The FDA is cautioning pet owners that FDA samples of five Darwin’s Natural raw cat and dog food made by Arrow Reliance Inc. tested positive for Salmonella and a sixth FDA sample tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
The pathogens are dangerous for pets and people who handle the food, according to the FDA’s warning.
Affected products are sold in frozen 2-pound packages and consist of certain lots of Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats and Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Dogs. These product lots should not be fed to pets.
Darwin’s Natural Selections pet foods are generally sold online through a subscription service.
The FDA recommended that Arrow Reliance Inc. recall all six lots of product. To date, the firm has not recalled the affected products and could continue to distribute them. Therefore, the FDA advises consumers to keep checking Darwin’s Natural Selection Antibiotic & Grain-Free products for the affected lot numbers prior to feeding to pets.
This is not the first time Arrow Reliance has refused to recall contaminated pet food. At least five times since 2022 the company has refused the FDA’s requests to initiate recalls after pathogens were found in its pet food products.
Raw pet food is susceptible to being contaminated with foodborne pathogens because it is produced without a kill step.
Microscopic portions of Salmonella and Listeria can infect humans and their pets.
If consumers have any pet food on the list below, they are advised to throw it away in a secure container. Do not feed it to your pets. Do not donate the food.
There is concern that consumers may still have portions of the food in their home freezers. Freezing or refrigeration does not kill Salmonella or Listeria.
The implicated foods are:
Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats Lot No: 10832 MFG. Date: Jul 25, 2024
Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats Lot No: 10856 MFG. Date: Aug 04, 2024
Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats Lot No: 10890 MFG. Date: Aug 13, 2024
Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Dogs Lot No: 10828 MFG. Date: Jul 24, 2024
Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Dogs Lot No: 10844 MFG. Date: Jul 30, 2024
Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Dogs Lot No: 10887 MFG. Date: Aug 12, 2024
Salmonellaand Listeria can affect both people and animals. People with symptoms of Salmonella or Listeria infection should consult their health care providers. Consult a veterinarian if your pet has symptoms of Salmonella or Listeria infection.
Consumers who have had the products listed above in their homes should clean and disinfect all pet supplies, including all storage containers, bowls, utensils, food prep surfaces, pet bedding, litter boxes, toys, floors, and any other surfaces that the food or pet may have had contact with, including your refrigerator or freezer. Clean up the pet’s feces in places where people or other animals may become exposed. Consumers should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the product or cleaning up potentially contaminated items and surfaces.
About Listeria infections
Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has handled any of the implicated pet foods and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure.
Also, anyone who has handled any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop.
Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses.
Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth.
About Salmonella infections
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.
Anyone who has handled any of the implicated products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after handling contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.
Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.
Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.
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