Royal Canin recalled any foods that contained rice protein concentrate today, including some of their Sensible Choice line... There are indications that the rice protein was fed to pigs who went into the human food supply, as well. Fun fun.
The Pooh Bear's food (Eagle Pack) appears safe, and most ingredients come from the U.S. (minus "Duck meal from Germany, Anchovy & Sardine meal from Mexico, and Lamb meal from Australia") so I'm not expecting it to end up on the recall list.
The current theory is that whoever sold the wheat/rice gluten involved may have added melamine to artificially increase the apparent protein content. Melamine is rich in nitrogen, and one quick-and-dirty way of measuring protein content is to measure nitrogen. So add melamine to make it look like your wheat gluten/rice gluten is higher in protein than in really is. Sick sick sick.
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US Food Safety Strained by Imports
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/04/23/ap3641744.html
"When U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors at ports and border checkpoints look, they find shipments that are filthy or otherwise contaminated. They rarely bother, however, in part because ingredients aren't a priority.
Because these oils, spices, flours, gums and the like haven't been blamed for killing humans, safety checks before they reach the supermarket shelf are effectively the responsibility of U.S. buyers. As the pet deaths showed, however, that system is far from secure."
"In 2001, the United States imported about $4.4 billion worth of ingredients processed from plants or animals, AP's analysis shows. By last year that total leaped to $7.6 billion - a 73 percent increase. Other food and drink imports rose from $38.3 billion to $63 billion - up 65 percent."
"By its own latest accounting, the FDA only had enough inspectors to check about 1 percent of the 8.9 million imported food shipments in fiscal year 2006. Topping the list were products with past problems, such as seafood and produce."
I do believe Americans should be notified, on the label, if any part of an edible product is from a foreign country-that includes Canada and Mexico. Susan Walsh
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