Pet Fish Food Recall!

[Melody]

I knew it was coming. I wrote to the authorities about it in fact, asking if it had been investigated but didn't receive a reply. Seargents is voluntarily recalling Atlantis pet fish food after finding out that it contained melamine. The risk to fish is believed to be low.


“At this time, it is not known if melamine contaminated fish feed has any effect on ornamental fish,” says Denise Petty, Aquaculture Extension Veterinarian at the University of Florida. “However, food fish at two commercial U.S. hatcheries were fed melamine contaminated feeds and, after testing by the FDA, these fish were determined to be negative for melamine and safe for human consumption. It is unknown if melamine forms crystals in the kidneys of fish,” says Petty

"Given the uncertain nature of the effect of melamine, the high visibility of this ingredient at this time and Sergeant’s concern for the health and well-being of pets, we believe that removal of the Atlantis product from store shelves is the right thing to do,” says Robert Scharf, president of Sergeant's Pet Care Products, Inc."

Sergeant’s has advised all national and international distributors and retailers who currently carry Atlantis fish food products to remove the products. Sergeant’s is recommending consumers either discard the product or return it to their retailer for a credit.

The affected Atlantis fish food products are the following:

10006 Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.88 oz.
10057 Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 2.25 oz.
10154 Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 0.75 oz.
10731 Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 2.15 oz.
10847 Atlantis® Color Enhance Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.88 oz.
10926 Atlantis® Betta Food, 1.2 oz.
88515 Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.42 oz.
88516 Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 0.42 oz.

Concerned consumers can contact Sergeant's by phone at 866.740.4969 or via e-mail at atlantis info (atlantisinfo@sergeants.com) for more product information.

http://www.sergeants.com/atlantisinfo/index.asp (http://www.sergeants.com/atlantisinfo/index.asp)

[Osprey]

Hmmm... I've never really heard of that brand, but it makes me glad I feed NLS!

[Melody]

Many brands are manufactured at the same places, so its good to be in the know. They just brand them after. NLS is something my fish will never be fed again, but a lot of people like it.

[traco1]

I see also HBH is recalling some foods too.

http://www.hbhnet.com/newsrecall.htm

[baycitybettas]

I read a very interesting article in the Toronto Star about a month or so ago... Worth a read... http://www.thestar.com/article/215857

[Osprey]

That article is downright scary.

[hp10BII]

I was at a LFS when they were clearing off the shelves of some of the HBH products.

[baycitybettas]

Ahh the joys of "Globalization". This is a very serious problem and I dont know how the Food Inspection Agency could ever keep up. I am not one to hit the "panic button", but I am now avoiding all food produced in China. Except for Lychees. If they kill me ,atleast ill die happy.

[Soggybottom]

That is freaky. The profit motive leads people to do whatever they think they can get away with. The melamine was not added to fish food or cat and dog food by accident. It mimics protein in nutrition tests.

[Toirtis]

Hmmm... I've never really heard of that brand, but it makes me glad I feed NLS!

Same here...worth it to feed the best.

[baycitybettas]

That is freaky. The profit motive leads people to do whatever they think they can get away with. The melamine was not added to fish food or cat and dog food by accident. It mimics protein in nutrition tests.

I read that too...That is really dispicable. I fed my dog a nutro product, one of the ones that was NOT listed, but I still quit feeding Nutro all together. He is back on a product I used to feed him years ago. NO addititives or preservatives- one of those holistic jobbies. He eats better then me.

It is just a matter of time before something like this gets into the "people food". It is probably already there.

[Melody]

Same here...worth it to feed the best.

'The best' is manufactured right beside other brands of food by the very same people using the very same ingredients - the recipe is just different. Can't remember the numbers, but a very high percentage is manufactured by the same 2 companies, and those companies often use the same ingredient suppliers. That's exactly why it starts with one brand, and then suddenly there's more brands added.

The best, and the safest, will always be live, fresh or frozen, preferrably human grade and essentially free of chemicals & additives, the way I see it. This is especially true if you're trying to feed fish requiring a decent amount of vegetation - high protein foods are horrible for them. Their digestive systems just aren't made to handle them.

However, we all have our faves for our own reasons. Great to be able to discuss them all without being jumped on by the people who sell them :;):. Certainly many people like NLS and for the right fish I have no problem with it, it just isn't right for mine.

