Australia gov't irradiation importing practises altering Orijen catfood?

[RUSTYcat]

Bengal Kitty and ZIMBA-

I just received a message from Marko, the Administrator...YOUR PRIVATE MESSAGING IS UP AND RUNNING.

Cheers to Marko

[RUSTYcat]

Hey catsrthebest...you too!!!!!!! I just noticed that you've come up North as well. An extremely warm welcome to you, too!

I also just requested that your messaging be turned on as well.

I know I already asked ZIMBA to, if possible, post the lot number packaging info from any bags you might have held onto...I wonder if Bengal Kitty and catsrthebest could reply about that as well...???

(I know it might give me a little comfort to be able to compare mine with those...and, for you guys, too, it could be helpful I think)

[RUSTYcat]

The wait is over, the company's investigation complete and the results are released.

But, are all the questions answered?

[Bengal Kitty]

Hi All

Please find following packing info from our pack, but to be honest even if your food was from the same alotment it is unlikely to affect your cats given this seems to be an irradiation issue (which is an Australian Quanrantine Regulation).

BB15 Jul09 Lot 82951
080508 0939

http://www.championpetfoods.com/Aust...er_Release.pdf

[RUSTYcat]

It ain't over yet...

[RUSTYcat]

Champion Petfoods has released an updated statement...here

There is obviously much more to follow on all this.

Much discussion on CatWorld thread, same and much active research happening at Itchmoforums.com and, Champion has provided a representative to do live Q&A online. The general sense seems to question that a lack of vitamin in the product could produce the documented effects.

[clm]

Still looks like it's all because of the effects of the irradiation process to me.

Cindy

[cell]

I love how in the latest news article they talk about how much the food is radiated and mention how it breaks up vitamin A causing free radicals, and then Dr Georgina Child, says "oh but none of these cats were vitamin A deficient" yet fails to mention how passing Chernobyl through the digestive tract of your cat could have any effect on it?
I'm not concerned on what the radiation does to the food I'm worried about what it directly causes to the cat!
I don't believe anything is wrong with the brand at all, it is Australia's practices to try and "protect" their consumers. It's so backwards to take a holistic pet food and then bombard it in radiation. I don't think anything should be imported if it needs radiation, it defeats the purpose, Orijin is smart to not sell there anymore, they are only doing their reputation harm by subjecting their product to something out of their hands.

[RUSTYcat]

A major victory today - albeit a partial one - as the Australian Government orders an immediate halt to the irradiation of imported cat food.

Why only a partial victory?

Dr Child (Georgina Child, the Veterinary Neurologist who discovered the link between Orijen and the illnesses) said the move was welcome but did not go far enough. The irradiation ban is not being extended to imported dog food, leaving cats with access to such food still at risk.

In fact, numerous Australian cats who had only snacked on irradiated Orijen dog food were stricken to the same degree as cats fed Orijen Cat.

While hopes are that the irradiation ban will be extended to all pet foods, today's news represents a massive victory for a small group of cat "owners" who, for the past seven months have relentlessly lobbied government ministers and bureaucrats for this change. Much more info and discussion on Itchmoforums.