Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Pet Food News

FDA Issues Another Raw Pet Food Caution Statement

FDA issued a caution statement today (3/26/19) regarding Darwin’s Pet Food.

FDA issued a caution statement today (3/26/19) regarding Darwin’s Pet Food.

FDA consumer alert:

March 26, 2019

Fast Facts

  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is cautioning pet owners not to feed their pets three lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products raw dog food after samples from these lots tested positive for Salmonella. The codes for each product are listed in the second group of numbers below the barcode on the package. These products are as follows.
    • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs: 5309(11)181019, manufactured on October 19, 2018
    • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs: 5375(11)181106, manufactured on November 11, 2018
    • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Turkey Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs: 5339(11)181026, manufactured on October 26, 2018
  • If you have these lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Food, throw them away.
  • The FDA is issuing this alert because these three lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products raw dog food represent a serious threat to human and animal health and are adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they contain Salmonella.
  • Salmonella can affect both human and animal health. People with symptoms of Salmonella infection should consult their health care providers. Consult a veterinarian if your pet has symptoms of Salmonella infection.

What is the problem?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is cautioning pet owners not to feed their pets three lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Food because products from these lots tested positive for Salmonella. These products include two lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs (identified in the second group of numbers below the barcode as 5309(11)181019 and 5375(11)181106) and one lot of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Turkey Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs (5339(11)181026). These products are manufactured by Arrow Reliance Inc., doing business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, and are sold online direct to consumers.

The FDA collected and analyzed unopened samples of products from these three lots in response to a consumer complaint. Samples from all three lots tested positive for Salmonella.

Why is the FDA issuing this alert?

The FDA is issuing this alert because these three lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products raw dog food represent a serious threat to human and animal health and are adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they contain Salmonella. Because these products are sold and stored frozen, and the FDA is concerned that people may still have them in their possession.

The FDA considers the actions taken by Arrow Reliance to remove violative product from the marketplace to meet the regulatory definition of a recall. However, the firm has not issued public notification, and the FDA is not confident that the firm’s customer notifications are effective for this ongoing recall. The FDA continues to work with Arrow Reliance, doing business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, on recalling the remaining products from these lots.

What do I need to do?

If you have Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs (5309(11)181019 and 5375(11)181106) or Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Turkey Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs (5339(11)181026), stop feeding it to your pets and throw it away in a secure container where other animals, including wildlife, cannot access it.

Consumers who have had this product in their homes should clean refrigerators/freezers where the product was stored and clean and disinfect all bowls, utensils, food prep surfaces, pet bedding, toys, floors, and any other surfaces that the food or pet may have had contact with. Clean up the pet’s feces in yards or parks where people or other animals may become exposed. Consumers should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the recalled product or cleaning up potentially contaminated items and surfaces.

What is Salmonella and what are the symptoms of Salmonella infection?

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause illness and death in humans and animals, especially those who are very young, very old, or have weak immune systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people infected with Salmonella can develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Most people recover without treatment, but in some people, the diarrhea may be so severe that they need to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream and then to other body sites unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. Consult your health care provider if you have symptoms of Salmonella infection.

Pets do not always display symptoms when infected with Salmonella, but signs can include vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody), fever, loss of appetite and/or decreased activity level. If your pet has these symptoms, consult a veterinarian promptly. You should also be aware that infected pets can shed the bacteria in their feces without showing signs of being sick.

Why is the FDA concerned about Salmonella in pet food?

Pet foods contaminated with pathogens such as Salmonella are of particular public health importance because they can affect both human and animal health. Pets can get sick from Salmonella and may also be carriers of the bacteria and pass it onto their human companions without appearing to be ill. The FDA is aware of cases in which humans and/or animals have gotten sick from exposure to contaminated pet foods (Salmonella-human cases, Salmonella-kitten, Salmonella-kitten, dog).

