Dog Community

Foster & Smith Adult Dry Lite Dog and Adult Lite Cat Food Recalled

Posted : 4/25/2007 5:07:18 PM

Rice protein concentrate has been indicated as a possible source of melamine recently found in pet food products. As a precautionary measure Wilbur-Ellis company, the supplier of rice protein concentrate, is voluntarily recalling all lots of rice protein concentrate. We received notification from the manufacturer today, April 25, 2007, suggesting we issue a precautionary recall.

Two of our products: Adult Lite Dry Dog (Item #'s 14178, 14179, 14180, 14262, 14263) and Adult Lite Dry Cat foods (Item #'s 12855, 12856, 13864, 13865) contain rice protein concentrate. Only the Adult Lite Dry Dog and Adult Lite Dry Cat foods contain rice protein concentrate.

Preliminary test results for melamine contamination have been negative. Final test results from the FDA are expected within two weeks. Please check the Adult Lite Dry Dog food or the Adult Lite Dry Cat food product pages on the DrsFosterSmith.com website for any updates.

If your pet has consumed either the Adult Lite Dry Dog food or the Adult Lite Dry Cat food and shows signs of illness (such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting), you should consult with your veterinarian immediately.

As part of this precautionary recall Drs. Foster & Smith requests that customers discontinue feeding the following products purchased during the periods listed, until all FDA testing is complete:

Adult Lite Dry Dog food item numbers 14180, 14262, 14263, or Adult Lite Dry Cat food item numbers 12855, 12856, 13864, 13865 purchased between January 22, 2007 and April 19th

Adult Lite Dry Dog food item numbers 14178 and 14179 purchased between February 2, 2007 and April 19, 2007

Only Adult Lite Dry Dog (Item #'s 14178, 14179, 14180, 14262, 14263) and Adult Dry Lite Cat foods (Item #'s 12855, 12856, 13864, 13865) are included in this precautionary recall.

The health and well being of your pet is always important to us, so as part of this precautionary recall:

Drs. Foster & Smith is contacting all customers who have purchased these items during this period.

These products are being reformulated to eliminate rice protein concentrate. The new formulation should be available by mid-May.

Please call Customer Service at 1-800-239-7121 between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm CST or email CustomerService@DrsFosterSmith.com if you have questions.

None of our other Drs. Foster & Smith foods contain the ingredients in question.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/general.cfm?N=2001&gid=568

sooner

Posted : 4/25/2007 5:10:15 PM

That should be it for the Wilbur-Ellis customers.

Natural Balance, Royal Canin, SmartPak, Blue Buffalo and Foster & Smith

sooner

Posted : 4/25/2007 5:15:48 PM

This is what gets me:

We received notification from the manufacturer today, April 25, 2007, suggesting we issue a precautionary recall.

TODAY?!? This was in the Wilbur-Ellis press release dated 4/18

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.

chewbecca

Posted : 4/25/2007 5:29:22 PM

Well, I'll be letting the mother-in-law know not to be purchasing anything from them from now on.

Nice.

There is no freaking excuse. NONE.

Dog food companies should have BEEN ON TOP OF THIS FROM THE FIRST NOTIFICATION AND/OR RECALL.

Cazzy

Posted : 4/25/2007 5:31:31 PM

TODAY?!? This was in the Wilbur-Ellis press release dated 4/18

That gets me also....now we have to find out who the other companys are

jessies_mom

Posted : 4/25/2007 6:00:03 PM

We received notification from the manufacturer today, April 25, 2007, suggesting we issue a precautionary recall.

TODAY?!? This was in the Wilbur-Ellis press release dated 4/18

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

No matter what anyone thinks of Hill's Science Diet, you can't criticize how they handled the recall;
[linkhttp://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/25/pet-food-recall-behind-the-scenes-at-hills/]http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/04/25/pet-food-recall-behind-the-scenes-at-hills/[/link];

"A hint of some of the behind the scenes work of one of these companies comes from our Dr. Marty Becker, who spent time on the phone yesterday with a veterinary contact at [linkhttp://www.hillspet.com/]Hill#%92s Pet Nutrition

[/link].

He was told Hill#%92s has personally contacted 23,000 veterinary hospitals by phone to update them on the status of the single Prescription Diet – Diet m/d Feline dry – product affected by the voluntary recall. Dr. Becker notes that number includes not only the approximately 9,500 hospitals that had purchased the product marked within the recall dates, but also all the other veterinary hospitals and clinics, just in case any was on the shelves."

Myra

Posted : 4/25/2007 6:09:44 PM

Who manufactures the F&S foods?

ETA -- Found this on [linkhttp://www.thepetfoodlist.com]www.thepetfoodlist.com[/link]

[linkhttp://www.drsfostersmith.com/general.cfm?N=2001&gid=568]Drs. Foster & Smith Products[/link] (verified by company 3/29/07)

[align=center][align=left]SOME PRODUCTS RECALLED 4/25/07. See company website for information.
Wet foods made by Menu Foods but not involved in the recall.

Dry foods manufactured by Chenango Valley Foods

All grain and meat products are from the US

No wheat gluten is used in the products manufactured at Menu

Note the "all grain and meat products are from the US". [:@]

Cazzy

Posted : 4/25/2007 6:19:13 PM

Note the "all grain and meat products are from the US".

