Testing method speeds up detection of melamine
FoodQualityNews.com, France - Jun 14, 2007

xtended Interview: Former FDA Official Discusses Food Safety
PBS - 2 hours ago

State Rep. Patti Smith introduces pet food safety bill (May 18)
State Rep. Patti Smith, R-Corbett, has introduced a measure to the Oregon Legislature to create a food safety task force in reaction to the recent deaths and illness from pet food.

“Our state needs to focus on food safety immediately, and any measures we can take as a state are so important because of the recent pet food recall and the many issues the Department of Agriculture and the state veterinarian must face,” Smith said. “This is a global economy, and the issues surrounding our food safety at all levels will be the focus of this task force.”

Under the measure, House Bill 3556, the task force would make recommendations to an interim legislation committee, which would report to the February 2008 assembly next year. The task force would include food distributors and food manufacturers, the state veterinarian, representatives from the Department of Agriculture and one legislator.

The group’s mission includes reviewing issues surrounding pet food safety, animal safety and any regulations surrounding these important issues.

New Jersey law would give pet owners right to sue (May 18)
New Jersey on Monday will consider giving pet owners the right to sue for emotional pain and suffering if an animal gets sick or dies from eating contaminated pet food.

Joyce Tischler, founding director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, said New Jersey would become one of the few states in the nation to allow such lawsuits.

China's additives on menu in U.S. (May 18)
As the recall of tainted pet food mushroomed into an international scandal, two of the largest U.S. food manufacturers (Mission and Tyson)  put out a blanket order to their American suppliers: No more ingredients from China.

China has become the world's leading supplier of food ingredients (flavorings, vitamins and preservatives)
latimes.com chart: common food additives imported to US from china

Chart lists:
Citric Acid (soda's, beverages, candy, syrups)
Sorbic Acid (preservative in cheese and dairy, baked goods, wine)
Vanillin (chocolates, candies, cookies)
Xylitol (sweetener in sugar-free gum, candy)
folic acid (A B Vitamin helps prevent fetal spinal deformities / used in pasta, bread, cereal, corn meal, rice)

Specialists confer about the pet food recall (May 18)
On the last day of April, several dozen epidemiologists, laboratory diagnosticians, clinical nutritionists, toxicologists, pathologists, and other veterinary specialists held a conference call to provide a forum for discussion of the animal health aspects of the pet food adulteration and recall.

Participants were primarily from the Food and Drug Administration, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, and Veterinary Information Network. The call was arranged by AVMA staff to facilitate dialogue among these principals, and to identify any new guidance that could be offered to veterinary practitioners treating patients that became sick after eating adulterated pet food.

Although no new treatment protocols were recommended, several important points were underscored for communication to veterinary practitioners. In particular, the participants agreed that the standard treatment for renal failure, consisting of fluid therapy and supportive care, seems to be effective in many affected animals.

Congressional Hearing On FDA´s Ability To Safeguard Nations Food Supply (May 17)
The hearing had three panels.  The second panel was comprised of a veterinarian and a staff person from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Dr. DeCarlo, the veterinarian, testified about the effect of the pet food contamination and recall on the U.S. pet population and Ms. Shames of the GAO testified about her office's views of the way food safety is regulated in the
 United States....

Pet Food Safety Summit Set for July   (May 15)
Safety of Chinese Imports Questioned in Congress
Tentatively set for July 14, 2007 in Las Vegas -- on import standards and specifications for pet food ingredients from China and around the world.

Pet Food Verification Service Launched (May 15)
Integrated Management Information, Inc. (IMI Global) (BULLETIN BOARD: INMG) , a leading provider of verification and Internet solutions for the agricultural/livestock industry, today announced the launch of Pet Supply Verified(TM), a comprehensive new pet food verification system designed to build consumer confidence in pet food products.

John Saunders, president and CEO of IMI Global, said Pet Supply Verified was developed in response to the recent nationwide pet food recalls that resulted from a wave of pet sickness and death due to the manufacture and distribution of tainted pet food. More information is available on www.petsupplyverified.com

Low Risk of Illness from Food Containing Melamine (May 14)

Blowing the lid off the pet food industry  (May 10)
For weeks, the FDA stuck by its story that only 16 deaths had resulted from the contaminated food. On May 3, they amended the numbers upward and announced that that they have received 17,000 reports of illness and death, including 1,950 dead cats and 2,200 dogs. The death toll is expected to eventually reach 14,000.

On May 1, the New York Times reported that pet food considered unfit for consumption by companion animals had been fed to chickens and hogs, thus potentially contaminating the human food supply.

