpiKat and I spoke to Evy and read about the ingredients. I would have liked a completely grainless food, that I could walk out and buy. Not possible here. There is very little grain in my KumpiKat. Rice flour and oatmeal. That’s it.
I do feel a Safety factor with this Dry food. FAR over the “usual” brands you can go out and buy.
I’m not looking for PERFECTION!
Just Safe, palatable, nutritious food for my Cat. {her choice}
We are Too limited right now for those who can’t do it Al all the time. And it keeps getting worse. It doesn’t pay to get into arguments over these limited few. I’ve seen it. IMHO
And some folks can’t afford to toss out the baby with the bath waters to go TOTALLY “organic, free trade/fair market” etc RIGHT Now, due to the Vet Bills they Have etc. A whole lifestyle change right now, is not practical for many nor All at once right now.
Boycott, I say, yes, whole Life alteration Now too? Maybe. But I’ll not frown on those who Can Not at this time.
Doing it bit by bit, and changing when things run Out is good.
Nuf said to the choir.
DebG that’s my advice. Boy 100LBS to come- Boing! LOL
I wish you Good Luck!
June 9th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
High Note, I can’t be absolutely postive on this, but think that Topeka, Kansas is THE hub for the majority of Hill’s foods. {I did a search on them just this week and that’s all that I found}.
They’ve got the hook-up {Vets and speciality shops} and funds to get it, Any-where.
June 9th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
petslave:
I have one 60-lb dog that I’m cooking for so I can well imagine what it costs for two big & one small dog. I use about 1/4c Canidae & the rest home cooked (little rice, carrots or green beans & either chicken, ground beef or liver w ground eggshell). I have tried a few of what I consider safe foods & none of it seems to agree with her, even in small amounts. So far Bench & Fields Holistic (from Trader Joes) & Canidae are the ones she seems to handle ok. So I may have to stick with these. I may try Innova dry…..California Natural didn’t agree with her……when I brought it back, the pet store owner told me I should try a sensitive stomach formula…..by a manufacturer I won’t trust again in this lifetime. I just looked at him & said “I don’t think so but thanks anyway”……I’d rather have a little upset tummy than a dead dog.
I know it’s more expensive but right now I honestly don’t feel good about giving her all commercial, no matter how good it is. If any of this stuff is recalled, I’d feel terrible. At least in very small amounts, I figure it can’t do much harm. I also supplement with a multi-vitamin in case I’m not giving her the proper nutrients. I don’t know what I’d do if I had more than one dog. Don’t think I could afford it.
June 9th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
YaYa
Did you know Natura’s Innova EVO dry cat food has no grain in it? My cats like both EVO and Flint River Ranch dry. So far no problems.
June 9th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
aggresively (yes) and cautiously (no) ….thank god we have itchmo nipping at their heels, so to speak.
June 9th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
RE: Previous post on MidWest Labs.
I’m concerned with your comment that MidWest does not even test for acetaminophen. If we have apparently discovered a new toxin, then why would the lab not test for that toxin. So that would mean that any analyses going through MidWest will never show the results of acetaminophen.
Do other laboratories test for acetaminophen?
June 9th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I am so greatful to the people who send messages on itchmo. What a great learning tool!! I had been feeding my dogs Diamond with other well known brands trearts. My dogs were vomiting and had diarhea. So I took them off Diamond and tried another brand then tried Diamond again . They started vomiting and diarhea . I switched to California Naturlas so far so good and California naturals treats. I do not let them get treats at the bank or other businesses I furnish the treats.
Perhaps along with contacting the tv. media as was suggested on a post yesterday we should also write letters to the editor of our local papers.
The parent companys of some of the pet food companies advertiseon the tv and in the paper , they also own stock in the media. Many of the large agri businesses do also.
Is any one familiar with Associes Cooperative? I looked State farm insurance up on www.transnationale.org and Associaes own state farm . Is this a world wide organization of farm bureaus?
June 9th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
to high note - if an item says “product of usa” then it is made here with usa ingredients. if it says “made in usa” i was told that it means the corporation is based in the us. we have to stop buying items from china and when profits go down, perhaps companies will get the message. no, that’s too simple.
June 9th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Concerning the postings about GMO’s … Is everyone aware of the contamination to the USA rice crops in the southern states. Triple contamination into GM strains out of control… here is a short snip but link and you will read more and more destruction to our rice crops… not a good thing AT ALL
Press Release from GM Free Cymru 6th March 2007
==========================
GM rice contamination disaster spirals out of control as a THIRD contamination incident is identified.
