DOG FOOD RECALL: Hy-Vee & The Honest Kitchen

 Two more pet food recalls to report this month...that makes a total of 4 recalls. Oh my!  Please read through this & my previous post (from just this morning) to see if any of these recalls affect your precious pup.

1st Recall: Hy-Vee, Inc. today issued a voluntary recall of certain bags of Hy-Vee dog food due to elevated levels of a chemical contaminant commonly found in corn.

Routine random tests conducted by the Iowa Department of Agriculture indicated higher-than-normal levels of aflatoxin in some samples of Hy-Vee dog food produced at a Kansas City plant operated by Pro-Pet, LLC.

Hy-Vee officials emphasized the recall is voluntary and only conducted as a precautionary measure. No illnesses have been reported in dogs consuming the product, and the product does not pose a health risk to humans handling it. Hy-Vee officials have also removed all potentially affected products from Hy-Vee stores.

The recalled products carry three different "Best By" dates and were distributed to Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin between October 26, 2012 and January 11, 2013.

The following products are subject to the recall:

Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Complete Nutrition (Green Bag) – 34-lb.
UPC:	07545005647
Lot # ending with:	29812KC
“Best By” Date:	11/24/13
Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Complete Nutrition (Green Bag) – 8-lb
UPC:	07545005667
Lot # ending with:	29812KC
“Best By” Date:	11/24/13
Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Complete Nutrition (Green Bag) – 4.4-lb.
UPC:	07545005665
Lot # ending with:	29812KC
“Best By” Date:	11/24/13
Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Complete Nutrition (Green Bag) – 4.4-lb.
UPC:	07545005665
Lot # ending with:	29912KC
“Best By” Date:	11/25/13
Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Bites, Bones & Squares (Yellow Bag) – 20-lb.
UPC:	07545005680
Lot # ending with:	29312KC
“Best By” Date:	11/19/13
Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Bites, Bones & Squares (Yellow Bag) – 4.4-lb.
UPC:	07545005560
Lot # ending with:	29312KC
“Best By” Date:	11/19/13

The recall is limited to the products, sizes and code dates listed above. No other Hy-Vee dog food products or code dates are affected by the recall.

Customers are urged to check the "Best By" dates on any product they have at home and refrain from feeding any of the recalled products to their pets. Any bags of Hy-Vee dog food subject to the recall, whether opened or unopened, may be returned to Hy-Vee stores for a full refund.

Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring chemical produced by the mold fungus Aspergillus, which is often found in corn, particularly during drought conditions. Pets that ingest higher-than-normal levels of aflatoxin, especially over a period of time, may become ill. Consumers who are concerned about illness in their pets as a result of consuming aflatoxin should contact their veterinarians. 

Consumer Contact:  515/559-5700

 2nd Recall: The Honest Kitchen today announced that it is voluntarily recalling five lots of its Verve, Zeal and Thrive pet food products produced between August and November 2012 and sold nationwide in the US and Canada via retail stores, mail order and online after August 2012 because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No other Honest Kitchen batches, production dates or products are affected.

The Company is taking this action after learning that one of its raw ingredients suppliers has recalled a batch of human-grade parsley that may contain Salmonella. The batch of parsley was shipped to the Company in 2012 and used in the production of five lots of finished Honest Kitchen products.

The Honest Kitchen regularly tests for Salmonella and other pathogens as part of its quality control process and has not received to date any reports of illness associated with these lots of products. Nonetheless, the Company is proceeding with this action in order to ensure the full safety and quality of its products.

"We are committed to providing the highest-quality human-grade food available to our customers’ pets," said Lucy Postins, founder, CEO and CMO of The Honest Kitchen. "While our quality control tests did not find evidence of Salmonella in any of our finished products, we are accountable for everything we make, and are taking precautionary action to ensure the safety and integrity of our products."

The lots being recalled are:
 

Item Code	Product Name	Production Date	Expiration Date	Size	Lot Number
V4 + VR	VERVE	8/20/12	8/20/13	4 lb. box, 10 lb. box	2332A (batches 1-3)
VR	VERVE	11/1/12	11/1/13	10 lb. box	3062A (batches 8 & 9)
TM	THRIVE	9/18/12	9/18/13	1 oz. sample	2622A (batch 3)
Z4 + ZR	ZEAL	8/14/12	8/14/13	4 lb. box, 10 lb. box	2272A (batches 1–5)
ZR	ZEAL	9/21/12	9/21/13	10 lb. box	2652A (batches 1–4)

Consumers who purchased the above lots of Honest Kitchen Verve, Zeal or Thrive products should stop feeding the products to their pets, remove the UPC (bar code) and lot code from the packaging, and discard the contents in a covered trash receptacle. Lot codes are located on the top of product boxes either adjacent to or opposite the UPC.

Consumers can receive a replacement or full refund of the MSRP of the affected products plus $1 to cover postage, by mailing the UPC and lot code along with a completed Reimbursement Form to The Honest Kitchen, 145 14th Street, San Diego, Calif. 92101, Attn: Reimbursements. All refunds will be processed within five business days (plus postage time).

The Honest Kitchen products use human-food grade ingredients. The Company’s products are made in a human food facility and held to the same high quality control standards as human food products. Employees taste products as part of the quality control and research & development processes.

To supplement its quality control processes while maintaining its commitment to gentle processing that protects natural nutrients, The Honest Kitchen is enacting additional procedures:

• All dehydrated leafy greens will be steamed, to further protect against the possibility of Salmonella and other pathogens;
• All leafy greens will receive a second test for pathogens after arrival at the Company’s manufacturing facility, in addition to the testing conducted internally by suppliers;
• The Company has discontinued its relationship with the supplier who provided the parsley used in the production of the lots being recalled.

Consumer contact:  866/437-9729 or email at info@thehonestkitchen.com. Customer service representatives will be available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST to respond to inquiries.