Sunshine Dog Biscuits Voluntarily Recalled, Sold at Wal-Mart and Includes Stater Bros., Nurture, Lassie and Pet Life Brands
Just when I thought we were going to have a day with no recalls… Sigh…
I know we’ve been lambasting Menu and the dog food companies caught with their pants down in this fiasco but lets lay some blame on Wal-Mart too. Yes, Wal-Mart.
Why do you think the dog food manufacturers who deal with the big box stores are buying cheaper and cheaper ingredients? They are being leaned on constantly by those stores to sell them the products for less and less. You know those ads where Wal-Mart promises you the lowest prices? Do you know HOW they GET those low prices? They squeeze their suppliers until the suppliers have no room to breathe. They literally tell their suppliers how much they will pay them for their products. That’s right, Wal-Mart tells the people making the products how much they can bill Wal-Mart for the products, including pet food. Now don’t think that Wal-Mart gives a patootie about the supplier staying in business, making enough money to pay their employees, making enough to make a quality product, any of that. Nope! Wal-Mart just wants to make more and more for itself and doesn’t care about the consequences.
What does this have to do with tainted pet food? We got tainted pet food becasue the suppliers are greedy, yes, but also because if that supplier (Menu and their parent company Procter & Gamble) want to do business with the single largest retailer in the world, they have to play by their rules. And their rules are to provide the cheapest product legally possible. And if you’re a super large company (like P & G) and you have to keep hitting those quarterly profits you MUST deal with Wal-Mart. Smaller pet food companies like some of the good ones we’ve heard named in the comments and on the blog don’t even want to speak to Wal-Mart because they know trying to feed Wal-Mart’s appetites for profits will mean they don’t feed pets well. They will have to cut corners.
So now we’re facing the consequences of greed, Wal-Mart’s, Menu Food’s and whoever at Proctor & Gamble approved the importation and using of food stuffs from a country known for inadequate controls on their safety and quality.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for capitalism that works. But this pet food recall is the direct result of a really big game of Monopoly with Wal-Mart holding all the best property and the bank. They set the tone for all other major retailers and grocers. Whatever Wal-Mart does, the others must do as well or fall by the wayside.
Our furbabies have been sacrificed to feed this evil and dangerous game of follow-the-leader. Remember that the next time you hear Wal-Mart’s constant ads say, “Always low prices.” The prices may be low but what are the real costs?
Thanks to CBS News for this recall update.
Dog Biscuits Added To Pet Food Recall
Dog Biscuits Made By Sunshine Mills Under The Ol’Roy Brand Recalled(AP) The recall of pet foods and treats contaminated with an industrial chemical expanded Thursday to include dog biscuits made by an Alabama company and sold by Wal-Mart under the Ol’Roy brand.
The Food and Drug Administration said the manufacturer, Sunshine Mills Inc., is recalling dog biscuits made with imported Chinese wheat gluten. Testing has revealed the wheat gluten, a protein source, was contaminated with melamine, used to make plastics and other industrial products.
Also Thursday, Menu Foods, a major manufacturer of brand- and private-label wet pet foods expanded its original recall to include a broader range of dates and varieties. Menu Foods was the first of at least six companies to recall the now more than 100 brands of pet foods and treats made with the contaminated ingredient.The recall now covers “cuts and gravy”-style products made between Nov. 8 and March 6, Menu Foods said. Previously, it only applied to products made beginning Dec. 3. In addition, Menu Foods said it was expanding the recall to include more varieties, but no new brands.
The FDA knows of no other pet product companies planning recalls, agency officials told reporters.
“Other than that, I think, you know, the public should feel secure in purchasing pet foods that are not subject to the recall,” Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, told reporters.
Sunshine, of Red Bay, Ala., sells pet foods and treats under its own brands as well as private labels sold by grocery, mass merchant and dollar stores, according to its Web site. The recall included some of the products made for sale under five private labels, including Ol’Roy biscuits, sold by Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and Stater Bros. large biscuits, sold by Stater Bros. Markets. It also covered a portion of Sunshine’s own Nurture, Lassie and Pet Life dog biscuit brands.
