Pet food scare widens to new tainted ingredient

By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A chemical linked to a huge U.S. pet food recall has been found in another ingredient used to make products for dogs and cats, U.S health officials and an agricultural company said on Thursday.

Melamine, used in plastics and fertilizer, has turned up in rice protein concentrate imported from China and shipped to five pet food manufacturers. U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials suspect the chemical, previously found in wheat gluten, led to earlier pet fatalities and illness.

The finding widens the number of dog and cat food products pulled from United States retailers since mid-March. More than 100 brands of pet food have been already been recalled after reports of kidney failure.

"This is an ongoing investigation," said Michael Rogers, head of the FDA's Division of Field Investigations.

Wilbur-Ellis Co., a privately-held international agricultural and industrial products distributor, earlier on Thursday said the contaminated rice protein came from China-based Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co. Ltd.

An official at the Chinese firm denied responsibility and said contamination may have been occurred during shipment.

"It is impossible that we would add the chemical ourselves. We've been doing exports for many years," the official, who declined to give her name, said when contacted by telephone.

The protein was shipped to five U.S. manufacturers in Utah, New York and Kansas and two in Missouri.