Natural Balance pulls venison dog formula 4/15/07

[5CatMom]

JC,

Who did you speak to at NB re:  Melamine?

Holy Crap! 

I just got a call from NB.  They have confirmed melamine in their food.

[nepeta]

Reported in USA Today on 4/17/07:

Premium pet food company recalls dry foods
By Julie Schmit, USA TODAY
Natural Balance Pet Foods said Tuesday it found melamine in two of its pet food products, which the company has recalled.

Look for story at:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/2007-04-17-premium-pet-food-recalled_N.htm

[Geff]

I just read that article. The thing that makes me furious is that once again, there is more corporate rear covering going on & our pets are paying the price:

" (Natural Balance president Joey) Herrick also said Diamond got the rice protein concentrate from an American company, which he wouldn't name. The melamine in the Menu Foods recall was in wheat gluten imported from China."

Name them for Pete's sake, our pets lives may depend on it.

[garypen]

And possibly OUR lives, and our families' lives, as well.

Are all of these products only going into pet food? Hmmmmmm...

[Sweets]

nepeta,
Thank you for alerting me to this article. I spoke to NB almost 2 weeks ago and they told me that THEY make their own pet food. Now I know this is not true! I am worried about anything with rice in it now! What also upsets me is that NB said that no pets have died, yet I've read about some dogs that did die in Austin! From what I understand rice protein is really rice gluten, which is not comforting at all. So, when  Diamond tells us that rice protein is not used in any other food they make I am not sure I believe them. What OTHER glutens/proteins are in these foods? Are they safe? When NB says that they got the rice protein from a U.S. supplier that is not good enough. Was it made in the USA or China???

[nepeta]

http://www.itchmo.com/

BREAKING NEWS: Natural Balance Recall Expands to Canned Food and Treats
April 17th, 2007

Itchmo has confirmed with Natural Balance that their recall has expanded and now covers the following items for all dates:

    * Venison and Brown Rice Treats for Dogs (New today)
    * Venison and Brown Rice Canned Formula for Dogs (New today)
    * Venison and Brown Rice Dry Food for Dogs (Reported Sunday)
    * Venison and Green Pea Dry Food for Cats (Reported Sunday)

[Geff]

I just sent the following email to NB:

"I sure wish you'd go public with the name of the Rice Protein supplier.
I strongly suspect other premium brands are impacted. My cat got very
sick about 10 days ago on a sample of Solid Gold, also made by Diamond.
Fortunately, we caught it immediately & he's ok.

Our pet's lives are so much more important then protecting a gluten
supplier's reputation. PLEASE go public; the FDA obviously won't;
they're part of the Bush administration.

I found this in the USA today article,

"Herrick also said Diamond got the rice protein concentrate from an
American company, which he wouldn't name."

Again, please for the sake of our pets, PLEASE go public with the name
of this supplier.
                              Thank You,

[Geff]

I received a rather unexpected response to the email I sent above. I addressed it by clicking the contact us link on the NB website.

"I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message could not
be delivered to one or more recipients. It's attached below.

For further assistance, please send mail to <postmaster>

If you do so, please include this problem report. You can
delete your own text from the attached returned message.

            The Postfix program

<info@naturalblanceinc.com>: Host or domain name not found. Name service error
    for name=naturalblanceinc.com type=A: Host not found"

[Geff]

I also tried reversing their misspelling of the a & l (NB's spelling, NOT MINE). It still bounced.

[garypen]

It's not just a reversal of the A & L. It's missing an A, as well.

I think it's just a spelling issue on your part.

Their actual domain name is spelled exactly as it should be: naturalbalanceinc.com

[nepeta]

FROM USA TODAY

The rice protein concentrate was imported from China by San Francisco-based Wilbur-Ellis. ... Wilbur-Ellis CEO John Thacher said his company sold the concentrate to five pet-food makers, but that most of it went to two firms. One of the primary companies was Diamond Pet Foods, which packs some of the Natural Balance product but doesn't use the concentrate in any Diamond-made foods, says Diamond spokesman Jim Fallon. The other major customer, which Thacher would not name, tested the rice protein and found no melamine, Thacher says.

It's not clear which of their 3 divisions imported the rice protein, but Connell Bros. is the international division that handles imports.   Not clear how distribution is handled from there. 

