The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : The FDA Issued a Warning Letter to a Purina Pet Food Canning Facility Finding 'Significant Deviations' from Pet Food Regulations The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : The FDA Issued a Warning Letter to a Purina Pet Food Canning Facility Finding 'Significant Deviations' from Pet Food Regulations

Monday, January 19, 2015

The FDA Issued a Warning Letter to a Purina Pet Food Canning Facility Finding 'Significant Deviations' from Pet Food Regulations


The FDA issued a Warning Letter to a Purina Pet Food canning facility finding 'significant deviations' from pet food regulations. Though no recalls have been issued, FDA had serious concerns about this pet food plant.

The FDA Warning Letter stated their inspection lasted for two weeks – from September 15, 2014 through October 1, 2014. Inspection revealed “that your facility has significant deviations from the LACF (low-acid can food) regulations.”

The inspection found that this Purina plant deviated from the required processing of the pet food – and further did not document the deviation (as required by law). The FDA Warning Letter stated “your firm did not provide documentation associated with the evaluation of the entire lot of product affected by the process deviation and did not provide documentation and/or the specifics of your corrective action plan in order to ensure that your firm will prevent these occurrences in the future.”

FDA also found temperature drop concerns with the pet food manufactured at this plant. Law requires canned pet food to be heated to specific temperatures and any variations of these required temperatures are required to be noted in a log. This Purina plant did not document the drop in temperatures.

FDA “observed” that the conveyor system in this plant did “not have adequate protection in place to prevent an unprocessed can” from ultimately reaching the consumer. An ‘unprocessed can’ of pet food would be an uncooked can of pet food – uncooked can of feed grade ingredients that could be full of dangerous bacteria. Purina responded to FDA they are in the process of correcting this issue, however FDA stated “We do not consider this response acceptable because you did not provide specifics of your corrective action plan in order to INSURE that your firm will prevent these occurrences in the future.”

The public FDA Warning Letter to Purina  – posted on the FDA website – does not provide lot numbers of products involved. The only information consumers have is product names – listed below. All of these products are canned/moist foods.

Alpo PRIME Cuts with Beef
Alpo Chop House Originals Filet Mignon
Alpo Chop House Originals roasted Chicken
Friskies Mariner’s Catch
Friskies Mixed Grill
Friskies Gravy Sensations with Turkey and Giblets
Friskies Supreme Supper
Friskies Indoor Chicken
Friskies Salmon Dinner
Mighty Dog Chicken Egg & Bacon Country Platter
Mighty Dog Chop House Originals Filet Mignon
Mighty Dog Lamb and Rice
ProPlan Senior Beef and Rice Entrée

If you are feeding your pet one of these products – please pay close attention to your pet’s health. Should any illness occur, notify your veterinarian first, the FDA second.

You can report a pet illness to the FDA here: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ReportaProblem/ucm182403.htm


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