The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently posted information about the voluntary recall, by a company in Southern California, of bagged cat food products that were sold through retail and online distribution to clients across the United States. The recall was issued after the Minnesota Department of Agriculture discovered possible Salmonella contamination from a routine state surveillance sample.
According to the recall notice:
Salmonella can infect cats eating a product contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Symptoms of Salmonella infection in cats may include vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, fever, or excessive salivation. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. Some cats may not appear sick but can spread the infection to other animals and humans in the household.
People who become infected may develop diarrhea, vomiting, fever, chills, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness typically lasts 4 to 7 days and most people recover without treatment. For some, the condition can be severe, requiring hospitalization. Tragically, hundreds of deaths are linked to Salmonella infections each year in the U.S. alone. Young children, the elderly, and people with a weakened immune system are often at increased risk of infection.
“At the time of the FDA posting there were no reports of any illnesses,” said Joseph Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at LA Testing. “While that is great news, these types of situations can still be quite costly for product manufacturers. The scientists at LA Testing offer testing services to identify Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and many other microbial contaminants to assist manufacturers. Testing can also help lessen any microbial exposure risks that could harm people and pets. Testing services are available for raw materials, finished products, and production surfaces.”
To learn more about foodborne pathogens or other food testing and labeling services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com , or call (800) 755-1794.
About LA Testing
LA Testing is California's leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash, and smoke damage, particulates, and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health, and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego, and Ontario.
— WebWireID276341 —