Thanks for the heads-up on the HBH!

[Toirtis]

'The best' is manufactured right beside other brands of food by the very same people using the very same ingredients - the recipe is just different.

That is rather a bold and potentially hazardous claim to make unless you are 110% certain of that and can prove it (do not forget that companies are very litigious these days). I would be quite surprised to learn that all the brands manufactured by that particular company use the same ingredients from the same batches and sources.

Can't remember the numbers, but a very high percentage is manufactured by the same 2 companies, and those companies often use the same ingredient suppliers. That's exactly why it starts with one brand, and then suddenly there's more brands added.

I would like to see that information...I like to be informed on these things.

The best, and the safest, will always be live, fresh or frozen, preferrably human grade and essentially free of chemicals & additives, the way I see it.

That is true, and these make up about 75% of most of my fishes' diets, but we were talking specifically of prepared/manufactured foods...and of those, I have not seen the rival to NLS yet.

This is especially true if you're trying to feed fish requiring a decent amount of vegetation - high protein foods are horrible for them. Their digestive systems just aren't made to handle them.

That is an issue...I have been hoping that NLI would come out with a fully herbivorous diet soon.

However, we all have our faves for our own reasons. Great to be able to discuss them all without being jumped on by the people who sell them

Heh, to be fair, I do sell a lot of NLS in my shop...tops amongst our more discriminating clientele.

[Melody]

lol Gee, take a nap and things get fun. Thanks for your input Toirtis, always good to have other views and opinions. My information is quite common knowledge in the pet food industry - there are only so many manufacturers and so many ingredient suppliers. It probably came out of the Pet Food industry mag I subscribe to, but I don't remember where I picked up everything I've picked up. It may come to me yet. There are certainly those that produce their own, but I don't know of ANY that produce 100% of their own ingredients.

Just to clarify, I was in no way suggesting that NLS contains melamine or that it is produced by the same people who produce HBH. My point was that just buying a good brand does not guarantee that you'll be safe from recalls. For all we know, 60% of the shrimp used in fish food production could come from the same supplier, for example. The same manufacturer could produce three brands and obviously some of the ingredients are going to be used in all three. One of my faves, Omega One, catches their own seafood for their foods, but I'm sure they still source out some of their ingredients, for instance. Haven't a clue who produces NLS and I don't care....lol. I put 'the best' in quotes to indicate whatever product a person considers as such. Sorry, I should have been more clear.

As for the salesman who has ruined any forum he's been allowed to ruin, that is prohibited here and the posts have been moved to the moderator area. I will not have this forum turned into a three ring circus where nobody dares to say anything about another food or dares to not care for a certain food without being jumped on by a sales person. Further posts will also be moved and further action taken if necessary. Some forums like that kinda thing, we don't.

Thanks.

As for selling the food, working for a store that sells a product is a bit different than being a Canadian Rep. I am considering a similar position for Western Canada actually, but for livestock. Luckily I am naturally inclined to represent, not sell. As I mentioned, I have no problem with NLS for the right fish, it just isn't for mine. I bought it from Big Al's and threw half of it out - ouch...lol. Matt Clarke, Practical Fishkeeping editor, sees no difference at all in his own testing of NLS... To each his/her own.

Regardless, we're not discussing NLS, we're discussing a threat. Any manufacturer will tell you that they test for certain things, and melamine wasn't one of them because nobody thought of it being in there until complaints caused an investigation. It could have happened to any one of them, which they're also freely admitting and are gravely concerned about. They don't test for explosives either, type thing. As the article in this thread indicates, this is even a problem for human food. It has created awareness and fear in both consumers and manufacturers.

[Melody]

To get us back on topic, you can track the recalls at the following links:

USFDA (http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html)

CFIA (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/specif/vegproe.shtml)

I hope that this all leads to better laws and enforcement in regards to animal feeds. This has gone beyond ridiculous. I worry about some of the 'private label' foods, as in generics. How one would begin to track them is beyond me.

I suggest checking out our Recipes (http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12) section & putting something together over the weekend, then you won't have to worry about it but will still have a convenient container of food to grab during the busy work week. :yes: You don't have to add commercial food to the recipes to make them work, but you may need something else to bind them. I use baby cereal as a binder quite often.

