Category: food safety

Tracking the SoyNut Butter Recall

UPDATED MARCH 24, 2017 WITH ADDITIONAL RETAIL DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION in USA and CANADA

Twenty-three people, twenty of them under 18 years of age, have been infected with E. coli O157:H7, according to an updated report released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The youngest victim is 2 years old.

Ten of the victims have been hospitalized, and seven are suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially life-threatening complication of E. coli O157:H7 infections.

Illnesses have been reported from nine states, including Arizona (4), California (5), Maryland (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (1), Oregon (6), Virginia (2) Washington (2) and Wisconsin (1).

Although the SoyNut Butter Co. is headquartered in Illinois, no illnesses have been reported from that state.

All 15 of the victims interviewed by outbreak investigators reported either eating I.M. Healthy brand SoyNut Butter at home (nine people) in the week before they became ill, attending a facility that served I.M. Health brand SoyNut Butter (two people), or attending childcare centers that served I.M. Healthy brand SoyNut Butter and I.M. Healthy brand granola coated with SoyNut Butter (four people).

On March 3rd, The SoyNut Butter Co. recalled certain production date codes of I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter. This recall was expanded to include all varieties of I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butters and all varieties of I.M. Healthy Granola products on March 7th.

The recall was expanded once more on March 10th to include Dixie Diner’s Club brand Carb Not Beanit Butter (all Best By dates). The Dixie Diner’s Club product was sold only via mail order or online portals.

On March 24th, Pro Sports Club (Bellevue, WA) recalled 36,957 20/20 Life Styles brand Yogurt Peanut Crunch bars (2 oz net wt; lot code B.B. 22JUL17 (best by July 22, 2017), UPC Code 78571 00052) that were manufactured using an ingredient recalled by Soy Nut Butter Company. The bars were sold directly to clients at the PRO Sports facilities in Bellevue, Redmond and Seattle (Washington state) between August 8, 2016 and March 10, 2017. Product was also sold to internet customers through www.2020lifestyles.com.

Where were the recalled products sold?

The recalled products were distributed in multiple states and may have been purchased in stores or through mail order. They were also distributed to childcare centers and schools in multiple states. FDA is constrained by regulation from revealing details of the retail distribution.

The following recalled products also were distributed across Canada:

I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter – 425g/15 oz (UPC 6 54989 91010 4 and 6 54989 94020 0)
I.M. Healthy Chunky SoyNut Butter – 425g/15 oz (UPC 6 54989 92010 3 and 6 54989 95020 9)
I.M. Healthy Unsweetened SoyNut Butter – 425g (UPC 6 54989 96020 8)
I.M. Healthy Unsweetened Creamy SoyNut Butter – 425g/15 oz (UPC 6 54989 93010 2)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter – 4255 (UPC 6 54989 97020 7)
I.M. Healthy Honey Creamy SoyNut Butter – 425g/15 oz (UPC 6 54989 94010 1)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter – 425g/15 oz (UPC 6 54989 97010 8 and 6 54989 98020 6)
I.M. Healthy Original Granola – 340g/12 oz (UPC 6 54989 40035 3)
I.M. Healthy Raisin & Cranberry Granola –  340g/12 oz (UPC 6 54989 40036 0)
I.M. Healthy Apple Granola – 340g/12 oz (UPC 6 54989 40037 7)
I.M. Healthy Blueberry Granola – 340g/12 oz (UPC 6 54989 40038 4)

Dixie Diners’ Club brand Carb Not Beanit Butter (15 oz.; all product codes; UPC 6 16578 78105 2)

