A Freedom of Information Act request provided by FDA seems to disclose Gravy Train Pet Food and Champion Pet Food used the same ingredient supplier.
When the lawsuit against Champion Pet Food was updated to include the risk of pentobarbital in Orijen and/or Acana pet foods, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to FDA. The FOIA request was just provided, and although it was heavily redacted – it seems to indicate that Champion Pet Food and Gravy Train Pet Food used the same ingredient supplier.
And as it turned out, even though both pet foods contained pentobarbital – FDA forced Gravy Train to recall yet allowed Champion to silently pull products from store shelves.
A little background information:
- Gravy Train Pet Food initiated a pet food withdrawal on February 14, 2018 after television station WJLA of Washington, D.C. found pentobarbital in 9 of 15 cans of Gravy Train dog food.
- On February 23, 2018, Smucker’s Gravy Train releases a statement that the source of the pentobarbital was “animal fat” ingredient in the pet foods.
- About two weeks later, FDA reclassified Smucker’s Gravy Train withdrawal into an official recall.
Gravy Train did not disclose the name of the pentobarbital “animal fat” supplier, but a lawsuit against the company did. Quoting the updated lawsuit complaint against Smucker’s Gravy Train (bold added for emphasis):
“Defendant claims that the source of contaminated tallow comes from one supplier—JBS USA Holdings, Inc. (a subsidiary of JBS S.A.) and its rendering facility MOPAC located in eastern Pennsylvania (collectively, “JBS”).”
Quoting the FDA Establishment Inspection Report of Champion Pet Food (bold added for emphasis):
“A for-cause inspection of this pet food manufacturer was initiated per the request of CVM in reference to adulterated beef tallow containing pentobarbital that was distributed by [redacted], received by the firm.”
“On 5/16/2018, Investigator Caitlin L. Almonrode and I arrived at Champion Petfoods USA, Inc.“
“I (FDA) informed management their firm was identified as a recipient of at least two contaminated shipments of beef tallow containing pentobarbital that was purchased from [redacted]. Ms. Flowers (Champion Pet Food) explained they received notification in person from [redacted] on Tuesday, May 8th, 2018 that three lots of beef tallow were contaminated.”
“Ms. Flowers (Champion Pet Food) provided copies of shipping documents including COA (Certificate of Analysis), Tank Cleaning Verification, and Bills of Lading for Beef Tallow lots 20, 21, and 22 (Exhibit 1). Per Ms. Flowers [redacted] included Lot 22 in their notification because laboratory results were still pending and it was top loaded on lot 21 when received at the firm. [redacted] also provided a list of beef tallow shipments received at the firm from [redacted] since January 2017-present (Exhibit 2). The firm did not receive the notification letter from Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture per Ms. Flowers (Attachment 1). I provided a copy of the letter to her for their purposes.”
There is the connection…“notification letter from Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture”. JBS USA Holdings, Inc. rendering facility that sold pentobarbital contaminated “animal fat” to Smucker’s Gravy Train was located in “eastern Pennsylvania.” When that pentobarbital contaminated pet food issue was investigated, regulatory authorities required JBS USA to disclose all companies that received the illegal fat ingredient. We can assume – from that investigation, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture notified Champion Pet Food they too received pentobarbital contaminated “beef tallow”.
Note the above quote from the FOIA Champion Pet Food inspection report states the contaminated fat ingredient was “top loaded” at the Kentucky Champion Pet Food facility. This means the contaminated fat was unloaded onto the “top” of the container of existing fat. Thus, the known pentobarbital contaminated fat contaminated the existing fat in the storage bin.
Also note the above quote from the FOIA states Champion Pet Food had been purchasing fat from this supplier – the same supplier that sold to Gravy Train – “since January 2017.”
Quote from FOIA:
“Per Ms. Flowers, the firm received its tallow solely from [redacted]. She provided an Ingredient Specification Form-Fats and Oils for Beef Fat that outlines specifications for the beef tallow (Exhibit 3). Ms. Flowers explained the beef tallow obtained from [redacted] is received on a COA and is supposed to be sourced from [redacted] and therefore, pentobarbital was not identified as a potential hazard. Ms. Flowers admitted that while [redacted] is fully aware of this requirement there is no written agreement. She stated this is something they have overlooked and will be a requirement for future shipments of beef tallow.”
Surprisingly, Champion Pet Food admitted to FDA they had no “written agreement” with the fat supplier to assure quality of the ingredient.
Quote from FOIA:
“I (FDA) asked corporate management if a Reportable Food Registry (RFR) had been filed and in response [redacted] explained that one had not been filed because the firm didn’t feel the reported levels of pentobarbital was high enough to cause a health risk and based on previous FDA cases and reports.”
Champion pet food did NOT report the pentobarbital contaminated fat to FDA.
