Several brands of pet food have been recalled after samples tested positive for salmonella.
In the past month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued four advisories cautioning pet owners not to feed their dogs and cats certain types of food after finding evidence of salmonella. The recent slew of recalls began on October 12 with certain lots of Darwin's Natural Pet Products raw cat and dog food, and various other companies have voluntarily recalled their products since then.
Newsweek reached out to the FDA via email for comment.
Darwin's Natural Pet Products
On October 12, the FDA advised pet owners to avoid feeding their pets the following lots of Darwin's Natural Pet Products:
- Darwin's Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs, Lot 9774, manufactured on Jun 13, 2023.
- Darwin's Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9795, manufactured on Jun 28, 2023.
- Darwin's Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9830, manufactured on Jul 19, 2023.
- A fourth lot was added after the FDA received a consumer complaint, and the advisory was updated to include a warning about Darwin's Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9802, manufactured on Jul 7, 2023.
Given that the products are frozen, the FDA said it was concerned people may still have the items in their freezers.
The FDA previously issued a warning letter to Arrow Reliance Inc., which makes the dog food, in February after an official FDA inspection at the facility identified salmonella in several packages of dog food.
TFP Nutrition
On October 21, TFP Nutrition issued a voluntary recall for the following dog food item that could be contaminated by salmonella:
- Retriever All Life Stages Mini Chunk Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
The affected product was manufactured on October 4 and October 5 at the Nacogdoches, Texas, facility, according to an FDA statement. The food was distributed in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. It has "3277 TFP" or "3278 TFP" on the second line of the date code.
No illnesses in humans or animals were reported prior to the recall.
Blue Ridge Beef
On October 27, Blue Ridge Beef issued a voluntary recall for the following raw dog food after a random sample tested positive for salmonella.
- Breeders Choice 2-pound raw dog food.
The affected product being recalled was distributed between August 9 and 25. It was packaged in clear plastic and contains the product code UPC 8 54298 00193 1. The food was sold primarily in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the contamination, according to the FDA.
Mid America Pet Food
On October 30, Mid America Pet Food issued a voluntary recall for three lots of the following product:
- Victor Super Premium Dog Food, Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula
The recall is for lots 1000016890, 1000016891 and 1000016892, a five-pound, 15-pound and 40-pound bag, respectively. The recall was separate from another Mid America Pet Food recall regarding salmonella in September, according to a statement from the FDA. No human or pet illnesses had been reported.
Salmonella infection can result in illness or death and is frequently associated with food poisoning. It can be caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry and eggs or egg products or by drinking unpasteurized milk, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The FDA warned those who have been exposed to salmonella to monitor themselves for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.
Like humans, animals can develop a salmonella infection. The FDA said symptoms in pets infected with salmonella include lethargy, diarrhea, fever and vomiting.
"Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian," the statement said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that animals may carry the bacteria even if they do not appear sick. The bacteria can survive in the animal's digestive tract and then reappear in their feces and contaminate fur or parts of the area where the pet lives. The bacteria can then spread to humans.
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