A heads up to independent pet food store owners…if the FDA comes into your store, have your cell phone camera ready.
I’ve heard numerous reports of FDA coming into pet food stores and to pet food manufacturing facilities where the FDA representatives have been less than respectful of the store and more concerning, the representatives were less than sterile with pet food samples taken.
From multiple sources – all unrelated – I’ve been told FDA has on previous inspections…
- Reused sample containers (that had held previous pet food samples);
- Not worn sterile gloves when taking samples;
- Punctured packaging to obtain samples (instead of properly opening the product);
- Sample obtaining tool not sterilized between use (tool used to remove a pet food sample from each pet food was not washed or sterilized in between each sample taken).
In an FDA study (2010 through 2012), the agency tested 196 samples of raw pet food finding 15 positive for Salmonella and 32 positives for Listeria. In the same study the agency tested 250 dry pet foods and found only one sample to be positive for Salmonella. This FDA study is now the foundation for a FDA testing investigation (which will result in recalls) of raw pet foods and only raw pet foods. The agency states that since their study showed the major risk for bacteria contamination is raw pet food, they will only test raw pet food.
However, based on recall data for the past five years (including the same time frame of this FDA study) – there have been 27 raw pet foods recalled for bacteria contamination and 78 dry pet foods recalled for bacteria contamination. It remains puzzling why/how FDA found dramatically different results in their testing study of pet food than real life recalls.
It does make one wonder – with the improper testing procedures (as reported to me) – was the end result of the FDA study (finding almost zero bacteria contamination in dry pet foods) scripted – with the assistance of improper testing procedures of raw pet food?
So perhaps, independent pet food store owners can become private detectives should FDA come into your store. If the FDA or State Department of Agriculture comes into your store, have your cell phone handy if you see anything out of the ordinary. Press record video and film any improper testing procedures. If you see that the sampling tool is not cleaned between samples, film it. If you see dirty or reused sample containers being used, take a picture. You have the right to document everything the FDA or State does in your store (but you can also film discretely if need be). If – and I’m saying if – the FDA is using improper testing procedures, we all need to be alerted to this situation.
Of course pet food consumers deserve to be able to purchase pet food free of dangerous bacteria. But at the same time consumers deserve to know that FDA obtained that sample through proper procedure (not contaminating a product in the sampling process).
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
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Sherrie Ashenbremer
July 2, 2015 at 9:53 am
Makes me hate our government even more. The FDA is useless
Regina
July 2, 2015 at 11:35 am
WTF????
Sorry, this pissed me off, Big Time!!!
Anyone involved in testing ANYTHING should know about properly obtaining uncontaminated samples.
This smacks of “witch hunt” to me!!!!
Even if you think about it, human foods must have something on the label about “may contain peanuts” and other items because of the possibility of cross-contamination!!!!!
This is just further proof that the FDA is NOT in any way interested in acting for the good of our pets.
Damn, damn, damn!!!!!
(Sorry, needed to vent!)
Peg
July 2, 2015 at 1:28 pm
My comment is a combination or Sherrie’s and Regina’s along with WTF??? times a thousand..
Ladies and gentlemen this is by far the biggest indicator that the FDA doesn’t give a flying fig about human and pet food safety.
Up to us to protect ourselves. Local farmers and markets.
Carefully scrutiny of manufacturers of pet foods.
We vote with our pocketbooks and we are more logical rational people than those who are put in power purportedly to protect us.
We are very blessed to have Susan and all the brilliant minds that contribute to the “REAL Truth about Pet Food.
Peg
July 2, 2015 at 1:31 pm
“My comment is a combination of” not or……..sorry
Michelle
July 2, 2015 at 1:59 pm
Is it because they really don’t want the truth? It would mean they would have to do their jobs and DO SOMETHING to rectify what they have screwed up sooo badly!!!!
I am disgusted.