Quote from FOIA:
“On 5/23/2018, a close-out meeting was held with firm management. Mr. Wagner reported [redacted] pounds of affected dog food was further distributed to the store/consumer level.”
Shockingly – pentobarbital contaminated Champion Pet Food was distributed to “consumer level” – but no recall was issued.
To read the full FDA FOIA request, Click Here. Note – the Exhibits and Attachments mentioned on page 5 were not provided by FDA.
FYI: An email was sent to Champion Pet Food 12/2/2018 asking about their supplier. As of publishing this post – Champion Pet Food has not responded.
Significant.
The pentobarbital contaminated fat sold to Gravy Train Pet Food and Champion Pet Food was a rendered ingredient. This means the fat was obtained by grinding and cooking euthanized animals. The fat that rises to the top of the rendered euthanized animal mix becomes “animal fat” (when there is a mix of species) or “beef fat” (when only cattle). When the fat is removed, the remains becomes meat and bone meal or beef meal pet food ingredients. The meat and bone meal and the beef meal produced at the VERY SAME time the contaminated fat was produced would be just as contaminated with pentobarbital.
But there have been no recalls or notifications from FDA or Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture about pentobarbital contaminated meat and bone meal or beef meal ingredients?
Quoting the JBS USA “rendering” webpage (confirmed supplier to Gravy Train and suspect supplier to Champion Pet Food): “JBS USA also has a full rendering facility, MOPAC®, located in eastern Pennsylvania. MOPAC is one of the largest renderers on the East Coast, with more than 125 years of industry experience.” How many pet foods have been contaminated with pentobarbital in meal ingredients with NO WARNING to pet owners?
Why?
Why did FDA force Gravy Train Pet Food to recall of their pentobarbital contaminated pet foods – when they did not force Champion Pet Food to recall? Champion pet food admitted to FDA “affected dog food was further distributed to the store/consumer level.” Why would there be such a double standard for pentobarbital contaminated pet food?
Why didn’t Champion Pet Food alert consumers to the potential risk when they learned of it in May of 2018? Champion only admitted to the pentobarbital contaminated pet food AFTER an updated lawsuit was filed in November 2018 citing the pentobarbital contamination. Wouldn’t it have been better for Champion to come clean with consumers about the pentobarbital contaminated fat right when they learned it?
What other pet foods purchased fat or rendered meat meal ingredients from JBS USA Holdings, Inc?
Is the FDA ever going to stop this? A pentobarbital euthanized animal in pet food (any food) is a direct violation of federal law? When will law be enforced?
How many pets have to die from contaminated illegal ingredient pet food?
AssociationforTruthinPetFood.com – our pet owner stakeholder organization – is still waiting for response from FDA to a Citizen Petition submitted in October of 2016 asking FDA to finally enforce law in pet food. Click Here to view our documents sent to FDA. FDA has never responded.
AssociationforTruthinPetFood.com asked FDA on October 18, 2018 for a public meeting with pet owners. We want to give pet owners the opportunity to speak with FDA directly. But…FDA has never responded.
Something has to change. The insanity of dangerous illegal pet food ingredients – the insanity of the system of illegal pet food ingredient definitions and law making (pet owners denied public access) – has to stop.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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Lisa Ledet
December 3, 2018 at 2:34 pm
I fed my yellow lab/boxer mix dog Acana, Heritage beef for 6 years…He is 9 yrs. old and was diagnosed with kidney disease on Sept. 1, 2018. This is absolutely horrible!!!!
T Allen
December 3, 2018 at 3:06 pm
“Wouldn’t it have been better for Champion to come clean with consumers about the pentobarbital contaminated fat right when they learned it?” From Champion’s point of view they just got away with (literally!) murder because the chances of any of that food being around 6 months later is slim and no animals died (outright) so they can claim “no harm, no foul”. Good reason not to feed ANY commercial dog food but especially Champion. Hit them in the pocket book, hard! Thanks Susan, great job as always!
Pari Morse
December 3, 2018 at 3:15 pm
I’m puzzled by this because cattle are rarely euthanized by pentobarbital. They are usually shot. It makes me wonder what other animals (including pets) are actually in this dreadful product.
Suzanne Wickham Seidenwand
December 4, 2018 at 12:23 pm
It is well known that they use euthanized and dead dogs and cats that die from diseases, cancer, rabies , etc in pet food.
Tyler
December 6, 2018 at 11:55 am
This is true, but the ingredient (should) read ‘animal fat’. IF this is the case there is a much bigger issue at hand.
Ms. B Dawson
December 3, 2018 at 3:20 pm
Susan: I’m curious about this statement from the article:
“…The fat that rises to the top of the rendered euthanized animal mix becomes “animal fat” (when there is a mix of species) or “beef fat” (when only cattle). ..”
