Nestlé, Del Monte Recall Chinese Chicken Jerky Treats

2013 lasted more than a week before the first pet food recall, but the first is a doozy as Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. and subsidiary Waggin’ Train voluntarily withdrew Waggin’ Train and Canyon Creek Ranch brand dog treats in the United States and Del Monte Corp.’s Milo’s Kitchen did the same with its Chicken Jerky and Chicken Grillers brand dog treats.

 

Activist dog owners have long clamored for recalls of these products due to the number of illnesses and deaths possibly associated with the Chinese-made dog treats. Because of the mass distribution of these brands, they have had more adverse events associated with them than other brands, although the adverse events have by no means been associated only with these brands. Moreover, neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor any other organization has been able to determine a definitive link between the adverse events and the Chinese treats.

As of September, the FDA had received more than 2,200 adverse event reports (including at least 360 pet deaths) and expanded its testing to consider whether irradiation had something to do with the adverse events. Despite finding no causative link and the possibility that the illnesses are not related to the jerky pet products, the FDA continues to caution pet owners about feeding jerky pet products from China, as it has done since 2007.

But the big surprise with today’s recalls is that they were not related to the adverse events. Instead, the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets had found trace amounts of antibiotic residue in samples of the recalled treats. The antibiotics are approved for use in poultry in China and the European Union, but not in the United States, thus the treats were considered adulterated. The companies contend that the antibiotics did not pose a health risk to pets and that there have been no pet illnesses associated with the antibiotic-tainted treats.

“Pet safety and consumer confidence in our products are our top priorities,” said Rob Leibowitz, general manager of pet products for Del Monte. “While there is no known health risk, the presence of even trace amounts of these antibiotics does not meet our high quality standards. Therefore, today we decided to recall both products and asked retailers to remove the products from their shelves. Consumers who discard the treats will receive a full refund.”

Consumers with questions about Milo’s Kitchen products can get further information at 877-228-6493.

 

"All of us at Waggin' Train care deeply about pets and their owners, and the quality of our products is of the utmost importance," said Nina Leigh Krueger, president of Waggin' Train LLC. "Waggin' Train has served millions of pets and their owners very well. In the final analysis, our company and our loyal consumers must have total confidence in the products we sell and feed our pets. Once we understand and determine how to comply with the technicalities of different regulatory frameworks, we will work with all appropriate parties to define the best way to supply the market."

For product refund or more information on the Waggin’ Train and Canyon Creek products, call Nestlé’s Office of Consumer Affairs at 800-982-0704 or go to www.waggintrainbrand.com.

Interestingly, fast food conglomerate Yum Brands Inc., which owns KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, saw its shares fall 4.2 percent yesterday due to falling sales in China, where excessive levels of antibiotics were recently detected in their chicken sold at Chinese KFC outlets. Yum has since switched poultry suppliers, but the timing may intrigue trade war conspiracy buffs. News of the detection of the excessive antibiotics in the KFC chicken came within two days after the Chinese government responded to a letter from Congressman Jerry McNerney of California, on behalf of a constituent, requesting China stop production of the treats until the FDA could conclude its investigation. The Chinese respond to McNerney by slamming the ongoing FDA investigation and warning of trade consequences. In fact, the Chinese suggested McNerny and the FDA move “to clear the name of Chinese petfood and eliminate the negative impact thereof on Chinese petfood trade and bilateral relationship,” according to published reports.

Far more likely than trade wars, the detection of antibiotics in the jerky treats and the KFC chicken suggests pressures on the Chinese suppliers to produce enough chicken and treats for expanding markets at low costs, increasing the likelihood of short cuts through good manufacturing practices. 

 

That these much maligned treats got jerked off the market due on a regulatory technicality rather than a confirmed health risk should not deter the FDA from continuing its investigations (as there are other Chinese jerky pet treats still being imported into the U.S.). Nor should today’s recalls limit pet owner’s caution when feeding such products.

The basic advice to pet owners: Feed treats as treats, not as a major portion of the diet, and consult a veterinarian if your pet exhibits signs of illness, particularly decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination.

The FDA also releasesd a status report today on its ongoing investigations that essentially reported its investigations continued.
 

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