New Era Nutrition Inc. has recalled the following energy bars:
SoLo GI Lemon Lift – 50g (Codes BB/MA 11/04/17/ 5410621700, 02/02/18/ 5410630700 & 04/09/18/ 5410700900; UPC 8 97024 00060 0)
SoLo GI Lemon Lift – 12 x 50g (Codes BB/MA 11/04/17/ 5410621700, 02/02/18/ 5410630700 & 04/09/18/ 5410700900; UPC 8 97024 00061 7)
SoLo GI White Chocolate Cherry – 50g (Codes BB/MA 12/22/17/ 5410626600, & 04/12/18/ 5410701200; UPC 8 97024 00109 6)
SoLo GI White Chocolate Cherry – 12 x 50g (Codes BB/MA 12/22/17/ 5410626600, & 04/12/18/ 5410701200; UPC 8 97024 00110 2)
SoLo GI Pineapple Coconut – 50g (BB/MA 02/02/18/ 5410630700; UPC 8 97024 00066 2)
SoLo GI Pineapple Coconut – 12 x 50g (BB/MA 02/02/18/ 5410630700; UPC 8 97024 00067 9)

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services advises that the following retailers in the state sold one or more of the recalled products: Shaw’s, Hannaford, Target, Market Basket, DeMoulas, and Whole Foods locations; Hanover Coop, Littleton Coop, Lebanon Coop, and Philbrick’s Fresh Market in Portsmouth; and to the food distributor United Natural Foods Inc.

Based on a search of retailer websites, the following is a partial distribution list in the US:

Baker’s
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Big Y
I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 65498991010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Unsweetened SoyNut Butter (UPC 65498993010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Creamy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 65498994010; 15 oz)

Buehlers Fresh Foods
I.M. Healthy items (see recall notice for details)

City Market
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Copps
Granola w/Raisins & Cranberries –  12 oz (UPC 54989-40036)
Sugar Free Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-93010)
Original Granola – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40035)
Granola w/Apples – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40037)
Granola w/Blueberries – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40038)
Original Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-91010)
Original Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-92010)
Honey Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-94010)
Honey Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-95010)
Sugar Free Chunky SoyNut Butter –  (UPC 54989-96010)
Chocolate SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-97010)

Davis Food Co-op (Davis, CA)
I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter

Dillons
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Food City
I.M. Healthy Soy Nut Butter 15 oz.

Fred Meyer
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Fry’s
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Gerbes
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Giant Eagle
SOY NUT BUTTER CREAMY (UPC 65498991010)
IMHLT SOYNUT BUTTERCHUNKY (UPC 65498992010)
I’M HEALTHY ORIG CREAMY CHOCOLATE SOYNUT BUTTER (UPC 65498997010)

Giant Food
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498997010)
I.M. Healthy Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498992010)
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498991010)
I.M. Healthy Unsweetened Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498993010)

Hannaford
IM Healthy Original Creamy Soy Nut Butter (UPC 654989 91010)

Harris Teeter
SoyNut Butter Creamy (15 oz; UPC 006 549 899 1010)

King Soopers
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Kroger
(stores located in Georgia; South Carolina; Auburn, Alabama; Greater Cincinnati (including Northern Kentucky and Dayton, Ohio plus South Eastern Indiana); Central and Northwest Ohio; Northwestern Virginia panhandle; Michigan; Indiana (except SE Indiana, -Evansville-); Illinois; Eastern Missouri; Greater Louisville area (including Indiana) and Lexington, Kentucky; Greater Memphis area, Tennessee; Arkansas; Mississippi; Western Kentucky; Hopkinsville and Bowling Green, Kentucky; Nashville and Knoxville, Tennessee; Huntsville, Alabama; North Carolina; Virginia; Eastern West Virginia; Eastern Kentucky; Southeastern Ohio; Texas and Louisiana)
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Lowes Foods
IM Healthy Soy Nut Creamy Butter (UPC 6-54989-91010)

Lucky Supermarkets
IM Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter –  15 oz (UPC 65498991010)

Mariano’s
Granola w/Raisins & Cranberries –  12 oz (UPC 54989-40036)
Sugar Free Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-93010)
Original Granola – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40035)
Granola w/Apples – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40037)
Granola w/Blueberries – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40038)
Original Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-91010)
Original Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-92010)
Honey Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-94010)
Honey Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-95010)
Sugar Free Chunky SoyNut Butter –  (UPC 54989-96010)
Chocolate SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-97010)

Martins
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498997010)
I.M. Healthy Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498992010)
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498991010)
I.M. Healthy Unsweetened Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498993010)

