Mold By-Product Leads to Dog Food Recall

Pet owners are urged to be on the lookout as three dog foods have been recalled for potentially containing a mold by-product.

The manufacturer, family-owned Sunshine Mills, announced the voluntary dog food recall after it was discovered the products contained aflatoxin, a by-product of mold, USA Today reported.

The questionable dog food was sold under brand names Family Pet, Heartland Farms and Paws Happy Life at retailers throughout the United States. 

The products affected by this dog food recall are Family Pet Meaty Cuts Beef Chicken & Cheese Flavors Premium Dog Food, Heartland Farms Grilled Favorites Beef Chicken & Cheese Flavor and Paws Happy Life Butcher’s Choice Dog Food.

In its notice about the dog food recall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said aflatoxin is “a naturally occurring mold by-product from the growth of Aspergillus flavus and can be harmful to pets if consumed in significant quantities.”

The potentially high aflatoxin levels in the dog food was discovered during a routine sampling by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the FDA said. A sample of one 4-pound bag in one lot of the product contained elevated levels of the mold by-product.

So far, no illnesses have been reported in connection with these dog food products to date, the FDA said. But Sunshine Mills opted to recall the products anyway.

“While no adverse health effects related to these products have been reported, Sunshine Mills, Inc. has chosen to issue a voluntary recall of these products as a precautionary measure in furtherance of its commitment to the safety and quality of its products,” the FDA’s statement said.

Pet owners who have pets that may have consumed any of the recalled products should be on the lookout for their pets displaying symptoms such as lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, vomiting, diarrhea or a yellow tint in the eyes or gums, the FDA warned. 

The agency advises that any pet exhibiting these symptoms should see a veterinarian.

Retail stores that received the affected lots of dog food were contacted and asked to remove the products from their shelves and inventory.

Sunshine Mills has recalled the following lots:

• Family Pet® Meaty Cuts Beef Chicken & Cheese Flavors Premium Dog Food 4-, 14- and 28-pound bags; lot codes:
  • TD3 4/APRIL/2020 
  • TD1 5/APRIL/2020
  • TB1 4/APRIL/2020
  • TB2 4/APRIL/2020
  • TB3 3/APRIL/2020
  • TB3 3/APRIL/2020
• Heartland Farms® Grilled Favorites Beef Chicken & Cheese Flavor 14- and 31-pound bags; lot codes:
  • TB1 4/APRIL/2020
  • TB2 4/APRIL/2020
  • TA2 4/APRIL/2020
  • TA3 4/APRIL/2020
• Paws Happy Life® Butcher’s Choice Dog Food 16-pound bags; lot codes:
  • TA1 4/APRIL/2020
  • TA2 4/APRIL/2020

Sunshine Mills recalled another one of its dog food products in late August after it was suspected the food may be contaminated with salmonella.

The company recalled its Nature’s Menu Super Premium Dog Food with a Blend of Real Chicken & Quail due to the salmonella risk, according to an Aug. 24 U.S. Food and Drug Administration alert. 

Not only can salmonella poisoning cause serious illness in dogs, it can also make humans who handle the food sick.

The August recall was issued after a sample from a 3-pound bag of the dog food tested by the Georgia Department of Agriculture was found to contain salmonella; other lots underwent testing, but no other salmonella contamination was found.

According to the FDA, a salmonella outbreak “may not be evenly distributed throughout a lot,” which is why one sample could test positive while others tested negative.

Dogs poisoned by salmonella can experience a much broader range of symptoms than what is present in aflatoxin poisoning.

Salmonella poisoning in dogs can present symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, rapid heartbeat, swollen lymph notes, dehydration, skin problems and even miscarriage.

No illnesses or complaints were reported to the FDA in relation to that recall, either.

Consumers who have purchased the products involved in the most recent dog food recall should immediately stop feeding it to their pets and may return the unused portion to the store where it was purchased for a full refund, according to the FDA.

Consumers wishing to contact Sunshine Mills may contact the company’s customer service line at 800-705-2111 between 7 a.m. and  4 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday. They can also email Customer.Service@SunshineMills.com.

Have you purchased any of the products affected by this dog food recall? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

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