Comments on: Iams expands recall to additional products on Salmonella concerns

By: Joy

Joy — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:49:23 +0000

Yes but the questions I was referring to above are not specific to HVP or Basic food Flavors…

Does anyone at Iams have or want to share any insight yet into THESE questions?:

Does the company have any idea HOW the salmonella might have gotten into the recalled Iams foods?

Does the company have any idea WHICH strain(s) of salmonella were found?

By: Carol V

Carol V — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:05:31 +0000

IAMs (on facebook) answered my question:
Does this salmonella recall have anything to do with the HVP recall for Salmonella Tennesse? Do you use this in your products?
http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/.....203067.htm
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/.....-facility/

and the answer:
Iams ‎@Carol V—I posted this on another thread you started on the Iams wall: Basic Food Flavors is not a supplier for Iams and Eukanuba and we don’t formulate our products with HVP.

(link for facebookers!)
http://www.facebook.com/#!/Iam.....9259675486

By: Joy

Joy — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 23:26:50 +0000

the questions have been asked several times….does Iams know how the salmonella got into their food and what strain(s) they are and, if/when they do know, will they be telling the public?

By: Bev VanZant

Bev VanZant — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 22:27:57 +0000

I just posted this to the Iams Facebook wall, but the question has been asked here, too. Basic Food Flavors is not a supplier for Iams and Eukanuba and we don’t formulate our products with HVP.

By: Joy

Joy — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:31:02 +0000

I would bet most pet food companies would say they don’t use HVP. Generally it’s an ingredient within an ingredient, not added by the pet food company and not required to be listed on the label; I doubt they’re going to say they use it.

By: 2ittybittykitties

2ittybittykitties — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:11:57 +0000

I wish there was a way to find out how much of this HVP was found to contain salmonella and what other pet food companies are buying raw ingredients from Basic Food Flavors, Inc.

Comment by Joy — July 31, 2010 @ 6:33 am

Joy, I think you have a very valid point about the HVP contamination as a possible link to all the dry food recalls of late.

Basic Food Flavors (manufacturer of the recalled HVP) made an insurance claim against their carrier; the carrier has now filed some documents in Nevada to have a judge disavow the claim against their policy. Specific reasons unknown at this early stage. But, the insurance carrier has stated there are 100 companies involved in the recall; however, there are another 10,000 companies “downstream” from the first 100 that used it.

In any event, the only way to find out which companies are involved is by probably by their own admissions. I only use Wellness dry occasionally, so I called and spoke with their Chief Quality Officer. She has stated they don’t even use HVP and nothing from Basic Food Flavors.

By: Bev VanZant

Bev VanZant — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:27:11 +0000

EH, I have checked with my teammates in Consumer Relations here at Iams. One of our veterinarians is in contact and currently having conversations with a veterinarian in Salt Lake City. If your veterinarians are not currently in conversations with our veterinarians, would you (or someone from your clinic) please call us again us at 877-340-8823. We have extended our phone center hours this week to 9:00 AM-7:00 PM EST Monday-Friday. The phone center will also be open this Saturday August 7 from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM EST.

By: Joy

Joy — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 22:30:03 +0000

Gina, anyone reveal anything about HOW the salmonella is getting into the pet foods and supplements?

By: Sandi K

Sandi K — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 22:15:21 +0000

Thanks for that info Gina, cant wait to see what this new system is all about.

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:33:24 +0000

Sandi,

AVMA is a trade group and VIN is a privately held company. Neither is a public agency, and both are obligated to serve their members, not the general public. Frankly, neither one of them should be in the business of protecting the public, since the good of their memberships will remain their primary focus, even if those goals can and often do overlap with the public good.

Dr. Melluso of the U.S Food and Drug Administration talked in general terms at the AVMA conference about a system the FDA is near roll-out on that will do exactly this, provide a reporting system for veterinarians, agencies and industry. The early view of it was pretty impressive, but still, it’s important to note that under the current regulatory structure the FDA cannot make reporting compulsory — it’s still, sadly, a voluntary system, and will remain so until Congress changes the law.