Pet Food Safety: Page 75

NBE releases bulk material handling system video commentaries

National Bulk Equipment Inc., in cooperation with Tom Krueger, council-certified microbial consultant and president of Summit Laboratory, have released a series of six online video commentaries. Each video commentary presents the principles of sanitary-specific design and construction for bulk material handling equipment, as well as tips for attaining optimal compliance contribution from sanitary bulk material handling systems.

FDA Annual Report criticized for omitting status of regulations

In August, the US Food and Drug Administration submitted its second Annual Report on Food Facilities, Food Imports and FDA Foreign Offices, as required by the Food Safety Modernization Act, which details the progress FDA has made in protecting petfood and food safety. However, organizations criticize FDA because the Report does not include the status of some regulations the Food Safety Modernization Act required to be publicized, including:

Pet Food Market

Forcing FDA's hand on new food safety regulations

It's not just people in the petfood industry who are getting antsy about when the US Food and Drug Administration will finally issue pending regulations in accordance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The human food industry has definitely noticed the delay, and now two organizations are trying to force FDA's hand.

Breeder's Choice recalls adult dog food formula for Salmonella

Breeder’s Choice Pet Food is recalling a single manufacturing batch of Breeder’s Choice AvoDerm Natural Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Adult Dog Formula due to possible Salmonella contamination. Dog food products affected by the recall are 26-pound bags of AvoDerm Natural Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Adult Dog Food Formula, marked with product code 1000065074, UPC code 0 5290702043 8, and "Best Before" dates of August 28, 29 and 30, 2013.

Senator leads initiative for FDA petfood product advisories

In the wake of recent US Food and Drug Administration investigations into dog illnesses linked to jerky treats imported from China, Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, USA, is leading a new initiative to reform the way consumers are notified when FDA issues a product advisory. Currently, FDA's website is the only place where product advisories are listed, which puts those consumers without access to the Internet or computers at risk as they are less likely to receive an online warning.

American Animal Hospital Association discourages raw diets

The American Animal Hospital Association has joined the American Veterinary Medical Association in discouraging the feeding of raw petfood diets to dogs and cats. According to a statement on its website, the American Animal Hospital Association “does not advocate or endorse feeding pets any raw or dehydrated nonsterilized foods, including treats that are of animal origin.”

AVMA approves policy discouraging raw petfood diets

Following an earlier recommendation to pet owners, the American Veterinary Medical Association has approved a policy that discourages feeding raw animal-source protein diets to cats or dogs, unless the petfood has undergone a process that eliminates pathogens. The new policy on raw petfood states that cooking and pasteurization are the “traditional” methods for eliminating pathogens in dog and cat food, but recognizes that safety methods such as irradiation are “being developed and implemented.”

Pet Food Market

Approval process for petfood ingredients not perfect, but it works

The process by which new petfood ingredients are approved and defined in the US is, well, complicated. But for the most part, the process has worked, based on cooperation between the Association of American Feed Control Officials and US Food and Drug Administration. Last week, the memorandum of understanding that underpins that collaborative process was extended.

Bil-Jac recalls dry dog food for possible mold contamination

Dog food manufacturer Bil-Jac Foods is recalling one batch, 256 cases, of 6-pound Adult Select Formula Dog Food from retailers’ stores and warehouses due to a few reports of mold in bags from the batch. The recall includes a total of 1,024 bags of dry dog food marked with batch number 1792-02 and an expiration date of December 27, 2013.

FDA failing to protect pets from jerky treats, nonprofit claims

Food & Water Watch, a US nonprofit organization that works to ensure safe and sustainable food and water, issued a statement, in which the organization claims that the US Food and Drug Administration is failing to protect pets from potentially toxic chicken jerky treats made in China. According to Food & Water Watch executive director, Wenonah Hauter: "Since 2007, thousands of American dogs have fallen ill or died after eating jerky treats made in China.

Pet Food Market

Where does FDA stand on FSMA implementation?

The US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is seemingly becoming a classic case of "hurry up and wait." When the act was signed into law by President Obama in January 2011, many players in the human food, petfood and animal feed industries began making an urgent case that food producers in all three industries needed to prepare, and fast, for new rules and regulations emanating from the law. Some experts even sounded notes of doom and gloom over concern that the new regulations would prove costly and onerous, especially for smaller manufacturers.

FDA responds to letter from US animal feed, ingredient, grain groups

Three major US grain, animal feed and feed ingredient processing organizations commended the Food and Drug Administration for clarifying its enforcement policy for implementing several key sections of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law in January 2011. Among other things, the Food Safety Modernization Act specifies a July 3 effective date for requirements that grain, feed, feed ingredient, grain processing, milling and other sectors of the commercial food and animal feed industry conduct hazard analyses and implement preventive controls.

Page 75 of 92