I have had several vets ask me to remind people that most kibbles do
NOT contain added wheat gluten, and that people just need to check the
kibble bags. Remember, too, that not all wheat gluten is problematic,
only the wheat gluten from that one Chinese source, so if you have a
food that contains wheat gluten but is not among the ones listed by
resources like those at the bottom of this post, then feel free to just
put them aside for a while and keep up on the news.

A recent study found levels up to over 6% melamine in some of the wheat
gluten tested which was from that Chinese source:
<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/pet_food_recall;_ylt=AoZI78EenqXBAGskneFNzFes0NUE>

Wheat gluten has a wide range of uses, beyond pet and human foods.

It appears at this point that cats are more susceptible to the related
kidney damage than other species.

BEGIN QUOTES
Testing by the FDA and Cornell University has found melamine in samples
of recalled pet food as well as in crystal form in the urine and kidney
tissue of dead cats.
...
found the chemical..in concentrations as high as 6.6 percent, in wheat
gluten used as ingredient of the recalled cat and dog foods, said
Stephen Sundlof, the FDA's chief veterinarian.

..." You could see crystals in the wheat gluten,"...

Sundlof and others have not been able to explain why the chemical would
have caused the kidney failure seen so far in the roughly 16 confirmed
pet deaths, all but one in cats. There are anecdotal reports of
hundreds more pet deaths.

"It has a very low toxicity, at least in rodents..."
END QUOTES

Melamine, besides being involved in plastics production and some other
things (including fertilizer), is a by-product of some pesticides
including cyromazine. It had not been tested on cats, but for humans
and rodents is considered to have low toxicity rates and therefore be
quite safe, but sometimes things backfire. (If this is the cause it
reminds me of the antibiotic used on agricultural mammals in Asia which
was recently found to be fatal to vultures which feed on the animals
who died in the range: a product thought to be safe which has dire
consequences for other previously untested species).

It has been conjectured that cats may be unusually sensitive to this
compound.

Currently, press releases do NOT mention any human foods found with
wheat gluten from this source, and they really are looking carefully.

Here are some of the more common wheat gluten (in general) uses from
a product sales site:
> As protein source and binder in pet food & fish food
> In vegetarian meat replacing products
> For special bread -- and bakery products in which the protein
>contents need to be higher .An addition of 2-5% to the flour will
>give a better texture and crumb strength, a superior loaf quality,
>a bigger volume and improved keeping and eating qualities to the
>bread.
> In breakfast foods which should be rich in proteins like gluten
>bread or biscuits
> As exchangers of meat protein
> For vegetable proteins and hydrolizates
> In breakfasts cereals
> In snacks like spring roll
> In soups & sauces
> In dough products
> As exchangers for milk protein e.g. in cheese products
> In protein foam products

and from another:

> Films -- Gluten-based packaging films and coatings can be excellent
>edible, renewable, and biodegradable air barriers with good 
>mechanical properties.
> Coatings -- Gluten coatings may protect flavor and shelf-life of
>foods. Polymers, resins and plastics-Modified gluten hydrolyzates
>give flexibility and elasticity to certain polymers and resins.
>Gluten, as well as starch, can be grafted into polymers.
> Inks -- Gluten in water-thinned inks can reduce drying of pen tips,
>while speeding drying on some surfaces.
> Laundry detergents -- Modified gluten hydrolyzates may stabilize
>enzymes added to detergents to remove stains.
> Cosmetics and hair care products -- Gluten hydrolyzates act as
>moisturizers, foaming agents, and conditioners in cosmetics and
>hair care products.
> Adhesives -- Modified gluten hydrolyzates are useful in pressure-
>sensitive adhesives.
> Rubber products -- Modified cereal flours can reinforce certain
>types of non-tire rubber.
> Milk replacers -- Partially-hydrolyzed gluten has potential as a
>milk replacer in animal nutrition.
> Functional food products -- Acid or enzymatic hydrolysis of gluten
>improves its emulsifying, foaming, and solubility properties for foods.
> Medical products -- Biodegradable elastic products containing gluten
>can be prepared by extrusion or coagulation. Gluten can encapsulate
>medicines for slow-release.Shaped food containers-Gluten can be an
>ingredient and water-repellent coating in shaped biodegradable food
>containers.
> Paper products -- Gluten can be a whitener in repulping newspaper,
>and modified glutens are useful for paper sizing.
> Materials -- Gluten can entrain air in concrete, can be incorporated
>into biodegradable packings, and can be used in ceramics.
> Environmental applications -- Gluten is useful for heavy metal
>recovery, to solidify waste oils, and in biodegradable hydrating
>cat litter.
> Agriculture -- Gluten-encapsulated agricultural agents provide slow
>release. Gluten hydrolyzates give preemergence weed control.

U.S. annual consumption of wheat gluten by the food industry is 250
million pounds. from:
http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/op/fenitrothion/fenoverview.htm

Resources to keep up to date on the recalls:
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/petfoods.htm#newsreleases
http://www.avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/default.asp
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_033107

[Posted in FML 5565]