Food Recall!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING A RECENT FOOD RECALL:

Two apparently separate dog food recalls have been issued in the last 24 hours -- one by Procter & Gamble's Iams brand, the other involving several regional brands produced by agribusiness colossus Cargill -- that both involve the same concern over an unfriendly mold being present in your furry best friend's food.

Both recalls are being done because tests indicated a higher than acceptable aflatoxin level in samples. Aflatoxin is a by-product of the fungus Aspergillus flavus and can do some unpleasant things to creatures that chow down on it.

First up, P&G has recalled one product lot (it doesn't specify the total number of units involved in the lot) of Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy dry dog food.

The recalled lot has Use By or Expiration Dates of February 5 or February 6, 2013.

Here are the specific codes involved in the recall:


The affected product lot was distributed to a limited number of retailers located in the following states: AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, LA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, SC, VA.

Iams says that retailers have already pulled the product from shelves and that no other Iams product is involved in the recall.
And then there's the Cargill recall for the following dog food brands produced in the company's LeCompte, LA, facility:

           PROFESSIONAL FORMULA RIVER RUN HI-NRG 24-20 Dog Food, 50 pound bags
           RIVER RUN PROFESSIONAL FORMULA 27-18 Dog Food, 50 pound bags
           RIVER RUN 21% Protein Dog Food, 40 and 50 pound bags
           RIVER RUN Hi-Pro No-Soy Dog Food, 40 and 50 pound bags
           MARKSMAN DOG FOOD 24% Protein 20% Fat, 40 pound bags
           MARKSMAN DOG FOOD 20% Protein 10% Fat, 40 and 50 pound bags
           MARKSMAN DOG FOOD 28% Protein 18% Fat, 40 pound bags


The recall only applies to the above products with the following Packaging Date Codes (lot numbers): 4K0335 through 4K0365, LL0335 through LL0365, 4K1001 through 4K1335 and LL1001 through LL1335.

Cargill says the affected dog food was distributed to stores in the following: Kansas, Missouri, Northeast Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Southeast Indiana, Southern Illinois, Hawaii, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and limited areas of Florida and California.
Pets which have consumed any of the products listed above 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.

For further info on the Iams recall, including how to get a replacement voucher, customers can contact P&G toll-free at 866-908-1569 (Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).

People who bought any of the Cargill-produced brands can return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Further info can be obtained by calling 855-460-1532.