That's what the independent tests conducted to date certainly seems to indicate.

There isn't a lot that can be done at the individual level. I don't have much faith in our media these days, but efforts to draw the media's attention to the issue might be worth trying. The same probably goes for government representatives.

If I'm ultimately successful in my own efforts, I hope to save some of it, but the best I can hope for along those lines is going to be limited to the scope of my case, and not what needs to be done in terms of the big picture.

What really need to be done is get an injunction to prevent the destruction of that body of evidence, but I don't see how that could be done short of government/police/official intervention and/or through an organization with a lot deeper pockets and clout than what any single individual could hope to put together.

I don't know if Mike's theory there are organizations willing to help is true or not. If it is, tell them to get out their checkbooks, do something, and quit dinking around. Get a court order permitting them to obtain some of the evidence for research before it's gone.

Here's the link where Mike posted about getting food tested:

http://itchmoforums.com/making-a-difference/pet-food-samples-wanted-t3123.0.html

Carol- Are you in 1 of the class action suits ? Maybe you could bring that discrepancy to their attention.They might go after the records & samples.The only food I have left unopened is not pre recall. I have others ,but they are open.

No leslieK---I am not part of any litigation---I have tried to send links to some of the attorneys about things I have found but no responses back...(maybe because I am not their client?)

I just don't understand the discrepancies---I only know of the food I was using firsthand---I wonder if dates are omittted for other brands---It just doesn't make sense---it appears that Menu is saying no food of certain types were manufactured yet I can look and see for myself---maybe I'll take a pix today and try to blow it up and post here---unless it is just an oversight--I would hate to see some of the food that had tested by Expertox as having melamine and acetaminophen not be on the save for evidence list....

I was just looking at previously reported acetaminophen positive results. Where the dates are available, with the exception of your samples, it is all pre-recall manufacture. If anyone has food they suspect in a pet's illness, it certainly doesn't hurt to have it tested.

What everyone has been missing, including myself, is the fact this stuff doesn't go straight from the manufacturer to our cupboards. On stuff that has a three year shelf life, it can ooze through the supply chain for 6 months to a year before making it to the store shelf, and still sit there for extended periods of time if it isn't rotated to the front as new comes in.

As things currently stand, I'd lean toward the idea the 30% increase in kidney failure during the recall months was being caused by food manufactured the previous year as it worked it's way through the supply channel.

Menu Foods recalled 60 million containers of food. It's currently being stored in two categories; "organized product" and "unorganized product". The "organized product" consists of approximately 55 million containers of food. The "unorganized product" consists of approximately 15 million containers of food, which Menu's attorneys claim is "mostly" recalled product. When you do the math, they recovered 62.5+ million containers. Of course the 60 million figure was the first and only number disclosed to the public before the nearly continuous 2 months of add ons, but the numbers still look funny. Pets were dying before much if any of the recalled stuff hit the market.

On your second question, as far as I know, anyone in the category of "purported class members", has a right to participate in the class action. I'm not an attorney, and I'm not giving legal advice, but that's the way I understand it. For example, among the documents filed in that case is a court order in reference to 8 letters sent to the court from purported class members that wanted to negotiate settlements without attorneys. The text of the documents I filed in the Federal action are posted to the legal section of my site, but were rejected by the court because I'm not a "purported class member". I don't know of a reason why any purported class member couldn't write a polite and respectful letter to the Camden, NJ court in case, MDL 1850, expressing any concerns they may have, and while I won't advise anyone to do so, it does look to me as though others have done something similar with positive results.

Leslie,

If you do get a letter drafted, please post it. I think many of us would be interested in seeing it.

My uncle has been away,but should be back Tuesday. I left him a message but will call again to make sure he gets it. I'll let you know as soon as I have it & can send it.

Thanks Don,that will help.