FDA is telling pet food consumers “germs have been found in raw pet foods that can make pets and people sick.” This warning is good, except FDA forgot to warn consumers to the germs found in kibble pet foods and pet treats. Let’s get the facts straight FDA.
Certainly Salmonella can be a dangerous germ. In the 2012 Diamond pet food plant Salmonella recall, 49 people in 20 states became ill linked to the contaminated (kibble) pet food. But, the problem is – FDA is telling pet food consumers that Salmonella is a risk ONLY with raw pet food. In a recent post on the FDA blog (yes, FDA has a blog), the agency stated “Can Raw Food make me sick? Yes. Handling raw pet food increases the risk you will come into contact with harmful germs. It also increases the risk of contaminating other surfaces like countertops and cutting boards with those germs.”
Where is the FDA consumer warning to risk of handling kibble pet foods or treats? No where to be found.
Just so pet food consumers can get the facts straight – in the past five years (June 2010 – June 2015) – just for Salmonella contamination, there have been 23 kibble recalls, 14 raw recalls, and 26 treat recalls.
The above is based on the actual number of FDA recall press releases over the past 5 years. But as we all know, sometimes one FDA recall press release includes more than one variety of pet food. Often, multiple pet foods are recalled in one press release. So…what is the total of individual pet foods recalled due to Salmonella contamination for the same time frame?
The above numbers are a little misleading. As example, in the 2013 Salmonella recall of Natura Pet Foods, the recall press release stated “All Lot Codes, All UPC’s, All package sizes, All expiration dates prior to 6-10-2014, EVO dry dog, cat and ferret food and biscuits/bars/treats – All Lot Codes, All UPC’s, All package sizes, All expiration dates prior to 6-10-2014, California Natural dry dog and cat foods and biscuits/bars/treats…” The 2012 Salmonella recall of Diamond Pet Food included all varieties with a particular number in the lot code. The kibble numbers listed above DO NOT include all the individual products recalled in the Natura Salmonella recall or all the individual products recalled in the Diamond Salmonella recall (which included numerous brands such as Diamond Naturals, Chicken Soup, Taste of the Wild, and more). So – the above total of 78 individual kibble pet foods recalled due to Salmonella contamination is low (very low). The total of 27 raw foods is accurate.
The FDA website provides “Enforcement Reports” for some recalls (Click Here for an example). These Enforcement Reports provide (some of them provide) “Product Distributed Quantity” information. This is significant information – how much/how many pounds of pet food has been distributed to the market that needs to be removed from store shelves. As example, below is a copy of the FDA Enforcement Report for the 2012 Taste of The Wild Pet Food Salmonella recall…
Please notice – second to last line – Product Distributed Quantity is “Approx. 10,275,000 lbs total (for all Taste of the Wild brand products).”
To put this into perspective, the most recent Salmonella raw pet food recall was for OC Raw Turkey and Produce Canine Formula – this recall stated “OC Raw Dog of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA is voluntarily recalling 2055 lbs. of Turkey & Produce Raw Frozen Canine Formulation, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.”
One brand of kibble pet food recalled for Salmonella – 10,275,000 lbs of pet food recalled.
One brand of raw pet food recalled for Salmonella – 2,055 lbs of pet food recalled.
In searching the FDA Enforcement Reports for the past five years, the following is all of the information the FDA provided for ‘Product Distributed Quantity’ of all Salmonella recalls…
Based only on the information FDA provided in a small percentage of Salmonella Enforcement Reports over the past five years, below is the comparison of pounds of raw pet food vs kibble pet food recalled…
The FDA recently announced the agency is now performing Salmonella testing of raw pet foods – and only raw pet foods. No testing of kibble pet foods or pet treats was mentioned.
Can anyone explain why tax dollars are being spent to test one style of pet food for bacteria that has a very small market share? Isn’t the risk of Salmonella far greater for kibble pet foods and pet treats because so many more pet food consumers use these products (than a raw pet food)?
Is the FDA worrying night and day for the safety of raw pet food consumers and the agency not worrying one little bit about kibble pet food or pet treat consumers?
