Maker: Aunt Jeni’s Home Made
Cause: Potential for salmonella or listeria contamination
Announcement: FDA caution letter on Aug. 30, 2019 (archived here)
What is involved: The following specific lots of frozen raw dog food:
- Aunt Jeni’s Home Made Turkey Dinner Dog Food, 5 lb. packages, Lot #175199 JUL2020
- Aunt Jeni’s Home Made Chicken Dinner Dog Food, 5 lb. packages, Lot #1152013 JUL2020
Two samples of these products tested positive for salmonella and/or listeria during an inspection, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“FDA is issuing this alert because these lots of Aunt Jeni’s Home Made frozen raw pet food represent a serious threat to human and animal health,” the agency explained in its letter. “Because these products are sold and stored frozen, FDA is concerned that people may still have them in their possession.”
Aunt Jeni’s Home Made pet food products are sold frozen online and through retail locations. Lot codes to help identify product are printed on the lower right corner of the front of the bag.
If you have either of the product varieties listed and cannot determine the lot code, FDA recommends that you exercise caution and throw the product away.
Company Claims There’s Nothing Wrong
In response to the FDA announcement, Aunt Jeni’s Home Made pointed out that this is not a recall, but rather a “warning” from the FDA.
The company claimed the FDA has been “on a witch hunt” against raw pet food manufacturers with its zero-tolerance approach toward pathogens.
“There is no reason to worry about any of our products,” the company said, adding that its own tests came back negative for any pathogens.
“We test our batches in-house on every production day, and have never had a positive result for salmonella, E. coli or listeria,” the company said. “Even if there were salmonella bacteria in the pet food, it would not be a reason not to use the food.”
Not So Fast, Says the FDA
The FDA says otherwise. “Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause illness and death in humans and animals, especially those who are very young, very old, or have weak immune systems,” the agency explained.
The FDA further explained:
“The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires that all animal food, like human food, be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances and be truthfully labeled. Without an effective control for pathogens, such as cooking, animal food is more likely to contain pathogens such as salmonella and listeria. Refrigeration or freezing does not kill the bacteria.”
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There were more recalls in 2019. See the previous one:
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