Today it is apparent that the GM rice contamination incident in the USA has spiraled out of control, in spite of the best efforts of rice farmers, millers and food packagers in a complex “damage limitation” exercise. It has also been revealed that there have also been at least THREE separate GM contamination incidents, involving contamination by different “Liberty Link” varieties developed by Bayer CropScience.
http://www.gmfreecymru.org/new.....ch2007.htm
READ All of this article, it will send you spiraling
June 9th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Lou, I asked about the acetaminophen and he said they do not test for it right now and their Lab is not set up for it. {this means what ever supplies or equipment to do the testing is not in their Lab as of right now}
He said one reason Why is because, it is a Drg/pharmaceutical. Not a considered a “chemical” or that classification, etc.
What’s needed is a Forensic/toxicology type Lab {another one} in addition to- like Expertox/AccuTraceTesting, specifically.
{Expertox also does *Drug testing* for Employments fyi}
I’ve got a couple more to call and check next week on my list that hopefully ARE Indepentent, non-Gov or Food Industry-aligned or funded.
I did find another Great one, but alas, it is in the UK- sigh. Would be hard and expensive to send specimens to them :-(
Also the fact many Labs work with/for the Interests that We are suspicious of; we Do Not want that sort of Lab “on our team” :-)
BUT we Need more than 1 or 2, so that or If these need to be Used in Court cases they can Not say: “partial- favoritism OR “PAID-expert-witness”.
The Acetaminophen is NEW by 2 weeks or so. We must find Labs that do the Whole ball of wax now IMHO.
I also know several of the more familiar Labs in the country, Send Their specimens To Expertox- like Quest Labs for example. {I’ve spoken to the Lab manager at AccuTraceTesting so I know, and that ExperTox IS Their main Lab}
I hope this helps with your question? I’ll keep searching :-)
MaineMom! I’ve got the EVO on my list to try next. {I’ve had so many bags here I’m dizzy! LOL Tho quite a few in the begining sat on the counter {I’m leary!} and Sure as SH__, A Recall happened- before it was Opened! “Good Foods” for a Premimun Price too. Took them back and got refunded.
Also ones that as More Info was out and researched- Its gotten tossed OUT! Bam!
I Emailed and Called Flint- Nada back- OFF my List to keep contacting them. {2x’s is Good by me to send/call to Them!} {that was more than a month ago}
I Appreciate Good Customer Service as well. Lack of communications Is a No-No with me. :-)
I “love” the ones that were all yackkittyyack BEFORE if I asked where how when for Grains, but got specific- vitamins origins- And you never hear back! Bam- Off my Lists- or in the trash!
Thanks for your Input, she doesn’t eat alot of Dry so a 4LBS is half gone only, it will be a while to ‘try’ something different. {AND the Brat has gotten Really Spoiled with my Wet- homemade here! Wants it More and more! She was Never like that with previous canned Wets. LMBO}
June 9th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Just a note to everyone feeding Evo canned cat and kitten food. It is made at the Menu plant in South Dakota. They do not use grains, but they do use Menu. Once I heard that, I stopped feeding it. Call me paranoid.
There were some earlier postings about problems with Artemis. I am feeding their canned cat food which is made for them by Evangers. However, I am curious as to what problems were found with this food, because I am trying to stay current.
Regarding feeding cheap or expensive food… I had posted about this about a week ago… basically stating that even if you can only afford a store brand (and I was in that situation for many years), it should still be free of contaminants. Most people buying cheap would like to buy better quality, but until they can afford it, they usually don’t. Until I could afford it, I did buy store brand. I know people who can only afford store brands for themselves. Either way, it should be SAFE to consume.
June 9th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
For the poster concerned with the expansion of biodiesel and the possible feeding of byproducts…….. notice article states they are looking into replacing corn with crude glycerin byproducts for feed in swine.. oh yeah.. save that corn for fuel and give us pork fed on this crap !!! geeze….
Biodiesel Byproduct Effective in Swine and Poultry Feed
US - With the rapid expansion of ethanol and biodiesel production in Iowa, there are questions about possible uses for what remains after these alternative fuels leave the plant. So far, the use of ethanol by-products in animal feed has received most of the attention.
But researchers at Iowa State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Services also are studying a biodiesel by-product in swine and poultry feed.
Biodiesel often is made from soybean or vegetable oil, with crude glycerin the resulting by-product. This compound, which currently is used in such things as hand lotions, cosmetics and shampoo, is a pure energy source.
“With an increase in biodiesel production comes a surplus of crude glycerin,” said Mark Honeyman, animal science professor and coordinator of Iowa State’s Research Farms. “And with an increase in ethanol comes higher corn prices. Since corn is fed to pigs primarily for its energy value, we’re studying the possibility of replacing corn with glycerin in swine feed.”
