FDA finds Salmonella in Darwin’s pet food again; company still refuses to recall product

The Food and Drug Administration is updating its previously issued advisory concerning Darwin’s Natural Pet Products after finding Salmonella in yet another sample of the company’s raw pet food.

The latest Salmonella finding concerns the following product:

• Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Antibiotic & Grain-Free Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9802, manufactured on Jul 7, 2023.

Previously, the FDA warned consumers about Salmonella contamination in the following products:

• Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs, Lot 9774, manufactured on Jun 13, 2023.
• Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9795, manufactured on Jun 28, 2023.
• Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9830, manufactured on Jul 19, 2023.

As of the updated Oct. 12 advisory, the company has declined to recall any of the Salmonella-contaminated products, which were manufactured by Arrow Reliance Inc., doing business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, and sold online. 

On February 16, 2023, the FDA issued a Warning Letter to Gary Tashjian, Owner of Arrow Reliance Inc., citing evidence of Salmonella contamination in the company’s finished products, the use of a non-permitted food additive (peroxyacetic acid) as a pathogen mitigation step, and Tashjian’s refusal to comply with federal requirements that it register with the FDA as a food facility.

If you have any of the Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections cat or dog foods listed above, stop feeding it to your pets and throw it away in a secure container where other animals, including wildlife, cannot access it. 

Salmonella can cause illnesses in animals and people who handle their food. It can contaminate surfaces, feeding bowls and utensils.

Consumers who have had this product in their homes should clean refrigerators/freezers where the product was stored and clean and disinfect all 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. 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.

eFoodAlert originally posted this story at https://efoodalert.com/2023/10/12/consumer-complaint-leads-to-salmonella-finding-in-darwins-raw-pet-food/

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