Metro Market
Granola w/Raisins & Cranberries –  12 oz (UPC 54989-40036)
Sugar Free Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-93010)
Original Granola – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40035)
Granola w/Apples – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40037)
Granola w/Blueberries – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40038)
Original Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-91010)
Original Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-92010)
Honey Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-94010)
Honey Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-95010)
Sugar Free Chunky SoyNut Butter –  (UPC 54989-96010)
Chocolate SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-97010)

Pick ‘n Save
Granola w/Raisins & Cranberries –  12 oz (UPC 54989-40036)
Sugar Free Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-93010)
Original Granola – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40035)
Granola w/Apples – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40037)
Granola w/Blueberries – 12 oz (UPC 54989-40038)
Original Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-91010)
Original Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-92010)
Honey Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-94010)
Honey Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-95010)
Sugar Free Chunky SoyNut Butter –  (UPC 54989-96010)
Chocolate SoyNut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989-97010)

Price Chopper
I.M. Healthy Original Chunky Soy Nut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 65498 99201)
I.M. Healthy Creamy Soy Nut Butter – 15 oz (UPC 54989 91010)

Publix
I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter

QFC
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Ralph’s
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op (Sacramento, CA)
I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter

Schnucks
I.M. Healthy Soynut Butter Creamy (UPC 65498991010)
I.M. Healthy Soynut Butter Chunky (UPC 65498992010)
I.M. Healthy Soynut Butter Creamy Honey (UPC 65498994010)
I.M. Healthy Soynut Butter Creamy Unsweetened (UPC 65498993010)
I.M. Healthy Soynut Butter Creamy Chocolate (UPC 65498997010)

ShopRite
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNutButter – 15 oz. (UPC 65498993010)
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNutButter – 15 oz. (UPC 65498991010)
I.M. Healthy Chunky SoyNutButtter – 15 oz. (UPC 65498992010)

Smith’s
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-91010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Honey SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-94010; 15 oz)
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter (UPC 654989-97010: 15 oz)

Sprouts Farmers Market
I.M. Healthy Butter-Soy Nut Creamy – 15 oz (UPC 6-54989-91010)

Stop and Shop
I.M. Healthy Chocolate SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498997010)
I.M. Healthy Chunky SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498992010)
I.M. Healthy Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498991010)
I.M. Healthy Unsweetened Creamy SoyNut Butter – 15 OZ (UPC: 65498993010)

Target
IM HEALTHY CREAMY SOY NUT BUTTER 15 OZ

U.S. Foods (foodservice)
I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter – Original Creamy, Chunky, Honey Creamy, Unsweetened and Chocolate (15 oz plastic jars, individual portion cups, 4 lb plastic tubs, or 45 lb pails)
I.M. Healthy Granola – Original, Apple, Blueberry, and Raisin and Cranberry (individual serving packages, 12 oz bags, 50 oz bags, and 25 lb bulk bag)

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.
I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter

Whole Foods Market
I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter

Please check back periodically, as this list will be updated whenever more information becomes available.

Evanger’s escalates war of words, challenges FDA investigation

Pet food maker blames weather for problem in facility; claims no flies in Chicago in winter

A family-owned pet food company under investigation after a euthanasia drug was found in its canned dog food has taken its dispute with the FDA to the public.

On March 2, FDA reported on its website that, based on a preliminary assessment, none of Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food suppliers were USDA-FSIS registered facilities.

In response, the Wheeling, Il, company owned by Holly and Joel Sher posted the following notice on its website:

“The FDA recently stated it believes that Evanger’s does not purchase any edible beef, yet in its investigation never asked a simple question, ‘does Evanger’s purchase edible beef.’ Evangers does, in fact, purchase edible beef, and did purchase edible beef around the same time as the recalled beef was supplied.

“Our intention was not to start an online war with the FDA, but the FDA has taken unprecedented actions specifically against Evanger’s. We will continue to post information in regards to FDA’s recent actions, but meanwhile are sharing this with our loyal customers now.”

“This” refers to a redacted invoice dated July 14, 2016, that shows the delivery of a shipment of edible beef bones, frozen organic beef product and edible beef livers to Evanger’s.

