Salmonella contamination has been found in a second Diamond plant. This has led to an expansion of the recall which began in April. The plant, located in Meta, Missouri, tested positive for a different strain of salmonella than that found in its Gaston, SC plant. As of this writing, the plant in Lathrop, CA remains unaffected.
The recall began in April with two formulas from Diamond being recalled because of the potential of salmonella contamination. Over the next few weeks, more brands and formulas were added to the recall list, leading to the temporary shutdown of the plant in Gaston, SC. This plant has since been reopened and resumed production.
We’re continuing to monitor issues related to the Diamond plant recall carefully. Two weeks ago, the Food and Drug Administration released their preliminary inspection report of the Gaston plant. It contained some interesting and surprising information including:
1. All reasonable precautions are not taken to ensure that production procedures do not contribute contamination from any source
2. Failure to provide hand washing and hand sanitizing facilities at each location in the plant where needed.
3. Failure to maintain equipment, containers and utensils used to convey, hold, and store food in a manner that protects against contamination.
4. Failure to maintain equipment so as to facilitate cleaning of the equipment.
The specifics of each of the issues raised were rather disturbing and can be found in this pdf file of the full FDA report.
Each time a recall is issued, more and more pet owners are questioning how to avoid feeding tainted pet food. The sad truth is that unless you make your own food from ingredients you produce, there is no foolproof way to avid a problem.
A certain amount of trust in the manufacturer of your food is needed. Combine that with a healthy skepticism and a trustworthy source of information and your risks will be minimized.
While there is always the option of switching foods, it certainly is no guarantee against future recalls. Our best advice is to choose the best quality food you can afford, and educate yourself about the company’s history. This includes learning whether the company manufactures its own food or contracts it out.
One of the benefits of being part of the Smiley Dog family is being secure in the knowledge that you will be contacted if any food you receive from us is ever affected by a recall. If you have questions or concerns about what you’re feeding, please feel free to call or email.
If you’d like to learn more about what you should, or should not do when a recall is issued, you may be interested in reading Are You On Your Own With a Pet Food Recall?
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