WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a summary of adverse event reports (AERs) related to Purina pet food. Covering the period between November 22, 2023, and April 15, 2024, the summary includes the FDA’s follow-up activities, such as analyzing the reports, conducting interviews, testing product samples, and inspecting a manufacturing facility.
In late November 2023, the FDA started receiving numerous reports of pet illnesses allegedly linked to various pet foods, mainly from Nestle Purina Pet Care. As public awareness grew, the reports expanded to include a wider range of brands and products. The symptoms reported in pets primarily involved gastrointestinal issues, but also included renal, hepatic, and neurological symptoms.
The FDA’s follow-up involved reviewing approximately 1,300 reports, of which 107 contained enough information for further investigation. Key criteria for follow-up included the type of symptoms, recentness of the illness, availability of veterinary records, and specific product information.
Testing was a critical part of the investigation. The FDA’s Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN) conducted tests on open product samples provided by pet owners. These tests looked for contaminants like bacteria, metals, and mycotoxins. Vet-LIRN found Bacillus bacteria in some samples but did not detect any mycotoxins, excess vitamin D, or other harmful substances in quantities that could cause illness in healthy pets.
Regulatory testing of sealed product samples collected from retail locations was also performed. This testing similarly found no mycotoxins, excess vitamin D, harmful bacteria, or pesticides. The strains of Bacillus detected in open samples did not match, ruling out a common source of contamination.
The FDA also inspected Purina’s manufacturing facility in Clinton, Iowa. The inspection revealed that the facility had not reanalyzed its food safety plan in light of the adverse event reports, leading the FDA to issue a Form FDA 483, citing this lapse.
The FDA concluded that there was no direct or consistent link between the adverse event reports and the pet foods. They found no evidence of a public health concern that could explain the symptoms detailed in the reports.
The FDA will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as new information becomes available. This ongoing effort underscores the agency’s commitment to ensuring the safety and efficacy of pet food products.
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