[Melody]

I can't find anymore alerts at this point. While searching I did find some info on the Humane Society of Canada (http://www.humanesociety.com/pets/pets/pet_food_recall_of_foods_manufactured_by_menu_food s_inc..html) site that may be of interest to those effected. The manufacturer list is also an eye-opener about just how many manufacturers use the same suppliers:


If you believe your pet has become ill or died as a result of eating pet foods, send all of your information such as veterinary reports to The Humane Society of Canada here which will be forwarded on to Prime Minister Stephen Harper as part of our call for a taskforce to investigate the pet food recall and safety. A second copy of your information should be sent to the website set up by the specific pet food manufacturers: Menu Foods (http://www.menufoods.com/recall/index.html), Del Monte Foods (http://www.delmonte.com/petfoodrecall.html), Hills Pet Nutrition (http://www.hillspet.com/Menu_Foods/ConsumerLetter_04162007_en_CA.html), Nestlé Purina PetCare Products (http://www.purina.com/), Natural Balance (http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/), American Nutrition (http://www.americannutritioninc.com/), Blue Buffalo (http://www.bluebuff.com/), Diamond Pet Foods (http://www.diamondpet.com/), Chenango Valley Pet Foods (http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/chenango04_07.html), Wilbur-Ellis (http://webprod.wecon.com/WECOWeb/WECO/newsevents.htm), Royal Canin (http://www.royalcanin.com/), Sunshine Mills (http://www.sunshinemills.com/press_release.html). Make certain you keep all of the original copies of this information at home for safekeeping;
Please write to Prime Minister Stephen Harper here (http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/contact.asp?featureId=10) to support our call for the creation of a taskforce to investigate the pet food recall and safety and to demand stronger laws to regulate the pet food industry. A copy of our letter to the Prime Minister can be found here (http://www.humanesociety.com/images/pdfs/petfoodrecallpm.pdf);

[baycitybettas]

Some pretty interesting stuff! The food I am feeding is from Royal Canin, manufactured in Canada HOWEVER, if we look back to the Toronto Star article, it is easy to see how imported food ends up in every day products. It is easy to assume that only Canadian grains are used, but if the box of garlic is any kind of bench mark, one can see how this happens.

I think the biggest hurdle in getting any sort of laws with real tooth (pardon the pun) is that animals are regarded as property in the eyes of the law in Canada. No different then any other "posession", therefore if it is killed, the liability is limited to the "replacement cost". Unreal.

My cousins dog ws killed by a dog groomer. I assure you the "replacement cost" has never replaced the guilt and loss of that dog.

[Melody]

Isn't it strange how those laws only work for the 'bad guys'? If you're an owner who abuses a pet or anyone who hurts a pet, its ok because its just like breaking a vase. And if they don't care about dogs & cats, they certainly are going to dismiss fish. That much is clear by how much nagging it took to have them test pet fish food, even though it had already been found in fish food meant for farmed fish raised for humans.

The pet food industry is concerned though - this is their <ahem> bread & butter and nobody wants to be sued either. When you read publications intended for them, that much becomes clear. They know that people will stay away from their food for an indefinite amount of time if they are ever associated with deaths. The May 2007 issue of Petfood Industry magazine has an article about it in fact, 'Automating Pet Food Safety'. It suggests how to respond rapidly to minimize the effects of product contamination. None of those brands wanted to be named in this mess and many of them thought they were doing everything they could to prevent it.

Thanks again for sharing the information. What we're seeing might not be pretty, but we need to be more aware.

[Melody]

I just remembered that the Petfood Industry mag has an electronic version. It is interesting to view the situation from the perspective of the industry.

"With all of Menu's quality assurance systems, how did this happen? It is because one supplier's product was adulterated with a material that is not part of any known screening procedure for wheat gluten." ~ Petfood Industry Mag

In fact, the FDA didn't blame Menu Foods for the contamination for that very reason.

Ed Mareth of 3D Corporate Solutions says "The best ingredients today are human quality. You may not like it, but the only way to guarantee safe, consistent and quality ingredients, is to buy human quality raw materials."

Of course, as the link in this thread indicates, that's no guarantee either. At least if we're feeding our own foods we can leave out the additives & fillers like wheat flour & preservatives, and be assured that the food is much more strictly regulated than commercial fish food.

The article says 'The Economist' concluded that the recall highlights risks faced by firms using contract manufacturers. One is the damaged rep that comes when people find out that the cheap products are manufactured right beside the expensive brands using many of the same ingredients, just in different proportions. In-house production allows for more control, so when you're researching pet foods, keep that in mind. Its exactly what I was trying to say when I said that 'the best' is manufactured right beside other brands.

Just click on the page to magnify if its too small:

http://www.petfoodindustry-digital.com/petfoodindustry/200705_sample/

They also have an excellent article about automating pet food safety:

http://www.petfoodindustry-digital.com/petfoodindustry/200705_sample/

It is also interesting to note that they didn't think that melamine harmed dogs & cats, just like they are saying they have no evidence that it harms fish.

[Melody]

Note that Topfin (Petsmart) shrimp pellets are also being voluntarily recalled.

I have to commend these companies for voluntarily recalling the foods. Yes, they're avoiding legal hassles I'm sure, but its better than a company keeping quiet and claiming they have no problem. Saying they aren't recalling and saying there is no contamination are two different things. I think I'll write to a few brands and ask them point blank if the food has been tested for melamine and if I can see a report, just for fun.

[baycitybettas]

I have a feeling this thing is going to be going on for a while yet. What a mess...
Speaking of pet food, I heard a commercial on the radio the other day for the "Great Canadian Dog Food Company". Claims everything is manufactured and bought in Canada. Here is the link if you want to check it out.
http://www.thegreatcanadiandogfood.ca/testimonials.html

[Melody]

Everything's a marketing angle I guess, but they don't get all of their ingredients in Canada.

All of our ingredients are accessed from local farmers and local processors. The only exception is lamb and rice plus some of the vitamin and trace minerals.

Is it 'all' or not? To me they shouldn't be saying 'all' if its not ALL. Regardless, its a start and if they manufacturer their own its a step above in the ability to control what goes into it. I do like that they post the exceptions on the site, I just don't like the wording.

One thing I'll say about this scandal, people are far better educated in what their animals are eating. Most had no idea their brand was manufactured by a generic manufacturing company for starters. I know I've personally learned a lot about the manufacturing process and sourcing. Education can only be a good thing. Then consumers will be more demanding and selective, which will hopefully result in better quality.

Thanks for posting the link!

[jordonsmum]

Maaaan!!! You just don't know what you can feed your fish anymore.... Which reminds me ... i'm going to have to restock on bottom bites soon :;):

[Melody]

Heaven only knows when I'll have those for sale again - I can't even find time to make them for my own fish :laugh: . I normally add quality commercial food to those though, mostly freeze-dried, so they don't count as a possible solution to the current issue. The 'jello' variety would be a good option to keep you going with the Livebearers until this blows over. You can even wash supermarket seafood and add it if you don't want to buy the frozen food made for fish. Don't use soap though :twitcy: .

[Melody]

Another case in point for those who outsource food production. One of the top organic food manufacturers, Caster & Pollux, recalled four Natural & Ultramix Canned Feline Formulas. The recall was "due to possible cross-contamination with another company's product that contained affected wheat gluten and was produced on the same Menu Foods manufacturing line. Even though their products are not formulated with wheat gluten, C&P implemented the voluntary recall as a precaution." (Petfood Industry mag, June, 2007)

I have gained a whole new appreciation for companies who produce their own food in-house. It may not be a guarantee, but the odds sure are better. I would never have blinked an eye about that before. Live & learn & all that.

[Melody]

A User's Guide to Product Recalls (http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1183608780151&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1014656511815)

This is a handy reference to the methods behind the madness with recalls in Canada, for both food and other items.

[Melody]

Doesn't look like the recalled brands will be back anytime soon. According to an 'All About Feed' article, less than 15% of the recalled foods are back on store shelves in the US. Some have been discontinued entirely. Menu Foods is holding back while they implement new testing measures. IAMS isn't expected back until next year.

So if any of the recalled fish food brands were your faves, time to get a new fave. For an off-the-shelf brand, Omega One (http://www.omegasea.net) is my choice. Their website covers their processes, sources and preparation in great detail, if you'd like to do some reading.

