Army Sgt. Oscar Galeano, left, and Spc. Chris Kimrey check product codes on the back of cat food pouches against a list of recalled items Monday at the Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, commissary. (Chris Fowler / S&S)
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Army medical food inspectors have been checking the inventory of wet pet food products at commissaries worldwide after a company issued a recall Saturday.
The death of one dog and nine cats along with a number of customer complaints prompted Ontario-based Menu Foods Inc. to recall more than 40 brands of cat food and 50 brands of dog food.
“We are already moving on this,” said Maj. Jerrod Killian, the executive officer of the Japan District Veterinarian Command, which is responsible for both food inspection and veterinary medical care throughout U.S. Forces Japan.
“We are inventorying stock and securing on medical hold any affected dog and cat food.”
Totolua Ripley, director of the Yokosuka commissary, said the store did not have any of the items listed in the recall notice in its inventory.
According to an FDA report, animals affected by the suspect food displayed symptoms including refusing further feedings, loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting and death.
“It appears that this has only affected about 20 animals,” Killian said. He added that based on initial reports, it appears to him that the problem might be linked to aflatoxins, which often are associated with stored grain.
To learn more about the recall and the products involved, visit www.fda.gov or www.menufoods.com/recall.
How to read product codesThe affected products were made at a plant in Emporia, Kan., between Dec. 3, 2006, and March 6. They are marked with date codes 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197.
To read can product codes, look at the bottom of the can. The first four numbers of the second line of numbers are the date code, and the following four numbers indicate the plant code.
If the second line begins with four numbers from 6339 to 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, then the can is being recalled.
On foil pouches, the code numbers are located on the back, in the lower left corner. The date and plant codes appear in the third group of numbers, beginning an 11-digit sequence.
Both www.iams.com and www.eukanuba.com have illustrated details of how to check their products.
— Chris Fowler
Recalled pet food brands
Cat Food
Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
Authority
Best Choice
Companion
Compliments
Demoulas Market Basket
Eukanuba
Fine Feline Cat
Food Lion
Foodtown
Giant Companion
Hannaford
Hill Country Fare
Hy-Vee
Iams
Key Food
Laura Lynn
Li’l Red
Loving Meals
Meijers Main Choice
Nutriplan
Nutro Max Gourmet Classics
Nutro Natural Choice
Paws
Pet Pride
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority
Save-A-Lot
Schnucks
Science Diet
(The recall affects only 3-ounce and 5.5-ounce cans of Kitten Savory Cuts Ocean Fish; 5.5-ounce cans of Feline Adult Savory Cuts Beef, Chicken and Ocean Fish, and 5.5-ounce cans of Feline Senior Savory Cuts Chicken.)
Sophisticat
Special Kitty Canada
Special Kitty US
Springfield Prize
Sprout
Total Pet, My True Friend
Wegmans
Western Family
White Rose
Winn-Dixie
Dog Food
Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
Authority
Award
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Bruiser
Cadillac
Companion
Demoulas Market Basket
Eukanuba
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Great Choice
Hannaford
Hill Country Fare
Hy-Vee
Iams
Key Food
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Meijers Main Choice
Mighty Dog
(The recall affects only 5.3 pouch products that were produced from Dec. 3, 2006 through March 14, 2007.)
Mixables
Nutriplan
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nutro
Ol’Roy Canada
Ol’Roy US
Paws
Pet Essentials
Pet Pride — Good ’n Meaty
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority
Publix
Roche Bros.
Save-A-Lot
Schnucks
Shep Dog
Springfield Prize
Sprout
Stater Bros.
Total Pet, My True Friend
Western Family
White Rose
Winn-Dixie