What a crock of BS [:@]

Lynn

Posted : 4/25/2007 6:31:59 PM

So, DRSFOSTERANDSMITH decided to wait a few days before telling everyone? Hmmmpf. As Rebecca said very well, that's an excellent reason never to order from them again. And, I'm still mad about the Natural Balance not even putting the ingredient on their bags!

Note the "all grain and meat products are from the US". [:@]

Hmm, this may not actually be a complete lie. Didn't they quarentine the bags of wheat gluten at the incoming harbor and each one ton bag of 146 or so bags were all white and one was bright pink labeled "melamine". So, if they were boosting the protein levels here at the distributor warehouse, then it could have been boosted on US grain products, as well. Of course, I find it hard to believe that the grain was from the US, b/c it's hard to believe anything they say these days. But, it also seems reasonable that the distributor bought low quality US stuff and boosted it as well. [:@][:@][:@] No proof on my part, just really strong suspicion.

Myra

Posted : 4/25/2007 7:01:16 PM

That's an interesting theory, chasza. It's so convenient to lay the blame on China, I never considered that it could've been contaminated here!

As far as the delay with the F&S recall--do we blame them, or Chenango Valley Foods? Sounds to me like F&S is trying to place the blame on Chenango. Not that I accept that. F&S presumably knows their foods contain rice protein concentrate, and someone high up should've been double-checking the source of their supplier at the first hint of a problem. But OTOH, if Chenango told them they only bought U.S. grown ingredients . . .???

jenhuedepohl

Posted : 4/25/2007 7:04:44 PM

I wonder if it is the same product as the SmartPak Weight Control that was recalled yesterday. Neither of those companies are really dog food manufacturers. They most likely contracted another manufacturer to make a private label for their brand.

sooner

Posted : 4/25/2007 7:16:43 PM

ORIGINAL: Myra

As far as the delay with the F&S recall--do we blame them, or Chenango Valley Foods? Sounds to me like F&S is trying to place the blame on Chenango.

I did some reading on Chenango the other day after reading that Timberwolf may be made there. They've had [linkhttp://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_42_25/ai_109570233]problems before[/link].

"An L.A.-based distributor of dog and cat foods won more than $318,000 in damages from a manufacturer that supplied it with moldy dog food. Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc., co-founded by actor Dick Van Patten, sued New York's Chenango Valley Pet Foods Inc. in July 2001 for "mold-related losses" that began in October 1999, according to a Sept. 30 ruling in 2nd Appellate District."

I still blame F&S though. Ultimately responsibility for products bearing their name falls on them. They should know what is going into those products.

KCSO

Posted : 4/25/2007 7:19:21 PM

ORIGINAL: sooner

That should be it for the Wilbur-Ellis customers.

Natural Balance, Royal Canin, SmartPak, Blue Buffalo and Foster & Smith

Fairly newish update at howl911.com :

"Note: Drs. Foster & Smith and SmartPac/LiveSmart products appear to both be made by Chenango Valley Pet Foods, located in New York. Thus, there is STILL one more manufacturer of the five Wilbur-Ellis sold the tainted RPC to; by process of elimination, that leaves one manufacturer in Kansas still unaccountedd for (remember, W-E sold the RPC to five pet food makers--one in UT, NY, KS and two in MO. Chenango Valley is located in NY. Diamond (makers of Natural Balance)and Royal Canin both have plants in Missouri. That still leaves plants in UT and KS as yet unidentified. American Nutrition in UT makes wet food for Natural Balance and for a number of other pet food companies. Hill's and Menu Foods both have plants in KS, either of which could be the "other major company" Wilbur-Ellis is reported to have sold the Chinese RPC to. This mystery is far from over. "

sooner

Posted : 4/25/2007 7:22:09 PM

ORIGINAL: KCSO

Fairly newish update at howl911.com :

"Note: Drs. Foster & Smith and SmartPac/LiveSmart products appear to both be made by Chenango Valley Pet Foods, located in New York. Thus, there is STILL one more manufacturer of the five Wilbur-Ellis sold the tainted RPC to; by process of elimination, that leaves one manufacturer in Kansas still unaccountedd for (remember, W-E sold the RPC to five pet food makers--one in UT, NY, KS and two in MO. Chenango Valley is located in NY. Diamond (makers of Natural Balance)and Royal Canin both have plants in Missouri. That still leaves plants in UT and KS as yet unidentified. American Nutrition in UT makes wet food for Natural Balance and for a number of other pet food companies. Hill's and Menu Foods both have plants in KS, either of which could be the "other major company" Wilbur-Ellis is reported to have sold the Chinese RPC to. This mystery is far from over. "

Crap [:@]

KCSO

Posted : 4/26/2007 11:56:07 AM

Crap indeed

This is just so beyond belief.

From howl911.com, here's the (hopeful) 5th company for Wilbur-Ellis:

"The below article from today's news pretty much confirms American Nutrition in Utah is the remaining unnamed "pet food maker" who purchased potentially tainted RPC from Wilbur-Ellis. The five pet food makers Wilbur-Ellis sold the melamine-laced Chinese RPC to are 1) Diamond Pet Foods, makers of Natural Balance dry foods (plant in MO), 2) Chenango Valley Pet Foods, makers of Drs. Foster & Smith and SmartPac/LiveSmart (plant in NY), 3) Royal Canin, plant in MO, 4) C.J. Foods, makers of Blue Buffalo dry foods (plant in KS) and 5) American Nutrition, makers of Blue Buffalo and Natural Balance wet foods."