Popular brands of dog food have recently been removed from store shelves in the United States due to possible salmonella contamination.
Recalled Products: What to Do if You Have Them in Stock?
On Monday, November 6, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that three randomly tested bags of dry food produced at Mid America Pet Food's Mount Pleasant, Texas, facility tested positive for salmonella. The company subsequently voluntarily recalled its Victor Super Premium Dog Food Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula.
There are three different sizes of the recalled product on the market in the US: 5-pound, 15-pound, and 40-pound bags. Lot numbers 1000016890, 1000016891, and 1000016892 may be found on the back side of the product bags, and the "best by" date is June 12, 2024.
Prior to this, Blue Ridge Beef issued a separate recall on October 27 for its Breeders Choice raw pet food due to the presence of salmonella in certain lots. The recalled product includes the UPC code 8 54298 00193 1.
Through the month of October, Breeders Choice was largely offered at shops throughout the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Retriever All Life Stages Mini Chunk Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food produced by TFP Nutrition of Nacogdoches was also recalled by the FDA on October 21 over concerns of salmonella contamination. The recalled bags weighed 50 pounds each. According to the company, the manufacturing codes 3277 TFP and 3278 TFP have a "10 2024" best-by date.
Sales of the Retriever's Mini Chunk variant were highest in the states of California, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.
According to the New York Post, retailers and wholesalers who may have stock of the recalled bags are being urged by the FDA to conduct a thorough inventory count and immediately remove the goods from sale. The agency has asked that the recalled items not be sold or given away. Pet owners are being encouraged to throw off the food so that no humans, animals, or wildlife come into contact with it.
Since the recall orders, there have been no more reports of salmonella disease in humans or pets related to the tainted items.
Salmonella Infections in Animals and Humans
Salmonella infections in animals may manifest with a listless demeanor, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), high body temperature, and/or vomiting. The FDA asked people to see a veterinarian if their pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms.
Health experts warn that dogs may infect their human partners with salmonella despite the minimal likelihood of infection for a dog. All human interaction with the items should be followed by a thorough washing of hands and the cleaning of any surfaces that were in contact with the products.
Symptoms of salmonella infection in humans might include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, appearing anywhere from six hours to six days after exposure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that annually, over 1.35 million Americans get infected with salmonella, leading to about 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 fatalities.
