IAMS Cat and Dog Food Recalled for Dangerous Contaminate: Aflatoxin

IAMS cat and dog food has been recalled due to elevated aflatoxin levels. Sharp eyed microbiologist and super hero Food Bug Lady (aka Phyllis Entis at efoodalert), unearthed a pet food recall of IAMS brand pet foods buried in an obscure grocery chain Price Choppers notice on Friday, November 25th.

Mycotoxins and mycotoxicosis in pet foods are one of the most common contaminates affecting dog and cat food and one of the industries chief concerns. And for good reason. Mycotoxin’s effects are synergistic in nature, meaning that combinations of low levels of mycotoxins can have a greater impact than a high level of a single toxin. Pets are consistently exposed to multiple mycotoxins. That impact can lead to a devastating host of health problems for pets. In particular, aflatoxin is a particularly nasty mycotoxin as it is a known carcinogen, immunosuppressant and capable of causing liver necrosis.

The recall, although mysteriously absent from the FDA’s recall notification page and IAMS website, decided instead to make its debut on Price Choppers, a website that no one, but a food safety microbiologist suffering from insomnia, in their right mind would visit.

While shoppers frantically scrambled to max-out their credit cards on retailers largest shopping day of the year, known as Black Friday, a discreet mention of the aflatoxin tainted cat and dog food on Price Choppers would have gone virtually unnoticed, by anyone but the Food Bug Lady, that is.

While the rest of America is getting pepper sprayed at Target and wearing the numbers off their credit cards, Americans can go to bed tonight knowing that their ass is covered by the sleepless microbiologist, Ms Entis.

The article was picked up by the another food safety insomniac, the equally tenacious Caped Crusader Susan Thixton from Truth About Pet food who noted it in her post IAMS Recall.

IAMS Original with Chicken Cat Food
UPC 1901403915
Lot Number 12794177D3
Size 6.8 lbs. bags

IAMS Original with Chicken Cat Food
UPC 1901410504
Lot Number 12794177I5
Size 4 lbs. bags

IAMS Lamb Meal with Rice Dog Food
UPC 1901403735
Lot Number 12794177J4
Size 15 lbs. bags

While Susan cautioned her readers that ‘elevated aflatoxin levels’ can be a very dangerous situation, the Caped Crusader provided additional information on mycotoxins for consumers in her article titled More than you ever wanted to know about mycotoxins.

Both of these women, two of the smartest cookies I know, deserve a round of applause for their hard work and dedication to helping consumers and their pets from the evil Pet Food Monsters.

Others, such as myself, prefer to play a more modest role in Food Safety Land, my humble contribution is that of being the friendly neighbourhood Media Slut.