The Evanger’s statement replaced all previous website communications from the company to its customers on the subject of its dog food recalls due to contamination with pentobarbital. Several dogs have become ill and at least one died after eating the dog food that was later recalled.

The latest salvo in an ongoing effort by Evanger’s to challenge some components of the Inspectional Observations Form 483 report issued on Feb. 14 at the conclusion of Food and Drug Administration inspections of the company’s Wheeling and Markham production facilities.

It is standard operating procedure for FDA inspectors to present to the “highest management official available” a completed Form 483 immediately on the completion of an inspection and before leaving the premises. It is not uncommon for management or owners of a facility to respond in writing to the observations listed on a Form 483.

An FDA spokesperson has confirmed that the agency has received and is reviewing Evanger’s response to the Inspectional Observations Form 483 reports for the Wheeling and Markham production facilities.

In addition to its formal reply to FDA, Evanger’s used a Feb. 28 letter to its distributors and retailers to take issue with certain of the observations listed in the Form 483 report for the Wheeling facility.

FDA’s observations

On Jan. 10 and 11, condensate dripped throughout your processing facility from the building framing, ceiling, walls, and from tarps suspended above food processing areas, including condensate dripping directly into open cans of the in-process low-acid canned dog food product Hunk Of Beef, and also into multiple open totes of raw meats including beef intended for your canned dog food product Hunk Of Beef.

The floors throughout your processing facility are pitted, cracked and otherwise damaged causing pooled water in areas where food is exposed including where open cans of in-process Hunk Of Beef dog food are staged on a wooden pallet immediately upon the damaged floor.

Additional sanitary conditions observed on the same dates included peeling paint and mold on walls throughout the processing facility including in areas where food is exposed, a live fly-like insect in the Hunk Of Beef hand-packing area during processing, and an open sanitary sewer within approximately 25 feet of two food storage trailers and one food processing trailer at the rear exterior of the facility.

Evanger’s responses

In some instances the investigators made observations without full knowledge of the operations of the firm, and other observations were made which are not true. An example of an untrue observation is that an inspector saw cracks in our floor. The “cracks” were actually expansion joints that are put into all new floors to prevent cracking.

There was condensation in areas of the plant because the temperature in Chicago was 35 degrees, then jumped to 57 degrees the following day. Since we manufacture using steam, the steam combined with the extreme temperature swing caused condensation. However, no condensation would have or could have entered any of our raw materials or in-process product because all materials are covered and protected at all times.

We use over 20,000 gallons of water per day and water is never stagnant in our facility. Water is frequently used and flowing during cleanup and sanitation procedures which happen throughout the day.

There are no flies in Illinois in winter.

Photographic evidence

Taking photographs during an inspection is standard procedure, according to Chapter 5 of FDA’s Inspections Operations Manual, and could help rectify these competing statements from the company and FDA inspectors. Inspectors are instructed to take a camera “… into the firm and use it as necessary just as you use other inspectional equipment.”

In some cases, company management objects to the taking of photographs. FDA has declined to comment on whether or not inspectors of the Wheeling and Markham facilities were permitted by management to take photographs inside the manufacturing plants during the January inspection.

What’s next?

The investigation is ongoing. According to an agency spokesperson, FDA is investigating all of Evanger’s suppliers of meat, and is following up on four consumer complaints for which veterinary and product identification information are available.

FDA continues to encourage consumers to report problems with Evanger’s products through the Safety Reporting Portal or by contacting a Consumer Complaint Coordinator. Please retain empty cans or partially used cans of food to facilitate collection of specific lot number information. Additional information is available on the FDA web page, How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.

This article first appeared on Food Safety News and is reposted here by permission.

Pet food recall expands; supplier’s certification had expired

10 consumer complaints so far in investigation of how a euthanasia drug got into dog food

The FDA today expanded a consumer advisory about Evanger’s and Against the Grain dog foods, some of which have been found to be contaminated with an animal euthanasia drug.

The FDA today expanded a consumer advisory about Evanger’s and Against the Grain dog foods, some of which have been found to be contaminated with an animal euthanasia drug.

