Pet food recall widens to dog biscuits, more Menu Foods products

The recall of contaminated pet food and treats is being widened to include dog biscuits and more Menu Foods products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.

The FDA said dog biscuits manufactured by Alabama-based Sunshine Mills Inc., which were made with imported Chinese wheat gluten, are being pulled from the marketplace. Mississauga-based Menu Foods has also expanded its date range ofrecalledwet pet foods to include products dated back to Nov. 8. None of these products were sold in Canada.

The recalled products from Sunshine Mills Inc. include some of the products made for sale under five private labels, including Ol'Roy biscuits, sold by Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and Stater Bros. large biscuits, sold by Stater Bros. Markets. It also covered a portion of Sunshine's own Nurture, Lassie and Pet Life dog biscuit brands.

TheFDA last week blocked imports of wheat gluten from the Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. after finding melamine — a chemical used in plastics, countertops, glue and fertilizers — in samples of recalled wet and dry pet food and treats. The chemical was also found in cats who died after eating the contaminated food.

Meanwhile, the Chinese company that is believed to have supplied tainted wheat gluten to North American pet food makers said Thursday that the bulk of its product went to companies within China, raisingconcernsthat animals and people in that country could fall ill.

Xuzhou Anying is investigating claims that its wheat gluten was contaminated. Beijing authorities have not indicated if they are conducting an investigation into the distribution of the protein source.

Xuzhou Anying produces more than 10 million kilograms of wheat gluten a year, according to its website. Only a fraction of that total — 900,000 kilograms —has been traced to the North American pet food market.

Hill's dry cat food recalled

Last month, Ontario-based Menu Foods recalled 60 million containers of its "cuts and gravy" style wet pet food, sold under nearly 100 store labels and major brands across North America.

The Canadian division of Del Monte Foods has recalled its Jerky Treats Beef Flavour Dog Snacks witha best before date of Aug. 16, 2008. In the U.S., Del Monte Pet Products has pulled its Jerky Treats Beef Flavour Dog Snacks, Gravy Train Beef Sticks Dog Snacks and Pounce Meaty Morsels Moist Chicken Flavor Cat Treats.

Purina has also pulled its Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy product from U.S. store shelves. The product was not sold in Canada.

Meanwhile, Hill's Pet Nutrition has also confirmed its Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry cat food included the tainted wheat gluten. Hill's, a division of Colgate-Palmolive Co., is so far the only company to recall any dry pet food. The cat food in question is sold in both Canada and the United States.

The FDA traced the problem to melamine after pet owners grew concerned about apparent kidney failure in their cats and dogs. There have been 16 confirmed cases of animals dying in the U.S. after eating Menu Foods products.