Brian Kerr, an ARS research leader and collaborating associate professor of animal science, directed the glycerin feed trials. In a metabolism study, both nursery and finishing pigs were fed at levels of 5, 10 and 20 percent glycerin. These studies showed the glycerin is readily used by pigs and has an energy value similar to corn.
In a related growth study, 5 and 10 percent glycerin was fed to pigs from weaning to market weight. Results showed equal growth performance between the glycerin-supplemented diet and a more conventional corn-soymeal diet.
Kristjan Bregendahl, assistant professor of poultry nutrition, conducted a metabolism experiment with 48 laying hens. Typical feed rations that included corn, soybean meal, meat and bone meal, and four levels of crude glycerin - 0, 5, 10, or 15 percent - were fed to the hens to determine the energy value of the glycerin.
“We found the energy in crude glycerin was used with high efficiency by the hens,” Bregendahl said. “And we saw no adverse effects on egg production, egg weight, egg mass or feed consumption in this short experiment.”
One problem identified in the swine metabolism trial is that the diet containing 20 percent glycerol would not have flowed well in a dry self-feeder so Honeyman said the 10 percent inclusion level may be the upper limit. Bregendahl described the laying-hen diets that included 10 to 15 percent crude glycerin as “rather sticky.”
There also are questions about how glycerin might impact meat quality. The swine project includes carcass data collection and meat quality evaluations, with those results pending.
Another question centers on the fact that when biodiesel is produced from soybean oil, methanol is used in the process. Methanol can be toxic, so Honeyman said swine and poultry producers interested in trying glycerin as part of a feed ration would need to work with the biodiesel plant to make sure methanol levels are below the Food and Drug Administration approved level of 150 parts per million in the glycerol.
Kerr, Honeyman and Bregendahl, along with other Iowa State researchers, have a series of funding proposals in the works to further examine the use of crude glycerin in diets for nursery and finishing pigs, sows, broilers and layers.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/.....ultry-feed
June 9th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
LisaClay, I was looking at the rare grainless type DRY food of EVO. I make my wet. I will keep looking and adding to my list to research, Before, I choose one.
Heck I might end up trying to dehydrate my own wet in the Future, and chop it into Bit size dry pieces; for my Cat and see how that goes.
I would Not use the Canned EVO tho, just due to the Menu firm. But speaking Limited choices for Grainless here, it’s a Very short list.
Moon, the other night mentioned a food line called Active life {tho there was an expriration date issue on those purchases. I looked Into the Main Company: Called- Fromm Family {in Wisconsin}- they have THAT “named line” of food too.
It Looks Very good. Have not called them yet tho.
I was hoping Moony would let us know if they found out about the Date stickers on Active Life from Fromm Family soon.
Fromm Family also sells overseas.
{even their Rice comes from Holland because it is “clean”, they have riceless too- many varities of flavors}
June 9th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
WHAT? INGREDIENT IN PRODUCTS LIKE BEN GAY AND ICY HOT KILLED THIS TEEN? - CHEMICAL ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN….
_____________________________________________________________
Teen Dies From Muscle Cream Overdose
Saturday , June 09, 2007
A budding teenage athlete has died after ‘overdosing’ on a common topical muscle cream.
The medical examiner announced on Thursday that the 17-year-old track star, Arielle Newman of Castleton Corners, N.Y., died from a toxic dose of sports cream, the Staten Island Advance reported.
Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s officer told the Advance that the Notre Dame Academy track star’s blood contained lethal amounts of methyl salicylate, the active ingredient found in muscle rubs such as BenGay and Icy Hot.
Borakove said the petite girl used the topical medication excessively, allowing the poisons to accumulate in her body over an undetermined amount of time.
Newman was found dead in her home on April 3. The initial autopsy was inconclusive, which led to speculation her death was linked to a party she had attended the night before.
“I am glad this shows (Arielle) didn’t die of her own doing. But this is a tragedy that could have been avoided,” her mother, Alice Newman told the Advance.
Methyl salicylate, also known as oil of wintergreen, can be toxic if overused, but deaths from topical application are extremely rare.
Borakove said this was the first case she had come across in 20 years at the medical examiner’s office.
Poisoning from swallowing the substance is more likely, but death from ingesting it is still very uncommon. Just one teaspoon of pure methyl salicylate can be fatal if swallowed by a child.
