Question about food

Natural Balance just explained it, at least as far as their food is concerned.  As soon as I what they said, I'll post it it here.

I really would like to know, way back when I used to talk to John Marksman ( I think that was his name ) from Eagle Pack, he explained Diamonds huge plant to me back with that Aflortoxin recall years ago. But I don't use Eagle Pack anymore or think that John is still there, or if he is I don't know that his job is the same, last I had contact with the new company that took over they changed everything around. Too bad because with this recall and all the companies involved with Diamond....wish I didn't have anything to do with them, like I didn't before I switched to Canidae!  Darn.

Only thing I know is that I read on Dog Food Project that Canidae is not listed as one of the foods that Diamond makes, nor is Solid Gold and a few others that are produced in the Diamond plant.  Taste of the Wild, Chicken Soup and a few others are considered Diamonds food.

Now....I would like to know what that difference means.

dyan

he explained Diamonds huge plant to me back with that Aflortoxin recall years ago

  Wasn't that made in the South Carolina plant too?  It was Solid Gold. The FDA found numerous violations; if it had been a plant making human food, I think they would have closed it. Remember the recalls because of melamine, which was added to rice gluten in pet food? There was some found in Natural Balance, which was made by Diamond at the time ( I don't know if Diamond still makes it or not). Natural Balance claimed the rice gluten was added without their knowledge; it was not listed in their ingredients. I won't buy any food made by Diamond because of these past problems, but I'm probably being paranoid.

jessies_mom

dyan

he explained Diamonds huge plant to me back with that Aflortoxin recall years ago

 

  Wasn't that made in the South Carolina plant too?  It was Solid Gold. The FDA found numerous violations; if it had been a plant making human food, I think they would have closed it. Remember the recalls because of melamine, which was added to rice gluten in pet food? There was some found in Natural Balance, which was made by Diamond at the time ( I don't know if Diamond still makes it or not). Natural Balance claimed the rice gluten was added without their knowledge; it was not listed in their ingredients. I won't buy any food made by Diamond because of these past problems, but I'm probably being paranoid.

Honesty Janice I don't know if it was the SC plant or not, but I bet it is, I bet its the largest plant they have because they seem to be making a lot of other brands at that plant besides Diamond.   I do believe that Natural Balance is still made at the Diamond plant, but again, by Diamond? or just at their plant?  MIGHT be a big difference, I don't know. Thats kind of why I presented this question.

There always seems to be a pet food recalled because of aflotoxins... because as John from Eagle told me once, the BIG companies buy their corn from brokers, cheapest price wins.  Supposedly EP grew their own corn, or had someone grow it right there in Indiana ( I think was the state ) where they kept an eye on it.  There are aflotoxins found in a lot of things that even we eat...they are allowed a certain amount. Its in corn, nuts and even peanut butter. The pet food companies have to keep checking to make sure the amount doesn't get too high.

I think two things can happen in situations like this.  Company A can pay someone (i.e., Diamond) to manufacture their food for them.  Company A supplies Diamond with an ingredients list for their foods, Diamond purchases those ingredients from whatever supplier they choose and they control the entire manufacturing process.  Company A pays Diamond to do it all.

Or Company A can lease processing facilities from Diamond but control the entire food-making process themselves, from the purchasing of the ingredients to quality control during processing.

Back during the melamine recall, some companies were affected because they didn't have full control of their product, either over the sourcing of ingredients or over quality control at the manufacturing facility.  Or both, if they contracted with the manufacturer to handle it all.  Other companies weren't affected even though their foods were made at the main Menu plant that had all the problems.  Natura is an example -- their food was processed at the Menu facility, but Natura purchased their own ingredients, had separate machines just for manufacturing their foods, and maintained their own people on site who did quality control.

Myra

Or Company A can lease processing facilities from Diamond but control the entire food-making process themselves, from the purchasing of the ingredients to quality control during processing.

For some reason THIS is the scenerio that I was thinking. 

The malamine thing......that was canned food, right? And most companies do not produce their own canned food, only their kibble,,,,,thats what I thought I remembered anyway.

dyan

The malamine thing......that was canned food, right? And most companies do not produce their own canned food, only their kibble,,,,,thats what I thought I remembered anyway

  It was mostly canned food, but it was also in some dry food. The melamine was in rice gluten from China, and I think it was also in some wheat gluten. You're right about most companies not making their own canned food. I believe the reason Natura wasn't affected, as well as Eagle Pack,  is because their canned food didn't have any gluten. The Eagle plant is in Northern Indiana; we've driven past it. There are quite a few Amish farms in that area and the corn they grow doesn't have pesticides, and I think Eagle claimed their corn was pesticide free. Anyway, I hope you find out how Canidae is made.

jessies_mom

The Eagle plant is in Northern Indiana; we've driven past it. There are quite a few Amish farms in that area and the corn they grow doesn't have pesticides, and I think Eagle claimed their corn was pesticide free. Anyway, I hope you find out how Canidae is made.

