Four Other Companies Recall Pet Food

We have heard about the Diamond Pet Food recall and its subsequent expansion. The company's name is Diamond Pet Food Processors of SC, LLC. The place where the contamination took place was at their facility in Atlanta: Gaston, SC 29053. The facility was inspected by the FDA on 12th April 2012 and several health problems were reported in three observations such as, "failure to maintain equipment, containers and utensils used to convey, hold and store food in a manner that protects against contamination".

This is the company's page on their recall.

Salmonella was found in bags of pet food. In one case the open bag of pet food at the home of a person who had salmonella poisoning. There were other cases where testing on the pet food revealed salmonella bacteria.

At least four other pet food manufacturing businesses manufacture their products at the same facility or at least some of their products at this facility. Diamond Pet Food Processors manufacture it for them. That surprises me a little. Is this pet food different or the same as Diamond Pet Food but just repackaged to look different? No idea.

"Several other companies with products manufactured at the Gaston, S.C. facility have issued voluntary recalls" (FDA). These are:

• Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance
• Apex Pet Foods
• Canidae, Wellpet LLC
• Solid Gold Health Products for Pets

The links go to the relevant FDA pages. These businesses are clearly just taking precautions. For instance with respect to Van Patten's Natural Balance there appear to have been no reported cases of illness but that was in May and a check is advisable as we are now into June and things might have changed.

I think, however, people need to know that Diamond manufacture for other companies in the same facility and this begs the question: how different is their pet food? Dry pet food is kibble which can shaped and coloured at will.

This website says that we should avoid Diamond Pet Foods because of long standing quality control issues.