|
March 16, 2007
 A
major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and
other store brands recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food Friday after
reports of failure and deaths.
An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died
after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing the North
American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported
cases of illness and death, the company said.
Menu Foods Press Release
“At this juncture, we’re not 100 percent sure
what’s happened,” said Paul Henderson, the company’s president and chief
executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten
purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source, spokeswoman
Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.
The recall covers the company’s “cuts and gravy” style food, which consists of
chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and
March 6. The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Company, Safeway
Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, Henderson said.
Menu Foods did not immediately provide a full list of brand names and lot
numbers covered by the recall, saying they would be posted on its Web site
www.menufoods.com/recall early Saturday.
Consumers with questions can call (866) 463-6738.
The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers.
It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies,
including Procter & Gamble Co.
P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz.
canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by
Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products
bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G
said.
Menu Foods’ three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1 billion
containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food made at company
plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J., Henderson said.
Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of
vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its
products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness.
“To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the product,” Henderson
said.
The company alerted the Food and Drug Administration, which already has
inspectors in one of the
two plants, Henderson said. The FDA was working to nail down brand names covered
by the recall,
agency spokesman Mike Herndon said.
Menu Foods is majority owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based in Ontario,
Canada.
Henderson said the recall would cost the company the Canadian equivalent of $26
million to $34 million.
|
Recalled Dog Product Information |
Recalled Cat Product Information |
|
Recall Information 1-866-895-2708 |
Recall Information 1-866-895-2708 |
| 1. Americas Choice, Preferred Pets |
1. Americas Choice, Preferred Pets |
| 2. Authority |
2. Authority |
| 3. Award |
3. Best Choice |
| 4. Best Choice |
4. Companion |
| 5. Big Bet |
5. Compliments |
| 6. Big Red |
6. Demoulas Market Basket |
| 7. Bloom |
7. Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog |
| 8. Bruiser |
8. Food Lion |
| 9. Cadillac |
9. Foodtown |
| 10.Companion |
10. Giant Companion |
| 11. Demoulas Market Basket |
11. Good n Meaty |
| 12. Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog |
12. Hannaford |
| 13. Food Lion |
13. Hill Country Fare |
| 14. Giant Companion |
14. Hy-Vee |
| 15. Great Choice |
15. Key Food |
| 16. Hannaford |
16. Laura Lynn |
| 17. Hill Country Fare |
17. Li'l Red |
| 18. Hy-Vee |
18. Loving Meals |
| 19. Key Food |
19. Main Choice |
| 20. Laura Lynn |
20. Nutriplan |
| 21. Loving Meals |
21. Nutro Max Gourmet Classics |
| 22. Main Choice |
22. Nutro Natural Choice |
| 23. Mixables |
23. Paws |
| 24. Nutriplan |
24. Presidents Choice |
| 25. Nutro Max |
25. Price Chopper |
| 26. Nutro Natural Choice |
26. Priority |
| 27. Nutro |
27. Save-A-Lot |
| 28. Ol'Roy |
28. Schnucks |
| 29. Paws |
29. Sophisticat |
| 30. Pet Essentials |
30. Special Kitty |
| 31. Pet Pride |
31. Springfield Pride |
| 32. Presidents Choice
|
32. Sprout |
| 33. Price Chopper |
33. Total Pet, My True Friend |
| 34. Priority |
34. Wegmans |
| 35. Publix |
35. Western Family |
| 36. Roche Bros. |
36. White Rose |
| 37. Save-A-Lot |
37. Winn Dixie |
| 38. Schnucks |
|
| 39. Springfield Pride |
|
| 40. Sprout |
|
| 41. Stater Bros. |
|
| 42. Total Pet, My True
Friend |
|
| 43. Western Family |
|
| 44. White Rose |
|
| 45. Winn Dixie |
|
| 46. Your Pet |
|
NBC affiliate KXAS obtained the following list of wet foods being taken off PetSmart shelves due to the recall:Sophisticat
Authority
Award
Great Choice
Iams
Eukanuba
Nutro
Science Diet
Mighty Dog
Mixables
P&G Pet Care Announces Voluntary Participation in Menu Foods’ Nationwide U.S. and Canadian Recall of Specific Canned and Small Foil Pouch ‘Wet’ Cat and Dog Foods
This voluntary product recall involves discontinuation of all retail sales and product retrieval from consumers. Consumers should stop using the affected products immediately, and consult with a veterinarian if any symptoms are present in their pet. All Iams and Eukanuba products carry a 100 percent guarantee, and consumers can receive a refund for recalled products. For more information, consumers can contact the company at 1-800-882-1591 or visit www.Iams.com and
www.Eukanuba.com for details. Review the list of involved products
here.
To read
can product codes, refer to the bottom of the can. The first four numbers of the second line of numbers are the date code, and the following four numbers indicate the plant code. For example, if the second line begins with four numbers from 6339 to 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, then the can should be recalled. For foil pouches, the code numbers are located at the lower left hand corner on the back of the pouch. The date and plant codes appear in the third group of numbers, beginning an 11-digit sequence.
Purina to Voluntarily Withdraw Mighty Dog(R) 5.3 Ounce
Pouch Products in Response to
Menu Foods Recall
For more information, contact Menu Foods at 1-866-463-6738.
We also encourage customers with
concerns or questions to contact any of the companies listed below:
Authority – 1-866-738-7375
Award – 1-866-738-7375
Eukanuba – 1-800-882-1591 (www.eukanuba.com)
Grreat Choice – 1-866-738-7375
Hills/Science Diet – 1-800-445-5777 (www.hillspet.com)
Iams – 1-800-882-1591 (www.iams.com)
Menu Foods – 1-866-463-6738 (www.menufoods.com)
Mighty Dog – 1-800-778-7462 (www.purina.com)
Mixables – 1-303-768-8400 (www.varietypetfoods.com)
Nutro – 1-800-833-5330 (www.nutroproducts.com)
Sophisticat – 1-866-738-7375 |
