Dog food recalled over salmonella concerns: FDA

Heads up, pet owners: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week announced a dog food recall over concerns that a product may be contaminated with salmonella.

Sunshine Mills issued a voluntary recall of Nature’s Menu Super Premium Dog Food with a Blend of Real Chicken & Quail after a sample of the product tested positive for salmonella, a bacteria that “can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products,” the FDA warned when announcing the recall earlier this week.

The company issued the recall after the Georgia Department of Agriculture tested a sample from a single bag of the product, with the sample testing positive for salmonella. No illnesses have been reported to date.

“The firm conducted testing of multiple samples of the same lot which all tested negative for Salmonella. Salmonella may not be evenly distributed throughout a lot which is why it could have been found on one sample and not on multiple other samples of the same lot,” the federal agency explained.

Even so, Sunshine Mills recalled certain lots of the food “out of an abundance of caution.”

The recalled products, which were distributed to retail stores across the country, can be identified with the UPC 7015514363 and UPC 7015514365. The affected products were sold in 3-pound bags and 13.5-pound bags.

The product comes in a 3-pound bag with the following lot codes:

  • TE1 20/April /2020, TE1 21/April/2020, TE1 22/April/2020, TE2 20/April /2020, TE2 21/April/2020,
  • TE2 22/April/2020, TE3 20/April/2020, TE3 21/April/2020, TE3 22/April/2020.

The product's 13.5-pound bags have the following lot codes:

  • TB1 20/April /2020, TB1 21/April/2020, TB1 22/April/2020, TB2 20/April /2020, TB2 21/April/2020,
  • TB2 22/April/2020, TB3 20/April/2020, TB3 21/April/2020, TB3 22/April/2020.

Pets infected with salmonella can be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting.

“Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian,” the FDA said in announcing the recall.

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In humans, salmonella infections usually result in stomach cramps, fever, and diarrhea up to six days after exposure. While most people recover without treatment, sometimes severe illnesses require hospitalization because the infection can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then elsewhere in the body.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends seeing your healthcare provider over concerning symptoms like high fever (above 102°F), blood in diarrhea and stool, or frequent vomiting.

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