Recall Alert: Steve's Real Foods' Raw Turducken Patties May Contain Salmonella

The raw food maker pulls five-pound bags of Turducken Canine Diet over Salmonella fears.

Steve's Real Food of Murray, Utah, a maker of raw dog food, is recalling five-pound bags of Turducken Canine Diet (eight-ounce patties), due to potential contamination of Salmonella. 

The patties were distributed to retail stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, California, Minnesota and Tennessee.

The "potential for contamination" came to light after routine sampling of one bag by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. According to the FDA, "pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody 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 have these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian." 

Interestingly, Steve's Real Food CEO Gary Bursell says the problem could be the result of a problem with the bags and is not a sanitation issue, according to Pet Product News.

“We use a biodegradable film on the bags, and we've had problems sealing the patty bags, not the nuggets,” Bursell said.

“We sanitize our production facility between every product run,” he adds. “Our plant operates just the same as any human food facility, and everything we've got out there is clean stuff.”

The recall affects about 240 bags, or about 1,200 patties. The recalled product comes in green-and-cream-colored biodegradable film bags with lot number 209-10-27-13, with an expiration date of October 27, 2013. 

Call Steve's Real Food at 801-540-8481 if you have questions or concerns. 

Via Pet Product News

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9 Thanksgiving Foods That Are Safe to Share with Your Dog

There's no reason to banish Bowser from the Thanksgiving table! There are traditional meal items that your dog can indulge in, too.

Every Thanksgiving, North Americans are faced with worries as big as the feast. Will we survive another visit from our in-laws? Will our favorite football team stop breaking our hearts and finally win a game? One thing that should not be on our mind, however, is whether our pets are at risk.

Here are the safest foods (in small, treat-size portions, of course) that are safe for our best friends off the Thanksgiving menu.

Turkey: Cooked poultry bones can easily break and may get stuck in your pets' throats or bruise their stomachs, so if your pooch wants some extra protein on their plate, stick to white-meat turkey with no skin or bones ONLY. 

Yummy Yams: Although your favorite version may be decked out with caramelized brown sugar and marshmallows, hold the sweets when you serve them to your sweetie pie. Plain yams are rich, delicious and filled with fiber.

Apple Slices: Raw apple slices are a great way to hold your pet over until the main course. (And make sure Fido remembers to eat his fruit!) Hold the pie, please.

Mashed Potatoes: Without the gravy and butter, please! Fatty foods can cause inflammation of the pancreas, but it is OK to serve up some plain mashed potatoes without the skin for your pooch.

Corn: Give your pooch a few kernels of corn and the carbs will keep them from dozing off before you finish your meal! Who knew corn could be a canine energy-booster?

Don’t Forget the Cranberries: While humans may disagree whether gelatin or sauce recipes are best, dogs know they both taste great! Serve your dog a small amount — watch the sugar content — and they’ll get a tasty dose of vitamin C and antioxidants.

Stuffing: Everyone’s favorite side dish is also okay for pooches to nibble on. Just make sure their serving of your famous stuffing has absolutely no onions, garlic or strong herbs — especially sage — in it. Best to give a taste of the plain batch you make for picky Aunt Edna.

Vegetables: Make sure your pet leaves room for veggies on their plate. Carrots, broccoli or string beans are nutrient-packed and will keep your pet healthy. Keep it simple by steaming them plain, without seasoning or salt.

Pumpkin: Does your pooch have a sweet tooth? Give them plain cooked or canned pumpkin instead of a slice of that pumpkin pie or pie filling.

Dogsters, what would you add to this list?

This article first ran on our friend site, Pawnation. See more recent stories from that site:

Eliminate the 10 Biggest Pet Threats in Your Home
12 Most Dangerous "People Foods" For Your Pets
A Very Awkward Family Pets Thanksgiving

View the original article here

First Lawsuit Filed Against Diamond Pet Foods

On the heels of an ever-growing Salmonella-related recall, Diamond Pet Foods now faces a lawsuit: the first of many?

The Diamond Pet Foods recall debacle just got worse.

The first lawsuit against Diamond Pet Foods and Costco stores was filed on Monday for damages caused by Salmonella-tainted pet food.

