FDA issues warning to pet food company after 130 pet poisoning links

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to Midwestern Pet Foods stating that their food might be linked to the deaths of 130 pets. According to the FDA statement, the inspection was carried out after the company voluntarily recalled over 19 of its pet food-related products following the FDA’s finding of high levels of aflatoxins, which can cause illnesses and even death.

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“The FDA is aware of more than 130 pet deaths and more than 220 pet illnesses that may be linked to eating brands of pet food manufactured by Midwestern,” said the FDA release.

However, not all of these cases have been confirmed as aflatoxin poisoning through laboratory testing or veterinary record review. This count is approximate and may not reflect the total number of pets affected.”

The site inspections of the Midwestern food facilities by the FDA found convincing evidence of significant violations of the “current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals regulation.”

The initial investigation was prompted by reports of illness or death in dogs that had eaten SPORTMiX brand dry dog food manufactured by Midwestern.

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In December, the Missouri Department of Agriculture also collected and investigated the samples of Midwestern’s “SPORTMiX High Energy Dog Food” for the presence of mycotoxins. That investigation was triggered by complaints from pet owners, according to the FDA’s warning letter.

The health body’s warning letter also revealed that the Missouri Department of Agriculture found elevated aflatoxin levels in the samples of Midwestern pet food. Aflatoxin is a byproduct of mold that can cause mycotoxin poisoning in the consumer.

  Before this, Fold Hills Food recalled a number of its cat food products 

from brands including Applaws, AVA, and Sainsbury’s, over a concern of a possible link to an outbreak of a potentially fatal condition, feline pancytopenia.