Once Salmonella gets established in the pet’s gastrointestinal tract, the animal can shed the bacteria when it has a bowel movement, and the contamination will continue to spread. Because animals can shed the bacteria when they have bowel movements, it’s particularly important to clean up the animal’s feces in yards or parks where people or other animals may become exposed, in addition to cleaning items in the home.

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) requires that all animal foods, like human foods, be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled. Pet food manufacturers must effectively manage sourcing of ingredients, processing and packing to control pathogens. Without an effective control, such as cooking, raw pet food is more likely than other types of pet food to contain pathogens such as Salmonella. Refrigeration or freezing does not kill the bacteria. Pet owners who choose to feed raw pet food should be aware of the risks associated with these products.

The FDA is the Federal agency that regulates pet food, while the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates meat and poultry for human consumption. USDA-regulated raw meat and poultry products for human consumption are intended to be cooked and carry instructions to cook the product to a safe temperature. However, raw pet food products are intended to be served without cooking, which creates a potential health hazard for people and pets exposed to these products.

How can I report a pet illness?

People who think their pets have become ill after consuming contaminated pet food should first contact their veterinarians. Veterinarians who wish to have pets tested for Salmonella may do so through the Vet-LIRN Network if the pet is from a household with a person infected with Salmonella.

The FDA encourages consumers to report complaints about pet food products electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling their state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators.

End of FDA caution statement.

Also received today was a full explanation from Darwin’s Pet Food to their side of the story. They will be providing the same information in a press release scheduled to be sent out soon. I commend Darwin’s for being fully transparent with me – and the public. My personal opinion based on both sides of the story…this has been blown way out of proportion by FDA.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,



Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food

Become a member of our pet food consumer Association. Association for Truth in Pet Food is a a stakeholder organization representing the voice of pet food consumers at AAFCO and with FDA. Your membership helps representatives attend meetings and voice consumer concerns with regulatory authorities. Click Here to learn more.

What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients?  Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 5,000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Click Here to preview Petsumer Report. www.PetsumerReport.com

The 2019 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here to learn more.

Cooking pet food made easy, Dinner PAWsible

Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here

11 Comments

11 Comments

  1. Jeanne Harris

    March 26, 2019 at 7:36 pm

    Hi, Susan – I’m wondering why the picture of the dog Miata is posted at the beginning of this article. I thought that perhaps the dog had been sickened by the recalled food, but that doesn’t appear to be the case, thankfully.

    • Susan Thixton

      March 26, 2019 at 7:43 pm

      No, that is not the case. Pictures like these on many posts are Patron Pets – they are the pets of supporters of the website.

  2. ~Pet Owner~

    March 26, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    Whoa, wow, wad’a minute (not defending either maker) but we’re giving Hills a black eye for not testing their product before the release of that which had excessive vitamin D in it. Here’s another product now in the marketplace, since Oct/Nov 2018, with Salmonella, so what about Darwin testing it before that release? And if it’s raw PF chances are slim it’s still sitting around waiting to be used. It’s also the second time for Darwin. Whether it has marshmallow, salmonella OR listeria in it, that’s not the point. PF is either tested before release or it is NOT. And these are only the samples coming to light. What’s the percentage of PF not adequately tested that really is slipping by.

  3. paponypal

    March 26, 2019 at 9:58 pm

    But hey it’s OK for the commercial feed to contain unhealthy ingredients because they have money. Geesh!

  4. Sharon Bilotta-Testa

    March 27, 2019 at 5:01 am

    1st of all this recall was back in December 2018 2ndly Darwin’s ratified ALL the contaminated products! No matter how any raw pet food company tries to make 100% sure their product is safe nothing is 100% perfect but Darwins ALWAYS alert their customers when theres a concern and will refund or replace their product!! This is just another tactic by the FDA to control and intimidate ANY raw food company!