Shouldn’t recall history guide the FDA in warning pet food consumers that all pet foods and treats can pose a risk of germs?
The FDA owes pet food consumers an explanation.
The following message was sent to FDA…
On behalf of pet food consumers, I am writing to share significant concern of FDA’s recent consumer warning to the risk of raw pet food. In a blog post the FDA stated: “Can Raw Food make me sick? Yes. Handling raw pet food increases the risk you will come into contact with harmful germs. It also increases the risk of contaminating other surfaces like countertops and cutting boards with those germs.”
As well, the agency recently announced “CVM Assignment to Collect Official Samples of Raw Foods for Cats and Dogs…” And the agency stated in a press release “Additionally, the dogs that tested positive for Salmonella were more likely to have eaten raw pet food, study results show” – which has been quoted all over the media.
We are concerned the FDA is not properly warning all pet food consumers to the risks of Salmonella contamination in all pet foods and treats. We are concerned that FDA is not testing all pet food/treat products for Salmonella contamination.
I would like to share with FDA some statistics taken from pet food recalls over the past five years.
From June 2010 through June 2015…
- There have been 23 kibble recalls, 14 raw recalls, and 26 treat recalls for Salmonella.
- Individual products recalled for Salmonella are 78 kibble foods, 27 raw foods, 26 treats.
- Pounds of pet food recalled for Salmonella (taken directly from FDA Enforcement Reports) are 19,407,827 pounds of kibble, 17,685 pounds of raw.
Statistically – based on recall history over the past five years – kibble pet foods pose a much greater risk to consumers of Salmonella contamination than raw pet foods. It is difficult to understand how raw pet food – with such a small market share – can be considered more of a risk to consumers than kibble pet foods which have a massive market share. So we ask the agency why is raw pet food being singled out as the greatest risk in press release information? Don’t millions of kibble pet food consumers deserve to be warned to the possible risk of Salmonella? Don’t millions of consumers buying pet treats deserve to be warned to the possible risk of Salmonella contamination in those treats? Just as FDA warns raw pet food consumers?
We ask why has FDA not given similar warnings via press release of potential risk to Salmonella in kibble pet foods and treats? And we ask why FDA is not testing kibble pet foods and treats for bacteria at the same rate as raw foods?
An explanation is requested. Thank you.
Susan Thixton
on behalf of Pet Food Consumer Members
Association for Truth in Pet Food
Should a response be provided by FDA, it will be posted.
It is my personal opinion that FDA has not forgotten about the risk to millions of pet food consumers of the Salmonella contamination potential in kibble pet food or pet treats. It is my personal opinion that FDA has little to no understanding of raw pet food or minimally processed pet food and the agency is attacking what they don’t understand.
Perhaps it is time for FDA to sit down with raw/minimally processed pet food manufacturers and learn from them; after all, the agency does sit down with Big Pet Feed on a regular basis. I suggest to raw/minimally processed pet food manufacturers to band together and take a trip to FDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. Start your own raw/minimally processed pet food manufacturers trade association (do NOT join the PFI) – become an industry stakeholder – go to FDA and fight for your customers and your companies. Teach them some things they desperately need to learn about pet food.
As recall history above proves, there is no excuse for FDA to be singling out one style of pet food as the biggest risk to consumers. This is wrong FDA – very wrong.
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
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 3000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com
The 2015 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here
Have you read Buyer Beware? Click Here
Cooking for pets made easy, Dinner PAWsible
Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here
Connie
June 15, 2015 at 5:07 pm
ITA.. it is sad and shameful, and oh how I hope that they actually do something
Barbara Fellnermayr
June 15, 2015 at 5:10 pm
There is a group, NARPA, North American Raw Pet Foodfood Association that has been working on this. From their website:
The North American Raw Petfood Association (NARPA) was created to represent the interests of companies making raw pet foods, or raw diets, and to promote the continued development of nutritious and safe raw diets. Our members are manufacturers who believe that the best way to promote health for our companion carnivores is to feed them food that comes as close as practical to a biologically appropriate, natural diet. This means a diet that is primarily based on some form of raw meats, bones and organ meats.
