WASHINGTON — The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Jan. 25 added a list of countries affected by Midwestern Pet Foods' recent recall of several pet foods containing potentially fatal levels of aflatoxin. As of Jan. 21, the FDA was aware of 110 dog deaths and 210 illnesses in dogs linked to the recall.

The company may have exported contaminated pet food products to the following countries: Bahrain, Barbados, Chile, Costa Rica, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Polynesia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Singapore, Taiwan, Trinidad, Ukraine, UAE, Uruguay, and Vietnam.

This recall includes online and brick-and-mortar retailers in these countries, as well as in the United States.

Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. on Jan. 11 expanded a recent recall warning consumers of potentially fatal levels of aflatoxin in select Sportmix pet foods. The company recalled all pet food products containing corn that were manufactured at its Oklahoma facility and have a best-by date on or before July 9, 2022. This totals more than 1,000 lots of contaminated pet food product. 

As of Jan. 11, the FDA was aware of more than 70 cases of dogs who have died after eating Sportmix pet foods, and more than 80 dogs are sick due to recalled product. 

"Not all of these cases have been officially confirmed as aflatoxin poisoning through laboratory testing or veterinary record review," the FDA stated in the expanded recall. "This count is approximate and may not reflect the total number of pets affected."

Recalled product now includes the original nine lots of Sportmix product (see below), as well as the following diets with lot codes containing an expiration date on or before “07/09/22” and includes “05” in the date/lot code, which identifies products made at Midwestern Pet Food's Oklahoma facility:

  • Pro Pac Adult Mini Chunk, 40 lb. bag 
  • Pro Pac Performance Puppy, 40 lb. bag 
  • Splash Fat Cat 32%, 50 lb. bag 
  • Nunn Better Maintenance, 50 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Original Cat, 15 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Original Cat, 31 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Maintenance, 44 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Maintenance, 50 lb. bag
  • Sportmix High Protein, 50 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Energy Plus, 44 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Energy Plus, 50 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Stamina, 44 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Stamina, 50 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Bite Size, 40 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Bite Size, 44 lb. bag
  • Sportmix High Energy, 44 lb. bag
  • Sportmix High Energy, 50 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Premium Puppy, 16.5 lb. bag
  • Sportmix Premium Puppy, 33 lb. bag

The agency is currently following up at Midwestern Pet Foods' Oklahoma facility and will provide additional updates as the investigation develops. The FDA said it is currently working with state departments of agriculture in Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington, where the contaminated pet food was distributed. 

Midwestern Pet Foods voluntarily recalled certain lots of the diet, Sportmix, on Dec. 30 after the FDA was made aware of reports of death and sickness in dogs related to the diet. The Missouri Department of Agriculture took multiple product samples, which contained “very high levels of afatoxin,” the FDA stated.

 

Original article

The US Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers of three Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. pet food formulas for containing potentially fatal levels of aflatoxin. The agency has so far connected the contaminated product to 28 deaths and eight illnesses in dogs.

Midwestern Pet Foods voluntarily recalled certain lots of the diet, Sportmix, on Dec. 30 after the FDA was made aware of reports of death and sickness in dogs related to the diet. The Missouri Department of Agriculture took multiple product samples, which contained “very high levels of afatoxin,” the FDA stated.

Recalled product includes nine lots of three Sportmix dog and cat food formulas:

  • Sportmix Energy Plus, 50-lb bag
    • Exp 03/02/22/05/L2
    • Exp 03/02/22/05/L3
    • Exp 03/03/22/05/L2
  • Sportmix Energy Plus, 44-lb bag
    • Exp 03/02/22/05/L3
  • Sportmix Premium High Energy, 50-lb bag
    • Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
  • Sportmix Premium High Energy, 44-lb bag
    • Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
  • Sportmix Original Cat, 31-lb bag
    • Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
  • Sportmix Original Cat, 15-lb bag
    • Exp 03/03/22/05/L2
    • Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

These products can be identified by their expiration dates and lot codes located on the back of the pet food packaging. Affected product was distributed to online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores across the United States.

The FDA said it would conduct a follow-up at the facility where the dog food was manufactured, and that this was a developing investigation. More information will be shared as it becomes available. 

Stay up to date on news about the pet food processing industry on our News page.