US – The Food and Drug Administration sent a warning letter to a pet food manufacturer on Tuesday saying the brand’s foods are likely to be linked to 130 pet deaths and 220 pet illnesses.
“The FDA is dedicated to taking all steps possible to help pet owners have confidence that the food they buy for their animal companions is safe and wholesome. We are issuing this corporate-wide warning letter because inspections of Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc.’s manufacturing plants revealed evidence of violations, which were shared across multiple plants and were associated with the illness or death of hundreds of pets who had eaten the company’s dry dog food. Samples of dog food were found to contain high levels of aflatoxin. It is imperative that manufacturers and distributors of pet foods understand their responsibility to comply with all requirements of federal law and FDA regulations and, when applicable, to implement a robust hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls program. We’ll continue to hold companies accountable and protect animal health as a core element of the FDA’s public health mission,” said FDA
Four inspections were done into four midwestern plants in response to a food recall made by the company in January. Those inspections revealed significant violations meant to keep pet food safe.
In January, the company voluntarily recalled these products, as well as all corn-containing pet foods manufactured at its Chickasha plant. In March, Midwestern recalled several brands of pet food manufactured at its Monmouth, Illinois plant after samples tested positive for Salmonella.
The FDA found that Midwestern’s food safety program appears inadequate to significantly minimize or prevent Salmonella in its pet food. None of the recalled products should be available to consumers to purchase.