NARPA members produce a variety of high-quality, nutritious raw diets for the dogs and cats of this country.
Our Mission
To advance the public understanding of the benefits of feeding raw diets.
To encourage scientific exploration into the benefits of raw diets.
To establish accepted good manufacturing practices for the industry.
To work with government agencies with regard to regulations pertaining to raw diets.
To provide a public voice for raw diet manufacturers.
To act as a clearinghouse of information for veterinary and media inquiries.
Ellie
June 15, 2015 at 5:10 pm
Handling the raw meat humans eat can make you sick if they don’t wash your hands! Of course raw meat can make humans sick if they don’t handle it right. Dogs and other carnivores have eaten raw meat for eons! Dogs, cats, coyotes, bears and the rest of the animal kingdom eat raw foods, both vegetable and meat, without washing their paws or trying to break into homes to use the stove!
It is disgusting to me that such ignorance is put out by supposedly educated people in order to mislead and misinform consumers. Do they really need the additional money that informed consumers might spend on raw foods rather than buying the low grade highly processed food that they want everyone to believe is some scientific marvel of modern chemistry? Processed foods are not good for humans or animals! The body is not made to assimilate nutrients from processed foods.
The animals need raw food. Their bodies are made to assimilate raw food. They don’t have thumbs for turning on the range or the oven! And they can’t brush their teeth either! Animals in the wild that eat their natural diet do not get tartered and decayed teeth and neither do my pets that eat raw food!
No one is allowed to think for themselves anymore. These people shove their lies down consumers throats and if consumers refuse to swallow it the industry will come up with some other pack of idiocy!
Cheryl Mallon-Bond
June 15, 2015 at 9:17 pm
Well said Ellie!, you took the words right out of my mouth! It is just beyond dispicable!!!!
T Allen
June 16, 2015 at 8:35 am
I totally agree with you Ellie with one caveat…the raw meat that comes from the feedlot-supermarket system is contaminated with “super bugs” that no animals have evolved to survive with, including humans. These “bugs” have evolved to be highly pathogenic by surviving in barns, pastures, feedlots, and in meat processing facilities that have been in use for over a hundred years. Modern cleaning products and antibiotics have made these bugs harder to kill and our pets and our immune systems have not had the chance to learn to protect ourselves by evolving as well. Evolution means the animals that can’t fight off the “bug” die and the ones that can survive to reproduce. We’ve stepped in to short circuit that system and that means that people and animals with genetically weaker immune systems are living longer but can and will die from these “bugs” if we don’t take steps to remove them from the food.
There are steps to take that will safely knock back the bacterial load on meat to a “safer” level for pets. Buying local organic, using washes like vinegar, light cooking before grinding your own meat and deep freezing are some steps to knock back some “bugs”. You must realize the risk involved in feeding raw both to you and your pet. Personally, I will take the risk compared to the poison being put in pet food bags. And yes I have experienced raw food induced sickness, my cat got very sick after eating raw chicken that I ground myself. Classic Salmonella from grocery store chicken. So I’ve stepped up the level of prep by lightly pre- cooking the whole chicken parts before grinding, the portions are deep frozen as before, and the meal is cooked to 130* before rapid cooling and feeding. I also feed the pre-cooked chicken whole legs about once a week for jaw exercise and to balance mineral needs. She eats the bone if she needs it and leaves it if she doesn’t. So far no more incidents but please be careful when telling people to feed raw. The majority of people do not have the knowledge and practice of excellent sanitation skills needed to keep themselves and their pets healthy.
Karen Mitchell
June 16, 2015 at 12:07 pm
Why cook it? Are you aware that your killing the nutrients that are essential for a healthy animal ? Your may not be offering them a balanced diet serving it this way. It’s great that your taking other precautions. Chicken is the worst for bacteria, it must be treated with care and thawed correctly – as you know. But cooking it?
You would have to be adding more and more ingredients and additives to make sure your replacing those nutrients that you are destroying by cooking.
Karen Mitchell
June 16, 2015 at 12:02 pm
I agree with you full, you just need to read my comments to know this.
