Smucker's is withdrawing a large number of their dog food products, which are produced under their "Big Heart Pet Foods" label, following an investigation which revealed that 60% of their "Gravy Train" foods contained pentobarbitol. This is considered adulterated material - adulterated ingredients, which are defined partly as: “an animal which has died otherwise than by slaughter,” are illegal in all food for humans and animals; pentobarbitol is a lethal drug, most commonly used to euthanize dogs, cats and some horses, although it's also used in lethal injections performed upon condemned criminals. And it was found in a bunch of products, though notably the "Gravy Train" line. The FDA has issued an alert about this issue.
Here's the list of withdrawn foods:
Impacted product includes:
Item Name
|
UPC Item Code(s)
|
Gravy Train 13.2 oz. with T-Bone Flavor Chunks
|
7910052541
|
Gravy Train 13.2 oz. with Beef Strips
|
7910052542
|
Gravy Train 13.2 oz. with Lamb and Rice Chunks
|
7910052543
|
Gravy Train 22 oz. with Chicken Chunks
|
7910051645
|
Gravy Train 22 oz. with Beef Chunks
|
7910051647
|
Gravy Train 13.2 oz. with Beef Chunks
|
7910034417
|
Gravy Train 13.2 oz. with Chicken Chunks
|
7910034418
|
Gravy Train 13.2 oz. Chunks in Gravy Stew
|
7910051933
|
Gravy Train 13.2 oz. Chicken, Beef & Liver Medley
|
7910051934
|
Gravy Train 13.2 oz. Chunks in Gravy with Beef Chunks
|
7910034417
|
Kibbles ‘N Bits 13.2 oz. Burger Bacon Cheese and Turkey Bacon Vegetable Variety 12-Pack
|
7910010377 7910010378
|
Kibbles ‘N Bits 13.2 oz. Beef, Chicken, Vegetable, Meatball Pasta and Turkey Bacon Vegetable Variety Pack
|
7910010382 7910048367 7910010378
|
Kibbles ‘N Bits 13.2 oz. Beef, Chicken, Vegetable, Burger Bacon Cheese and Beef Vegetable Variety Pack
|
7910010380 7910010377 7910010375
|
Kibbles ‘N Bits 13.2 oz. Wet Variety Pack
|
7910010375 7910048367
|
Kibbles ‘N Bits 13.2 oz. Chef’s Choice Bistro Tender Cuts with Real Beef & Vegetable in Gravy
|
7910010375
|
Kibbles ‘N Bits Chef’s Choice Bistro Tender Cuts with Real Turkey, Bacon & Vegetable in Gravy
|
7910010378
|
Kibbles ‘N Bits Chef’s Choice Homestyle Tender Slices with Real Beef, Chicken & Vegetables in Gravy
|
7910010380
|
Skippy 13.2 oz. Premium Select Cuts in Gravy with Beef & Bone Marrow
|
7910071860
|
Skippy 13.2 oz. Premium Select Cuts with Burgers & Cheese Bits
|
7910050243
|
Skippy 13.2 oz. Premium Chunks in Gravy with Smoky Turkey & Bacon
|
7910050246
|
Skippy 13.2 oz. Premium Chunks in Gravy with Beef & Chicken
|
7910050247
|
Skippy 13.2 oz. Premium Chunks in Gravy 3 in 1 Chicken, Beef & Liver
|
7910050248
|
Skippy 13.2 oz. Premium Chunks in Gravy Chunky Stew
|
7910050249
|
Skippy 13.2 oz. Premium Strips in Gravy with Chicken
|
7910050244
|
Skippy 13.2 oz, Premium Chunks in Gravy with Beef
|
7910050250
|
Skippy 13.2 oz. Premium Strips in Gravy with Beef
|
7910050245
|
Ol’ Roy 13.2 oz Turkey Bacon Strips
|
8113117570
|
Within minutes of sharing a can of Evanger’s pet food among her five dogs, she was racing the lifeless animals to the emergency vet. “They were falling over. They were running into the walls. They were convulsing,” said Mael.
Evanger's - a manufacturer I'm unfamiliar with - is also withdrawing its product. One of the small dogs could not be saved.
Big Heart Brands is also the maker of Meow Mix, Milk Bone, Kibbles’n Bits, 9 Lives, Natural Balance, Pup-Peroni, Gravy Train, Nature’s Recipe, Canine Carry Outs, Milo’s Kitchen, Alley Cat, Jerky Treats, Meaty Bone, Pounce and Snausages.
My recommendation: stick with Pedigree wet foods, produced by the Mars conglomerate, and Purina dry foods - the latter supplies high-quality foods for darned near every species of animal imaginable. No, I have no financial interest in either company.
Contacts:
Consumers
1-800-828-9980
http://www.bigheartpet.com/Contact/ContactUs.aspx