When a pet food manufacturer announces a recall, they are required to tell pet owners the cause of the recall (such as contamination with pathogenic bacteria) and the lot numbers of the products being recalled. Often the manufacturer will use language in the recall press release to imply a small quantity of pet food is involved. Such as, in April 2021 Smucker’s announced a recall of Meow Mix cat food which stated: (bold added) “The J. M. Smucker Co. today announced a limited, voluntary recall of two lots of Meow Mix® Original Choice Dry Cat Food (30LB bag) due to potential salmonella contamination.” A ‘limited’ recall of just ‘two lots’ of cat food doesn’t sound so serious…right?
However, when you research this recall in the FDA Enforcement Reports records, this “limited” recall of “two lots” was actually 1,007,760 pounds of cat food.
Not so innocent looking when more than a million pounds of cat food is being recalled.
TruthaboutPetFood.com has collected the Enforcement Report records for all pet food recalls over the past three years (October 1, 2020 – September 28, 2023). Here are the details of all of these records…
The smallest recall over the past three years was Primal Pet Food, issued July 6, 2022 due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The amount of pet food involved in this recall was 2,376 pounds.
The largest recall over the past three years was Midwestern Pet Food, issued December 30, 2020 and expanded on January 11, 2021 due to aflatoxin contamination. The amount of pet food recalled was 58,301,600 pounds.
In total, over the past 3 years (October 1, 2020 – September 29, 2023), more than 68 million pounds of pet food have been recalled.
In looking at previous years recalls, pathogenic bacteria has been the leading cause of recalls with pentobarbital contamination being the second cause. Over the past three years things have changed. Since October 2020 the causes of the recalls were for only four different reasons: aflatoxin contamination, pathogenic bacteria contamination, excess or insufficient vitamins, and mislabeled pet foods. Aflatoxin contamination was the #1 cause – resulting in almost 60 million pounds recalled. Pathogenic bacteria was a not-so-close second cause.
The styles of pet foods involved in these recalls were: Dry, Can, Cooked (refrigerated/frozen), and Raw. Based on pounds recalled, Dry Pet Foods were 99% of all pet foods recalled over the past 3 years. Based on 2021 sales statistics, dry pet foods sales were 59% of all pet food sales in the US.
While raw pet food continues to be demonized as the style of pet food most prone to pathogenic bacteria contamination, based on FDA data – the reality is very different.
In the past 3 years, 7,793,497 pounds of pet food have been recalled due to pathogenic bacteria contamination (excluding a Sunshine Mills recall that FDA did not provide data on).
Dry pet food was responsible for 7,647,643 pounds recalled – 98% of all pathogenic bacteria recalls.
Cooked pet food was responsible for 122,526 pounds recalled – 1.5% of all pathogenic bacteria recalls.
Raw pet food was responsible for 23,328 pounds recalled – 0.3% of all pathogenic bacteria recalls.
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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Amy
September 29, 2023 at 2:56 pm
Well presented!
Jeanett
September 29, 2023 at 5:49 pm
Raw pet food makes up a very small percentage of the dog and cat foods that are sold across the United States. Numbers are a lot higher for kibble since the majority of the pet food sold in this country is Kibble so it’s not surprising that the numbers are so high for recalls. You’re using a skewed statistic like comparing apples to oranges.
Susan Thixton
September 30, 2023 at 8:23 am
Jeanett – industry statistics are dry pet food is 59% of all pet food sales (2021 sales statistics), but over the past 3 years 99% of all pounds of pet food recalled. That information was included in the post.
Dr Amy
September 29, 2023 at 5:48 pm
Awesome summary. Thanks for putting this together. As one of the few vets who support raw feeding, I get frustrated when my colleagues vilify it as risky. Sure there can be risk but there’s also risk with processed foods. Aflatoxins and formulation errors concern me a lot! And processed food isn’t exempt from bacterial contamination (because they handle the ingredients carelessly and cross contaminate the final product !)
cb
September 30, 2023 at 10:12 pm
Interesting information. Thank you!
Jo-Anne
October 1, 2023 at 1:59 pm
Your research confirms for me that I am doing the right thing in spending all that extra money to provide my pets with raw food. I have noticed their bright health as a side effect of the raw food.
Spend the money now, on great quality food, or spend the money later, on ridiculously expensive vet bills as you watch your pet sicken and die.
Happened to me. Horrible. Won’t let it happen again.
Robert Catania
November 2, 2023 at 11:41 am
Thank you Susan,
…Always make sure pet food is not made in china, or any third world country and try to buy organic…..or make your own pet food!
…This hideous pet food is the result of the “zog” and greedy global/American nefarious corporations, so we must work harder and read the labels on pet food before we purchase.
…Always assume Business owners who make pet food are criminals!
….Never trust a pet food manufacturer or bribe taking employees of the federal government!