Innova tested positive for toxins

[eternaljester81]

As reported on The Pet Food Tracker:

http://www.petfoodrecallfacts.com/lab.html  (scroll down)

Innova dog food was tested and the results came back positive for cyanuric acid and acetaminphen (sp?).

This just makes me sick. I thought they were some of the good guys. It now makes me second guess the Wellness I've been feeding my cats.

[KimS]

For all Innova?
My inlaw's dog eats Innova senior kibble. He's been having digestive upset although he's had that all his life and wasn't on Innova all his life. 

[eternaljester81]

I believe it was just the Innova Adult Dog Dry.

[mgt818]

I was feeding Innova Dry Adult from the 33# bag just like the article...  I noticed some symptoms in my dogs... such as excessive drinking, and urinating.  I switched foods...  I think they got better but now I am worried there could have been permanent damage done...  I hadn't checked up on the site all weekend... now I am VERY nervous!!!!!!!!

[Davis]

I have to wonder where in the heck the acetaminophen is coming from.  And why is it found with cyanuric acid?  It is beyond disgusting that this kind of &%#@% is even in food.  Unbelievable.  And what is the FDA doing about it? Nothing.  As far as I know, they still refuse to identify the foods.  The only thing I can figure with the acetaminophen is that it is in the nutritional supplements they are putting in the foods.  Maybe they are processed on the same equipment that the acetaminophen is.  It's the only thing that makes sense.  That would leave ALL pet foods suspect.  And we still do not know where supplements that go into pet food come from...maybe even China? 

[jenny]

Itchmo forums has been talking a lot about this
http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=1028.0

[Davis]

Whoa! A lot is going on. Thanks for the link Jenny.  I had not seen that.  It looks like others are thinking along the same lines that I am with the supplements. Peter Atkins posted (Pres. of Natura)!  If that really was him, he is much too vague.  I simply do not think he is doing what needs to be done.  Good grief, if a customer says they have problems with a food and a lab says it tests positive for certain toxins, whether Natura thinks they are full of it or not, why on earth would they refuse to do certain tests?  And to leave the sample sitting on a desk for weeks, as if unimportant?  If that is really what they did, then they are much too confident about their food.  I do not think they're testing process is extensive enough as it is, but to refuse to test for acetaminophen, even if only to disapprove the findings, is insane. 

It seems to me that the lab they use only hits the surface, and is not capable of enough.  I do not trust the FDAs findings.  The fact that Natura would use that as a reason not to test for it is not doing them any favors.  They need to wake up and step up to the plate.  It seems odd that such a substance would be in the food, but what's the problem with testing for it regardless, just to reassure the customers?  It would be such an easy way to put an end to the controversy, and the fact that they aren't doing it makes me think they are afraid of what they might find.

[Therese]

It seems odd that such a substance would be in the food, but what's the problem with testing for it regardless, just to reassure the customers?  It would be such an easy way to put an end to the controversy, and the fact that they aren't doing it makes me think they are afraid of what they might find.

But it's odd that melamine was in any pet food either. You would think that if any pet food company is so sure their food is OK that they would test it just to prove it to people. But...you know, and I've said this before so forgive me if it's a repeat...I'm sure the they are banking on the fact that most people think the food recall is over and that everything is safe. As far as the pet food industry is concerned they may be thinking it's time to letting sleeping dogs lie...or would that be dead dogs!?

As for supplements...I'm convinced the supplements are tainted. From what I've learned, most supplements come from China, and as we know, China doesn't care what's in their products. It would be my guess that everyone's keeping quiet on this because they know it's a Pandora's box. If they come right out and say pet food supplements may not be safe, that'll open up the question about human food supplements. I can only imagine what sort of ruckus that would cause.

[jenny]

Even Natura seems to think that if there is something there it would be the vitamin premix - they mention testing it themselves.   As you mention, if that is the problem, there are probably many foods that are in trouble. 

[mgt818]

Therese, I am sorry if I am missunderstanding, but did you say that there was Melamine in the food too as in Melamine in Natura food?  I didn't see that....!!!  Where does it say that, is it in the lab report?

Also, just to add to the comment that the food co. are thinking most folks think the recall is over... I agree, you know if you look at most of the pet food co. websites, you have a hard time finding recall information anymore, most took it off of their sites...

[eternaljester81]

mgt818,
Re-read Therese's post. I read it that way too, at first. She's simply replying to Davis' post that acet. is an odd thing to find in pet food, by saying that melamine was an odd thing to find as well. She's not saying that melamine was found in Natura products. Hope that clears it up.

[mgt818]

Oh, OK, that makes sense... I was kind-of freaking out...  I thought I missed something (its just that I was feeding Innova to my dogs until I had some problems so I switched)  So you understand why I was freaking out 

Thank you!!

[Therese]

Oh no...no....I didn't mean there was melamine in any Innova foods. I just meant it was odd that melamine was in ANY foods. Sorry for the confusion.

[garypen]

Any more info on this? Like an idiot, I trusted Natura management to care about the quality of their foods, based on their statements and marketing information. Of course, it turns out to be bullshit.

They boast about a 120-step inspection process? WTF? Make it 121, and start testing for acetaminophen. PERIOD. What is it gonna cost them, an extra $50 per batch test? Suck it up Peter!

There's nothing more important about a food product than it's safety. The nutrition actually comes second to safety. A close second, of course. But, SAFETY is the number one concern. He needs to understand that his customer base is not like the lemmings who buy their Friskies and Dog Chow at the supermarket. His customers are knowledgeable pet owners, looking for healthy alternatives, who research and read the blogs and forums. They will not hesitate to drop Natura brands in a NY second. I know I would. (And, I'm from NY.)

I suggest that all users of all Natura brands start an email and voice call campaign requested proper testing for ALL possible contaminants immediately. In the mean time, I will be going back to Merrick canned food, and searching for a new dry food. I have no loyalty to any brand or company, until they start to show me a little loyalty, and not just loyalty to the almighty dollar.

[Geff]

I'm feeling a bit stunned. I follow this sort of thing more closely then 99.9% of the population, & I didn't hear a word until today. If I'm reading Itchmo correctly, this dates back to at least June?

I AM SO SICK OF THIS CRAP.  WE NEED A TRUE ORGANIC PET FOOD COMPANY THAT GROWS ALL OF THEIR OWN INGREDIENTS.  I will pay more for it. Heck, I was paying quite a bit more for Royal Canin before i switched to Natura. Especially for cats, because they're so small they can't handle the amount of toxins us humans can.

THE US NEEDS TO IMMEDIATELY STOP SOURCING ANY EDIBLE PRODUCTS FROM CHINA  (well apparently they're not edible, but....).