Workers returned to the Menu Foods plant in Emporia this morning after being shut down for more than a week.
The plant closed March 23 in response to a massive pet-food recall by Menu. The Canadian company recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food that had been made at the Emporia plant and a plant in Pennsauken, N.J.
At least 16 pets are said to have died from eating the food and many others were said to suffer kidney failure. Menu has offered to pay veterinary bills for the animals affected.
Local plant management could not be reached this morning to comment on whether the plant was back at full capacity.
Paul Henderson, the president and chief executive officer of Menu, said Friday that the problems had been traced to adulterated wheat gluten from a Chinese source and that all its pet food made after March 6 is safe. Tests by the Food and Drug Administration found the gluten contained melamine, a substance used to make plastics.
The announcement, while a relief to Menu, has set off concerns among other pet-food manufacturers who may have used the suspect gluten. Hill’s Pet Nutrition has recalled its Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry cat food, the only dry food recalled so far, Nestle Purina PetCare has recalled all sizes and varieties of its Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes, and Del Monte Pet Products recalled some of its dog and cat treats with certain date codes.
gazreader (anonymous) says...
The Emporia plant isn't running full capacity, in fact the called employee's of the pouch line at the last min. once again to let them know of no work again this week. So it's use your vacation time if you even have any left or take it up the pipe.
April 3, 2007 at 12:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
johncanyon (anonymous) says...
Its too bad that there has been a bigger deal made of this pet food problem than there was about all the other e coli stuff that was going around and effecting Humans.
So what if some stupid cat or ankle biting dog died.
April 3, 2007 at 3:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gazette_reader (anonymous) says...
Even if you're not an animal lover, you should be concerned about the fact that one purchaser in the U.S. can purchase enough contaminated product to destroy the food production of an entire industry. This time it was pet food. Next time, it could be breakfast cereal.
April 3, 2007 at 4:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
peanutbutter (anonymous) says...
Wow, "johncanyon" we get the point that you don't like animals, but I would almost bet that my cats and dogs are smarter than some humans.
Also we should all be aware that in other countries this pet food is eaten by humans!
April 3, 2007 at 7:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hjcary (anonymous) says...
What concerns me is the amount of human food products containing wheat gluten. Its the third ingredient on the bread in our cupboard right now.
If it can happen to pet food it can happen to us. This is why I try to make most of our foods from scratch including bread I have just been lazy these past few months and bought bread. I usually buy an organic all natural bread but the store I shop at quit carrying it and I bought this "fake" whole wheat stuff to get buy until I could make my own. I'd better get to baking more I think.
April 3, 2007 at 9:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
johncanyon (anonymous) says...
I guess my point was made "peanutbutter" The fact that the media and everyone else cares more about the quality of pet food than it does the human food is obvious. How long has this been in the news now? 3-4 weeks? I dont think they got that much time with the tainted spinach or the tainted "taco bell" or the tainted peanut butter all together. But let someones dog or cat die and look out.
And... If other countries want to eat our pet food for dinner... Again.... I dont care.
Why should I be concerned with other countries quality of food when our own country cares more about dog food than it does people food?
Don't get me wrong, I like animals. I have a dog and cat of my own. But if I go home and find one of them dead, I am not going to take it to the vet and have an autopsy (sp) so I can figure out who I am going to sue for millions of dollars. I will take it up to my pasture and bury it along side other well cared for and loved pets, and after several months of crying and mourning there death, I will go get another one.
April 4, 2007 at 10:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
beckyhomecky (anonymous) says...
why i am not surprised that menu foods is allowing their employees to use their vacation time or go without pay? surely the cfo could have pitched in for one week of operating costs with the shares he so slickly liquidated prior to the annoucement.
when are these folks going to be held accountable?
April 12, 2007 at 1:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )