Mars recalls pet food because of potential link with human illness

Mars Petcare has issued a recall of dry pet food from its manufacturing facility in Everson, Pa., because of a possible link between products from the plant and two cases of human infection with Salmonella enterica serotype Schwarzengrund.

Mars stopped production at the Everson plant July 29, and the company is recalling pet food that the facility manufactured beginning Feb. 18. Mars is working with the Food and Drug Administration to identify the source of the Salmonella Schwarzengrund.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously identified a link between Mars dry pet food and a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Schwarzengrund infection in humans in 2006 and 2007.

The current Mars recall extends to more than 100 products from the Everson facility under the brand names of Country Acres, Doggy Bag, Members Mark, Natural (Sam's Club), Ol' Roy, Paws & Claws, Pedigree, Pet Pride, PMI Nutrition, Red Flannel, Retriever, Special Kitty, and Wegmans.

To determine whether the Everson plant manufactured a product, consumers can consult a code on the package following the "best by" or "best before" date. For most products, the number 17 after the "best by" date denotes the Everson facility. For Pedigree products, the letters "PAE" will appear in the code following the "best before" date. Consumers can return these products to the store for a full refund.

To report an animal illness in connection with the pet food, consumers or veterinarians may contact the FDA consumer complaint coordinator for their state. Contact numbers are at fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html. Additional information about the recall is available at www.fda.com, under "Recalls & Safety Alerts."