More dog food recalled due to excess Vitamin D

This story by Phyllis Entis first appeared in Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission

Lidl US (Lidl), in association with Sunshine Mills, and Natural Life Pet Products (Natural Life) are recalling additional dry dog foods due to elevated levels of Vitamin D.

Consumers should stop feeding the products listed below. Dogs consuming elevated levels of Vitamin D could exhibit symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss.

The following products are included in the voluntary recalls, which are being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Lidl US / Sunshine Mills

Orlando brand Grain Free Chicken & Chickpea Superfood Recipe Dog Food:- Lidl product number 215662; Lot numbers TI1 3 Mar 2019, TB2 21 Mar 2019, TB3 21 Mar 2019, TA2 19 Apr 2019, TB1 15 May 2019, and TB2 15 May 2019; manufactured between March 3, 2018 and May 15, 2018

Natural Life Pet Products

Natural Life Chicken & Potato Dry Dog Food:- 17.5-lb bags; UPC 0-12344-08175-1; Best by dates December 4, 2019 through August 10, 2010

Lidl has removed the Orlando brand dog food from its stores.

The Natural Life product dog food was distributed to retail stores in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and California.

Both companies are asking customers who have purchased any of these products to discard the food or return it for a full refund.

Lidl customers who have questions about this recall should call the Lidl US Customer Care Hotline at 1-844-747-5435 (8 am-9 pm Eastern time 7 days a week).

Consumers with questions about the Natural Life recall may contact the company at (888) 279-9420 from 8 AM to 5 PM Central Standard time, Monday through Friday, or by email at consumerservices@nutrisca.com for more information.

One death, 63 hospitalized, 164 ill in Salmonella outbreak linked to raw turkey products

In the last year, a multidrug-resistant strain of Salmonella Reading has infected 164 people in 35 states. Sixty-three people have been hospitalized, one person is dead, and the outbreak is showing no signs of abating.

According to CDC, the outbreak strain has been isolated from live turkeys and from raw turkey products, including raw turkey pet food. No single source of the outbreak strain has been identified, and the outbreak strain appears to be widespread in the turkey industry.

Outbreak victims have reported consuming different types and brands of turkey products purchased from many different locations.

Three of the victims were members of a household that fed its pets with a commercial raw turkey pet food.

In February 2018, the Minnesota Department of Health reported two cases of Salmonella Reading linked to Raws for Paws Ground Turkey Food for Pets. The company recalled the implicated product on February 8th.

No other products have been recalled in conjunction with this outbreak investigation.

States reported confirmed illness associated with this outbreak include:

Alaska (1), Arizona (1), California (13), Colorado (6), Connecticut (3), Delaware (1), Florida (7), Georgia (2), Hawaii (1), Idaho (1), Iowa (3), Illinois (16), Indiana (3), Kansas (1), Kentucky (1), Maryland (3), Massachusetts (3), Michigan (6), Minnesota (17), Missouri (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (8), New York (12), North Carolina (7), North Dakota (2), Ohio (5), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (8), South Carolina (1), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (1), Texas (11), Virginia (8), Wisconsin (6).

With Thanksgiving fast approaching in the US, consumers and food service operators should take extra care in handling all poultry products.

CDC advises consumers to follow these steps to help prevent Salmonella infection from raw turkey:

Wash your hands. Salmonella infections can spread from one person to another. Wash hands before and after preparing or eating food, after contact with animals, and after using the restroom or changing diapers.
Cook raw turkey thoroughly to kill harmful germs. Turkey breasts, whole turkeys, and ground poultry, including turkey burgers, casseroles, and sausage, should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F to kill harmful germs. Leftovers should be reheated to 165°F. Use a food thermometer to check, and place it in the thickest part of the food.
Don’t spread germs from raw turkey around food preparation areas. Washing raw poultry before cooking is not recommended. Germs in raw poultry juices can spread to other areas and foods. Thoroughly wash hands, counters, cutting boards, and utensils with warm, soapy water after they touch raw turkey. Use a separate cutting board for raw turkey and other raw meats if possible.
Thaw turkey in the refrigerator, in a sink of cold water that is changed every 30 minutes, or in the microwave. Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter.
CDC does not recommend feeding raw diets to pets. Germs like Salmonella in raw pet food can make your pets sick. Your family also can get sick by handling the raw food or by taking care of your pet.

Consumer complaints spur pet food recalls because of Vitamin D toxicity

This story first appeared in Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission

Natural Life Pet Products and Nutrisca, both of Saint Louis, are recalling certain dry dog foods because of the excess levels of vitamin D.

The voluntary recall was initiated after the receipt of three complaints from pet owners about viitamin D toxicity. The presence of excessive vitamin D resulted from a formulation error, according to the companies’ recall notices posted on the Food And Drug Administration website. Neither company provided product photos to the FDA for posting with the recall notices.

Dogs ingesting excessive vitamin D can exhibit symptoms such as as vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss. When consumed at very high levels, vitamin D can lead to serious health issues, such as renal disfunction.

Consumers should immediately stop feeding the following products to their dogs, according to the recall notice, and should contact a veterinarian if the animals show symptoms of vitamin D toxicity.

The recalled dry dog foods include:

Nutrisca Chicken and Chickpea Dry Dog Food, 4 lbs. – UPC 8-84244-12495-7; Best by February 25, 2020 through September 13, 2020
Nutrisca Chicken and Chickpea Dry Dog Food, 15 lbs. – UPC 8-84244-12795-8; Best by February 25, 2020 through September 13, 2020
Nutrisca Chicken and Chickpea Dry Dog Food, 28 lbs. – UPC 8-84244-12895-5; Best by February 25, 2020 through September 13, 2020
Natural Life Chicken & Potato Dry Dog Food, 17.5 lbs. – UPC 0-12344-08175-1; Best by May 29, 2020 through August 10, 2020

The companies distributed three of the dog food flavors to retail stores nationwide. The Natural Life Chicken & Potato Dry Dog Food was distributed to retail stores in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and California.

Consumers who have purchased any of the products affected by this recall should dispose of the dry dog food or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions for either the Nutrisca or Natural Life products can call both companies at 888-279-9420 or send email to consumerservices@nutrisca.com for more information.