Previously, Menu Foods had recalled some wet-style dog foods it made for sale under the Stater Bros. and Ol’Roy brands as well.
Sunshine said there have been no reports of dog illnesses or deaths in connection with the recalled dog biscuits, which contain one percent or less wheat gluten by weight.
The FDA continues to focus on melamine as the suspected contaminant of the pet products, though Sundlof said it could be a marker for the presence of another, yet-unknown substance. Melamine previously was not believed to be toxic.
The recall is one of the largest pet food recalls in history, Sundlof said. The FDA has received more than 12,000 complaints but has confirmed only about 15 pet deaths. Anecdotal reports suggest the tally is in the hundreds or low thousands.
Sunshine Mills said it would post a complete list of the recalled dog biscuits on its Web site, http://www.sunshinemills.com.
Follow this link to read the rest of the article.
Here is the press release from Sunshine Mills:
Sunshine Mills, Inc. Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Certain Branded and Private Label Branded Dog Biscuits
Consumer Inquiries
Mitzi Wammack
(800) 705-2111, ext. 117FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Red Bay, Alabama, April 5, 2007
As a precautionary measure, Sunshine Mills, Inc. (“Sunshine”), a branded and private-label pet food manufacturer based in Red Bay, Alabama, is voluntarily recalling a portion of its branded dog biscuits made at its Red Bay, Alabama biscuit plant during part of March 2007. These brands include: Nurture Chicken & Rice, Nurture Lamb & Rice, Pet Life Large, Pet Life Extra Large, Pet Life Large Variety, Pet Life Large Peanut Butter, Lassie Lamb and Rice, and Pet Life People Pleasers Dog Treats. Private label biscuits for five of Sunshine’s customers were also affected. A complete list of affected biscuit brands, sizes, and codes is available below or at our website, www.sunshinemills.com. Sunshine’s other biscuit brands and products that include small and medium sized biscuits were not affected. It is also important to note that dry dog and cat food and soft and chewy treats for dogs or cats manufactured by Sunshine are not affected and not included in this recall.
The company is taking this voluntary action of recalling the dog biscuits listed below after learning from the FDA that wheat gluten supplied to Sunshine from a specific manufacturing facility in China contained melamine. Melamine is a substance not approved for use in food. The FDA made this finding as part of its ongoing investigation into the recent pet food recall.
The recalled dog biscuits are marketed nationwide by many pet food retailers including the mass channel, traditional grocery, and pet specialty stores. No dog illnesses or deaths have been reported to date in connection with these dog biscuits. The recalled dog biscuits contain one percent or less by weight of wheat gluten.
Consumers should immediately stop feeding their dog the dog biscuits with the specified date codes and consult with a veterinarian if they have any health concerns with their dog.
Sunshine’s products are 100% guaranteed. Consumers may receive the full replacement value of the recalled dog biscuits by returning them to the place of purchase or consumers may contact Sunshine’s customer service number at (800) 705-2111 for further information about the recall and for other instructions on obtaining a product refund.
The safety and well-being of pets are Sunshine’s utmost concern. We deeply regret this unforeseen situation.
The following products are being recalled:
Branded Product and Variety
Product Size:
UPC Codes
Plant Code / Best By DateNurture Chicken & Rice Biscuit
26 oz.
70155-13606
Plant code: RB
Best by: 31208Nurture Lamb & Rice Biscuit
26 oz.
70155-13607
Plant code: RB
Best by: 31308Pet Life Large Peanut Butter Biscuit
4 lb.
41746-00950
Plant code: RB RB
Best by: 30608 31308Pet Life Large Biscuit
4 lb.
41746-02545
Plant code:
RB
RB
Best by: 30308 31908Lassie Lamb and Rice Biscuit
26 oz.
45352-07005
Plant code:
RB
RB
Best by: 30708 31908Pet Life Large Biscuit
25 lb.
41746-00008
Best By Date – last 5 digits
Best by: 30308 31408Pet Life Extra Large Biscuit
25 lb.
41746-00010
Best by:
30408
30808
31408
31508Pet Life Large Variety Biscuit
25 lb.
