Thursday, December 31, 2020
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is warning pet owners that Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. is recalling certain batches of Sportmix dog and cat food due to tests that indicate aflatoxin levels that exceed acceptable limits.
CNN reports that toxins in food are linked to the deaths of 28 dogs and eight others fell ill.
The products were distributed nationally to online distributors and retail stores.
Aflatoxin is a toxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus, which can grow on corn and other grains used as ingredients in pet food. At high levels, aflatoxin can cause illness and death in pets.
The batch code information can be found on the back of the bag and will appear in a three-line code, with the top line in the format “EXP 03/03/22/05 / L # / B ### / HH: MM ”. The batch codes retrieved are as follows:
50 # Sportmix Energy Plus Lots Exp 03/02/22/05 / L2, 03/02/22/05 / L3, 03/03/22/05 / L2
44 # Sportmix Energy Plus Lots 03/02/22/05 / L3
50 # High Energy Sportmix Premium Lots 03/03/22/05 / L3
44 # High Energy Sportmix Premium Lots 03/03/22/05 / L3
31 # Sportmix Original Cat Lots 03/03/22/05 / L3
15 # Sportmix Original Cat Lots 03/03/22/05 / L2, 03/03/22/05 / L3
If your pet shows signs of aflatoxin poisoning, including sluggishness, loss of appetite, vomiting jaundice (yellowish tint in the eyes, gums or skin due to liver damage) and / or diarrhea, contact a veterinarian immediately. Provide your veterinarian with a complete diet history. It may be useful to take a picture of the feed label, including the batch number.
Pet owners must not feed their pets or any other animals with the collected products.
Contact the Midwestern Pet Foods Consumer Affairs Department at 800-474-4163, extension 455 from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, central time, Monday through Friday, or by email at [email protected] for additional information.