Drugs used for this purpose are supposed to only be administered by vets, not an economical way to slaughter cattle. Farmers I know use a bullet and slaughter houses that I have visited tend to use bolt guns. Are large enough numbers of cattle are being euthanized with drugs to contaminate BEEF fat? Or is the question whether the rendering plant is mislabeling products – intentionally or otherwise? This is often the defense, a la Evanger’s.
Every piece of literature I’ve ever read on methods of slaughter has clearly stated that using drugs contaminants the carcass and makes the disposal difficult since the meat is not allowed in human or pet food by law. Consequently everyone involved – from grower to render – HAS to know this is illegal and should be keeping euthanized animals separate from the rest to avoid cross contamination.
I’m just trying to understand where this contamination is getting into the manufacture process. We’ve all been told that named specific ingredients, i.e. beef fat, are one way to ascertain higher quality. I’ve also not found this answer: how many euthanized cows would be required to reach detectable amounts in pet food given that rendered batches are measured in tons. Can a single euthanized cow cause this?
And I did giggle at the typo a little further on in that cited paragraph (my capitalization) “…When the RAT is removed, the remains becomes meat and bone meal or beef meal pet food ingredients…”. Freudian slip?
Susan Thixton
December 3, 2018 at 4:29 pm
The issues is that animal fat ingredients in pet food are not required to be sourced from a slaughtered animal (thanks to AAFCO definitions and FDA allowing law to be violated). An issue too – stated to me, Mollie Morrissette and Dr. Jean Hofve by former AAFCO President Marc LeBlanc – AAFCO doesn’t have a legal definition of slaughter. So…anything goes.
And because FDA has not explained further what Dr. Steven Solomon told industry earlier this year that pentobarbital is a bigger problem than they realized – we don’t really know where it is coming from.
Yes…I think it was a Freudian slip!
Karin
December 3, 2018 at 10:58 pm
I’ve heard that euthanized pets from veterinary offices often end up in commercial pet food. I’ve been hearing that for years, from fairly reliable sources.
Laurie Raymond
December 5, 2018 at 4:05 pm
But if euthanized animals are part of the rendered fat product, that product cannot be labeled “beef tallow” or “chicken fat” or any other specific species — right? I have understood that if a fat is labeled “beef” it has to be nothing but beef. NO?
Susan Thixton
December 5, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Yes. If it is beef fat, it is required to be labeled as beef fat or beef tallow. But if it is a mix of species, then it is called animal fat. At least that is the regulations.
Lisa Wood
December 13, 2019 at 9:33 pm
Well, more and more rats are pets and i understand they get some kind of cancer alot and are subsequently euthanized. Perhaps that’s the rat.
Laurie Raymond
December 3, 2018 at 3:59 pm
This also brings into question the veracity of the label “beef tallow” on the contaminated ingredient. Cattle are not euthanized with pentobarbital, and if the rendered fat sold to Champion was so contaminated, it indicates it was almost certainly “animal fat” – from mixed sources – rather than beef tallow.
Andee
December 3, 2018 at 3:59 pm
It’s so sad. Money money money. These companies will sell us anything until their caught.
P Ramsay
December 3, 2018 at 6:04 pm
As a Canadian who has been feeding Acana for close to 8 years, I’d like to know if this is applicable only to the new USA plants or also to the original plant in Morinville, Alberta.
Susan Thixton
December 3, 2018 at 6:08 pm
It is my understanding this is only the US plant.
P Ramsay
December 3, 2018 at 6:46 pm
Thanks, that’s what I thought but one never knows! I’ll continue to feed Acana, both to my dog and cat who are doing well in spite of being seniors!
Laurie Raymond
December 5, 2018 at 4:09 pm
I sold Champion products for 8 years. Their customer service to stores was always terrible, and they lied repeatedly about various things not related to food quality. I dumped their stuff once those red flags started to fly, and I should have done it sooner. If a company lied, obfuscates, cheats retailers and refuses to be accountable, they simply aren’t to be trusted. I think they used to make good products. Now I wouldn’t trust them at all.
Marsha
December 3, 2018 at 6:27 pm
I quit using Champion Dog Foods when I learned they were moving to the US. So glad I did.
inkedmarie
December 3, 2018 at 7:59 pm
Champion didn’t move to the US, some of their food is made here, the rest still in Canada. Am I correct, anyone?
Susan Thixton
December 3, 2018 at 8:15 pm
Yes there are two Champion pet food manufacturing plants. The original plant in Canada, and a newer plant located in Kentucky.
Zachary Chernik
December 3, 2018 at 9:13 pm
Canadian Kitchen is for all customers except in the USA.
