Pet owners beware: Another pet food recall

Menu Foods Income Fund today announced the precautionary recall of a portion of the dog and cat food it manufactured between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. The recall is limited to "cuts and gravy" style pet food in cans and pouches manufactured at two of the Fund's United States facilities. These products are both manufactured and sold under private-label and are contract-manufactured for some national brands.

Over the past several days, the Fund has received feedback in the United States (none in Canada) raising concerns about pet food manufactured since early December, and its impact on the renal health of the pets consuming the products. Shortly after receipt of the first complaint, the Fund initiated a substantial battery of technical tests, conducted by both internal and external specialists, but has failed to identify any issues with the products in question.

The Fund has, however, discovered that timing of the production associated with these complaints, coincides with the introduction of an ingredient from a new supplier. The Fund stopped using this ingredient shortly after this discovery and production since then has been undertaken using ingredients from another source. At the same time, the Fund's largest customer, for which it manufactures on a contract basis, received a small number of consumer complaints and has initiated its own recall.

Furthermore, for the time being, the customer has put future orders for cuts and gravy products on hold. This customer's cuts and gravy purchases in 2006 represented approximately 11% of the Fund's annual revenue. "We take these complaints very seriously and, while we are still looking for a specific cause, we are acting to err on the side of caution" said Paul K. Henderson, President and CEO, Menu Foods. "We will do whatever is necessary to ensure that our products maintain the very highest quality standards."

While the number of complaints has been relatively small, Menu is taking this proactive step out of an abundance of caution, because the health and well-being of pets is paramount to the Fund. In addition to changing suppliers, for production after March 6, the Fund has increased testing of all raw materials and finished goods. It is also working closely with regulatory authorities and its customers to learn more and will take whatever additional actions are appropriate. The Fund estimates that based on currently available information, this recall could cost between $30 million and $40 million, which will be financed from a combination of internally generated cash flow and bank credit facilities. Furthermore, the Fund is aggressively producing product, utilizing a different supplier for the ingredient in question, to replenish customers as quickly as possible.

In order to determine whether cat and dog food in their possession is subject to recall, consumers should refer to the list of brand names ("listed products" at www.menufoods.com/recall. Products not identified on the website can continue to be used.

Menu is the leading North American private-label/contract manufacturer of wet pet food products sold by supermarket retailers, mass merchandisers, pet specialty retailers and other retail and wholesale outlets. In 2006, the Fund produced more than one billion containers.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Menu Foods Income Fund
Media and Investor Relations
Sarah Tuite
(416) 848-1703

or
Menu Foods Income Fund
Consumers
1-866-895-2708
Website: www.menufoods.com

Please check the Menu Foods web site for more information, but here's a list of brands being affected:

Recalled Dog Product Information
Recall Information 1-866-895-2708

Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
Authority
Award
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Bruiser
Cadillac
Companion
Demoulas Market Basket
Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Great Choice
Hannaford
Hill Country Fare
Hy-Vee
Key Food
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Main Choice
Mixables
Nutriplan
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nutro
Ol'Roy
Paws
Pet Essentials
Pet Pride
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority
Publix
Roche Bros
Save-A-Lot
Schnucks
Springsfield Pride
Sprout
Stater Bros
Total Pet, My True Friend
Western Family
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet

Comments

[Sophie]

Hello - it is my hope that pet parents educate themselves on GM (genetically modified) foods here in the U.S., because I believe that there is the good chance that this is another 'reaction' due to another hastily released gm product. I hope that I'm wrong. The "..new wheat supplier.." comment makes me suspicious. If so - our pets are the guinea pigs. I believe that GM wheat is new, but the rest of the world won't touch it due to the risks involved. Only here in the U.S., and Mexico.
If this is the case, the FDA will do nothing - other than try to sweep it all under the rug. There’s nothing worse than an informed public…
For more on this topic (GM Foods), you can visit Greenpeace. Or if you like to read, this (very informative) site might appeal to some: http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/index.asp
Good luck to you all.
Sophie

[Penny Kinzer]

Hello:
After all of the media attention that has been given on this topic I was shocked when I went to return a large number of the "Ol'Roy" cans to WalMart, only to discover that they were still on the shelf.
"Hey, WalMart, what's going on?"
Am I the only one to wonder why these alleged "tainted" products are still being sold?
I am sure that all of us who dearly love are furry children are wondering the same thing.
Please don't take any chances with our kids lives.
Penny

[Ronna Carter]

Well, my vet just told me my cat is getting more toxic from his kidneys shutting down. I have been treating him for 7 days myself with fluids and other meds for acute renal failure. He started intense vomiting after feeding him Iams select salmon and tuna. He will have to have help crossing over because I won't let him suffer. And yes, I was at Walmart today and they still have Iams on the shelf with the same product code that my cat ate. I am so angry.

[EG]

I'm not a pet owner myself, but I feel terrible about what's happening. I was shocked to learn that all these different brands get their food from a single source. I guess that's part of our mass-produced society. The more handling and transportation food has to go through before it reaches our plates, the more risk of tainting there is.

When I do get a dog and cat, I will make their food myself. I will probably feed the dog a ground round of hamburger with some veggies mixed in. As for the cat, salmon from the can, perhaps?

Anyway, my prayers are with the pet owners affected by this.

[S.G.]

Is the dry food(cats' in particular) also contaminated? My cat was recently given IAM (dry food) and is currently being treated by a vet for kidney problems.

[YOUR MOM]

This recall issue is so ridiculous!! How in the hell could they let something like this happen?! Its rat poison that they found in the food and from an article that I read the rat poison that I found is illeagal in the U.S! So what in the hell! If anything happens to my beautiful Great Dane baby boi someone will pay!

[Mrs. Roger Herrera]

We use Holistic Zen Pets too. We order our pet foods from www.holisticzenpets.com. These foods are safe, fresh and do not contain harmful ingredients! This company has been so awesome in disclosing how they process and prepare their foods. I have no worries ordering through them. I recommend them highly!

[andrew]

Now that they are scruitinizing the elemental makeup of animal food they are finding chemicals, toxins and poisons but the The first thing i thought when i heard of this was that it had to do with Genetically Modified crops and it has to do with the wheat!

[Sophie]

Well, it seems that the views of more people are surfacing - and it may be that the 'rat poison' played a role, but a relatively moderate one - according to John B. Symes, D.V.M. Go to the following link to read a very interesting editorial:
http://barknblog.aspenbloompetcare.com/2007/03/22/editorial-on-the-pet-food-recall-by-veterinarian/

[helen sharpe]

i have 4 dogs and i have been trying to find out about ol roy dry dog food i cant seem to find out any thing . i have one that has peed blood for about 8 months and the vet cant find anything wrong. i think this whole thing is just something else ...... what if this had been baby food ? would you be able to find out anything? to me my pets are my babies. and i know alot of people feel the same way . if any one of you could help me please do thank you helen