“On Feb. 20, 2017, Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food notified the FDA that it planned to recall all ‘chunk beef’ products under the Evanger’s and Against the Grain brands,” according to the expanded advisory from the Food and Drug Administration.

“On Feb. 27, 2017, the FDA became aware that Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food was notifying its distributors and retailers of a new recall for lots of Evanger’s Braised Beef Chunks with Gravy as well as expanding the previous recall for additional lots of Evanger’s canned Hunk of Beef and Against the Grain’s Grain Free Pulled Beef with Gravy.”

The 12-ounce cans of dog food being recalled have the following barcodes. The numbers listed below are the second half of the barcode, which can be found on the back of the product label:

  • Evanger’s Hunk of Beef: 20109
  • Evanger’s Braised Beef: 20107
  • Against the Grain Pulled Beef: 80001

The products have expiration dates of December 2019-January 2021.

Ongoing investigation reveals supplier problem

The supplier of the beef that was used in Evanger’s Hunk of Beef and Against the Grain Pulled Beef canned dog foods displayed a “USDA-APHIS number” on its bills of lading, invoices and shipping pallets, according to the manufacturer of the dog food. A spokesperson for FDA has confirmed that the USDA-APHIS number was attached to a shipment from the supplier.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) has no regulatory responsibility for pet food inspection. However, APHIS does provide a voluntary certification service to companies seeking to export animal or plant products.

FDA supplied an image of the supplier’s bill of lading to USDA-APHIS for verification. According to a spokesperson, the USDA-APHIS number displayed on the document was found to be an export certification number that had expired in the mid 2000s.

Investigation timeline

Dec. 31, 2016: A pet owner feeds her five pugs some Evanger’s Hunk of Beef canned dog food as a New Year’s Eve treat. All five dogs develop symptoms within 15 minutes of consuming the meat. Four of the dogs required veterinary ICU care; one of the dogs died.

Jan. 17, 2017: A toxicology report issued by the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population & Animal Health revealed the presence of pentobarbital in the stomach contents of the dead dog and in the remnants of food from the opened can of Evanger’s Hunk of Beef.

Feb. 3, 2017: Following an investigation in which FDA confirmed the presence of pentobarbital in the implicated production lot of dog food, Evangers recalled all five lots of Hunk of Beef that were produced from the supplier’s lot of beef.

Feb. 9, 2017: Against the Grain recalled one production lot of its Pulled Beef after FDA detected pentobarbital in a sample of the product.

Feb. 17, 2017: FDA released redacted Inspectional Observation reports (Form 483), listing the findings of its investigation into the operations of Evanger’s production plant in Wheeling, Illinois and the Nutripack production plant in Markham, Illinois.

Feb. 20, 2017: Evanger’s notified FDA that the company would expand its recall to include all chunk beef products.

Feb. 21, 2017: Evanger’s notified its “customers” that the company was planning to expand the recall of Evanger’s and Against the Grain pet foods to include all outstanding production of Hunk of Beef, Braised Beef Chunks with Gravy, and Against the Grain Pulled Beef.

Feb. 28, 2017: Evanger’s notified its distributors and retailers by letter that the company was recalling Evanger’s Hunk of Beef, Evanger’s Braised Beef Chunks with Gravy, and Against the Grain Pulled Beef manufactured between December 2015 and January 2017 with expiration dates of December 2019 through January 2021.

10 consumer complaints so far

FDA has received 10 consumer complaints naming Evanger’s products. Five of the complaints are suggestive of pentobarbital poisoning. The agency is following up on four complaints for which there are available product and veterinary medical records. All of the complaints relate to Evanger’s Hunk of Beef dog food; one complaint also mentions an additional product, Evanger’s Braised Beef Chunks in Gravy for Dogs.

FDA continues to encourage consumers to report problems with Evanger’s products through the Safety Reporting Portal or by contacting a Consumer Complaint Coordinator. Please retain empty cans or partially used cans of food to facilitate collection of specific lot number information. Additional information is available on the FDA web page, How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.

This article first appeared on Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission.