[Vision2020] RECALL: Blue Buffalo Recalls Can and Biscuit Products Due To Tampering By American Nutrition Inc.

[Saundra Lund]

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/bluebuffalo204_07.html

 

From: Press releases about FDA Recalls [mailto:FDA-RECALLS-L at LIST.NIH.GOV]
On Behalf Of FDA Recalls
Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 3:53 PM
To: FDA-RECALLS-L at LIST.NIH.GOV
Subject: Blue Buffalo Recalls Can and Biscuit Products Due To Tampering By
American Nutrition Inc.

 

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Blue Buffalo Recalls Can and Biscuit Products Due To Tampering By American
Nutrition Inc. 


Contact:
Consumer Inquiries:
1-800-919-2833
Media Inquiries:
David Petrie
1-203-762-9751

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Wilton, Connecticut, April 26, 2007- We at the Blue
Buffalo Company have just learned that American Nutrition Inc. (ANI), the
manufacturer of all our cans and biscuits, has been adding rice protein
concentrate to our can formulas without our knowledge and without our
approval. This is product tampering, and it apparently has been going on for
some time. The can formulas that we developed, and trusted them to produce,
never contained any rice protein concentrate. It appears that only an FDA
investigation of ANI's rice protein concentrate supplies forced them to
reveal this product tampering to us.

While this activity by ANI is in itself unlawful, the situation is further
clouded by the fact that ANI has been receiving rice protein concentrate
from Wilber-Ellis, some of which the FDA has determined to be contaminated
with melamine.

So while no BLUE or Spa Select canned product has tested positive for the
presence of melamine, and there has been no reported illness due to any of
our canned products, we simply cannot be sure of what ANI has been including
in our formulas. For this reason, we have decided to remove all of our
canned and biscuit products from retail distribution. While this may seem to
many to be a major over-reaction, as other ANI customers will probably only
recall the products that tested positive for melamine, we see this as a
matter of integrity. 

We founded Blue Buffalo on the principle of providing dogs and cats with the
highest quality and most nutritious food, and we will not sell any product
that doesn't meet this standard. And under these circumstances, we cannot
say that any products manufactured by ANI measure up. 

The obvious question is "how could Blue Buffalo not know that ANI was
putting rice protein concentrate into our canned food?" The answer is we
trusted them. In business and in life, we all trust our partners to deal
with us honestly. When we buy produce from our local grocery store, we are
trusting growers, shippers and a series of handlers to have delivered a
product that is safe and nutritious for our family. If any one of these
parties betrays our trust, contaminated products can make their way to our
dinner table. 

And while we test for known toxins and contaminants, we don't test for
protein sources, like rice protein concentrate, especially when we did not
formulate our products to contain them. 

In the end, this all comes down to an issue of integrity, and ANI has not
been honest with us and with the pet parents who buy our products. We will
not put any product made by ANI on the shelf, and are temporarily
withdrawing an important part of our business in order to be true to our pet
parents. 

We have already started the process of identifying a can and biscuit
manufacturer with whom we can build a partnership based on trust. Once we
have accomplished this, BLUE and Spa Select cans and BLUE Health Bars will
be reintroduced with the high quality and superior nutrition that our brand
stands for and that dogs and cats deserve. 

We have informed our retail partners and the FDA about this action and will
be cooperating with them to complete this recall quickly. The specific
product involved includes all "BLUE" brand can dog foods, all "Spa Select"
brand can cat foods and all "BLUE Health Bar" treats. 

Consumers who have unused or partially used packages of any of these
products should return them to their place of purchase for a complete
refund. 

All "BLUE" dry natural food for dogs and "Spa Select" dry natural foods for
cats are not affected by this recall and are safe for consumption. Should
consumers have a specific question, they can call the Company at
1-800-919-2833, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT, to receive more
information.

#### 

FDA's Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts Page:
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html 

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