Adding Understanding

Las Vegas company ChemNutra announced yesterday a recall of all wheat gluten imported from one of the company's three Chinese suppliers. The wheat germ was shipped by ChemNutra from their Kansas City warehouse to pet food manufacturers. None of the wheat germ is believed to have entered the human food supply chain.

The recall, the latest in a recent string, brings to light some perils of the global food supply. All is fine when things are good but a small disruption can cause major consequences across the globe. While the stories on the news today will focus on the conflict over Iraq there won't be a major media outlet discussing the effects of a food supply chain dependent upon WTO partners and the need for a local supply of food as a matter of homeland security.

Fresh on the heels of the Menu Foods and related recalls for contaminated wheat gluten, another brand of dog and cat treats has been recalled. All lots of Dingo CHICK'N JERKY treats for dogs, cats and ferrets have been recalled because of contamination with Salmonella.

According to Time the FDA has been unable to find rat poison in samples of Menu Foods. The contaminate appears to be melanie, used in plastic manufacturing instead of the rodent poison.

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company announced Friday it is recalling some of it's ALPO Prime Cuts wet dog food. The food is contaminated with melanine, a plastic substance, that contaminated many recalled foods made by Menu Foods in Canada. Hills Pet Nutrition also recalled m/d Feline dry food on Friday over concerns of contaminated wheat gluten. The Hills recall marks the first recall of dry pet food. Hills did previously recall canned cat food.

Before switching to human food for pets, pet owners would be well advised to see the list of recalled foods.