Three months after aflatoxin recall, Midwestern Pet Foods recalls dog and cat foods over salmonella risk

Three months after Midwestern Pet Foods recalled some of its products because of a risk of aflatoxin poisoning, the company is pulling dozens more of its pet foods off the shelves. The concern this time is salmonella.

Midwestern Pet Foods has issued a voluntary recall of certain dog and cat food brands manufactured at the company’s Monmouth, Illinois, facility because they may be contaminated with salmonella, according to a company announcement posted on the FDA website.

The affected brands, which are sold nationwide, include CanineX, Earthborn Holistic, Meridian, Pro Pac, Pro Pac Ultimates, Sportmix, Sportmix Wholesomes, Sportstrial, Unrefined and Venture.

The Indiana-based company discovered the potential for contamination after routine sampling. You can tell if your product needs to be thrown out by looking at the expiration date, the company said.

The possibly contaminated products have an “M” in the date code, such as this example: “EXP AUG/02/22/M1/L#.

Midwestern Pet Foods is urging retailers and distributors to pull recalled lots from their inventory and shelves and, if possible, contact customers that purchased the products.

Salmonella can make pets lethargic and have vomiting, diarrhea and fever, according to a statement from the company. Pets may also have decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain.

Humans handling contaminated products can get infected too, which can lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Salmonella can also rarely cause arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms.

The FDA recommends people consult their healthcare provider if they believe they may be infected with salmonella. As of Saturday, there were no reports of any illness related to this recall.

You can report suspected illness to the FDA by calling a Consumer Complaint Coordinator or completing an electronic form.

Aflatoxin is produced by the Aspergillus flavus mold, the FDA said. It can grow on grains used as ingredients in pet food, and when high levels of aflatoxin are consumed, it can cause illness or death in pets.