Zachary Chernik
December 3, 2018 at 9:14 pm
and the USA Kitchen is ONLY for the USA.
Lili
December 4, 2018 at 3:23 pm
Taking advantage of FDA not enforcing law?
Bob J
December 8, 2018 at 9:03 am
The Tundra is one exception, still made only in Canada but available in US .
Chris
December 3, 2018 at 8:40 pm
Susan, that heavily redacted report mentions the previous inspection was done by the University of Kentucky Regulatory Services. As you previously mentioned, conflict of interest. https://truthaboutpetfood.com/an-unbelievable-conflict-of-interest/
Susan Thixton
December 3, 2018 at 9:42 pm
Those types of inspections are ‘another story’ that I haven written yet. The short version is these yearly inspections such as the one discussed in the FOIA done by University of Kentucky have absolutely nothing to do with pet food. The inspections are done to protect cattle, and in turn human food – preventing Mad Cow Disease.
Chris
December 4, 2018 at 5:52 pm
Susan, those yearly inspections by U of K Regulatory- are they sampling end product (dry Orijen/Acana kibble bags) that would ship to consumers or the cows and feed they consume before they head to the Champion plant? What about the other types of dog food under the Acana/Orijen labels that have lamb and other ingredients but no cow (and no Mad Cow disease)?
I’m curious what step of the process these inspections are done, does U of K even visit the Champion plant where the dog food comes together to do an inspection at least at the level of the FDA one in the report?
Susan Thixton
December 4, 2018 at 7:30 pm
No – those inspections are merely a document check to make certain that any scrap pet food that contains a beef ingredient – if sold as scrap – is labeled ‘Do Not Feed to Ruminants’. They do visit the plants, but it is not a inspection of the plant, only the paperwork of what the company does with scrap pet food.
Faith Jones
December 3, 2018 at 9:41 pm
Susan, your investigations, knowledge and relentless searching and ability to research and follow information is amazing. Pets lives are saved by your work. Thank you! I wish you worked for FDA.
Karin
December 3, 2018 at 10:53 pm
How is Orijen/Acana related to this recall?
Rebecca Leonard
December 4, 2018 at 8:32 am
Have there been any tests that show phenobarbital was found in their food? I’ve found nothing that shows it made it into the food.
Zachary Chernik
December 4, 2018 at 9:16 am
Please re-read the sections directly above and below
Shockingly – pentobarbital contaminated Champion Pet Food was distributed to “consumer level” – but no recall was issued.
Josh
December 4, 2018 at 1:38 pm
I know this appears bad but it’s important not to jump to conclusions.
These suppliers produce multiple ingredients and some of the same names ingredient but of different grades. It does not mean champion used the same ingredient as gravy train but does raise the possibility.
The good thing is I’m sure that Champion and other pet foods will start implementing pentobarbital screening on their ingredients now that the issue has been brought to light, nobody was testing for this a few years ago. This may also help keep the ingredient suppliers honest.
Chris
December 4, 2018 at 6:02 pm
I’m not sure Josh. Champion did have pentobarbital tainted shipments as noted in the above story. Reading about what was supposed to happen after the melamine poisoning of a decade back you can see a lot of enforcement slack in the system. For pentobarbital, Evangers was part of this several years back. That didn’t seem to push other manufacturers to watch their suppliers or in Champion’s case even bother to put the requirement in writing.
Josh
December 7, 2018 at 5:55 pm
My guess is most kibbles have low levels of pentobarbital in them not only champion…
Karin
December 9, 2018 at 12:26 am
Are Champion and Acana/Orijen the same company? The article isn’t clear.
Susan Thixton
December 9, 2018 at 8:54 am
Champion Pet Food is the manufacturer of Acana and Orijen.
Karin
December 10, 2018 at 9:14 pm
Thank you, Susan. Is there any dry food that you would recommend? The other one I feed them is Fromm’s.
Tyler
December 11, 2018 at 4:44 pm
Buy the list
B Dawson
January 17, 2019 at 1:30 pm
Just announced: Champion Pet Food will soon be sold at Petco. Another brand built by the Independent flakes out and goes uptown.
Maybe they figure the consumer-at-large is more likely to believe the marketing and do less research….
Megan
February 3, 2019 at 9:04 pm
I fed both my dogs Orijin their whole lifes. I lost both to hemangiosarcoma(1known, 1 suspected.. it was so fast). Neither were an at risk breed or related so no know genetic connections. The one that wasn’t confirmed passed in dec 2017. I’m sick to my stomach thinking origin, which I thought was THE best for them could have contributed.
pgtara@msn.com
May 17, 2019 at 12:51 pm
The place where I buy my dogs kibble no longer sells Orijen and Acana. Once she found out they lied about Petco carrying their products and probably using less safe ingredients she was done with them. I now feed Fromm.