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### Viewing cable 07BEIJING5950, WAL-MART PULLS CHICKEN JERKY PET FOOD STRIPS FROM SHELVES

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
07BEIJING5950 | 2007-09-11 23:44 | 2011-08-23 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Beijing

`

    VZCZCXRO1470
    RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
    DE RUEHBJ #5950/01 2542344
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 112344Z SEP 07 ZDK
    FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1713
    RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
    INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
    RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
    RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
    RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
    RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC
    RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
    RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
    RUEAEPA/HQ EPA WASHDC
    RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 005950

    SIPDIS

    SENSITIVE
    SIPDIS

    EAP/PD FOR NIDA EMMONS
    HHS FOR OGHA/STEIGER AND PASS TO FDA/LUMPKIN
    USDA FOR FSIS/RAYMOND
    USDA FOR FAS OA/YOST, OCRA/ALEXANDER, OSTA/BRANT AND SHNITZLER
    COMMERCE FOR ITA/HIJIKATA AND CINO
    STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR NHTSA ABRAHAM/KRATZKE
    STATE PASS CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY COMMISSION RICH O'BRIEN/INTL
    PROGRAMS
    STATE PASS USTR CHINA OFFICE/TIM WINELAND
    STATE PASS OMB/INT'L AFFAIRS
    STATE PASS HOMELAND SECURITY COUNCIL
    STATE PASS IMPORT SAFETY WORKING GROUP

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: EAGR ETRD TBIO ECON PREL HHS CH
    SUBJECT: WAL-MART PULLS CHICKEN JERKY PET FOOD STRIPS FROM SHELVES
    DUE TO ALLEGED MELAMINE CONTAMINATION

    REF: Beijing 4808

    BEIJING 00005950  001.2 OF 003

    ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Embassy APHIS Attache and HHS Health Attache were
    informed separately on August 30 by the General Administration for
    Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) of Wal-Mart's
    recent decision to remove chicken jerky pet
    food strips manufactured by two Chinese firms from sale in their
    stores.  FDA conducted testing of chicken jerky products following
    receipt of consumer complaints of illness/death of pets beginning
    July 1 to August 30, 2007.  FDA testing to date has not/not found
    any significant levels of contamination that would account for the
    illness reported in the 62 complaints received and investigated.
    AQSIQ officials, in a meeting with Health Attache September 4,
    indicated that they also had not found any melamine in samples of
    chicken jerky collected from manufacturing firms in China.
    Furthermore, AQSIQ officials requested additional information about
    the methodology and testing done by Wal-Mart leading to the removal
    and indicated they wished Wal-Mart would restock the product,
    claiming the prior action was
    destroying the business reputation of the firms involved. End
    Summary.

    REPORTS OF MELAMINE CONTAMINATION
    IN CHICKEN PET FOOD PRODUCTS
    ---------------------------------

    ¶2. (SBU) AQSIQ officials at the end of a regularly scheduled August
    30 meeting asked APHIS Attache for more information about the recent
    Wal-Mart decision to withdraw chicken jerky products manufactured by
    two Chinese firms, Import Pinyang Pet Product Co.
    and Shanghai Bestro Trading Company.  APHIS Attache referred the
    officials to the HHS Health Attache, who has responsibility within
    the U.S. Embassy for food safety and had worked with AQSIQ officials
    before on melamine contamination during the previous plant
    protein-melamine problems in the spring of 2007.

    ¶3. (SBU) AQSIQ faxed a letter to the Health Attache materials
    regarding Wal-Mart's decision to remove chicken jerky from their
    shelves.  This fax also contained copies of two news stories, one
    from the International Herald Tribune, dated August 22, 2007 and
    titled, "Chicken Jerky Strips for Dogs Still Being Tested by FDA";
    and another posted August 23, 2007 on News for Cats, Dogs & Owners
    and titled, "No Melamine found in Chicken Jerky Strip Dog Treats by
    Indiana State Chemist." In turn, HHS Attached passed
    this information to both FDA headquarters officials asking for
    results of their testing and to the Public Relations Officer for
    Wal-Mart China, similarly seeking more detailed information.

    U.S. FDA TESTING RESULTS
    ------------------------

    ¶4. (SBU) FDA reported back that they had been receiving consumer
    complaints of illness/death beginning on or around July 1 up to
    August 30 related to chicken pet treats from China.  The products
    were several different brands with the only common element being
    they contained chicken and are manufactured in China.  To date, FDA
    indicated they had received 62 complaints that related to various
    chicken jerky and chicken pet treats.  FDA's Center for Veterinary
    Medicine continues to review veterinary medical records of ill
    animals and continues to conduct analysis of product both for
    chemical and microbial contamination.  To date,
    there has been no finding of significant levels of contamination
    that would account for the illnesses reported.  FDA reported that
    they continue to investigate these findings. FDA also stated that
    they were aware that Wal-Mart was conducting private laboratory
    testing of product and removing product from sale.

