Mars Petcare U.S. on Nov. 25 extended a voluntary recall of dry cat food and dog food produced at the company’s Allentown, Pa., plant and marked with “Best By” dates of Aug. 11, 2009, to Oct. 3, 2009. The reason cited for the recall was potential Salmonella contamination. The voluntary recall affects products sold at BJ’s Wholesale Club, ShopRite Supermarkets, and Wal-Mart stores in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia. As a precautionary measure, the company issued a voluntary recall on Oct. 27 of all sizes of Special Kitty Gourmet Blend dry cat food produced at the Allentown plant on Aug. 11. The company said it recently was alerted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that an additional sample of Special Kitty produced Sept. 25 at the Allentown facility tested positive for Salmonella. Based on this information, the company expanded the voluntary recall. No cases of Salmonella-related human or pet illness have been reported. “Only those products which were produced at the Allentown, Pa., facility between those dates are impacted. Consumers can continue to have confidence in the quality and safety of our other products,” the company said in a prepared statement. “As part of our commitment to our loyal consumers and their pets, we are continuously monitoring and updating our processes to be at the forefront of product quality, innovation, customer responsiveness and manufacturing efficiency,” the company stated. “In recent months, we have invested tens of millions of dollars in plant upgrades, new testing protocols, advanced associate training, and a new state-of-the-art testing facility that will open in mid-2009.” In addition, Mars said it is working with retailers to ensure that recalled products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold in stores or fed to pets. Consumers who believe they purchased a recalled product should return it to the store for a full refund. Click here for additional product details and information. <HOME>
