Another Tainted Ingredient and Pet Food Recall Widens

Shannon Weidemann

Contributor

0 CommentsPrint ArticleSubscribe

Another ingredient used to manufacture pet food has been found to be tainted with melamine. Rice protein purchased from China has tested positive for the substance that is used as a fertilizer in some countries and to make plastic kitchenware. Melamine in dog and cat food has been causing animals to go into kidney failure.

The announcement is the latest in a widening recall of dog and cat food products across the United States since mid-March. More than 100 brands of pet food have been recalled after reports of cases of pets developing kidney failure.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received more than 14,000 reports of pet illnesses so far. Officials have confirmed just 16 deaths but believe the actual number could be higher.

Wilbur-Ellis' said it obtained rice protein from a single source in China and shipped it to five U.S. pet-food manufacturers, in Utah, New York, Kansas and two in Missouri.

Natural Balance has issued a recall for two types of their food that has the rice protein in it. They are the Venison and Brown Rice dog food and Venison and Green Pea cat food. They are asking consumers to stop using the food immediately.