    BEIJING 00005950  002.2 OF 003

    CHINESE AQSIQ AND CIQ TESTING RESULTS
    -------------------------------------

    ¶5. (SBU) Health Attache in a September 3 meeting requested by AQSIQ
    shared the FDA testing esults.  AQSIQ Department for Supervision on
    nimal and Plant Quarantine Animal Quarantine Division Deputy
    Director Peng Zhisheng said that his office had become aware of this
    alleged melamine contamination issue through
    a web search identifying that an export firm in Shanghai had been
    subjected to a "pull and hold" order by Wal-Mart.  AQSIQ and the
    local CIQ conducted tests on chicken pet food products from these
    firms without finding any traces of melamine.  Explaining further
    with specific timelines and results, Peng indicated that they were
    aware that a consumer was suing Wal-Mart after a dog's death
    following the consumption of chicken jerky in late-July. (Peng did
    not indicate where this happened). The Shanghai CIQ (provincial
    counterpart to AQSIQ) continues to conduct an investigation into
    this allegation by testing products from the firms in question.  On
    August 24 the Shanghai CIQ tested 12
    samples taken without advance notice from these firms; results
    showed no evidence of melamine present.

    ¶6. (SBU) AQSIQ officials expressed an understanding of both FDA's
    and their own CIQ testing results that no melamine contamination of
    these pet food chicken jerky products was identified and thus
    Wal-Mart's results were not confirmed by either side's testing. Peng
    expressed his positive support for the U.S. government's
    responsiveness in sharing information from the FDA about this issue,
    recollecting a similar interaction during the previous collaboration
    with FDA on the wheat-gluten and rice protein contamination
    investigations earlier in 2007.  They pressed for continued use of a
    scientific approach to food and pet food safety and indicated their
    wish to reinstate products from these firms back on the shelves of
    Wal-Mart. He expressed a similar
    understanding that Wal-Mart took these actions to protect customers
    health and safety, but felt this action had a negative impact on
    trade.

    WAL-MART TEST RESULTS AND ACTIONS
    ---------------------------------

    ¶7. (SBU) Wal-Mart removed chicken jerky from their shelves on August
    20 following reports of the death of a pet and the owner's lawsuit.
    On August 22, Wal-Mart announced that they had found melamine
    contamination (20ppm) in 1 of 17 samples tested. This
    positive result led to the issuance of a "pull and hold" order for
    these chicken jerky pet food products that later was upgraded to a
    "pull and return" order after trace elements of melamine were found.
    In a September 3 email communication with HHS Attache,
    Wal-Mart China Public Relations Director expressed satisfaction in
    receiving the FDA results indicating that "they would look into it
    further" and promised to share their lab results with the Embassy
    and AQSIQ.

    ¶8. (SBU) Test results from Silliker Inc., Food Safety & Quality
    Solutions Laboratory in Illinois show that Bestro's Roasted Chicken
    Strips were tested in 4 separate batches on August 16 and August 20.
     All shipments were received by the laboratory from
    Wal-Mart facilities in Bentonville, Arkansas shipped on July 27. One
    of the batches, tested on August 20, has confirmation of melamine
    contamination at 20 ppm, while the other three batches tested on 10
    August show less than 10 ppm. Tests on all batches appear to have
    been done using the FDA GC-MS protocol in Silliker's Barcelona,
    Spain laboratory.

    COMMENT
    -------

    BEIJING 00005950  003.2 OF 003

    ¶9. (SBU) This incident demonstrates how much the relationship
    between AQSIQ officials and the HHS has evolved since the
    March/April 2007 melamine contamination of wheat gluten and rice
    protein that led to the massive pet food recalls in the United
    States.  In this case, information was shared locally with the
    Embassy and with Washington seeking more specifics from all parties
    and done in a cordial collaborative fashion looking to understand
    the data using scientific approaches.  While there was some media
    reporting of this incident, both articles indicated the inability to
    find more melamine contamination in other samples taken from the
    stores in Indiana or from the plant in Shanghai.  Interestingly and
    different from other food safety
    discussion held with U.S. government officials in other settings,
    AQSIQ is seeking further media reporting, this time hoping to get
    more coverage of the negative tests results from both the American
    and Chinese authorities responsible for regulating these
    pet food products.  Their goal was clearly to get the products back
    on the shelves for sale in Wal-Mart by ending the "pull and hold"
    orders.  AQSIQ's Peng Zhisheng expressed an understanding that this
    was really a business decision made by Wal-Mart to
    protect the safety and health of its customers and not a regulatory
    recall decision.  He also indicated to Health Attache an
    understanding that U.S. FDA officials could not compel Wal-Mart to
    put product back on sale.  AQSIQ reiterated that the actions taken
    by Wal-Mart had hurt the manufacturers' sales and trade; thus AQSIQ
    was seeking a way to assist these companies in rebuilding their
    reputation by having their products declared free of contamination.
    Finally, AQSIQ expressed appreciation to the Health Attache for
    FDA's responsiveness, rapid turn around
    and openness in sharing information on this chicken jerky incident.
    Peng stated that this episode "demonstrated collaborative and
    scientific approaches to resolve difficult issues," and was a sign
    of increased collaborative engagements between U.S. and Chinese
    officials.

    RANDT

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