Third company recalls pet food

WASHINGTON -- A third company Friday recalled pet foods made with an imported Chinese ingredient only recently found to have been contaminated by an industrial chemical.

The pet food ingredient, rice protein concentrate, is the second found in the United States to be contaminated by melamine. Previously, testing revealed that wheat gluten also had been contaminated.

Royal Canin USA said it was recalling some of its dry dog and cat foods made with tainted rice protein concentrate.

Also this week, the French company's South African unit recalled a range of dog and cat dry pet foods after they were found to contain a third ingredient, corn gluten, also contaminated with melamine. Those products were sold in South Africa and Namibia.

U.S. customers with questions about Royal Canin's recall can call the company at (800) 592-6687 or visit its Web site: www.royalcanin.us.

Wilbur-Ellis Co., a U.S. importer of the tainted rice protein, has recalled all the ingredient it had distributed to five U.S. pet food manufacturers. The San Francisco company in turn urged its customers to recall any products that may be on store shelves.

Earlier this week, pet food companies Natural Balance, of Pacoima, Calif., and Wilton, Conn.-based Blue Buffalo recalled cat and dog foods made with the contaminated rice protein concentrate.