  5. LILY L DAVIS

    March 27, 2019 at 10:14 am

    I think it’s good that they are putting this out there it could be that people have bought food and it’s in their freezer for their little dogs from the dates in questions so getting it out there so they can check is always good. Like you said nothing is every 100% we don’t expect it to be. But the fact that they are letting is know is just good practice the same as they would if it was human food.

  6. jennifer raupp

    March 27, 2019 at 3:25 pm

    If you read statement from darwin….
    They said the fda threatened them with this public announcement….if darwin didn’t disclose private customer info to them. .darwin refused to give them info…..darwin already contacted customers and have received no indication of illness

    • dc

      March 27, 2019 at 10:09 pm

      Yes, I received the same notification. This seems to be the retaliation Darwin’s expected. I feed my pets Darwin’s and have not had a problem. Darwin’s is not “pasteurized” (ie. cooked) like other so-called “raw” foods. Here is more from the Darwin’s email:
      *******************
      Today the FDA issued a public warning regarding three lots of Darwin’s poultry meals for dogs produced last fall, which were delivered to customers back in November and early December 2018. These are the same lots which we alerted customers about via email last month.

      We’re disappointed in the FDA’s decision to issue a public warning. We think this warning is unnecessary, as we are confident these meals have been completely consumed without incident. We have contacted the customers who received the meals and have not received any medical reports of illnesses to pets or humans attributable to these meals. As we have shared with our customers before, we believe that at no time did these meals pose any danger to either humans or pets.

      We remain fully confident these meals are safe, and until now have cooperated with the FDA on every request they have made on this matter. We did this even though the FDA failed to provide samples for us to verify their test results independently, as they are required to do by law.

      Darwin’s privacy policy is to protect our customers’ personal information, and it precludes us from sharing it with third parties without permission. Although we were willing to reach out to customers and ask for permission to provide their contact information to the FDA, the FDA would not accept that approach.

      This warning is not a recall. We’ve shared with you many times in the past why our meals are safe, starting with the high-quality sourcing of our ingredients and the steps we take to control pathogens such as Salmonella.

      We are not certain why the FDA has found it necessary to issue a warning, especially after we have worked closely with them. We are disappointed they only did this after our refusal to provide customers’ personal information to them. We remain committed to providing safe, healthy, nutritious meals for your pets. As always, we appreciate your continued patronage and your support of our mission.

  7. Reader

    March 27, 2019 at 9:39 pm

    Here’s the rational. Is anything (including food safety) 100% perfect, no. There’s a zero tolerance threshold to put manufacturers on notice they need to test everything, all the time. Even then, they obviously don’t. However a recall headline or a reason for the FDA to put a company on notice is their only leverage to insure the drive towards compliance.

    A separate discussion is how all PF manufacturers should be held to the same account and treatment. And the correct handling of “Split Samples” (a legality) needs to be enforced. However both of those issues shouldn’t lower the standard for expected compliance. Also accepted is that the FDA’s lack of time, resources and priority does put more pressure on a smaller marketplace of product (raw) offerings, true.

    Someone asked, does this zero tolerance expectation make raw PF (theoretically) safer than the chicken we buy in the store? The difference is (of course) that humans don’t eat the raw food they buy for themselves. It is cooked for safety and negates the Salmonella concern.

    Once again, the FDA is assuming there are (or could be) handling errors regarding the pet owners feeding raw PF. It can sit around longer. Nuggets and crumbs can spill in the refrigerator and not be adequately cleaned up. Are the containers being sanitized. Is Fido’s dish being wiped cleaned of crud before washing. Or is it being dumped in with people’s dishes in the sink or jammed into the dishwasher without being a hot prerinsed. (And yes, I’ve seen owners do that with food bowls, containers and tools! They do end up getting sick.). Is raw PF being dribbled around on floors with kids tramping through it. (Your house may never see this misuse but there are thousands of possibilities out there for mistakes to happen. Putting the young and aged at risk).

