Tennessee and federal investigators have found high levels of aflatoxins, a contaminant that can cause serious illness, in grains at the plant where pet food recalled last month were manufactured. The plant is owned by Kroger Co., the grocery chain that sold the food under a variety of labels and from a number of different Kroger-owned retail outlets in 19 states. From The Tennessean:
“We took finished samples and grain samples that were stored and used to make pet food,” said Tom Womack, spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, which conducted the inspection with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“We did find some elevated levels in some grains stored there,” Womack said.
A few days before Christmas, Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. announced the recall of several brands of dog and cat food made at a subsidiary, Delight Products Co., in Springfield because of the possible presence of aflatoxin, a toxic substance created by a fungus on corn and other crops. It can result in sluggishness, severe and bloody diarrhea, and death in animals that eat the tainted food.
RelatedThe recalled products were sold in 19 states, including Tennessee.
Delight Products remained in operation in the aftermath of the recall, Womack said.
Full story here.
We’ve had a large number of commentors, most of them first-time visitors to this blog, on our earlier post announcing the recall. It doesn’t look like Kroger has been responding to consumer complaints nor requests for assistance with veterinary expenses.
While Pet Connection has not confirmed any of the reports, a number of them concern pets who died after eating the recalled food.
We encourage pet owners to continue to contact Kroger, and to ask their pet’s veterinarians to contact their state veterinary office as well as the FDA, which has a pet food safety reporting system here.
And if anyone has heard back from the company, we’d like to hear from you, too!
No comments:
Post a Comment