Deadly Health Fraud Case Series. Menu Foods: The Largest Pet Food Recall in U.S. History In 2006 and 2007, 60 million containers of 180 different brands of pet food and treats, produced by 12 different manufacturers, were recalled due to the intentional contamination of wheat gluten and rice protein imported from China by two Chinese Companies, Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. and Binzhou Futian Biological Technology. This was the largest recall of pet food in U.S. history and was initiated by the dominant manufacturer of dry dog and cat food, the Canadian Company, Menu Foods. The contaminated wheat gluten and rice protein were adulterated with melamine which, combined with cyanuric acid, can lead to acute renal failure if eaten by small animals. The two Chinese supply companies intentionally put melamine into wheat gluten and rice protein to deceive manufacturers and the public of their true protein content, resulting in the deaths of untold numbers of animals and putting at risk more than 100 Million pets in Americas households. This is the true story of this historic $24 Million dollar settlement for 23,000 claimants and how the loss of one familys pet and friend, Sahara, adversely affected the lives of one pet owner, Tracy Schlutter. Ken Wexler and Ed Wallace, partners at the law firm of Wexler Wallace LLP, join Tracy in recounting this powerful story.