70155-00073
Best by: 30408Pet Life Peanut Butter Large Biscuit
25 lb.
41746-00078
Best by: 30308 30808Pet Life People Pleasers Dog Treat
25 lb.
41746-00266
Best by:
31408
31608
32308Pet Life People Pleasers Dog Treat
50 oz.
70155-11006
Best By Date – 5 digits
Best by:
30208
30508
30808
31308
31408Pet Life People Pleasers Dog Treat
40 oz.
70155-11007
Best by:
30908
31208
31808Private Label Product and Variety
Product Size:
UPC Codes
Plant Code / Best By DateCompanion’s Best Multi Flavor Biscuit
4 lb.
50700-49270
Plant code:
RB
RB
RB
RB
RBBest by:
30308
30808
31108
31408
31608Plant code:
RB
RB
Best by:
32308
32708Stater Brothers Large Biscuit
4 lb.
74175-18801
Plant code:
RB
RB
Best by:
30908
31308Ol’Roy Peanut Butter Biscuit
5 lb.
78742-34501
Plant code:
RB
RB
RB
RB
RB
Best by:
30508
31008
31208
31508
31608Plant code:
RB
RB
Best by:
32108
32308Ol’Roy 4 Flavor Large Biscuit
10 lb.
81131-46959
Plant code:
RB
RB
RB
RB
RBBest by:
30308
30408
30508
30608
30708Plant code:
RB
RB
RB
RB
RB
Best by:
30808
30908
31208
31308
31408Plant code:
RB
RB
RB
RB
RB
Best by:
31508
31608
31708
31908
32008Plant code:
RB
RB
Best by:
32108
32408Ol’Roy Puppy Biscuit
28.8 oz.
81131-92197
Plant code:
RB
RB
RB
RB
RB
Best by:
30208
30308
30408
30608
30708Plant code:
RB
RB
RB
RB
RB
Best by:
30908
31008
31408
31508
31608Plant code:
RB
RB
RB
RB
RB
Best by:
31708
31808
32108
32208
32308Champion Breed Peanut Butter Biscuit
4 lb.
72000-26063
Plant code: RB RB
Best by:
32108
32308Champion Breed Large Biscuit
4 lb.
72000-26065
Plant code: RB RB
Best by:
32208
32308Perfect Pals Large Biscuit
4 lb.
12333-00260
Plant code: RB
Best by: 31808Stater Brothers Large Biscuit
26 oz.
74175-18802
Best By Date – 5 digits
Best by:
30308
31008
Apparently Sunshine Mills’ website has crashed.
I thought that at first too then I noticed that the pages NOT associated with the recalled products are just fine. I suspect that Sunshine took down the pages of the recalled items so people like me could not copy the pictures and show you the packages.
Why would they do that? I’m sure Sunshine management wants to bring the products back on the market after the recall. They probably don’t want to have pictures of the recalled products hanging around on blogs like this one. Although they will probably bring back clean, untainted products (that’s my hope at least) people’s memories are funny things. They will still remember the pictures and may no give those products a second chance. They will see the packages and for some reason feel bad about them. This way, no pictures means that people don’t have that “bad: picture in their minds while shopping for dog treats. Names are much harder to remember, especially when you’re talking about pet treats that all seem to have versions of the same words. SO the Sunshine management doesn’t have to worry about you remembering the names.
And who do you think was savvy enough to think this far ahead? My bet is the Wal-Mart PR team. They have a lot of experience fighting and molding public opinion. You do remember that one of the more prominant brands of treats made by Sunshine don’t you?
What is behind this straggling delay in recall of all sources containing the wheat gluten? Some today, some yesterday, and so on. It makes no sense to me. The companies out there must know whether or not their products have wheat gluten in them. Why didn’t they all come on board with the recall as soon as the wheat gluten was identified as the source of the contamination? While we are at it, why is the recall “voluntary”? Can’t the FDA enforce a recall? I hope none of us have short memories. I see no reason to use any of these brands again.