They do need raw meat. Why do people insist on feeding them kibble? and then wonder why they keep getting sick with diseases etc etc. They think just because they’re told that it’s good (whatever lies they feed) for their pet, then it must be ok for them. They don’t stop and think, why did commercial pet food market start in the first place.
I have been researching natural raw diet and commercial foods for almost 6 years now and I’m doing what I can to educate people.
The more people I have in my Facebook group, the better. I have professionals and trying to add more to the group all the time, as well as people who are in the middle of studies and research etc.
If your interested in joining, just search As Nature Intended in Facebook
Ellie
June 18, 2015 at 10:33 am
I have read that some people think freezing their raw meats for an appropriate amount of time will kill some of the harmful bacterias. Since there is no clear studie done on this it is only guess work but certainly worth a try.
Most meats in the grocery store are from animals that have been pumped full of hormones, steroids, and antibiotics as well as other chemicals throughout their lifetime. Buying in bulk from a local farm has been helpful for us. Obviously we do not buy prime cuts to feed the pets so the cost is quite a bit lower than what we would pay at a grocery store. Most areas DO have farmers markets (even the cities) where people can buy fresh home grown meat and produce) There are also online sources of good meat. It takes some time to find these non traditional food sources but they are there and very popular.
There is a website called localharvest.org that lists a lot of local farmers markets throughout the country. If people do a proper online search they can find all kinds of information that is not generally out there for public viewing. These local growers do not spend millions of dollars on advertizing like our grocery stores do.
I do believe that if a pet owner can only get meat from their local grocery store then even that is better than feeding pet food that is so highly processed and unnatural to the digestive tract. Lightly cooking meat is far better than feeding processed waste products to your pet. People should do whatever they can to help their much loved pets to eat as close to a normal diet as possible. Some may not be able to do what others are able to do but any move away from processed pet food is a step in the right direction.
Batzion
June 15, 2015 at 5:12 pm
The FDA is the incestuous whore of Monsanto the the FDA. Raw pet food is perceived as a threat to this unholy trinity.
Tiffany
June 15, 2015 at 8:02 pm
Right on the money you are! They’re trying to totally shut down the raw pet food manufacturers!
Batzion
June 15, 2015 at 5:14 pm
CORRECTION: The FDA is the incestuous whore of Monsanto and CAFO farms. Raw pet food is perceived as a threat to this unholy trinity.
Kristi Johnson
June 15, 2015 at 5:30 pm
Of course the options aren’t just raw or kibble/canned – as you also mention on this site. I cook my own pet food. Cooked ground turkey, cooked tapioca, canned pumpkin and freeze dried tripe for my IBD dog. I do add a bit of the best kibble I can find to the mix to keep costs down. I’m going to assume Salmonella in USDA inspected raw poultry, as the FDA does, but I certainly don’t assume Salmonella in kibble or canned or dog treats! How am I supposed to handle that? Bake them? Hit them with a torch?
And if handling raw dog food is too big a risk for consumers, we certainly can’t expect them to handle and cook their own burgers. Way too dangerous!
Gitta
June 15, 2015 at 5:38 pm
Maybe the FDA does understand raw pet food. Maybe the FDA is doing the dirty work for big pet food. Squashing the little guys as long as they are little guys. Heaven forbid they should become serious competitors. It is hard to believe the FDA is truly that ignorant to “inform” consumers they way they have.
Embarrassing – more than that.
Laurie Matson
June 15, 2015 at 6:03 pm
If Kibble Pet Food is Cooked to such extremely high Temperatures, why does it still harbor such gross amounts of Salmonella?
Sage
June 15, 2015 at 9:39 pm
Laurie – Good question which I’ve wondered about myself – contamination before AND AFTER cooking perhaps?
If human meats are supposed to be relatively safe for HUMANS to eat after cooking to approximately 160º then the processing of kibble et al for consumption by pets should certainly kill anything and everything – including highly beneficial enzymes and nutrients.
barbara m.
