Home > Archived Newsletter Messages > PET FOOD RECALL UPDATE - APRIL 27, 2007 (2)
Archived Newsletter Messages
PET FOOD RECALL UPDATE - APRIL 27, 2007 (2)
Sent: April 27, 2007
The FDA emailed the following two items today. The first, involving a charge of lack of integrity by ANI, is especially important to read.
Blue Buffalo Recalls Can and Biscuit Products Due To Tampering By American Nutrition Inc.
Contact:
Consumer Inquiries:
1-800-919-2833
Media Inquiries:
David Petrie
1-203-762-9751
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Wilton, Connecticut, April 26, 2007- We at the Blue Buffalo Company have just learned that American Nutrition Inc. (ANI), the manufacturer of all our cans and biscuits, has been adding rice protein concentrate to our can formulas without our knowledge and without our approval. This is product tampering, and it apparently has been going on for some time. The can formulas that we developed, and trusted them to produce, never contained any rice protein concentrate. It appears that only an FDA investigation of ANI's rice protein concentrate supplies forced them to reveal this product tampering to us.
While this activity by ANI is in itself unlawful, the situation is further clouded by the fact that ANI has been receiving rice protein concentrate from Wilber-Ellis, some of which the FDA has determined to be contaminated with melamine.
So while no BLUE or Spa Select canned product has tested positive for the presence of melamine, and there has been no reported illness due to any of our canned products, we simply cannot be sure of what ANI has been including in our formulas. For this reason, we have decided to remove all of our canned and biscuit products from retail distribution. While this may seem to many to be a major over-reaction, as other ANI customers will probably only recall the products that tested positive for melamine, we see this as a matter of integrity.
We founded Blue Buffalo on the principle of providing dogs and cats with the highest quality and most nutritious food, and we will not sell any product that doesn't meet this standard. And under these circumstances, we cannot say that any products manufactured by ANI measure up.
The obvious question is "how could Blue Buffalo not know that ANI was putting rice protein concentrate into our canned food?" The answer is we trusted them. In business and in life, we all trust our partners to deal with us honestly. When we buy produce from our local grocery store, we are trusting growers, shippers and a series of handlers to have delivered a product that is safe and nutritious for our family. If any one of these parties betrays our trust, contaminated products can make their way to our dinner table.
And while we test for known toxins and contaminants, we don't test for protein sources, like rice protein concentrate, especially when we did not formulate our products to contain them.
In the end, this all comes down to an issue of integrity, and ANI has not been honest with us and with the pet parents who buy our products. We will not put any product made by ANI on the shelf, and are temporarily withdrawing an important part of our business in order to be true to our pet parents.
We have already started the process of identifying a can and biscuit manufacturer with whom we can build a partnership based on trust. Once we have accomplished this, BLUE and Spa Select cans and BLUE Health Bars will be reintroduced with the high quality and superior nutrition that our brand stands for and that dogs and cats deserve.
We have informed our retail partners and the FDA about this action and will be cooperating with them to complete this recall quickly. The specific product involved includes all "BLUE" brand can dog foods, all "Spa Select" brand can cat foods and all "BLUE Health Bar" treats.
Consumers who have unused or partially used packages of any of these products should return them to their place of purchase for a complete refund.
All "BLUE" dry natural food for dogs and "Spa Select" dry natural foods for cats are not affected by this recall and are safe for consumption. Should consumers have a specific question, they can call the Company at 1-800-919-2833, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT, to receive more information.
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FDA's Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts Page: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html
___________________________________________________
Diamond Pet Food Withdraws Products in Response to American Nutrition Inc. Pet Food Recall
Contact:
Diamond Pet Food Media Hotline
(888) 207-6208
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Meta, MO -- April 26, 2007 -- Because of the canned pet food recall initiated today by American Nutrition Inc., Diamond Pet Foods has announced it is withdrawing a limited number of canned products manufactured by American Nutrition. This action is limited to three specific canned products: Diamond Lamb & Rice Formula for Dogs 13 oz. cans, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Kitten Formula 5.5 oz. cans, and Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Puppy Formula 13 oz. cans.
Diamond Pet Foods is taking this voluntary action after learning the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed rice protein concentrate used by American Nutrition contained melamine, a substance not approved for use in food.
No other Diamond brand or Chicken Soup brand canned or dry pet food formulas are affected by the American Nutrition recall.
Diamond Pet Foods has not received any indication of quality or safety issues, including pet illness, with the three withdrawn products. However, because American Nutrition informed the company that these three specific products may include rice protein concentrate, Diamond Pet Foods felt this action was necessary for the protection of its customers and their pets.
It should be noted that the products being withdrawn were not formulated or labeled to contain rice protein concentrate. While the FDA is investigating this, current information indicates this error is a result of a manufacturing deviation by American Nutrition
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