Recall Alert: Sunshine Mills, Inc. Issues Update to Voluntary Recall on Dog Food Products
Following the company's September recall alert affecting brands like Family Pet, Heartland Farms, and Paws Happy Life, pet food maker Sunshine Mills, Inc. has expanded their voluntary recall to include several additional batches of dog food. The batches have potentially elevated levels of aflatoxin, which could be harmful to pets if consumed in significant quantities.
Specifically, the products recalled include certain lots of:
Champ Mini Chunk beef & chicken flavor
Family Pet Meaty Cuts beef chicken & cheese flavors premium dog food
Field Trial complete nutrition premium
Good Dog hi-energy formula
Heartland Farms grilled favorites beef chicken & cheese flavor
Hunter's Special hi energy formula, maintenance formula, and farm & ranch recipe super chunks
Old Glory hearty beef & chicken flavor
Paws Happy Life butcher's choice and nutritionally complete
Pet Expert always fit formula
Principle super premium natural breeder pack
Retriever bites & bones adult complete nutrition savory chicken flavor
River Bend basic nutrition and select
Sportsman's Pride maintenance adult formula
Sprout bites & bones, hi-protein, maintenance, and puppy
Thrifty adult
Top Runner premium
Whiskers & Tails adult recipe complete
The lot codes of these recalled batches are available here on the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) website.
According to Sunshine Mills, Inc.'s announcement about the recall, the potential for aflatoxin levels above the acceptable limit was initially discovered by routine sampling performed by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. The testing showed that a sample of a single 4-pound bag of one lot of the product contained elevated levels of aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring mold by-product from the growth of Aspergillus flavus.
The company says that distributors in the U.S., Japan, and Colombia have been affected by the recall.
Nationwide, retailers have been asked to remove the recalled lots from their inventory and shelves.
"Pets that have consumed any of the recalled products and exhibit symptoms of illness including sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, vomiting, yellowish tint to the eyes or gums, or diarrhea should be seen by a veterinarian," Sunshine Mills, Inc. recommends.
Consumers who have purchased the recalled products should discontinue use of the product and may return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers may contact Sunshine Mills, Inc. Customer Service at (800) 705-2111 from 7AM to 4PM Central Time, Monday through Friday, or by email at customer.service@sunshinemills.com for additional information.