As with any brand, keep in mind that the studies and information they supply is only going to support their food - they're not going to refer to information that says their methods aren't the best, after all, and hype is part of marketing. However, they do offer a compelling and convincing story of how Omega One is made and why. They also manufacture in-house and even have their own fishing boats. One of the big selling points for me is they aren't starting with ingredients that have already had most of the nutritional value processed out of them. The package is focused on health. Too many hobbyists consider the colour of their fish to be major indicator of good health and that is simply not the case - feed any fish a diet high in Krill and Spirulina, and their colour will improve. It doesn't mean they're more healthy.

Whatever the brand, we'll all be approaching the purchase with a much more educated eye. That can only be a good thing. Don't base your research only on what a brand claims, and take their 'scientific proof' with a grain of salt - you'll find just as many studies that say the opposite. Your research shouldn't start with fish nutrition, it should start with knowing your fish, including wild behaviour and their digestive system. From there it should focus on the food and what processing can do to it. Garlic is good for me, but taking a tablespoon of garlic powder from my cupboard and scarfing it down isn't going to do me any good, for example. That's for flavour, not health.

Good luck!

[Melody]

Introduced legislation in the US intends to revise and upgrade their food safety system. The proposal has passed in the Senate already:

- Establish uniform federal standards and better labeling of petfood.

- Provide the FDA the authority for mandatory recalls of contaminated or dangerous food.

- Establish an early warning and notification system for human food as well as petfood products.

- Improve FDA's ability to regulate imported food products.

- Require companies to maintain records and make them accessible to FDA as part of an investigation.

Source: Petfood Industry magazine

I think we should be pressuring our Government to follow suit. Its unforgivable that so many pets had to suffer and die to draw attention to our lax petfood regulations/laws, but with any luck at all it will finally improve things. They have steadily improved over the past few years, but there's a long way to go.

[unclerick666]

JUST SO YOU FOLKS KNOW HERE IN THE STATES THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A RECALL OF SOME PURINA, AND ZEIGLERS FISH FOODS....SAME REASON MALEMINE!

THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO WIN MY FOODS CAN REST ASSURED
THAT THEY ARE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY WITH NO FILLERS OR ADDITIVES....JUST 100 % NEUTRITION! AND IT'S MADE IN SMALL BATCHES 20 LBS AT A TIME FOR THE "BETTER THAN BRINE" AND 300 POUNDS FOR THE VARIOUS SIZES "PRO~GRO" AND "ATTACK !" SO IT'S ALWAYS FREASLY MADE!

MELODY IS TESTING IT OUT FOR YOU AND HAS ALMOST EVERYTHING I SELL, EXCEPT THE PLECO CHEWS AS I HAD SOLD OUT AT THE TIME YOUR PRIZZES WERE SHIPED.

FROM EMAILS IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE IS PUTTING THEM THROUGH RIGEROUS TESTING, OTHERS HAVE DONE THE SAME, AND GOTTEN SPECTACULAR RESULTS!http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?disp&viewseller&Unclerick666

ALL THE BEST..........UNCLE

[Melody]

Apparently there is a nasty little rumour going around that says Dainichi is made in China. Just to clear that up, NONE of the ingredients come from China - they are from the States and it is manufactured in California.

I guess when competitors go to those lengths to trash a food, you know it must be very good and theirs must be sadly lacking.:yes:

[ChrissyFishy]

I saw this at work about the recall

http://www.businessedge.ca/article.cfm/newsID/16041.cfm

[CACAdmin]

It's interesting to read about some of the impact of the recall on the Canadian pet food industry. Thanks for posting it.

[Melody]

Again, more of an interest in a general respect, but we're not going to see much that focuses on fish food alone. Menu CEO Talks Recalls (http://www.petfoodindustry-digital.com/petfoodindustry/200709/?u1=texterity) points the finger in a broader picture, which makes more sense to me and supports the 'it could happen to anyone' theory. The FDA says that there wasn't even a "definitive analysis measure for melamine". NOBODY was testing for it because there wasn't any test. So the manufacturers/branders who spout nonsense about their strict testing or high standards being the reason their food wasn't impacted, are full of fishpoo. :;):

Apparently, the corrupt Chinese manufacturers got greedy. They went from substituting Melamine for Protein to substituting the much cheaper Melamine scrap for protein and big trouble ensued. ~Petfood Industry Mag.