ITCHMO has provided a concise, documented "Fact Sheet" of the Menu Foods recall. It includes a complete timeline that shows what happened when in the 3 months that this unfolded.
Menu Foods Recall With Complete Timelinehttp://www.itchmo.com/menu-foods-recall-fact-sheetHere's the timeline (to the the actual article for links documenting the data):
Timeline
December 6, 2006:
Menu Foods switches gluten suppliers through a broker based in Kansas.
Late December, 2006:
Menu Foods may have started receiving complaints that its food is making some pets sick.
February 20, 2007:
Menu Foods receives the first of 6 customer reports that its food is making pets sick.
February 27, 2007:
As a part of its quarterly feeding trials, Menu Foods feeds their product to 40-50 cats and dogs.
March 2, 2007:
The first of 9 animals in Menu Foods feeding trial dies of acute renal failure. Mortality rate is quoted at 1 in 6.
March 6, 2007:
Menu Foods switches its supply of wheat gluten due to lab animal deaths.
Kansas plant continues to operate.
March 16, 2007:
Menu Foods announces its recall of 60 million containers of food related to the deaths of lab animals.
Media does not report these as lab-based deaths nor do they report the mortality rate.
Menu Foods’ Web site is taken down and cannot be accessed.
Menu Foods stock MEW.UN drops 45% by the close of trading day.
Menu Foods estimate the recall costs at US$25-$34 million.
March 17, 2007:
Menu Foods posts its first recall list in the morning.
Links to the remainder of the original site is removed from view.
Consumers report encountering busy signals for their toll-free numbers. Those who do get through report that agents are taking messages for Menu Foods and checking products purchased against the recall list.
March 18, 2007:
Itchmo analysis indicates possible ARF in 74,000 pets.
March 19, 2007:
Menu Foods announces their enhanced Web site and customer service capabilities.
Callers report no change in their ability to access the hotlines.
Menu Foods recall list is changed. 6 brands are added and 1 is removed from the recall list.
Class action lawsuit group is formed on Yahoo.
FDA announces that the 60 million recalls packages amount to 1% of the US pet food supply.
March 20, 2007:
PetConnection.com’s self-reporting database (for pet owners affected by Menu Foods) gathers 241 reports of deaths.
FDA announces that the 9 reported deaths only include those from the Menu Foods feeding trial.
2 brands are added to the recall list. Canadian brands appear on the recalled brands list.
Official death toll is revised to 14 including 1 dog and 13 cats. This is the first official death toll that includes pets not included in the Menu Foods quarterly feeding trial.
March 21, 2007:
First lawsuits are filed in Chicago and Knoxville, TN.
PetConnection’s self-reported database logs more than 500 deaths.
Pet Food Accountability Petition is launched on itchmo.com.
March 22, 2007:
PetConnection’s self-reported database logs 845 deaths by the end of the day.
Analyst and veterinarian estimates of deaths hit “thousands”.
March 23, 2007:
First class-action lawsuit against Menu Foods is filed by a Seattle attorney and an Oregon family.
The substance aminopterin is found in the recalled foods.
The suspected wheat gluten is imported from China.
A press-conference is held by Menu Foods and the USDA.
PetConnection’s self-reported database logs more than 1,000 deaths.
Menu Foods announces that it will compensate expenses associated with its tainted food.
Menu Foods announces that its Kansas plant will shut down for 2-3 days to realign its production mix.
Menu Foods stock rises 25%.
March 24, 2005:
PetConnection reports 1,541 deaths.