The FDA told pet owners the recalled dog food contained aflatoxin, lab results show the dog foods were a toxic soup of multiple mycotoxins. Why did FDA neglect to tell pet owners the truth?
On December 30, 2020 the FDA issued an alert; “Certain Lots of Sportmix Pet Food Recalled for Potentially Fatal Levels of Aflatoxin.” The FDA alert DID NOT mention any other mycotoxin in the pet foods – only aflatoxin.
Freedom of Information Act acquired documents tell a very different story. Lab results provided by Missouri Department of Agriculture confirms the Midwestern Pet Food contained five different mycotoxins at concerning levels.
This dog food contained Aflatoxin B1, Aflatoxin B2, Fumonisin B1, Fumonisin B2, and Ochratoxin A.
Both types of Aflatoxins were above the FDA allowed limit of 20 parts per billion (ppb).
The Fumonisin B1 and B2 were below FDA’s allowed limit of 5,000 ppb – but science has shown that the combination of fumonisin and aflatoxin magnifies the cancer risk and liver damage caused to animals.
And FDA has not established a maximum for Ochratoxin A in pet food – however the lab results stated “Ochratoxin A is recognized as being nephrotoxic, immunosuppressive, and a possible carcinogen. The European Union has set a guidance value in mg/kg of Ochratoxin A in compound feed for cats and dogs at 0,01 or 10 μg/kg (ppb).” In other words, European pet foods have restrictions of 10 ppb ochratoxin – this pet food tested double that at 24 ppb and 21 ppb with no mention from FDA.
Why didn’t FDA explain to pet owners that the Midwestern Pet Foods tested positive for multiple mycotoxins that certainly increased the risk?
Is it possible that FDA only informed pet owners of one mycotoxin (aflatoxin) in Midwestern Pet Foods because they didn’t want pet owners to be informed that grains come with the risk of multiple mycotoxins?
Don’t pet owners deserve to know the complete details of testing of a recalled pet food?
Or did FDA neglect to tell pet owners Midwestern Pet Food contained concerning levels of multiple mycotoxins because the agency hasn’t bothered to establish limits for multiple mycotoxins? Pointing that out in this pet food might cause consumers to question FDA lack of regulatory action.
There is significant research FDA should consult regarding the increased health risks of multiple mycotoxins in a pet food/animal feed. The agency should certainly establish maximum limits when multiple mycotoxins are present.
With corn being the most commonly used pet food ingredient, and all of the following mycotoxins can be present in corn: Aflatoxin, Fumonisin, Citrinin, Cyclopiazonic acid, Penicillic acid, Deoxynivalenol (DON or vomitoxin), Ochratoxin A, Zearalenone, and Trichothecenes – to protect pets there is a clear need for the FDA to establish regulatory limits of multiple mycotoxins in pet food.
To view the lab results of Midwestern Pet Food, Click Here.
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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Maria McGuinness
March 1, 2021 at 12:59 pm
Thank you Susan for your hard work, dedication and exposing the truth!
Christina
March 1, 2021 at 7:03 pm
As a qa/qc scientist (not dog food though) I might be able to explain:
F1&2 as you said are inside the FDA allowed total limits (we call them outside/extended limits), therefore passed (but the company would’ve been put on notice)
O doesn’t have a limit therefore need not be reported to the public, only noted in docs for future limits. Also 1-4ppb isn’t much when it comes to these sorry of actives, plus it’s well within the error percentage of the machines used.
Now we come to Aflatoxins!
These DO have a hard limit and these exceeded them so far as to be 💯 definate and shocking. These were required by FDA laws too be recorded and made public.
T Allen
March 1, 2021 at 2:47 pm
I think the people on the mold disease and sensitivity web sites would be very interested to hear that Ochratoxin A is on that list as well as a Fusarium sp. Time to avaoid ALL corn like the toxin it has become.
Laurie Matson
March 1, 2021 at 4:26 pm
I hope this comes back and bites them where it hurts!! The FDA is corrupted and so is big pet food. Lie lie lie is all they do to protect each other. This country has gone down the tubes big time.
Harry Giarratana
March 1, 2021 at 4:47 pm
Susan, thank-you so very much for the enlightening article. It always seems like a never-ending battle with people in power, those we did not elect to such powerful positions. Thank-you for your perseverance.
Also, a heartfelt thank-you for posting a picture of my sweet Sadie at the top of the page. We rescued her when she was 10 years old. She had heartworms, and we helped cure her of that awful condition. She spent 3 Golden Years with us, but the damage to her heart was too great, and she was called to the Rainbow Bridge in Sept of 2018. She always let us know how much she loved us. We miss her terribly. God bless you for what you do for us, Susan.