“Even though this is an extremely rare case, it points to the danger of over-the-counter products, whatever the case may be,” said Dr. Manny Alvarez, the managing health editor of FOXNews.com. “Everyone needs to pay attention to over the counter products, even the products that seem safe can be deadly if used improperly.”
http://www.foxnews.com/printer.....82,00.html
June 9th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Thanks to YaYa & Petslave for the feedback on the “safe/safer” dry dog foods. I went on my shopping trip and ended up purchasing Eagle Pack. I’ve seen postive postings about it here and on the forums but I would love to hear from all of you any comments good or bad. I’m going to give it a try with the Shepard mix and maybe with my shih tzu. The shih tzu has been on home cooked for over 2months and loves it, doing great. Thank God we stopped the Nutro. So, any comments please feel free to share. Thanks!
June 9th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Krista, I heard part of that story. I missed whether they said she spread it on Large parts of her body and/or just used it over and over “all over” etc. Did you hear?
Gees and that took 2 months to come out as a warning story?
Very sad.
June 9th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
YaYa
I don’t know, think she used it daily on her legs, track star I believe. But dang… we are just one big chemical society aren’t we? It gets more bizarre everyday.. Is this really our country?
Steve points out the massive amount of pharmacuticals dumped over and over in our water supply…
The toothpaste is in question, even dollar stores have different formulas on major brands like Crest, Colgate - different from the grocery stores.. verified by snoops, I’m sure you all saw that one..
Over in the forums they are talking about Chinese products for kids like play eyeshadows and stuff containing lead.. gave a link for info and all to see that poor childs pic, as we have that chit here too..
We don’t know what to feed our pets… I lost one and have another on sub -qu’s… presently using Canidae/Felide, don’t trust the RX formulas that my CRF cat needs..
The Gentically modified rice that has God only knows what chemicals are in it.. All returned from Europe/Japan to us as unfit.. Did they dump that on the pet food market back in Nov 2006? who knows what.. well they left it on our shelves for us to eat and USDA fast tracked it for apporoval. - how typical… Quote from Japan.. “We will watch and see for the next 10 years how the Children of America do” meanwhile ban the rice from USA
The biodiesal companies wanting to save the corn for fuel and feed the hogs/chickens the byproduct glycerins instead of real food corn..
Melamine, cyanuric acid, rat poison, acetamitaphen, glutens, wheat flours, never ending..
If there is anything to come out of this pet food ordeal, we should realize that our pets WERE indeed the canary in the coal mine… Wake us up to many things..
SAD is the word for the day…
Oh and we are considering sending over our chickens to China to be processed and then sent back to us for retail.. I’ll have to look for that article link.. But China promised they would clean their machines and only use what we sent to them, never their SARS chickens.. yeah right..
I guess I had better stop for the time being… GAWD !!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 9th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
High Note - which Hill’s are you feeding?
June 9th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Thing about the Rice and Japan, They Loved {past tense} OUR Rice. When I lived over there for several months, I learned alot. Among them how they Really prefered OUR Rice from the USA over their own home-grown types.
{I asked lots of question while over there to Learn}
Just this one thing makes me really sad too, we had rice Every meal. {other things make me sad about it as well, but} When your diet revolves around 1 item in particular, I understand.
I know they are Smart and Strict about what they “let in” in Japan too. Don’t blame them one bit either.
And about the Ban on USA Beef, they Send inspectors HERE to look over the packers facilities. The last I remember reading on the last check {last Fall?} was tat they Refused to lift the Ban becausethey found that ‘Spinal bones’ were found {chips of it} in/on the meats.
They feel this is a Big No-No due to the BSE etc, being a Brain/Spinal/neurological Illiness; and THAT {just spinal bones chips alone} was just {cut} TOO close to the “Issue”.
Wish Our Country was as Picky about being “Clean” and wanting to Protect We Americans. :-(
They Are, Protecting their Future over there. Imho
June 9th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Sandy- I spoke to Natura about testing in Cal Natural on Wed. They said they were notifying their lab about the acetaminophin. They & Accutrace & Canidae said it should show up in cyanuric acid tests.The Natura people are checking Itchmo to keep up with what is being found in foods.
June 9th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Deb G. I am currently fostering a 108 lb Doberman. When he first came to me, a 30 inch at the shoulder bag of bones, he ate a gallon of kibble a day. The animal welfare group I work with was providing the food for him, some of it was pretty nasty but we figured it had to be better than the nothing he had been eating…..Then came the recall–we threw away all the grocery store food in the house, including the Nutro (thankfully not lamb and rice) that my dog was eating, did a bunch of research and settled on Kumpi. The big guy continued to eat a gallon a day for about a month, then went completely off his feed for about a week. Another trip to the vet, lots of worry, then he started eating again, only about 2 cups in the morning and 2 at night. He has put on 33 pounds, no longer gets ribby looking after a long walk, is healthy and happy.
Just wanted to let you know that in my experience with big dogs, they don’t really eat that much more than average size dogs—Oops gotta go, need to get dogs in out of the hail!