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Menu Food CEO "Doesn't Know" How Rat Poison Got into Pet Food

No Reason to Suspect Other Foods Contaminated

By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com

March 23, 2007

• Report Finds Toxins Common in Products for Children, Pets • Feds Bar Teva Animal Health From Selling Veterinary Drugs • FDA Confirms Probe of NUTRO Pet Food Deaths, Illnesses • Evidence Destroyed in Menu Foods Case May Hamper Other Lawsuits • Pet Food Class Action Preemptively Thrown Out • More Pet Foods Added to Salmonella Recall • Lawsuits On the Trail of Nutro, Canidae Pet Foods • FDA Halts Illegally Medicated Animal Feed • Pet Owners Warned about Chicken Jerky Products • Mars Extends Pet Food Recall; More Salmonella Found • Mars Recalls Cat Food Sold at Wal-Mart due to Salmonella • Hartz Recalls Rawhide Chips After Possible Salmonella Contamination • Pet Owners Eligible For $24 Million in Landmark Melamine Settlement • Internet Rumor Claims Cocoa Mulch Causes Dog Deaths • Mars Recalls More Pet Food; Possible Salmonella Contamination • Mars Petcare Recalls Some Pedigree Dog Food • Expert Finds Unexplained Pet Deaths 'Not Consistent' • Illness, Death Dog Nutro Pet Food • Feds Raid PETCO Warehouse in Illinois • Pet Owners Not Thrilled with Poison Food Settlement • CDC Links 2006 Salmonella Outbreak to Dog Food • FDA Orders Illinois Pet Food Maker to Clean Up Its Act • String of Illnesses Afflicts NUTRO-Fed Pets --- • More about Pet Food Recalls ...

The President and CEO of Menu Foods said late Friday that his company still does not know how rodent poisoning got into its cat and dog foods, but assured worried pet owners there's "no reason to suspect this matter goes beyond the recalled product."

President Paul Henderson also said there's no reason to suspect anyone tampered with his company's pet food, which has been linked to the deaths of at least 16 cats and dogs nationwide.

"The products (involved in the recall) are from two different facilities," he said of the plants in Emporia, Kansas and Pennsauken, New Jersey. Both plants are still making pet food. "The probability of someone tampering at both of those plants is remote."

Henderson said his company will continue testing to determine how the toxin -- identified by New York officials as Aminopterin -- got into its pet food. Aminopterin is a rat poison used in other countries, but not in the United States.

"We are happy and relieved that the experts from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Cornell University have discovered the root of the issue that has harmed North American cats and dogs," Henderson said.

Earlier reports suggested the poison may have been used on the wheat gluten the company imports from China. Henderson confirmed his company imports that product from China, but wouldn't say if it was the source of the poison.

All he would say was: "We have identified a correlation between a single ingredient and we stopped using it."

The Food and Drug Administration, however, has focused its investigation on that product. FDA officials say wheat gluten by itself would not cause kidney failure, but this common ingredient could have been contaminated

Since the company announced its recall of 60 million cans of "cut and gravy" style cat and dog food last week, Henderson said it has talked to nearly 200,000 worried pet owners.

"They were scared. Some, like myself, are angry. Our hearts go out to the many thousands of pet-owners across Canada and the U.S. for their losses and their worry."

One of those grieving pet owners attended Friday's press conference and asked Henderson how his company will compensate consumers for their veterinarian bills and other expenses.

"To the extent that we can identify the cause (of any illness or death) is from our food, we will take responsibility for that," Henderson said.

But is the company's pet food safe?

Henderson said his company has continued testing its product on animals.

"And there have been no adverse reactions from them."

Henderson said his company does not "admit negligence on our part" in connection with the poisoned pet food. He also declined to comment on the pending class action lawsuits filed against Menu Foods.

"Our primary concern is involved in the product recall and the investigation (of what caused the contamination)," he said. "The issue of litigation will follow in due course. Our focus is on pet safety."

Henderson said the recall will likely cost the company between $30 and $40 million. Will that trigger any lay-off or job cuts?

Henderson said it's premature to comment: "We'll make that decision when it's appropriate. We have a strong, sustainable business, and we're confident about the future."

In the meantime, Henderson said pet owners should immediately stop using any of the 95 brands of dog and cat food involved in the recall. Pet owners should also contact their veterinarian if their dogs or cats show any signs of illness after eating the recalled food.

Henderson said anyone who still has cans or pouches of the recalled food should return those products -- to the retailer where they purchased them -- for a full credit. "We'll then get those products from the retailers and destroy them ... according to FDA guidelines."

The recalled brands of pet food were sold throughout North America at Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers. Some of the recalled foods were sold under private labels like Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba.

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