CARNEYS POINT, N.J. – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning pet owners not to feed their animals any Performance Dog frozen raw pet food due to Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) concerns.
The FDA announced Thursday that two samples of food collected from Bravo Packing, Inc.’s manufacturing facility tested positive for harmful pathogens. One sample of Performance Dog raw pet food lot 072219 tested positive for Salmonella and L. mono. The other sample of beef raw pet food tested positive for Salmonella, but the product had not yet been distributed.
Pet food and treats contaminated with Salmonella and L. mono are particularly concerning because they can affect both human and animal health. Pets can get sick from these pathogens and may also be carriers of the bacteria and pass it on to their human companions without appearing ill.
“The FDA is advising the public about Performance Dog raw pet food because this product represents a serious threat to human and animal health,” wrote the FDA.
Because retail packaging is not printed with lot code information, the FDA is warning about all Performance Dog raw pet food purchased after July 22, 2019.
The affected products are sold frozen in two-pound plastic pouches. If you have any, the FDA says to immediately throw it away in a secure container where other animals, including wildlife, cannot access it.
Also, the FDA says consumers who have had the product in their homes should clean refrigerators/freezers where it was stored and clean and disinfect all bowls, utensils, food prep surfaces, pet bedding, toys, floors, and any other surfaces that the food or pet may have had contact with.
Because animals can shed the bacteria in feces, it’s important to also clean up animal droppings in yards or parks where people or other animals may become exposed. Owners should also thoroughly wash their hands after handling the affected product or cleaning up potentially contaminated items and surfaces.
This isn’t the first time a Bravo Packing, Inc. product has tested positive for pathogen contamination. In September 2018, the company recalled all Performance Dog frozen raw pet food due to Salmonella. Also, during a 2016 inspection, the FDA collected samples of the company’s horse meat chunk animal food that tested positive for the drugs pentobarbital and phenytoin.
