WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal health officials say tests on recalled
pet foods show a chemical used to make plastics, but they have been
unable to confirm the presence of a rat poison.

The Food and Drug Administration says the chemical melamine
is sometimes used as a fertilizer.

It was found in the pet food and in wheat gluten used as an ingredient.

The F-D-A is trying to determine whether the contaminated wheat
gluten was used in any dry food and whether it could have made it
into human food.

Melamine is not known to pose any risk to people.

New York agriculture officials are sticking by their finding that a rat poison and cancer drug called aminopterin was in the food.

New York agriculture chief Patrick Hooker says neither should be found in pet food.

Menu Foods recalled millions of containers of pet food
earlier this month after reports of kidney failure in cats and
dogs, and at least 16 pet deaths.

There are anecdotal reports of hundreds or perhaps thousands of deaths.