“An Impossibility” to manufacture Kibble without Salmonella Contamination

In a FDA Compliance Policy deleted from the Agency website, the FDA made an alarming statement regarding kibble pet food.

The FDA Compliance Policy – “CPG Sec. 690.700 Salmonella Contamination of Dry Dog Food” – stated (CVM stands for Center for Veterinary Medicine, the division of FDA that regulates pet food) (bold added):

“In a case involving salmonellosis diagnosed in a mother, daughter and the family dog, the Milwaukee Health Department traced the cause to a dry dog food, and a recall resulted. Following the recall, CVM initiated an abbreviated inspection and analytical survey of a representative number of manufacturers of finished dry dog food products to explore an industry claim that it is an impossibility to manufacture this type of product without Salmonella contamination.“

This Compliance Policy disappeared from the FDA website in July of 2013. By coincidence, this FDA Compliance Policy – that made a very incriminating statement regarding kibble pet food – disappeared from the FDA website AFTER the Agency had multiple meetings with Purina Pet Care and trade associations representing pet food manufacturers.

• February 2013, FDA CVM Director Bernadette Dunham met with multiple representatives of Purina Pet Care.
• Also in February 2013, FDA CVM Director Bernadette Dunham met with multiple representatives of the Pet Food Institute.
• In June of 2013, FDA CVM Director Bernadette Dunham met again with multiple representatives of Purina Pet Care.
• And in June of 2013, FDA CVM Director Bernadette Dunham met with multiple representatives of the National Grain and Feed Association (whose members include pet food manufacturers).

One month after the last meetings with the pet food industry FDA withdrew the incriminating Compliance Policy. But, the meetings with FDA continued…

Representatives of kibble pet food manufacturers continued to meet with FDA in 2013 and early 2014. In January 2014, representatives from Purina, Mars, P&G and the Pet Food Institute met with FDA regarding “FDA’s zero tolerance policy for Salmonella in pet food.”

And the coincidences continued…

Recalls of kibble pet foods for Salmonella dramatically decreased after this January 2014 meeting with FDA. Three kibble foods were recalled in 2014, one kibble food was recalled in 2015, and then they stopped completely until August 2020.

The recent (August 2020) recall from Sunshine Mills Nature’s Menu was the first kibble pet food recall for Salmonella in 5 1/2 years.

How can a style of pet food that the FDA website stated is ‘impossible to manufacture without Salmonella contamination’ NOT have a recall for 5 1/2 years?

It makes anyone wonder exactly what went on in those FDA meetings.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food

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