Thanks Janice.  Yeah I think Eagle did claim their corn was pesticide free.... and John said they monitored those corn fields all the time. You know......I wonder if they stil do get their corn from the same place now that they sold out.   I never agree'd with the people that hate corn in pet food...I only don't like it near the first few ingredients.  If I knew more about Eagle Pack now...if they people there are as helpful as they were ( which they changed their customer service a lot before I left ) I would go back to them....They have never been involved in recalls that I am aware of.

I was just on Canidae website and read about the safety of their food. 

CANIDAE Pet Foods was founded out of love for our own pets and animals. In today's environment, and as pet owners ourselves, we understand consumer concerns when it comes to the safety of the food we choose to feed our beloved family pets.

All CANIDAE® and FELIDAE® products are proudly made in the United States of America using the highest quality U.S. ingredients. All formulations are produced in USDA, FDA, and AAFCO approved facilities. The nutritionally dense fresh meats and meals we use originate from USDA inspected meats processed in a human grade facility. Our high quality grains, vegetables and fruits are from human grade producers. All CANIDAE and FELIDAE dry goods, cans and biscuits are naturally preserved. All of our commodities have undergone stringent testing procedures prior to going into any of our products, assuring safety and freshness for both your pets and ours.

To assure the safety of our products, CANIDAE has strict protocols which require that all formulas are tested in-line during our production runs and cleared by a second supervisor every 30 minutes. Additionally, there are 141 ingredient tests and 10 finished product tests that are performed. A sample of each finished goods batch is also sent directly to our research and development center where they are tested again, this time by a third party lab, for known toxins and potential risk hazards including but not limited to:

Melamine -
Cyanuric Acid -
Salmonella -
Toxins -
Chemical Residuals -
Bacterial Toxins -

  I've never had anything against corn either, but Jessie used to have soft stool when I fed her products with corn in them.

dyan

To assure the safety of our products, CANIDAE has strict protocols which require that all formulas are tested in-line during our production runs and cleared by a second supervisor every 30 minutes. Additionally, there are 141 ingredient tests and 10 finished product tests that are performed. A sample of each finished goods batch is also sent directly to our research and development center where they are tested again, this time by a third party lab, for known toxins and potential risk hazards including but not limited to:

Melamine -
Cyanuric Acid -
Salmonella -
Toxins -
Chemical Residuals -
Bacterial Toxins

    Sounds like their quality control is excellent; that must make you feel better. 

jessies_mom

Sounds like their quality control is excellent; that must make you feel better

Sounds like it to me too......if only the word "Diamond" could leave my head.  AND I believe Diamond is doing the right thing too....they recalled, closed the plant, put out warnings.... heck...no different than our letture companies.  LOL~

In my old age I have become skeptical and distrusting of everything:(.  To many times manufactures of all kinds of products--human food, animal food, drugs, etc, claim their product is safe and  continue to do so until there are so many incidents they can no longer cover it up.

 It was excplained like this to me.  They have "bean counters" who figure up what their total costs would be for law suits vs what their profit would be if they can keep it on the market a few months longer.  If the profits woudl outwieght the money paid out of lawsuits, they keep right on arguing how safe it is so they can continue selling.and taking in every penny they can.

I know many of you know I lost my 4 year old golden retriever to ProHeart6 back on Oct. 16, 2003.  Dogs were dying all over the country, dogs were having such severe rechtions many were/are on drugs their entire life becuae of it.  ButFort Dodge kept caliming it was safe, that all those deaths "were rumors", that those of us poting about our dogs deaths/illnesses were "nuts", etc.  Then the FDA told them to take it off the makret--there WERE far tomany reactions and deaths.  It came off the market 10 months after my Hunter died.  It was off for almost 4 years, but was "reformul;ated" and back on, but with a label full of warnings.

I was on vioxx and when the first reports came out about it being dangerous, that was denied.  Guess what?  It was pulled by FDa for being to dangerous.    I just can't help being distrustful of bit manufactures these days.