Melamine Found in Recalled Pet Food

Shannon Weidemann

Contributor

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Researchers at UC Davis working with equipment purchased on a Homeland Security grant were the first to identify melamine in the wheat gluten used to make the recalled pet food. Over 90 brands of dog and cat food manufactured by Menu Foods were recalled. The recall includes canned and foil packet "cuts and gravy" style food. To date only one brand of dry cat food has been recalled.

Dr. Birgit Puschner, D.V.M, Ph.D/U.C. Davis Food Safety Lab: "By this analysis, we actually get fingerprints of certain compounds so we can then relate back to what should be in the food and what should not be in the food."

U.C. Davis researchers beat the Food and Drug Administration in identifying the suspect ingredient in tainted pet food.

New York Health officials were announcing the culprit was rat poison when this lab already determined that was probably wrong.

Dr. Birgit Puschner: "Within the first screening technique on the first couple of days, we had already hit on melamine."

Melamine is used to make plastic kitchenware and as a fertilizer in Asia. To see a complete list of recalled food visit www.menufoods.com/recall.