I think the 1 in 6 number came from the tests they did. They supposedly knew of the problem 30 days before the recall.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
*Filed at March 19th at 5:19 p.m. ET*
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Seven animals died in tests of suspect dog and cat food
by the manufacturer after complaints the products were poisoning pets around
the country, the government said Monday.
A federal investigation is focusing on wheat gluten as the likely source of
contamination that sparked a recall last Friday of 60 million cans and
pouches of the suspect food, said Stephen F. Sundlof, the Food and Drug
Administration's
<
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/f/food_an
d_drug_administration/index.html?inline=nyt-org>
top veterinarian.
The ingredient, a protein source, is commonly used as filler.
Agency investigators are looking at other ingredients as well. The wet-style
pet food was made by Menu Foods, an Ontario, Canada-based company.
Menu Foods told the FDA it received the first complaints of kidney failure
and deaths among cats and dogs from pet owners on Feb. 20. It began new
tests on Feb. 27.
During those tests, the company fed its product to 40 to 50 dogs and cats
and some seven animals -- the mix of species was not immediately known --
died, Sundlof said. The contamination appeared more deadly to cats than to
dogs, he said.
The recall now covers dog food sold throughout North America under 51 brands
and cat food sold under 40 brands, including Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba. The
food was sold under both store and major brand labels at Wal-Mart, Kroger,
Safeway and other large retailers.