I really dislike these so called Bloggers who immediately want to ’smash’ WalMart since they are on the list too. What about all the premium brands that are high dollar ? They had the ingredients as what was in the WalMart brand. How can you blame WalMart any more than any of the others.?The fault comes from the fact that Menu Foods chose A CHINESE SOURCE OF WHEAT GLUTEN. That is only one sourse. We have no idea of how many Gluten suppliers there are here in the USA much less whether the ones from foreign suppliers come from different suppliers etc. That means a lot of research into the Gluten supply itself and a gigantic task. Just think about that….The reason that the other recalls didnt come earlier is that when Menu Foods sold wheat gluten to other manufacturers, they had no way of immediately knowing whether that Gluten had in fact been put into production and distribution. Other manufacturers who may use Wheat Gluten now are trying to analyze whether their supplies came from the same source and even if it didnt, they were starting their own tests. Some folks are forgetting that the problem is “CONTAMINATES IN THE WHEAT GLUTEN, NOT THE GLUTEN ITSELF” This is not CSI on TV folks. It does take longer that 60 minutes to do these chemical content investigations.Everyone is quick to blame when we have problems and then we demand Government Oversight. Then when things calm down, we dont want the Government making decisions for us. Lets not use this forum to take a ‘Pot Shot at WalMart’ or anyone else. Lets just hope guidelines are put in place to test these products ‘before’ these FOREIGN substances are put into our beloved animals food supply.
Thank you Tis for thinking it more than a little disgusted that Walmart should be taking the blame for all this tainted dog food. While I know the company has its faults, let’s face it, Walmart did not make all the dog food that is tainted. The bottom line is that the dog food companies DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR PRODUCTS because they are “only” feeding dogs and cats. It’s a business and it’s bottom lines. The FDA even admitted in a press release that inspecting pet food companies and making sure they follow regulations are at the bottom of the list and that more often than not they don’t EVER get inspected or regulated to follow the guidelines they need to in order to supply food to our beloved pets. I don’t blame any of the retailers that carried the food, and I don’t think anyone else should either. It is not a retailer’s responsibility to ensure that RAT POISON doesn’t get into a bag of dog food, especially from such well known brands as Alpo!! Any more than it is a retailer’s responsibility to ensure peanut butter doesn’t come with salmonella (oops!) or bagged spinach with e-coli! Let’s face it, the world is consumed by greed and no one really cares about anyone or anything else beyond their own pocket. How else can you explain such madness? Which means no one can trust anyone anymore, and I’m led to feeding my four dogs “real” chicken instead of something from a can after three of them became sick off this recall -
And they are all doing fine now, thanks for asking. But meanwhile the damage has been done. They lost my trust. I only thank God I didn’t lose my dogs.
Thank you Tis and Jennifer for barking in. I appreciate your remarks.
I am not “smashing Wal-Mart” because they are on the list. I also am not letting Menu, the other pet food manufacturers, the gluten producers or any other link in this sordid business off the hook. I’ve mentioned other stores who sold Menu foods as their house brands. There is enough shame and guilt to go around.
I’m mentioning Wal-Mart in particular because it is the single most powerful retailer in the US, if not the world. Wal-Mart sets the rules for every other retailer and all their suppliers. And yes, Wal-Mart may be a symptom of a greedy society but it is also a driving force in more than driving down prices.
As a consultant, my other job so to speak, I work with large and small companies that have to deal with Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart runs their suppliers with an iron hand. I won’t bother you with the horror stories I’ve heard and seen of Wal-Mart bullying their suppliers to make things cheaper and cheaper.
Any supplier that bought Chinese wheat to save a few cents is guilty of recklessly endangering and killing our furbabies. I would NEVER let them off the hook for that!
I also would not blame retailers who carried the tainted food, unless they interfered with the recall or otherwise put our dogs and cats in danger. My question is did the constant pressure for cheaper prices cause the suppliers to close their eyes to the danger of using substandard food from a country that has no controls over food safety or quality? I would sincerely doubt that Wal-Mart told Menu Foods to use tainted wheat or wheat gluten. But what I have no doubt of is that Wal-Mart pressured Menu and their other suppliers to make their foods as cheaply as possible.