    IMO the FDA has to make a big deal out of raw PF. Darwins knows the parameters set forth regarding safety. That’s what it takes to be in business. I would assume that eager cooperation should be the name of the game. Very few people win against the government through non-compliance (when are we going to accept this reality). It isn’t enough for the FDA to be told that Darwin’s customers were personally notified, without the formality that the FDA requires. Not only would I be personally assured to be on my own PF manufacturer’s mailing list, I’d be pleased for them to reach out to me, I would be grateful for a secondary level of oversight if it was necessary for another resource to also contact me. (For heaven’s sake, it’s a list of PF customers, not my medical records!!). And I wouldn’t in the least be worried about being contacted by the FDA for this kind of an issue. It would probably provide an opportunity for me to them them a piece of my mind regarding their failures!!

    The FDA makes many, many MAJOR mistakes, is unresponsive, evasive and all of it, and dealing with Hills is an very unhappy but perfect example. I also feed raw. But if we don’t balance the discussion here, then we’re only going to be seen as impractical, unreasonable consumers, irrational and alarmists, which devalues our effort to promote the biggest issues that truly need to be remedied (like the Hills oversight). And we need for people to listen to us!

    • Jeanne Hensley

      March 27, 2019 at 10:56 pm

      Nonsense. It’s time to stop bending over backwards just to seem “reasonable” to others when this type of feeding, (along with all other natural and healthy practices for pets and humans), is perfectly safe. It’s no different than preparing raw meat for your family. You wash those dishes in the sink, right? Only people that are very immune compromised would ever have a problem and even then it’s easily taken care of with silver and high doses of vitamin C. If a person is THAT compromised I”m guessing they wouldn’t be preparing raw meats for themselves, either, as it’s usually loaded with Salmonella and E.Coli, among others. Darwin’s is right in refusing to bow down to the FDA. Corruption is rampant with all government agencies, high to low.

  8. Vicky

    March 28, 2019 at 9:36 am

    I also feed one of my dogs Darwins (Their kidney diet saved her life and keeps her lab values normal to this day) It is an excellent product and a very ethical company. I also feed my other dog raw and rotate between ethical companies (most from Susan’s list) I agree that the FDA is treating raw dog food manufacturers unfairly………what about the salmonella found in kibble Reader? That frequently tests positive and nothing is done about that…why? The FDA totally ignores that so your argument is incorrect. The way they have strong armed samples and not done correct procedures is quite telling. I do feel that everyone needs to do their research (one of the reason I subscribe to this site) because there will be “bad” players in the raw market as well so buyer beware. The FDA is being absolutely biased however and it must be stopped. Unfortunately it is unlikely because there are too few of us and people ignore what is going on.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Learn More

Human Grade & Feed Grade
Do you know what the differences are between Feed Grade and Human Grade pet food? Click Here.

 

The Regulations
Pet Food is regulated by federal and state authorities. Unfortunately, authorities ignore many safety laws. Click Here to learn more about the failures of the U.S. pet food regulatory system.

 

The Many Styles of Pet Food
An overview of the categories, styles, legal requirements and recall data of commercial pet food in the U.S. Click Here.

 

The Ingredients
Did you know that all pet food ingredients have a separate definition than the same ingredient in human food? Click Here.

Click Here for definitions of animal protein ingredients.

Click Here to calculate carbohydrate percentage in your pet’s food.

 

Sick Pet Caused by a Pet Food?

If your pet has become sick or has died you believe is linked to a pet food, it is important to report the issue to FDA and your State Department of Agriculture.

Save all pet food – do not return it for a refund.

If your pet required veterinary care, ask your veterinarian to report to FDA.

Click Here for FDA and State contacts.

The List

The Treat List

Special Pages to Visit

Subscribe to our Newsletter
Click Here

Pet Food Recall History (2007 to present)
Click Here

Find Healthy Pet Foods Stores
Click Here

About TruthaboutPetFood.com
Click Here

Friends of TruthaboutPetFood.com
Click Here

You May Also Like