We here at DRAS aren’t big fans of most of the big dog and cat food producers. While many, including us, have maintained that these products have been slowly contributing to illnesses such as kidney failure and cancer, it seems that millions of packages from Menu Foods are now being recalled due to reported kidney failures and deaths.

Menu Foods says the recall is for products “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.” We’re including the list of dog and cat food brands that are being recalled. Below is the article from the Indianapolis Star about the recall.

Although the recall is only for a certain portion of these products, we feel that if you care about your companion animal’s health, then you will look into foods that don’t use such ingredients as corn filler, wheat gluten, animal “by-products”, and chemical preservatives. Remember, just because the package says “natural” or “healthy” doesn’t mean it actually is.

Dog food brands recalled:
1. Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
2. Authority
3. Award
4. Best Choice
5. Big Bet
6. Big Red
7. Bloom
8. Bruiser
9. Cadillac
10. Companion
11. Demoulas Market Basket
12. Eukanuba
13. Food Lion
14. Giant Companion
15. Great Choice
16. Hannaford
17. Hill Country Fare
18. Hy-Vee
19. Iams
20. Key Food
21. Laura Lynn
22. Loving Meals
23. Meijers Main Choice
24. Mixables
25. Nutriplan
26. Nutro Max
27. Nutro Natural Choice
28. Nutro
29. Ol’Roy Canada
30. Ol’Roy US
31. Paws
32. Pet Essentials
33. Pet Pride - Good n Meaty
34. Presidents Choice
35. Price Chopper
36. Priority
37. Publix
38. Roche Bros
39. Save-A-Lot
40. Schnucks
41. Shep Dog
42. Springsfield Prize
43. Sprout
44. Stater Bros
45. Total Pet, My True Friend
46. Western Family
47. White Rose
48. Winn Dixie
49. Your Pet

Cat food brands recalled:
1. Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
2. Authority
3. Best Choice
4. Companion
5. Compliments
6. Demoulas Market Basket
7. Eukanuba
8. Fine Feline Cat
9. Food Lion
10. Foodtown
11. Giant Companion
12. Hannaford
13. Hill Country Fare
14. Hy-Vee
15. Iams
16. Key Food
17. Laura Lynn
18. Li’l Red
19. Loving Meals
20. Meijer’s Main Choice
21. Nutriplan
22. Nutro Max Gourmet Classics
23. Nutro Natural Choice
24. Paws
25. Pet Pride
26. Presidents Choice
27. Price Chopper
28. Priority
29. Save-A-Lot
30. Schnucks
31. Science Diet Feline Savory Cuts Cans
32. Sophistacat
33. Special Kitty Canada
34. Special Kitty US
35. Springfield Prize
36. Sprout
37. Total Pet, My True Friend
38. Wegmans
39. Western Family
40. White Rose
41. Winn Dixie

From Indystar.com:

Pet food maker issues major recall
Associated Press
March 17, 2007

WASHINGTON — A major manufacturer of pet foods sold throughout North America under dozens of store names is recalling millions of containers of its products while working to determine what caused kidney failure and some deaths of cats and dogs.

Menu Foods said today it is recalling dog food sold under 46 brands and cat food sold under 37 brands and distributed throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Major retailers, including Wal-Mart, Kroger and Safeway, sold the pet foods.

A complete list of the recalled products along with product codes, descriptions and production dates is available from the Menu Foods website, http://www.menufoods.com/recall. Consumers with questions can also call (866) 895-2708.

“At this juncture, we’re not 100 percent sure what’s happened,” said Paul Henderson, the company’s president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source, spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.

An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said.

The recall covers the company’s “cuts and gravy” style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6.

Stores operated by the Kroger Co., Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, sold the pet food Henderson said.

The company said it makes pet food for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies, including Procter & Gamble Co.

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said.

Menu Foods’ three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1 billion containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food made at company plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J., Henderson said.

Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness.
“To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the product,” Henderson said.

The company alerted the Food and Drug Administration, which already has inspectors in one of the two plants, Henderson said.
Menu Foods is majority owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based in Ontario, Canada.

Henderson said the recall would cost the company the Canadian equivalent of $26 million to $34 million.