D
July 2, 2015 at 2:48 pm
This is so wrong! It is like they already have the conclusion and are only trying to find the evidence to prove it. Contamination is the only way to make sure they get the results they want. They don’t care a fig for the consumer only the corporate profit!
Pacific Sun
July 2, 2015 at 3:36 pm
Two thoughts: First – this is an example of the FDA’s triple A’s (arrogance, apathy, attitude). Arrogance, as in weren’t these the same folks who criticized how the Pet Food Testing was conducted? Apathy, obviously no training provided to their field agents regarding sample recovery. And attitude, that they will selectively attack the underdog (raw food) manufacturer and overlook the multitude of kibble manufacturing mistakes.
If the testing was to be conducted fairly and honestly then I WOULD want pressure applied to these commercial raw food manufacturers however. Because Primal, Bravo and Nature’s Variety are getting pretty big and nobody wants them to take shortcuts. You and your dog will probably survive Samonella, but maybe not so much Listeria or E-Coli. It’s good these companies should be feeling the pressure to safeguard all high risk products.
Unfortunately we know that the FDA is going to use these results to promote their Soap Box speech about the dangers of raw feeding over commercial feeding, and that’s just wrong. They SHOULD be focusing on the proper handling of raw feeding and spending their time and education on THAT subject! Wow they must be a bunch of novices! Can’t wait for Susan to meet up with this crazy bunch during their next general meeting! I wish them luck (LOL)!
Cheryl Mallon-Bond
July 2, 2015 at 6:41 pm
This so smells like a witch hunt!!!! I agree that I would like raw pet food manufacturers – of course, to be held to the highest standards. We do not want out pets getting sick, by them taking any type of leniency of good manufacturing standards. With that said, it is obvious by how the FDA is conducting their sampling of these pet foods that they are looking to find something, so they must be getting major kickback Paola from the big pet food, I mean feed, companies! There is no way that they can do accurate testing when they are so arrogantly and purposely contaminating their samples through the sub-standard way that they are using to collect these samples. Once again, the FDA shows itself to be who they are, certainly not concerned about the consumer, but about using their muscle power to take down the smaller manufacturers. Just despicable!!!!, unprofessional!!!!, and a complete abuse of their power!!!!…. Just like usual, just another day at the office!!!!
Katie Weber
July 2, 2015 at 4:36 pm
There are some double standards, which present a challenge. In the human food supply, there is a tolerance for salmonella and E.coli in raw meat. That’s why certain chicken processors didn’t have to recall when their products and plants were laden with salmonella. People even got sick and they weren’t forced to recall, which the FDA now has power to do. In the raw pet food segment, there is a zero tolerance policy for pathogens. Most consumers don’t know that it’s allowed for human food, but not for raw pet food. There definitely is an issue here. There are some standards for human food that should be raised so that raw pet food companies purchasing ‘human grade’ ingredients can be assured that the poultry and meat we receive is pathogen-free.
B Dawson
July 2, 2015 at 7:09 pm
Here in WV when the Department of Ag wants to check label accuracy they come into a store and purchase the product to be tested. This happens roughly once per year according to Jeff at Bentley’s Speciality Pet Foods where I shop.
So why isn’t the FDA doing random product PURCHASES instead of leaving retailers with unsaleable food? If our poorly funded WV State Ag Department can pull out a credit card and purchase food to test, why the heck can’t FDA? I urge all pet store owners to opening video all of the activity if you are inspected. It sounds like the system is being set up to “find” violations.
Here’s another interesting regulatory quirk. Some years ago, my old shop was visited by CA Weights and Measures. One of the frozen brands I carried had been caught distributing some bags that were under weight. With no prior warning, this W & M guy tore through my freezers, spreading frozen food all over the floor while he weighted each bag. He then declared them to be underweight by tenths of ounces and demanded it all be destroyed while he watched. I refused, telling him that just because I couldn’t sell underweight packages didn’t mean I couldn’t use it myself or give it away. He got rather aggressive and said it had to be destroyed because it was illegally labeled, period. I said no.
