| On April 5, 2007, the Food and Drug
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| | now is to assure that all contaminated
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| Administration (FDA) provided an update
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| | product is identified and removed from
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| on the recall on pet foods from Menu
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| | store shelves. All the contaminated wheat
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| Foods. The Agency reported its latest
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| | gluten has been traced, and all the pet
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| findings in the ongoing investigation
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| | food manufacturers who have received
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| into the recent outbreak of cat and dog
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| | contaminated ingredients have been
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| illness and death associated with pet
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| | identified and have initiated recalls.
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| food manufactured with contaminated wheat
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| | Following the removal of all suspect
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| gluten.
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| | products from retailers, there remains an
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| FDA launched an investigation within 24
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| | ample supply of safe cat and dog food
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| hours after being notified by Menu Foods
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| | available at stores throughout the U.S.
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| of a recall and investigators arrived at
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| | The Food Drug Administration has a
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| the company's plant and searched for
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| | dedicated pet food recall page on its
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| possible sources of contamination. The
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| | website which has all of the current
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| same day, FDA consumer complaint
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| | information including all press releases
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| coordinators nationwide began taking
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| | issued, frequently asked questions, as
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| calls from consumers and veterinarians
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| | well as contact information for FDA
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| who reported illnesses potentially
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| | consumer complaint coordinators. FDA
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| associated with the contaminated pet
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| | urges members of the media and public to
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| food. FDA has received over 12,000
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| | visit the FDA website.
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| reports in the last three weeks more than
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| | With the food recall, What should a pet
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| twice the number of complaints typically
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| | owner look for in their pet food. Most
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| received in a year by the consumer
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| | pet owners have heard that it is better
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| complaint coordinators. In an effort to
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| | to feed their animals specially
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| trace all of the contaminated product,
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| | formulated food for pets rather than
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| the Agency conducted numerous inspections
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| | table scraps. An occasional treat is
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| of manufacturers and warehouses
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| | fine, but table scraps used to excess may
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| identified as recipients of the suspect
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| | unbalance a pet's diet. Purchasing pet
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| product. FDA has also been working with
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| | foods labeled as "complete and balanced"
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| the affected firms to assist them with
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| | can help ensure that your pet's diet is
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| their product recall efforts.
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| | nutritionally adequate.
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| FDA's investigation identified the
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| | Dog and cat foods labeled as "complete
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| distributor of the contaminated wheat
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| | and balanced" must meet standards
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| gluten as ChemNutra, of Las Vegas,
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| | established by the Association of
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| Nevada. FDA worked with the firm to trace
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| | American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
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| the suspect product, and identified its
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| | either by meeting a nutrient profile or
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| Chinese source. FDA has asked the Chinese
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| | by passing a feeding trial. The AAFCO's
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| government to help us with the
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| | Canine Nutrition Expert (CNE)
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| investigation which continues to
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| | Subcommittee and Feline Nutrition Expert
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| determine how the melamine may have
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| | (FNE) Subcommittee have established new
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| gotten into the wheat gluten. FDA is
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| | nutrient profiles for "complete and
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| currently sampling 100 percent of all
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| | balanced" dog and cat foods. Dog Food
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| Chinese wheat gluten being offered for
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| | Nutrient Profiles were established in
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| import. FDA Field laboratories confirmed
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| | 1991 and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles were
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| the presence of melamine in shipments of
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| | established in 1992. Both were updated in
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| wheat gluten received from a source from
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| | 1995 to incorporate new scientific
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| China.
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| | information.
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| This was done through testing of samples
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| | The new nutrient profiles replaced the
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| of finished product and raw materials.
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| | recommendations of the National Research
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| Melamine is a product used as a
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| | Council (NRC) as the AAFCO-recognized
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| fertilizer with other industrial and
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| | authority on canine and feline nutrition.
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| commercial uses. FDA laboratories have
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| | Dog and cat foods labeled as "complete
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| conducted over 400 sample analyses, and
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| | and balanced" based on the AAFCO Dog or
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| to date have found 21 samples that were
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| | Cat Food Nutrient Profile must meet all
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| positive for melamine. To date,
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| | the nutrient minimum and maximum levels
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| voluntary recalls of pet food products
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| | as established by the Subcommittee. The
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| have been conducted by Del Monte Pet
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| | Subcommittee set these levels after
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| Products, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Menu
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| | considering the most current information
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| Foods, Nestle Purina PetCare Company, P&G
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| | on good nutrition for dogs and cats. The
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| Pet Care, and Sunshine Mills. On April 5,
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| | profiles are designed to provide
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| Sunshine Mills, Inc., of Red Bay,
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| | practical information for manufacturers
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| Alabama, voluntarily recalled a portion
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| | of dog and cat foods.
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| of its branded dog biscuits made at its
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| | There are now two separate nutrient
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| Red Bay, Alabama biscuit plant during
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| | profiles -- one for growth and
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| part of March 2007. In addition, Menu
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| | reproduction and one for adult
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| Foods, Inc., voluntarily expanded its pet
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| | maintenance, instead of just one for all
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| food recall for selected cuts and gravy
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| | life stages. This allows dog and cat
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| pet food products, manufactured back to
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| | foods made for adult animals only to
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| November 8, 2006. Both firms issued press
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| | contain lower amounts of some nutrients,
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| releases which are accessible on the FDA
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| | eliminating unnecessary excesses. Also,
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| website.
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| | maximum levels of intake of some
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| Be sure you are aware of these other
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| | nutrients have been established for the
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| facts of the recall. This is an ongoing
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| | first time, because of concern that over
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| investigation. FDA is conducting recall
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| | nutrition, rather than under nutrition,
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| audit follow-ups to ensure an effective
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| | is a bigger problem with many pet foods
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| recall. They continues to work with
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| | today.
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| federal, state, and local partners,
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| | The protocols for conducting the feeding
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| veterinarians, and members of the public
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| | trials for dog and cat foods have also
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| as part of this investigation. At this
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| | been updated. With these improvements,
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| time there is no evidence that any wheat
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| | label reference to either the AAFCO
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| gluten contaminated with melamine has
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| | nutrient profile or AAFCO feeding trials
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| entered the human food supply.
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| | better assures the consumer of the
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| Understanding the role of melamine in
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| | validity of a "complete and balanced"
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| each of the dog and cat illnesses will
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| | claim. Endorsements, seals of approval,
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| require an extensive analysis of the
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| | etc., from other organizations do not add
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| information, assistance from outside
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| | assurances of safety and may be
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| sources, and perhaps further research.
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| | misleading.
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| The Food Drug Administration's priority
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