Three Separate Companies Recall Dog Food Due to Potentially Deadly Aflatoxin Contamination

Dec. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- Procter & Gamble Company, Cargill Animal Nutrition, and Advanced Animal Nutrition announced three separate voluntary recalls of their respective dry dog foods after discovering levels of aflatoxin that were above the FDA’s acceptable limit. Aflatoxin is a potentially lethal compound produced by fungi that usually grow on whole grains, seeds, spices, and nuts. Aflatoxins cause cancer, acute necrosis, and cirrhosis of the liver in animals, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Signs of aflatoxin poisoning in dogs include lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, orange-colored urine, and jaundice (a yellowing of the eyes, gums and nonpigmented skin). Severely affected dogs produce a blood-tinged vomit and bloody or blackened stools, according to Cornell University veterinarians who dealt with the widespread 2006 aflatoxin poisoning caused by tainted dog food. Approximately 100 dogs are believed to have died as a result of that contamination.

Advanced Animal Nutrition recalled certain packages of its Dog Power brand, and Cargill’s recall affects two of its regional brands, River Run and Marksman. Tainted products from Procter & Gamble’s Iams brand were recalled and removed from shelves.

“EMSL Analytical, Inc. boasts a highly-skilled team of experienced chemists and microbiologists dedicated to analyzing food products,” states Diane Miskowski, MPH, Business Development Manager at EMSL. “We provide accredited testing services for a wide variety of both common and rare foodborne mycotoxins.”

For more information on EMSL’s food testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675, visit www.EMSL.com or www.FoodTestingLab.com, or email info@EMSL.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.

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EMSL Analytical Inc. is a nationally recognized accredited testing laboratory and locally focused provider of consumer product, environmental, microbiology, industrial hygiene, food and materials testing services to professionals and the general public.