Pet food scare: Details on recall

Canadian pet food manufacturer Menu Foods has recalled numerous varieties of pet food made before March 6. Other companies have also issued alerts.

Federal testing of some of the cat and dog food and the wheat gluten used in their production turned up the chemical melamine, which can be toxic in high doses.

Earlier, the New York State Food Laboratory identified aminopterin, a cancer drug also used as rat poison, as the likely culprit in the pet food. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it could not confirm that finding.

Menu Foods said the problem was traced to wheat gluten obtained from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company in China. The FDA has blocked further gluten imports from the company.

Gluten brings elasticity and chewiness to baked products.

Menu Foods makes only "wet" pet food, such as "chunks and gravy" style varieties.

Nestle Purina also has recalled its Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy dog food that was supplied with some of the suspect wheat gluten.

[Read more to see if your pet food has been recalled]

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