Wilbur-Ellis Website is

http://webprod.wecon.com/WECOWeb/WECO/corp_overview.htm

Wilbur-Ellis Company
345 California Street
27th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
U.S.A.
Phone   415/772-4000
Fax        415/772-4011
Email    contactus@wecon.com

  or contact a Division:
Agribusiness Division
1801 Oakland Blvd.
Suite 210
Walnut Creek, CA  94596
Phone   415/772-4060
Fax        415/772-9821
Email   contactus@wecon.com

Connell Bros. Co., Ltd.
345 California Street
27th Floor
San Francisco, CA  94104
Phone    415/772-4000
Fax        415/772-4011
Email    contactus@wecon.com

Feed Division
1200 N.W. Naito Parkway
Suite 140
Portland, OR  97209
Phone   503/227-2661
Fax        503/274-2518
Email    contactus@wecon.com

[JC]

Sorry, I 've been away from my computer today. 

I spoke with Joey Herrick at NB.  He is the president of the company.

[Geff]

It's not just a reversal of the A & L. It's missing an A, as well.

I think it's just a spelling issue on your part.

Their actual domain name is spelled exactly as it should be: naturalbalanceinc.com

The thing is, I didn't spell out the name; I clicked on a mail to: link on their website & that's he address that their website brought up! I've chnaged the spelling a 3rd time & I think that one went through.

[Geff]

FROM USA TODAY

The rice protein concentrate was imported from China by San Francisco-based Wilbur-Ellis. ... Wilbur-Ellis CEO John Thacher said his company sold the concentrate to five pet-food makers, but that most of it went to two firms. One of the primary companies was Diamond Pet Foods, which packs some of the Natural Balance product but doesn't use the concentrate in any Diamond-made foods, says Diamond spokesman Jim Fallon. The other major customer, which Thacher would not name, tested the rice protein and found no melamine, Thacher says.

It's not clear which of their 3 divisions imported the rice protein, but Connell Bros. is the international division that handles imports.   Not clear how distribution is handled from there. 

Wilbur-Ellis Website is

http://webprod.wecon.com/WECOWeb/WECO/corp_overview.htm

Wilbur-Ellis Company
345 California Street
27th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
U.S.A.
Phone   415/772-4000
Fax        415/772-4011
Email    contactus@wecon.com

  or contact a Division:
Agribusiness Division
1801 Oakland Blvd.
Suite 210
Walnut Creek, CA  94596
Phone   415/772-4060
Fax        415/772-9821
Email   contactus@wecon.com

Connell Bros. Co., Ltd.
345 California Street
27th Floor
San Francisco, CA  94104
Phone    415/772-4000
Fax        415/772-4011
Email    contactus@wecon.com

Feed Division
1200 N.W. Naito Parkway
Suite 140
Portland, OR  97209
Phone   503/227-2661
Fax        503/274-2518
Email    contactus@wecon.com

We're back to:

1. More cover ups

2. We really need a list of all the companies Diamond manufatures for as an oem.

[Meltdown]

From http://www.howl911.com/

NATURAL BALANCE PULLS AN INGREDIENT SWITCHEROO? 04/17/07
As word has spread today about the Natural Balance recall of foods containing rice protein concentrate, a few pet parents astutely observed that Natural Balance has changed their website's list of ingredients for the affected foods. Just a few short days ago, the suspect ingredient was not included among the ingredients listed on the Natural Balance website but, today, after the FDA announcement that melamine was found in the rice protein concentrate, the website was changed to add this ingredient. I believe there is an AAFCO (or is it FDA?) requirement to list ALL the ingredients contained in a pet food on the packaging label. Now, it could be Natural Balance is just woefully behind in updating their website to reflect recent formula changes (note: there are other changes in the ingredients besides the addition of rice protein concentrate.) Conversely, it could be Natural Balance is trying to do a quick CYA. Perhaps some pet parents who purchased the recalled food can take a look at the packaging labels and let us know whether or not the suspect ingredient, rice protein concentrate, appears among the list of ingredients. If not, then this is clearly a violation by Natural Balance of both labeling laws and consumer trust.

Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
Website Cache: April 7, 2007

Ingredient listing: Venison, Whole Grain Brown Rice, Rice Flour, Venison Meal, Rice Bran, Canola Oil (preserved With Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid), Natural Flavor, Flaxseed Oil, Kelp Meal, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Choline Chloride, L-lysine, Dl-methionine, Dicalcium Phosphate, Dried Parsley, Rosemary Extract, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin K Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
Website: April 17, 2007

Ingredient listing: Venison, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Venison Meal, Rice Protein Concentrate, Peas, Canola Oil, Tomato Pomace, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Methionine, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).

Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food
Website Cache: April 12, 2007

Ingredient listing: Peas, Venison Meal, Venison, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Methionine, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).

Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food
Website Cache: April 17, 2007

Ingredient listing: Peas, Venison, Venison Meal, Rice Protein Concentrate, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Methionine, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).