Why do they always wait till Friday or Saturday to tell consumers about a recall?

Answer: So the news services will be less likely to pick up the story and therefore there will be a reduced number of complaints and queries to the manufacturer, that’s why!

For your Saturday reading pleasure, a recall…

the product

Del Monte brand Nature’s Recipe is recalling a limited supply of Nature’s Recipe® Oven Baked Biscuits with Real Chicken, manufactured in one of its U.S. production facilities. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products.

the problem

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some, or all, of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers (and pets) exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

the symptoms

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

So far, no pet or consumer illnesses from this product have been reported, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been illnesses, it just means none have been reported – yet. However, because of its “commitment to safety and quality”, Del Monte is conducting a recall of this product. Isn’t that nice of them?

the affected lots

The affected lots of Nature’s Recipe Oven Baked Biscuits with Real Chicken were distributed nationally, primarily through pet specialty retailers.

Nature’s Recipe Oven Baked Biscuits with Real Chicken is sold in 19-ounce stand-up resealable pouches. The product affected by this recall is identified below and has the following “Best If Used By” dates:

Lot Code:	UPC Code:	Size:	Product Name/Description:	Best If Used By Date:
2199TP	30521 51549	19-ounces	Nature’s Recipe Oven Baked Biscuits with Real Chicken	10 11 13
2200TP	30521 51549	19-ounces	Nature’s Recipe Oven Baked Biscuits with Real Chicken	10 12 1

Product and product lots that do not appear on the list above are not subject to this recall.

the help

Consumers who have purchased the above lots of Nature’s Recipe Oven Baked Biscuits with Real Chicken should stop feeding the product and discard immediately. For further information about the recall and for instructions on obtaining replacement product, consumers can use the contact us form at www.naturesrecipe.com or call the consumer hotline, 24 hours a day, at 800-237-3856.

 In poor taste

The really sleazy, smarmy thing about this particular recall is that Del Monte adds this promotional blurb ‘About Nature’s Remedy” in their press release.  Tacky, very tacky.

About Nature’s Recipe®

“Nature’s Recipe®, a brand of Del Monte Foods, markets a complete line of natural dog food and treats and recently introduced a line of natural cat food. Nature’s Recipe® has been making better pet food where “Every Ingredient Counts® ” for more than 30 years. For additional information about Nature’s Recipe®, visit www.naturesrecipe.com.”

Spare me.

Credit: Thanks to Susan Thixton of Truth About Pet Food for giving me the heads up on this before the FDA newsletters arrive in my mailbox. Thanks!