All of this is still pretty unknown, but if you are a total freak like me, I thought you might want to hear about the current speculations...
Natural Balance Venison formulas were recalled the other day, and at this time, they are suspecting the RICE PROTEIN CONCENTRATE is to blame. At this time, the company who distributed this product is recalling this ingredient because apparently they believe this ingredient is also tainted with melamine (the same thing that was in the wheat gluten). They have not released any of the companies names who recieved this ingredient, other than Diamond, who manufactures Natural Balance. However, seeing as how quickly the Menu Food recall expanded, I would personally stop feeding any food or treat that contains this RICE PROTEIN CONCENTRATE because all foods affected are still unknown. I copied and pasted information from a website below that has identified several products that contain this ingredient. These have NOT been recalled at this time. However, because we still don't know which companies received this ingredient, I would stop feeding these foods. You might keep your bag and receipt if you have it in case you can return it to the store for a refund (and possibly sue the company later - hahaha). You can actually probably return any of this food right now if you wanted to and get refunded, depending on your store's policy.
Better to be safe than sorry! I'm not even sure if these findings have been confirmed, but if we had this type information prior to the Menu Food recall, many dogs and cats could have been saved.
The people whose dogs and cats have been eating this ingredient have reported vomiting and kidney failure. If your dog eats any of these foods and has experienced these problems, you should probably call your vet.
Be sure to check your bags of food for this ingredient because I do not believe the list below is comprehensive.
OTHER PET FOOD BRANDS CONTAINING RICE PROTEIN CONCENTRATE 04/18/07
Recent reports of Wilbur-Ellis selling melamine-laced rice protein concentrate to five different pet food companies has sent pet parents into a downward spiral of mistrust for the pet food industry and the authorities who regulate it. Both the FDA and Wilbur-Ellis, the U.S. distributor of the poisonous substance, have refused to identify all of the pet food companies who purchased the rice protein concentrate. As of this writing, we only know that Diamond, the makers of Natural Balance's venison-based forumulas, was one of the five companies. Until the FDA or Wilbur-Ellis fully discloses all five pet food companies, it is prudent to assume that ANY pet food product containing rice protein concentrate is potentially poisonous. If any of our readers has knowledge of a pet food other than Natural Balance Venison formulas which contains rice protein concentrate, please send us an email and we will post it here, with the appropriate disclaimer. Itchmo.com's forum has also created a special thread for reporting foods containing RCP.
DISCLAIMER: The foods listed below are not under recall. However, they all have been reported to contain rice protein concentrate (a.k.a., brown rice protein; rice gluten). While some companies are claiming their RPC is "safe" and/or is not from the same supplier involved in the Natural Balance recall, we advise against using these products until the FDA has completed its investigation and emphatically declared all RPC, be it from China or elsewhere, as 100% free from contamination.
RICE PROTEIN CONCENTRATE - DOG FOOD RICE PROTEIN CONCENTRATE - CAT FOOD
Blue Buffalo
-- Adult Dog Food Lamb and Brown Rice Formula
Castor & Pollux
-- Natural Ultramix Puppy Formula
-- Ultra Weight Management Dry Canine
Drs. Foster & Smith
-- Adult Lite Dog Food Chicken & Brown Rice Formula
Hill's
-- Prescription diet canine k/d canned food
-- Prescription diet canine h/d dry food
-- Science Diet Large Breed Puppy Lamb Meal & Rice Dry
Karma Organic (Innova)
-- Dry Dog Food
-- Dog Treats
LiveSmart
-- Weight Management Chicken & Brown Rice Formula
Nutro
-- Natural Choice Chops Lamb & Rice Dog Biscuits
Petguard
-- PetGuard Organics Vegan Dog Food
Wellness
-- WellBars Treats for Dogs
........ Yogurt, Apple & Bananas Flavor
........ Whitefish and Sweet Potato Flavor
-- Simple Food Solutions Venison Formula Dry Dog Food
Blue Buffalo
-- Spa Select Hairball Control Dry Cat Food
Castor & Pollux
-- Natural Ultramix Kitten Formula
-- Natural Ultramix Indoor Feline
-- Organix? Organic Canned Formulas for Cats
Drs. Foster & Smith
-- Chicken & Brown Rice Lite Formula Dry Cat Food
Hill's
--Prescription Diet Feline z/d Low Allergen Dry
Nutro
-- Natural Choice Complete Care Adult Lamb Flavor Dry
-- Natural Choice Complete Care Adult Dry (Chicken)
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Recall notice from Wilbur-Ellis:
Wilbur-Ellis Voluntarily Recalls Rice Protein Concentrate
SAN FRANCISCO ? April 18, 2007 ? Wilbur-Ellis Company is voluntarily recalling all lots of the rice protein concentrate the San Francisco company?s Feed Division has shipped to pet-food manufacturers because of a risk that rice protein concentrate may have been contaminated by melamine, an industrial chemical used to make plastics and fertilizers that can lead to illness or fatalities in animals if consumed.
Wilbur-Ellis noted that it obtained rice protein from a single source in China and shipped to a total of five U.S. pet-food manufacturers located in Utah, N.Y., Kansas and two in Missouri.
Last Sunday, April 15, Wilbur-Ellis notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that a single bag in a recent shipment of rice protein concentrate from its Chinese supplier, Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co. Ltd., had tested positive for melamine. Unlike the other white-colored bags in that shipment, the bag in question was pink and had the word ?melamine? stenciled upon it. Wilbur-Ellis separated that bag and quarantined the entire shipment for further testing and since that time, no further deliveries of rice protein concentrate have been made. Samples from the white bags tested negative for melamine. However, subsequent and potentially more sensitive tests by the FDA came back positive for melamine, leading Wilbur-Ellis to voluntarily issue the recall.
Wilbur-Ellis began importing rice protein concentrate from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology in July 2006. A total of 14 containers holding 336 metric tons of rice protein concentrate were sent from Futian to Wilbur-Ellis. Wilbur-Ellis has distributed 155 metric tons to date.
On Monday (April 16), a pet food distributor issued a voluntary recall of its pet food, believing the source of contamination to be rice protein concentrate supplied by Wilbur-Ellis. As an additional precaution, Wilbur-Ellis is urging all pet food manufacturers using rice protein concentrate supplied through Wilbur-Ellis to recall any pet food that may be on supermarket shelves.
Consumers with questions about the pet food they use should visit the FDA Web site at
www.fda.gov.
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