2023 Pet Food Review – Truth about Pet Food

December 28, 2023 Kar-Bay-Inc

Recalls

In 2023, more than 236 million pounds of pet foods were recalled. The most common cause of recalls this year was due to pathogenic bacteria contamination.

2/8/23 – Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL – dry – excess vitamin D.
310,996 lbs.

2/8/23 – Royal Canin Veterinary Feline Renal Support F – dry – mislabeled.
20,882 lbs.

3/10/23 – Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL – dry – excess vitamin D. – expanded from 2/8 recall.

3/11/23 – Stratford Care USA – supplement – elevated levels of Vitamin A.

7/25/23 – ‘What the Raw’ – treat – Clostridium botulinum.

9/5/23 – Mid America Pet Food – dry – Salmonella.
644 cases, 5 lb bags – estimate 4-5lb bags per case = 12,880 lbs.

10/23/23 – TFP Nutrition – dry – Salmonella.
421,700 lbs.

10/30/23 – Blue Ridge Beef – raw – Salmonella.
1,350 lbs.

10/31/23 – Mid America Pet Food – dry – Salmonella.
9,508,943 units, 5 lb – 15 lb – 40 lb – estimate 1/3 each = 190,178,820 lbs.

Expanded 11/14/23 – Mid America Pet Food – dry – Salmonella.

Expanded 11/17/23 – TFP Nutrition – dry – Salmonella.
45,662,600 lbs.

12/22/23 – Blue Ridge Beef – raw – Salmonella and Listeria.

FDA

In January of 2023, we learned the FDA was attempting to change federal regulations to delete the term animal feed – replacing it with the term animal food. As most animal food products do not meet the legal requirements of food, we provided FDA comment that this regulatory move would further mislead pet owners. (To read our comment to FDA, Click Here.) To our knowledge, FDA has not taken any action on this issue.

We gave a presentation to FDA in February 2023 regarding the pet food ingredient definition process.

Dr. Karen Becker, pet food formulator Steve Brown and myself had two meetings with FDA this year regarding AAFCO’s one size fits all Nutrient Profiles. We evidenced to FDA one size definitely does not fit all – exampling how easily pets can be nutrient deficient or experience nutrient excesses unless they eat the correct amount of pet food. The FDA did admit that some pets “cannot get enough required nutrients” from their pet food – but has never taken any action to correct the issue.

We also evidenced to FDA that feeding directions on pet food labels are of concern. And again, FDA has taken no action (to our knowledge) to correct this concern.

The FDA issued only two Warning Letters against pet food this year, both to raw pet food manufacturers.

AAFCO

At the January AAFCO meeting we learned of a concerning new livestock feed ingredient approval. AAFCO approved a livestock ingredient of “Recovered Household Food” – approving the process of a recycling program offered by a company to place bins in homes for daily food waste. Picked up similar to other recycled items, but this gets processed into animal feed.

At the August AAFCO meeting there was a suspicious argument from industry regarding a voluntary claim pet food could make regarding copper. The proposal would allow pet foods to voluntarily limit the level of copper in their pet food, stating low copper on the label. But industry argued (and argued) against it. The conversation was stalled, with hopefully a decision from AAFCO at the next meeting in January 2024. We sent our statement to AAFCO regarding this issue in advance of the 2024 meeting.

Testing

In January 2023 the University of New Mexico published a paper finding dog DNA in two pet foods. Of the six dog foods they tested, two different foods contained 17 ingredients that were not listed on the label.

Lawsuits

Midwestern Pet Food settled the lawsuit against them for the aflatoxin contamination of their pet foods recalled during 2020 and 2021. The company agreed to pay $75.00 for each pet that became ill, and $150.00 for each pet that died.

There was a new lawsuit filed against Purina Pet Food for “natural” claims when the foods contain synthetic ingredients.

And a long standing lawsuit against Hill’s Science Diet prescription pet foods was granted class status in 2023. This lawsuit challenges the ‘prescription’ aspect of veterinary diets.

Questionable Public Statements

A 2023 Super Bowl commercial brought out questionable behavior in a veterinarian. When the Farmer’s Dog commercial came on, the veterinarian stated she yelled at her tv because “…this commercial was advertising non-kibble (raw/fresh cooked) dog food. And I hate these types of dog food.”

An industry post called consumers and advocates that discuss the dark side of pet food (such as illegal ingredients allowed by FDA) “concern trolls“.

Rendering

Baker Commodities – a rendering facility in California – continues to be in a legal battle with city officials regarding odors coming from the facility. A city inspector stated: “the odor at the facility smells intensely of rotting animals. He said in a sworn written statement filed in court that the first time he inspected Baker he wanted to vomit.”

Another Celebrity Pet Food

This year Martha Stewart added a pet food line – a feed grade pet food.

We wish everyone a Happy New Year. Here’s hoping we can nudge forward this year changes in pet food that provides pet owners with the transparency and pet food safety they deserve.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food

Become a member of our pet food consumer Association. Association for Truth in Pet Food is a a stakeholder organization representing the voice of pet food consumers at AAFCO and with FDA. Your membership helps representatives attend meetings and voice consumer concerns with regulatory authorities. Click Here to learn more.

What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients? Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 5,000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Click Here to preview Petsumer Report. www.PetsumerReport.com

Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here