Purina now recalls SOME brands of Dog Food

Alpo® Brand Prime Cuts In Gravy Canned Dog Food Voluntary Nationwide Recall

No Dry Purina Products Involved

St. Louis, Missouri, March 30, 2007
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company today announced it is voluntarily recalling all sizes and varieties of its ALPO® Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes. The Company is taking this voluntary action after learning today that wheat gluten containing melamine, a substance not approved for use in food, was provided to Purina by the same company that also supplied Menu Foods. The contamination occurred in a limited production quantity at only one of Purina's 17 pet food manufacturing facilities.
Earlier today the FDA announced the finding of melamine in products related to the March 16 Menu Foods recall, and advised Purina of the source of the contaminated supply. Purina then determined that it had received some quantity from the suspect supplier. The company proactively notified the FDA and immediately began this recall process
Purina is confident that the contaminated wheat gluten has been isolated to this limited production quantity of ALPO Prime Cuts canned products.
The recalled 13.2-ounce and 22-ounce ALPO Prime Cuts cans and 6-, 8-, 12- and 24-can ALPO Prime Cuts Variety Packs have four-digit code dates of 7037 through 7053, followed by the plant code 1159. Those codes follow a "Best Before Feb. 2009" date. This information should be checked on the bottom of the can or the top or side of the multi-pack cartons.
Purina's 5.3-ounce Mighty Dog® pouch products, manufactured by Menu Foods, were previously withdrawn from the market as a precaution on March 16 as part of the Menu Foods recall. ONLY Mighty Dog pouch products and specific date codes of ALPO Prime Cuts canned dog food are being recalled.
Importantly, no Purina brand dry pet foods are affected by the recall – including ALPO Prime Cuts dry. In addition, no other Purina dog food products, no Purina cat food products, Purina treat products or Purina Veterinary Diet products are included in this recall, nor have been impacted by the contaminated wheat gluten supply.
Consumers should immediately stop feeding ALPO Prime Cuts products with the above-listed date codes to their dogs and consult with a veterinarian if they have any health concerns with their pet.
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US blocks wheat gluten linked to pet food recall
Mon Apr 2, 2007 9:06 PM ET

WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) - U.S. health officials have told import inspectors to detain wheat gluten shipments from a Chinese company identified as the supplier involved in a major recall of pet food.
A notice from the Food and Drug Administration directed inspectors to stop all wheat gluten imports from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company Ltd.

The FDA said wheat gluten supplied by the company to Menu Foods <MEW_u.TO> was found to contain melamine, a chemical used in plastics and fertilizers. Menu Foods has recalled 60 million cans and pouches of "cuts-and-gravy" style wet pet food sold under various brands after the deaths of 14 cats and dogs.

Melamine should not be in pet food, but its presence has not been confirmed as the cause of any pet sickness or death, the FDA said on Friday.

In an alert to import inspectors, the FDA told personnel to detain wheat gluten from the Chinese company until it had provided results of an investigation into melamine contamination and other information.

The notice was dated March 30 and posted on the FDA Web site at http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia9926.html.

Other companies besides Menu Foods have recalled pet products because they received wheat gluten from the Chinese company.

Colgate-Palmolive Co. <CL.N> unit Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. recalled its Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food, while Nestle SA's <NESN.VX> Purina PetCare Co. recalled Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes.

Del Monte Pet Products <DLM.N> recalled certain dog treats and wet food.

FDA officials told reporters on Monday there was no sign that wheat gluten contaminated with melamine has entered the human food chain.

"At this time, we can say there is no evidence" the gluten was used in food products for people," said Michael Rogers of FDA's Office of Regulatory Affairs.
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