April 2 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration stopped imports from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd., a Chinese manufacturer whose wheat gluten tested positive for a substance found in pet foods linked to animal deaths.

At least four pet-food manufacturers have pulled some of their products from U.S. shelves, including Menu Foods Ltd., which initiated the recall of 60 million cans of dog and cat food March 16. The official death count stands at 16 although the FDA has received more than 9,400 complaints.

The import alert was issued March 30 to detain shipments from Xuzhou Anying without physical examination, the FDA said. The company's wheat gluten was found to contain melamine, a substance used to make plastic kitchen utensils and fertilizers.

``This firm's products have tested positive,'' said FDA spokesman Michael Herndon in an e-mail. ``This is the only firm with positive samples.''

No one answered the phone at Xuzhou Anying, located in Pei County, Xuzhou, Jiangsu province. There was no option to leave a voice-mail message.

The contaminated wheat gluten was likely imported into the U.S. between Nov. 3 and Jan. 3, Michael Rogers, director of the agency's division of field investigations, said via conference call at a press briefing today in Rockville, Maryland.

FDA regulators said they have no evidence suggesting that the melamine has affected products intended for human consumption.

Other Products

In addition to wheat gluten, Xuzhou Anying, founded in 1995, produces protein powder, zinc oxide, rice protein and carrot, garlic and ginger products, according to the company's Web site.

PetConnection.com, a Web site that is tracking the recall, has received reports from owners of more than 2,900 pet deaths from food-related kidney failure.

Nestle SA's Purina Pet Care Co. recalled Alpo Prime Cuts and Gravy wet dog food March 31 after it learned from the FDA that one of its 17 facilities received contaminated wheat gluten from the same company that supplied Menu Foods.

The FDA identified the originator of the wheat gluten as Xuzhou Anying, said Purina spokesman Keith Schopp. Mid-February was the only time Purina ever received any product from this company, he said.

Menu Foods produced its contaminated pet products between December and March, said company spokeswoman Sarah Tuite, who declined to name the supplier.

Del Monte Co.'s pet products division used the suspected wheat gluten in the last three months, said Mary Sestric, who also declined to name the supplier. Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. spokeswoman Amy Thompson didn't return a call.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nancy Kercheval in Washington at nkercheval@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: April 2, 2007 17:32 EDT