Menu Foods recalled many pet-food products in 2007 after melamine contamination was linked to kidney failure and deaths in cats and dogs.
The contaminated products contained wheat gluten imported from China. Melamine and related chemicals had been added to some ingredients to make protein measurements appear higher. The affected ingredient entered a wide range of wet pet foods sold under different brand names, which made the recall especially broad and confusing for consumers.
The crisis began after veterinarians and pet owners noticed unusual kidney disease in animals. Testing connected the illnesses to contaminated food, and recalls expanded across the United States and other markets. The episode prompted investigations into ingredient supply chains and tighter scrutiny of imported animal-feed materials.
The recall is sometimes described as a single-brand failure, but Menu Foods manufactured products sold under numerous labels. Melamine was not an intended nutritional additive; it was an industrial chemical contaminant.