A chemical used to make plastics was found by federal officials in the pet food blamed for at least 16 animal deaths.

The Food and Drug Administration said Friday it found melamine in pet food made by Menu Foods, which recalled 60 million cans of its wet dog and cat food earlier this month.

The FDA also said it found the melamine in wheat gluten, which is used as an ingredient in other products. It is trying to determine if the contaminated batch of wheat gluten was put in any human food. One batch was sent to a dry pet food maker, a spokesperson said, but the FDA did make the company's name public.

Sixteen pets died of kidney failure after consuming the Menu Foods product nationwide, including a bull mastiff belonging to a family in Merrick. More than 8,000 other potential cases have been reported to the FDA.

New York agriculture officials announced earlier in the week that they found rat poison in the tainted food. The FDA said it did not find rat poison during its studies.

In addition to creating plastics, melamine is used as a fertilizer in China.