June 15, 2015 at 11:05 pm
After kibble is cooked to destroy the salmonella, it is then sprayed with the supplements and flavor enhancers from China, so they get recontaminated. China’s health controls are nonexistent, so anything they produce is suspect. Then, the kibble can also become recontaminated from the factory before packaging. I know one kibble that is made by not using supplements from China. There may be more.
Cheryl Mallon-Bond
June 16, 2015 at 11:55 am
Hey Barbara,
What IS the kibble that you know of, that is NOT sprayed w/ vitamins from China? I think we ALL would like to know!. There seriously has to be some kind of trade agreement that the FDA, for whatever the bull**** excuse is, is not willing to go back on. It is BEYOND UNBELIEVABLE that all this time has gone by, w/ the dog treats from China causing deaths & illnesses & they STILL have not.pulled the plug on importing this crap from them!. I was also just thinking, with foriegn protein sources found in pet foods, and you KNOW they are slaughtering dogs & cats over there…I bet there is those protein sources being used secretly in pet “feed”. But of course, the FDA doesn’t give a crap about testing for that! There is just the WAR now on raw pet food. We sure know who the FDA is “in bed” with!!!!!
Wanda Steeves
July 3, 2015 at 4:41 pm
Chinese chicken and fish is fed feces, garbage, grease, then pump full of antibiotics. I will say activists on the ground are tirelessly fighting the dog and cat meat trade. BOYCOTT ALL ASIAN country’s, this includes dollars stores!!
Thanks for all the info on Susan’s Blog, and from you all. Sadly Canadians do not HEAR these issues. I feed my 14 year old toy poodle, raw, it’s been 2 years, she is so healthy and loves dinner. It’s 2.00$ a day! She likes her ffood cold, is that ok for her tummy? I slice it let it stand and she loves it. We feed her bison bones.. I just heard they have found xylitol in PEANUT BUTTER beware friends .. Sorry if it’s off topic
Karen Mitchell
July 3, 2015 at 4:57 pm
And you know this because??
T Allen
June 16, 2015 at 8:44 am
There are many, many steps in the process and the lack of steam cleaning the machines and equipment as well as contamination by workers moving from dirty to clean areas of the plant can be a factor. Since USDA inspected plants have issues with causing illness in humans I can only imagine how gross un-inspected plants for pet food are!
Ellie
June 18, 2015 at 10:43 am
Failure to clean the machines is one of the many ways these processed products get contaminated. Pet foods are processed in large factories and they go through many machines operated by humans who have little interest in doing their jobs correctly. There are, of course, procedures set up that are supposed to be followed, however, procedures that are not enforced are very ineffective.
Any food can become contaminated if not handled properly and kept in a clean environment.
Cheryl Mallon-Bond
June 15, 2015 at 9:29 pm
Thank you Susan, for yet another well written article helping to keep us all informed about the TRUTH ABOUT PET FOOD & “FEED”. After what I expect to be a bull**** reply from the FDA about the letter you sent to them, how about starting a petition so that we can all demand from them that they use our tax dollars in a FAIR & ABOVE BOARD way, testing of ALL PET FOOD & FEED PRODUCTS, & not singling out raw food. They really must think that we are all morons! To not see through their tactics & how they are obviously “in bed” with big pet feed co’s. CORRUPTION! at the highest levels!!!!! Just DISPICABLE!!!!!!! The truth is, whatever the FDA recommends….do the opposite!
Pat P.
June 15, 2015 at 10:05 pm
As soon as I was made aware that the FDA was targeting the raw pet food industry for their “contaminants” research, I knew that they would find some. Not that I think the risk is, normally, great, but I believe that they want to find some. The big pet food companies deem the increased consumption of raw pet food to be a potential larger threat to their profits. FDA will help them reduce that threat, whenever possible. I don’t trust them. Maybe I am paranoid, but I wouldn’t doubt suspicious dealings. Whatever, the FDA should do equal “research” with ALL commercial pet foods–actually, even more with dry kibble which, historically, has a much worse record, in addition, to providing “warnings” to the many more consumers. The FDA is being far from equal in its treatment of the different manufacturers. Whoever said our government agencies were fair is sadly mistaken.