Did Wal-Mart set out to hurt dogs and cats? Of course not! I have no doubt that Wal-Mart management would even consider itself supporters of animal protection. And I applaud that and all the good they do in helping organizations.
As many people, myself included, have said, this massive killing of innocent pets is the early bell ringing out danger. Who knows the full impact of this tainted Chinese wheat and wheat gluten on the North American and now European food streams? But if we allow the blame to fall on just the easiest targets we miss the opportunity to identity the social cancer that really is at the root of the problem — greed and fear. Greed is so easily evident. We can all see that without looking very hard.
But the fear is what feeds the greed. Those companies with the power threaten those companies that are just as cravenly greedy. Then, even if there were people within those companies who would like to sound warnings, they can’t for fear of losing their jobs.
There are many, many good people working at the Wal-Marts around the world. Wal-Mart is not an entitiy with a soul and a single mind; it is a corporation that can be influenced by people like us. Let’s appeal to the humanity of those within Wal-Mart to rethink their policies.
Once again, what are the costs of those lower prices? Our furbabies lives? Our children’s lives? Our lives?
Let’s not make it easy for those who should bear responsibility at every level. If their is guilt, let’s shine a light on it and take an honest look at the whole system.
I have nothing personal against Wal-Mart. They do a lot of good for many community groups. But where they are at fault then we should tell them. And where we want to blind ourselves and let ourselves take the easy road of blaming the most obvious culprits, then we too need a light shone on us. Follow the trail of guilt all the way back past the gluten. Look for the root and not just the stalk.
Once again, I thank you for barking in and wish only the best for your furbabies!
I have to agree with you TIS….
These suppliers could always say sorry not going to happen Walmart.
We won’t lower our standards in order to get your business!
Let the people making these foods be RESPONCIBLE for what they have created! Not Walmart or any other store that is selling a product they believe is safe!
Tis, Jennifer and Joy, I too have followed this story with great interest and great horror at the continued unfolding of a botched attempt at properly informing consumers. I don’t place the blame with any particular company except for the Chinese exporter of the wheat gluten. I believe that MenuFoods knew LONG before their voluntary product recall that they were selling tainted products. Their lab animals have been dying for months, and MenuFoods never made a peep about it until March. I think that in the long haul, we will all be shocked at the cover-up on many levels.
I won’t “bash” Walmart, but anytime I can buy local rather that purchase from Walmart, I do so. Why? Because I am a small business owner and prefer to support other small business owners when buying goods and services. I don’t boycot Walmart, but I don’t like them either.
Like Joy, I believe that this poisoning is our canary in the coal mine. Years ago Ross Perot described a giant sucking sound when he referred to NAFTA (import/export trade agreement.) The sad thing about Mr. Perot’s statement is that the giant sucking sound is the sound of life being sucked from unsuspecting Americans and their beloved pets. There is not yet any information to prove that this same product didn’t make its way into America’s human food. I urge everyone to become a label reader. It is up to us to protect ourselves and our furfriends. The government is too busy with helping oil companies make a disgusting profit to protect us any longer.
America USED to be the mother of the world. We were fairly self-sufficient and produced much of our own food here in the US. I believe we need to seriously examine a return to that self-sufficiency by pressuring our lawmakers to join lawmaker Durbin in his pro-active stance against the merchant-idiots of our world who seek nothing more than to boost their bottom line–the almighty DOLLAR.
Sadly, little Kenyon ate TWO of the foods on the list of poisoned foods. She passed to the Bridge in October 2006 with a very violent multi-organ-failure death. This may be pure coincidence, but who’s to say at this point? My tears sting just as bad today as they did 6 months ago, and my heart remains heavy. Now my Cinnamon has had some extremely nasty reactions to a premium high-priced dry dog food. Her kibble is not on the “list” but the same manufacturer pulled it’s canned food due to the poisoning. So, I have “pulled” that manufacturer’s kibble from my dog’s diet and I am relying on homemade dog food at least for now.
Like Joy, I have absolutely no problem calling to the carpet any retailer or manufacturer who has irresponsibly caused the illness or death of any of my loved ones whether they are human or animal. That’s all.