• Posted September 25, 2024

Answers Company Recalls Raw Dog Food Due to Salmonella, Listeria Threat

A raw diet pet food company is recalling cartons of frozen beef and chicken dog food that could be tainted with salmonella or listeria germs.

Answers Pet Food announced the recall this week after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported that two of its dog foods tested positive for salmonella, a third tested positive for listeria, and a fourth tested positive for both.

The FDA performed the tests after receiving three consumer complaints of illness in dogs that ate the products, the agency said in a safety warning issued Monday. There have been no reports of human illness.

The recalled dog food products all come in half-gallon cartons weighing four pounds. They include:

• Answers Detailed Beef Formula for Dogs, best by date of May 6, 2026.

• Answers Straight Beef Formula for Dogs, best by date of Jan. 31, 2026.

• Answers Straight Chicken Formula for Dogs, best by dates of Jan. 2, 2026 and March 11, 2026.

These products are sold online and in retail locations nationwide. Answers Pet Food is located in Fleetwood, Pa.

The best by date can be found on a sticker on the carton. If a person no longer has the packaging or can’t read the sticker, they should throw the food away.

If consumers have any of these pet food products, they should throw it away in a secure container, the FDA said. It should not be fed to pets or donated.

Humans can become sick by handling contaminated food or touching surfaces exposed to the products, the FDA warned.

People can also become infected by salmonella or listeria from their pet. Even a dog that doesn’t have symptoms can spread the bacteria to humans, mainly by shedding it in their feces.

People should clean and disinfect all pet supplies and surfaces with which the food or their pet has come into contact.

Listeria can cause fever, headache, muscle aches, stiff neck, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions in humans, the FDA said. Young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable.

Salmonella can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping and fever, the FDA said.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about listeria.

SOURCE: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, news release, Sept. 23, 2024