Dog eating dry food by Shutterstock.com

According to the Food Poisoning Bulletin, the law firm of Pritzker Olsen filed suit "in the US District Court, District of New Jersey (case number 3:12-CV-03127-JAP-LHG) on behalf of an infant who was hospitalized with a Salmonella Infantis infection" allegedly related to Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight Dog Food formulated with Chicken and Vegetables. 

The food was part of a nationwide recall that has expanded since April 6 to include an ever-growing number of Diamond products.

According to the complaint, the child "began experiencing symptoms of food poisoning, including severe diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, and pain, on or about April 11. He was admitted to St. Peters University Hospital in New Jersey, where he was treated for salmonellosis. The bacteria cultured from the patient proved to be the same rare genetic subtype found in other human and product samples associated with the outbreak and recall," FPB reports.

Thermometer by Shutterstock.com

The food that allegedly sickened the baby was manufactured in a South Carolina plant that was found to be in violation of several food-safety laws, including maintenance problems, damaged equipment whose dents and gouges could harbor microorganisms, and an absence of hand-sanitizing facilities in necessary locations.

An FDA inspection on April 12 led to an official statement that the company was not taking “all reasonable precautions to ensure that production procedures to not contribute contamination from any source.”

Fourteen people in the US and one in Canada have been sickened by the recalled pet food, according to FPB. As for how many dogs have been sickened, "pets are rarely tested for gastrointestinal bacteria, making it impossible to estimate the number ill from the outbreak. Regardless, the FDA does know of two clinically confirmed Salmonella infections in dogs from the same household where they were served a recalled brand," explains Food Safety News. "The latest CDC update on the outbreak reports that illnesses that occurred after April 13, 2012 may not yet be reported, and investigators do expect more illnesses."

Sources: Food Safety News, Food Poisoning Bulletin

View the original article here

Diamond Pet Foods Detects Salmonella, Expands Recall

No cases of canine illness have been reported -- yet -- but Diamond Pet Foods expanded a voluntary recall last week to include one production run and four production codes of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Adult Light formula dry dog food. According to a company press release dated April 26, "One bag of the product has tested positive for Salmonella, and the recall of the four production codes is being conducted as a precautionary measure."

Packaging for the recalled food.

The recall includes:

 Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light Formula dry dog food, 35-lb. bags, production codes CLF0102B31XCW (best-by date: 27/1/13); CLF0102B31XCW (best-by date: 28/1/13); and CLF0102B32XWR (best-by date: 28/1/13).

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light Formula dry dog food, 6-lb. bags, production code CLF0102B3XALW (best-by date: 28/1/13)

The recalled food was produced by Diamond Pet Foods and then distributed in Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. Retailers in those states might then have distributed the product to other states. 

The press release, which is now being circulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, advises consumers who have purchased Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light Formula dry dog food with this specific production/lot code and best-before date to discard the product. 

This recall is an expansion of an April 6 voluntary recall involving the following Diamond products: 

 Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice, 6lb, DLR0101D3XALW Best Before 04 Jan 2013  

 Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice, 20lb, DLR0101C31XAG Best Before 03 Jan 2013  

 Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice, 40lb, DLR0101C31XMF Best Before 03 Jan 2013  

 Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice, 40lb, DLR0101C31XAG Best Before 03 Jan 2013

 Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice, 40lb, DLR0101D32XMS Best Before 04 Jan 2013

In its press release, Diamond Pet Foods apologizes "for any potential issues this may have caused pet owners and their dogs."

Dog croquettes by Shutterstock.com

Animals infected with salmonella might have decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. If left untreated, they might become lethargic and develop diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals as well as humans, according to the press release:

"Individuals handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control, people who are more likely to be affected by Salmonella include infants, children younger than 5 years old, organ transplant patients, people with HIV/AIDS and people receiving treatment for cancer."

Pet owners with concerns can contact Diamond Pet Foods at 800-442-0402.

See our previous coverage of Diamond Pet Foods' recalls here.

View the original article here

Primal Pet Foods recalls cat food due to Salmonella

May 31, 2011

Primal posted a recall noticed a couple days ago for their Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula, due to salmonella contamination.

Dear Primal Pet Foods customers,

Primal Pet Foods has initiated a voluntary recall of their Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula with a “Best By” date code of 043112-17 because this product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The only product affected is limited to Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula with a “Best By” date code of 043112-17. No other Primal Pet Foods products are affected.

