Mid America Pet Food of Mount Pleasant, Texas, is expanding its Oct. 30 recall to include additional pet food products with best-by dates before Oct. 31, 2024, due to salmonella contamination. The company’s products have been linked to an outbreak of salmonella infections in humans.
As of November 1, seven people have reported Salmonella Kiambu infections. Six of the patients were infants, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The patients are spread across seven states: California, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Florida, Alabama and Hawaii.
Pet food can contaminate surfaces, food bowls, utensils, and anything else it touches.
“Epidemiological and laboratory data indicate that a certain batch of Victor brand Hi-Pro Plus dry dog food was contaminated with Salmonella and sickened people. The manufacturer, Mid America Pet Food, has recalled this and all other brands of pet food it makes. See downloads for more details,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The recalled brands manufactured at the Mount Pleasant facility include: Victor Super Premium Dog Foods, Wayne Feeds Dog Food, Eagle Mountain Pet Food and certain Member’s Mark varieties with best-by dates before October 31, 2024. The recalled products were sent to distributors and retailers in the United States.
The expiration date is located on the middle top of the back of each bag. This extended voluntary recall is being issued because some of the product lots have tested positive for Salmonella through random and targeted sampling of the finished product, including by the company and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture
Affected products include items on the dog and cat food lists found on the FDA website.
Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets may only exhibit a decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or people. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
Do not feed the recalled product to pets or other animals. Dispose of food in a manner inaccessible to children, pets and wild animals. Wash and sanitize pet food bowls, cups and containers. Always be sure to wash and sanitize your hands after handling recalled food or utensils that come into contact with recalled food.
Contact the Mid America Pet Food Consumer Division at 888-428-7544 for additional information.
On salmonella infections in humans
Food and feed contaminated with Salmonella bacteria do not look, smell or taste spoiled. Anyone can get a salmonella infection. Babies, children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.
Anyone who has been exposed to any of the recalled products and develops symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria, because special tests are needed to diagnose salmonellosis. Symptoms of salmonella infection can mimic other illnesses, often leading to misdiagnosis.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection may include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours of consuming contaminated food. Otherwise healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea can be so severe that patients require hospitalization.
Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop severe disease and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.
Some people become infected without getting sick or showing symptoms. However, they can still spread the infections to others.