Pet food probe: Who was watching suppliers?  (May 10)
While some pet-food companies claim that they were victims of fraud, the case also illuminates weaknesses in U.S. pet-food-manufacturing oversight that companies are now trying to correct. One is that companies who market pet foods often don't make them and may not watch their contract manufacturers closely enough. The situations also raise questions about how diligent companies have been in selecting and inspecting suppliers of raw ingredients.

Confusion Leads to New FDA Web Features, Newsletter (May 7)
EDITORIAL: Food Czar Lacks Bite: Federal Agency Now Has a Point Person but Still Needs Power to Mand (May 7)
Senate Backs Tighter Pet Food Standards  (May 3)
Senate hearing examines safety,  (May 3)
FDA limits Chinese food additive imports  (May 2)
Now for the products to reach U.S. foodmakers, the importers will have to prove to the FDA that they are safe. The ingredients restricted include wheat gluten, rice gluten, rice protein, rice protein concentrate, corn gluten, corn gluten meal, corn by-products, soy protein, soy gluten, mung-bean protein and amino acids.

DURBIN, DELAURO INTRODUCE NEW FOOD SAFETY BILL IN WAKE OF WIDENING RECALLS May 1)
Durbin and DeLauro's legislation would give the FDA the power to order mandatory recalls of adulterated food products, establish an early warning and notification system for human food, as well as pet food, and establish fines for companies that don't promptly report contaminated products.

Human and Pet Food Safety Act of 2007 (to Senate 5/2/07) [S.1274.IS]
Human and Pet Food Safety Act of 2007 (to House 5/2/07)) [H.R.2108.IH]

Related bills by Durbin and DeLauro

Safe Food Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate 2/15/2007)[S.654.IS]
Safe Food Act of 2007 (Introduced in House 2/16/2007)[H.R.1148.IH]

Transcript of FDA/USDA media teleconference providing update on recall  (May 1)
FDA states that rice protein concentrate was the problem with swine.  FDA believes "the likelihood of illness from such exposure is extremely low. We also have no evidence of reports of harm to the swine themselves"

Some of the contaminated wheat gluten was used as a small portion of the poultry feed on some farms in Indiana..  At this time, investigators have found a number of broiler farms and breeder farms in that state, in Indiana, that we know have received the contaminated food in early February and that it was fed to the poultry. All of the food that was fed to broilers is believed to have been consumed. It's essentially been processed. It's out the door. The breeders who are still there are currently under a voluntary hold by the owners.

Pet Food Recall: Poisoned Dog & Cat Food List, Investigation Grows (Apr 30)

FDA to test human food for toxin in recalled pet food  (April 27
FDA announced plans to test imported wheat gluten, corn gluten, corn meal, soy protein and rice bran.  Everything from pizza dough to infant formula, protein shakes and energy bars could contain ingredients now under scrutiny by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Pet food recall: What we know (April 26)
FDA food safety failings (April 26)
Mr. Pet Food Supplier goes to Washington (April 25)

Report: FDA Knew Of Food Issues Before Recall  (April 24)
The FDA knew there were spinach concerns a year before the outbreak that killed three and sickened hundreds.  The FDA also checked into reports of salmonella at a Georgia factory more than a year before peanut butter caused 400 consumers to become ill.

Strahl chomps down on pet food problem, launches regulatory review - Canada ( April 22)   The CFIA will determine what, if any, action the government should take to better monitor the ingredients of pet food, federal agriculture officials said.  The agency can recommend that pet food be regulated, but can also suggest other unspecified options for monitoring pet food ingredients, with the aim of improve food safety.

Frightening Food Facts about the FDA from the GAO  (April 26)
The federal government can issue mandatory recalls for tires and toys but not food?
The only exception is baby formula.

Food-recall authority reviewed
The federal government should have the authority to order companies to carry out food recalls, Congress' investigative arm said yesterday.  The two primary agencies responsible for the safety of the food supply, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the FDA, can issue calls for food recalls but, by law, those recalls are voluntary.

Govt. quarantines hogs fed tainted pet food
US blocks processing of 6000 hogs
Officials try to keep tainted pet food from touching dinner tables
Pet Food Contamination - Expert Q&A  (April 25)
Call Issued for Better Food Safety Net  (April 25)
Effectivness of recall questioned (April 25)
US Food Supply at High Risk of Terrorist or Profit-Driven Tampering (April 24)
After tainted pet food, FDA food safety is focus of House hearing (April 24)
Recalls fuel fears over FDA oversight of U.S. food supply (April 24)
Senators Raise New Concerns in Pet Food Scare  (April 23)
MSU Studies Pet Food Recall (April 23)
FDA’s Update on Tainted Pet Food (April 22)
FDA Mulls Motive In Pet Food Case (April 21)
FDA asks if pet food tainted on purpose (April 20)
SENATE HEARING ON PET FOOD CONTAMINATION TO BE HELD THURSDAY, APRIL 12th   (April 9)