The affected product is limited to the Primal Pet Foods Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula packaged in the following forms:

4 lb chicken & salmon nuggets (UPC# 8 95135 00025 0) with a “Best By” date code of 043112-17

The “Best By” date code is located on the front of the package on the right side of the product label. The affected product was distributed through retail stores sales in the United States.

Please be assured, no human or pet illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this issue. Also, no other Primal Pet Foods products are affected by this issue.

If you have purchased a bag of Primal Pet Foods Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula Raw Frozen Diet (nuggets) with the “Best By” date code of 043112-17, we ask that you take one of the following steps.

If you are a consumer and have purchased the affected product, please contact Primal Pet Foods directly at 866-566-4652 Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST and we can assist in getting you a full refund or replacement from your local retailer that it was originally purchased from. You’ll be instructed to bring the unopened package to your local retailer for a full refund or replacement.

If your package has been opened, please dispose of the raw food in a safe manner by securing it in a covered trash receptacle. Then, contact Primal Pet Foods directly at 866-566-4652 Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST and we can assist in getting you a full refund or replacement from your local retailer that it was originally purchased from. You’ll be instructed to bring your receipt (or the empty package in a sealed bag) to your local retailer for a full refund or replacement.

We truly appreciate your cooperation, and we apologize for any inconvenience that this matter may have caused for you. If you’d like to speak with one of our representatives regarding this issue, you can call our customer service line at 866-566-4652 Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST.

Our Commitment to Quality
We want to reassure you that Primal Pet Foods is committed to the health and safety of your pets. Our quality control and quality assurance programs include but are not limited to: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP’s), a Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) program, regular lot segregation, and other industry best practices. Our manufacturing facility also adheres to these specific quality measures:

Our ingredients are sourced from USDA inspected facilities, and/or facilities regulated by the FDA
We adhere to state and federal regulations regarding product safety
Our manufacturing facilities are USDA and California State Department of Agriculture inspected.

In addition to the industry best practices listed above, and in an abundance of caution, we’re taking additional steps in our manufacturing process to help ensure that our products are free of all pathogenic bacteria.

As always, Primal Pet Foods is fully committed to maintaining the highest quality standards in the pet food industry. Thank you for your continued trust in Primal Pet Foods.

Matt Koss
CEO, Primal Pet Foods

The recall, along with a list of questions and answers, can be found on their website. They’ve done a good job with the Q&A, but what they didn’t do is post the recall to their Twitter or Facebook pages. Hopefully that will happen today.

View the original article here

Kroger recalls Pet Pride, Old Yeller, Value Chunk pet foods for aflatoxin

December 18, 2010

Been a while since we saw a late F riday night dump-and-run pet food recall!

This weekend it’s the grocery store mega-chain, Kroger, recalling dog and cat food sold in Kroger, Dillons, Gerbes, Baker’s, Food 4 Less, Jay C, Hilander, Owen’s, Pay Less, and Scott’s stores. From their release:

The Kroger Co. said today it is recalling select packages of pet food sold in some of its retail stores because the products may contain aflatoxin, which poses a health risk to pets.

Kroger stores in the following states are included in this recall:  Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

The recall also includes Dillons and Gerbes stores in Kansas and Missouri; Baker’s stores in Nebraska; Food 4 Less stores in Nebraska, Illinois and Indiana (Chicago area); and Jay C, Hilander, Owen’s, Pay Less and Scott’s stores in Illinois and Indiana.

Stores the company operates under the following names are not included in this recall: Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, Smith’s, QFC, City Market, Foods Co., and Food 4 Less stores in California and Nevada.

I didn’t see a link to the recall info on their main page, but if you click on “recalls” in their navigation, it’s right there.

List of affected products under the jump.

Kroger is recalling the following items:

Pet Pride Cat Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111088128Pet Pride Cat Food sold in 18 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071357Pet Pride Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111088152Pet Pride Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food sold in 18 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074580Pet Pride Kitten Formula Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071903Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food sold in 22 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074566Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food sold in 50 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074563Kroger Value Cat Food sold in 3 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111000018Kroger Value Chunk Dog Food sold in 15 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071559Kroger Value Chunk Dog Food sold in 50 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111000108

View the original article here