FDA announces pet food products contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria

Photo: zontica/Adobe Stock

The FDA is advising pet owners to discontinue use of 6 of Darwin’s Natural Selections raw cat and dog food products, manufactured by Arrow Reliance, Inc. The announcement came after 5 FDA samples of these products tested positive for Salmonella and a 6th tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes (L mono).¹

Arrow Reliance was advised by the FDA to recall the 6 affected product lots, according to the announcement.¹ However, the company has not recalled these products and may still be distributing them.

The impacted products include specific 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. They are sold in frozen 2-pound white and clear plastic packages with 4 separate units. The Darwin’s Natural Selections products for dogs comes in blue packaging. The cat food has a combination of blue and green packaging.

The following are the impacted varieties and lot codes¹:

• Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats: Lot number 10832 MFG. Date: July 25, 2024.
• Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats: Lot number 10856 MFG. Date: August 4, 2024.
• Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats: Lot number 10890 MFG. Date: August 13, 2024.
• Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Dogs: Lot number 10828 MFG. Date: July 24, 2024.
• Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Dogs: Lot number 10844 MFG. Date: July 30, 2024.
• Darwin’s Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Dogs: Lot number 10887 MFG. Date: August 12, 2024.

Lot codes for these products can be found printed on the lower left corner of the front of the package. The FDA is also recommending that consumers regularly check the lot numbers of Darwin’s Natural Selection Antibiotic & Grain-Free products before feeding them to their pets, considering Arrow Reliance has not recalled the impacted lots of products.¹

In its announcement, the FDA urged any individual that has any of these 6 products to stop feeding it to their pets and dispose of it in a secure container that is inaccessible to other animals, including wildlife. The FDA also warned against the donation of these products. Moreover, the organization advises that consumers throw the products away if lot codes are illegible or if packaging has been discarded.

Should consumers be in possession of the affected pet food products, they should clean and disinfect all pet supplies and surfaces that came into contact with the food or pet, including refrigerators and freezers.

Veterinarians interested in testing pets for Salmonella and L mono can utilize the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN Network) if the pet comes from a household where someone is infected with either of these pathogens.¹

Salmonella in pets

According to the FDA, animal companions may not always show symptoms when infected with Salmonella, but they could exhibit signs such as vomiting, diarrhea—including bloody diarrhea—fever, loss of appetite, and/or reduced activity levels. However, some animals may be asymptomatic and still shed the bacteria in their feces, contaminating the environment when they have a bowel movement.¹

L mono in pets

Infections caused by L mono are rare in pets, but they can occur, according to the FDA.¹ Symptoms may range from mild to severe diarrhea, anorexia, and fever, in addition to nervous, muscular, and respiratory issues. This infection can also lead to pregnancy loss, depression, shock, and death. Pets can transmit L mono to humans even if they do not show symptoms. As with Salmonella, infected pets can shed bacteria in their feces and saliva without appearing ill, potentially infecting their human counterparts.

Reference

1. FDA advisory: Do not feed certain lots of Darwin’s Natural Selections pet food due to Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. News release. US Food and Drug Administration. September 20, 2024. Accessed September 23, 2024. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-advisory-do-not-feed-certain-lots-darwins-natural-selections-pet-food-due-salmonella-and?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery