Tag: FDA

More pentobarbital-contaminated dog food reported

Two varieties of Party Animal canned dog food may be contaminated with pentobarbital, according to a test report from Texas A&M University released this week.

The report was provided to blogger Susan Thixton of Truth About Pet Food by a consumer who arranged for the testing after a family pet became ill. The consumer has not been identified. The test report was supplied by Thixton to the Food and Drug Administration April 17.

“The FDA has received test results of this food and is aware of the public statement from Party Animal, and is following up as appropriate,” according to a spokesperson with FDA.

A statement posted on the Party Animal Pet Food website confirms that it was informed by a retailer of the problem on April 13. The company has contacted the two Texas retailers who may have sold the food to the customer, and has requested that all remaining cans of the implicated production lots be isolated and returned for independent third-party testing. Party Animal also will be retrieving all remaining nationwide stock of the two production lots.

Party Animal Inc. is incorporated in California and is headquartered in West Hollywood, CA. Its principals are Chief Executive Officer and Secretary Daryl Alan Abrams and Chief Financial Officer Shawna Denae Abrams.

The implicated products, which the company reports were manufactured in 2015, are:

  • Cocolicious Beef & Turkey, Lot #0136E15204 04
  • Cocolicious Chicken & Beef, Lot #0134E15 237 13

In 2015, Party Animal canned pet foods were manufactured by Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co. according to an interview published in Pet Product News. Earlier this year, Evangers recalled several months worth of three beef-based canned dog foods after samples from two different products were determined to contain pentobarbital. The recalled products were manufactured in 2015.

According to the statement on its website, Party Animal has “… submitted many recent lots of [its] beef flavors for testing and all have tested negative for any pentobarbital.”

“We have also had extensive discussions with our manufacturer regarding the potential cause of the reported contamination of the 2015 lots,” the company states, “and we will continue with such discussions even as we await testing results for the 2015 lots. In order to ensure adherence to our commitment to the safety of pets, we are also actively re-examining our manufacturing processes.”

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

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 and Against the Grain Recall additional products

Initial recalls expanded to include 13 months’ production and a third product

Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food on March 4 announced a voluntary expansion of its earlier dog food recalls due to potential adulteration with pentobarbital.

The expansion of the company’s February 3rd recall of five production lots of Evanger’s Hunk of Beef canned dog food and its February 14th recall of one production lot of Against the Grain Pulled Beef canned dog food is being carried out ‘Out of an abundance of caution,’ according to today’s announcement.

Evanger’s first advised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) of its intention to expand the product recall on February 20,2017 and announced the planned recall in a letter to its distributors and retailers on February 28, 2017.

The recall encompasses all 12-oz. cans of the following hand-packed products manufactured between December 2015 and January 2017 and bearing expiration dates of December 2019 through January 2021. The numbers listed below represent the second half of the barcode for each product.

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

The recalled products were distributed online and through independent boutique pet stores nationwide.

FDA initiated an investigation of Evanger’s manufacturing facilities in early last January, after receiving word that a dog had died and four other dogs had been sickened following ingesting food from a can of Evanger’s Hunk of Beef.

Lab testing revealed the presence of pentobarbital, a euthanasia agent, in the stomach contents of the dead dog, in the remnants of food from the opened can, and in food from unopened cans of the same production lot of Hunk of Beef obtained from the owner of the dogs and from the retailer. Additional lab testing, carried out by FDA, detected pentobarbital in a can of Against the Grain Pulled Beef canned dog food.

Against the Grain Pulled Beef is manufactured by Evanger’s.

In an advisory to consumers, released on February 17 and updated on March 3, FDA reported that a bill of lading from Evanger’s supplier, which the pet food manufacturer had claimed was “USDA approved”, referred to “Inedible Hand Deboned Beef – For Pet Food Use Only. Not Fit For Human Consumption.”

Investigation of a certificate number displayed on the bill of lading determined that it referred to an export certification number that had been issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS). The certification, according to a spokesperson with USDA-APHIS, had expired in the mid 2000s.

FDA has received ten additional complaints from consumers who believe their dogs have been affected adversely after consuming by Evanger’s Hunk of Beef dog food. Five of the complaints mention symptoms that are consistent with possible pentobarbital poisoning. The agency is following up on four of the complaints, which provided veterinary and product lot number identification.

FDA continues to encourage consumers to report problems with Evanger’s products through the Safety Reporting Portal or by contacting a Consumer Complaint Coordinator. Empty cans or partially used cans of food to facilitate collection of specific lot number information may be retained.  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.