Calhouns Can(n)ons

Dog/Cat Food Poisoning Update

The following press release is from the FDA on the poisoned wheat gluten that was in various recalled brands of “chunks & gravy” type wet dog and cat food. The toxin was also now found in Alpo’s “Prime Cuts in Gravy” wet dog food with certain date codes on the bottom. Nestle Purina PetCare Co is recalling those coded cans that were made at a specific plant in a particular batch. I Googled Nestle Purina PetCare and the information concerning the code numbers was listed.

I checked my pantry since I use both Kal Kan and Alpo wet food as a little flavoring on the dog’s kibble and found I had a couple of recalled cans on hand -- two out of the six -- which makes me wonder if I had other cans that the dogs have already eaten? Since the food’s used as a flavoring rather than as a full meal, that means I may have only poisoned my pooches . . a little? No way of telling now.

When I took the two cans back to the store, the clerk scanned them and up popped a code: Do Not Sell. Recalled, etc. So I asked and, Yes, Ralphs headquarters received the recall notice with the can batch code numbers and programmed their check-out computers nationwide to alert so that when any cans came through the line, they’d be caught. Which means, from the point of a dog food company notifying all retail chain headquarters, whatever recalled merchandise was still on the shelves would be caught. Which is a bit of a first-alert comfort if you happened to miss a brief story in a newspaper, but not real helpful if you just bought dog food the day before.

So, if you have pooches and kitties, I’d keep checking the various websites for updated lists since, as you see from the press release below, this particular batch of wheat gluten came from a company that sells a whole bunch of product to a whole bunch of manufacturers, so who knows where this stuff will turn up next.

One site to check: www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html or Google in the brand name and track down who manufactures it, or Google in Menufoods and keep a sharp eye out in the paper for more alerts. It’s possible that this tainted wheat gluten ended up in other places besides Fido’s food bowl.

The Press Release:

FDA Pinpoints Suspected Seller of Wheat Gluten
April 1st, 2007FDA just issued this warning against the import of specific wheatgluten from a maker in China. The full name of the company is: XuzhouAnying Biologic Technology Development Company Ltd. This company alsoexports wheat flour, cornstarch, sweet potato starch, protein powder,zinc oxide, carrots, garlic, ginger, and other agricultural products.(Web site) ...
ALL:http://www.itchmo.com/read/fda-pinpoints-suspected-seller-of-wheat-gluten_20070401