Midwestern Pet Foods Hit With FDA Warning After Inspection of Dog Food Facilities

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Midwestern Pet Foods FDA Warning Overview: 

• Who: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. 
• Why: The FDA says inspectors discovered violations at Midwestern Pet Foods manufacturing plants that they say led to the deaths of hundreds of pets from eating contaminated SPORTMiX brand dog food. 
• Where: Midwestern Brand Foods is headquartered in Chickasha, Okla. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. on Tuesday after inspectors found continued problems at dog food manufacturing facilities associated with the illness or death of hundreds of pets. 

Samples of Midwestern Pet Foods SPORTMiX brand dog food were found to contain high levels of aflatoxin, toxic compounds created by certain food molds that can cause liver damage and cancer, according to the agency’s warning letter. 

The FDA vowed to hold companies engaging in potentially harmful practices that put the health of animals at risk accountable. 

“It is imperative that manufacturers and distributors of pet foods understand their responsibility to comply with all requirements of federal law and FDA regulations and, when applicable, to implement a robust hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls program,” said Steven M. Solomon, M.P.H., D.V.M., director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.

Midwestern Pet Foods Warned of Continued Violations

The FDA warning letter says inspectors discovered apparent violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act during inspections of a Midwestern Pet Foods manufacturing site in Chickasha, Okla. 

The FDA said the apparent violations likely contributed to the illness or death of hundreds of dogs. 

Subsequent inspections of Midwestern Pet Foods three other manufacturing sites revealed “evidence of significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals regulation,” according to the FDA. 

The manufacturing sites were initially inspected after reports of illness or death were reported by owners of dogs who had eaten the company’s SPORTMiX brand dog food. 

Levels of aflatoxin in the samples collected by the FDA were found to contain levels as high as 558 parts per billion (ppb). Pet food is considered to be contaminated if it contains more than 20 ppb of aflatoxin, according to the FDA. 

Midwestern Pet Foods in January voluntarily recalled the adulterated dog food – along with all corn-containing products – manufactured at the Chickasha plant. 

The company also recalled several of its pet food brands in March that were manufactured at a plant in Illinois after samples tested positive for salmonella. 

The FDA is giving Midwestern Pet Foods 15 working days to respond with a letter detailing how the company plans to correct any violations and warned failure to adequately address them could result in injunction and/or product seizure. 

Another pet food manufacturer, Washington-based Wet Noses Natural Dog Treat Company, announced a recall last week after samples of its Simply Nourish frozen dog food were found to contain elevated levels of Vitamin D. 

Diamond Pet Foods, meanwhile, let customers know last week that they may be eligible for monetary relief of up to $100, after the company came to an $8 million class action settlement agreement over claims it misleadingly advertised its products as grain free. 

Has your dog ever gotten sick after eating SPORTMiX brand dog food? Let us know in the comments!

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