I then challenged him on two things. First, I asked to see the calibration log for his scale. His scale came out of the back of a van, was placed in a lab cart and rattled across the parking lot so how could it possibly be in calibration? Second, I asked how he could accurately weigh to the tenth of a ounce with a scale that only measured to tenths of a ounce. To be accurate scales should read to the next increment smaller than what you are measuring, in this case he needed a scale calibrated to hundredths of an ounce.
He had no idea when the scale had been calibrated and was clueless about scale accuracy. This is Weights and Measures for crying’ out loud. They are charged with precise measurements! The guy became very defensive, handed me pages of forms that suggested I was in for some substantial fines along with a card for his supervisor and left. I called the office and found out this guy had retired. His last day was the Friday he visited me.
My shop was turned upside down for 3 hours, my customers thinking some kind of raid was in progress, all for a guy power tripping on his last day of work. This is how small business is treated by the regulatory agencies. They know we don’t have the high paid lawyer-on-staff to fight back and are probably not going to spend time we don’t have pursuing complaints.
Educate yourself about what these guys are allowed to do and film every moment they are in your store, asking questions so that you have commentary from the agent about what they are doing.
Pacific Sun
July 3, 2015 at 2:26 am
Your narrative is pricesless (I always enjoy your comments anyway) thank you for sharing! I’m sorry this happen at your expense, but you were a solid witness to bureaucratic bullying. If he hadn’t been retiring I wonder if his supervisor would’ve cared that he treated you and your business so badly? Or does it just get worse the higher up the management level?? (Rhetorical question of course).
Regina
July 3, 2015 at 2:45 pm
I’m wondering if it was just “labeled” as retirement, maybe he was forced out because of more complaints like yours?
Or, maybe he was forced into retirement, and decided that his last day would be a good day to make his employers look bad? He was pissed about being forced out, and taking out his anger on you.
There needs to be some sort of rights as a store owner to deal with someone as blowhard-bullying as this guy. Can you call the police to come and have them check his credentials? Seriously, tell the police there’s a questionable person wreaking havoc in your store. Once the cops are there, the guy will have to prove he’s legit, and any decent cop would have the same arguments you would have about the calibration of the scale, and about having to destroy all of that food rather than using it yourself (since it was “deemed” unfit for sale on a technicality). Get an incident report on the books, and then follow up.
Heck, when calling the police, tell them the guy is so out of control, you don’t know if anyone is in physical danger. There were customers there, and in this day and age, with so many mass shootings happening, this guy could have caused some more damage! The police should respect that concern, if you call!!!
I just hate bullies, and I will always root for the underdog who is being bullied. Bullies need to be shut down!!! I just hope the guy didn’t go home to a long-suffering wife who then got the full brunt of his anger. Seriously, it sounds like that guy needed some help.
Pat P.
July 3, 2015 at 5:26 pm
This bullying of small company owners, of course, is not just for raw pet foods. The FDA and USDA appear to make the lives of the “little guy” as difficult and expensive as possible. Small farms, especially organic ones, have to pay high fees to receive certifications and pay exorbitant costs for their seeds/less toxic sprays, specialty fertilizers. Neutriceuticals and compounding pharmacies are harassed with absurd laws. Even electronic cigarettes (a better alternative than smoking), that are a threat to the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries (major part of the FDA’s budget), are being maligned with false propaganda.
All the while, Big Agra receives huge subsidies, the small companies, nothing. The large pet food companies can false advertise, as they will and use terrible quality ingredients, with toxic additives to their pet “feed”. Big food corporations can, also, falsely advertise, mislabel foods including weights (I weigh all prepackaged produce, finding many that are off, many by ounces, despite the inaccuracy of some store scales to the consumer’s disadvantage). How often are these companies given the “shakedown” or penalized at all?
These are only a few examples demonstrating the collusion of the FDA (and the USDA) with large and powerful corporations. Raw pet foods are just one of the latest “targets” because of their increasing popularity and looming threat to the profits of the “big guys”.
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