I use some canned foods (won’t touch kibble), along with raw. I am careful in the handling of both of them!
Sage
June 15, 2015 at 11:49 pm
June 3 2015 TYSON GROUND BEEF RECALL https://www.facebook.com/FoodSafety.gov/posts/904660536246971
Didn’t hear about this RECALL but it might be relevant to anyone who feeds home made RAW meals to their pets using this brand of beef. Tyson doesn’t seem a reliable source for anything – they’ve had a huge poultry recall in the past.
TERRI JANSON
June 17, 2015 at 11:56 am
I heard Tyson was purchased by China
Peter
June 16, 2015 at 7:24 am
The numbers are probably even more than you can calculate, since quantities are not always provided. The 2013 Natura recall extended into scores of pages that retailers had to cope with.
Karen Mitchell
June 16, 2015 at 11:51 am
They keep nocking the all natural raw diet. Sure Salmonella is a risk, it’s a risk with humans too. The illness your pet can receive as a result of consuming commercial pet food are huge!!! When feeding commercial pet food to your pet, you are putting them at more risk of diseases and illnesses.
These vets that recommend the pet food in their practice ONLY sell it to you as they have to. Oh yes, they will tell you that it’s the best and tell you all this other jargon too… just to get you to purchase it. They know you will keep supporting them.. keep going back with problems.. It’s these commercial foods that keep them in business.
I’m by all means not a vet. I have been researching natural raw diet for pets and also the commercial pet food world for almost 6 years now, and I can say with great confidence, I would recommend a raw diet to anyone who is willing to put the effort in. If you really think you need a vet and the one you have doesn’t support the natural raw diet, then find a vet that does. The rewards are great, your pet will have a lot less vet visits, will be a lot better off in all aspects of life. No more skin problems, no more ear problems, no more teeth and gum problems! It stands to reason, it’s As Nature Intended!
I don’t know if I can share links on here..
If you would like some advice from people, from all walks of life, professionals and pet carers, who have made the transition successfully or have been feeding their pet on raw for years, my Facebook group is there to help. Great tips, hinds and advice. There is nothing in it for us, except feeling proud of people who succeed in making their pets well again..
https://www.facebook.com/groups/324599134386758/
Or search As Nature Intended
Linda H
June 16, 2015 at 8:29 pm
We have been taught all our lives to wash your hands after handling raw meat. Your hands are messy anyway so no problem to remember to wash them.
Kibble is a different story for me as I rarely ever remember to wash my hands after dipping it out with a measuring cup even though my hand is all in the food.
One’s hands are not messy to help one remember to clean them after feeding kibble. I believe kibble to be a much bigger health risk because of this.
No Time to Waste! (Reminder!)
June 27, 2015 at 1:12 pm
Please circulate the Whitehouse.gov petition: 100,000 signatures are required by July 5, 2015. Click here – https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/require-pet-food-manufacturers-disclose-quality-ingredients
Should Pet Food manufacturers be required to disclose quality of ingredients?
PF can be made from real food ingredients just like what you’d purchase in the grocery or it can be made from an inferior quality of ingredients known in the PF Industry as feed grade, pet grade, or inedible ingredients. The trouble is the consumer can’t tell the difference between food or feed grade. Yes, inedible ingredients are allowed in PF by the FDA! Including expired retail MEAT that isn’t even stripped of its packaging! Per FDA Compliance Policies MEAT is sourced from diseased, dead, or dying animals. Chemical or pesticide contaminated vegetables and fruits, and mycotoxin ridden grains, are used.
If you agree that PF consumers deserve to know the difference before they buy, then the FDA must require the quality of ingredients to be labeled as feed or food grade.
As of June 27 there are only 8 more days to sign the Whitehouse.gov petition and reach (at least) 5,000 signatures. We are at 3,400 today. Please circulate this reminder asking even more people to pass it forward! Thank you.
Pingback: Raw food diet : A new trend ? - Page 2
Cathy
July 17, 2018 at 9:43 pm
It’s there any way to standardize the data over pounds sold during the period? Unfortunately, kibble will likely always be higher just by popularity/volume. Thanks for analyzing!