Salmonella in dog food a risk to humans

Merrick’s Texas Hold ‘Ems Beef Filet Squares is one of several pet foods voluntarily recalled this year for possible salmonella contamination.

The Associated Press reports today that a government report published online Monday by the medical journal Pediatrics has detailed the first salmonella outbreak in humans linked to contaminated dog food.

Between 2006 and 2008, an outbreak of salmonella ”sickened 79 people in 21 mostly eastern states … Almost half of the victims were children aged 2 and younger.”

According to the AP story, “The outbreak was blamed on salmonella bacteria found in several brands of dry dog and cat food produced at a Mars Petcare US plant in Everson, Pa., including Pedigree and Special Kitty.” It’s thought that small children touch the contaminated dog food dishes and then put their hands in their mouths, thereby picking up the salmonella.

There have been six unrelated recalls of pet food this year due to possible salmonella contamination.  However in the story, Duane Ekedahl, president of the Pet Food Institute, a manufacturers’ trade group, explained that consumers should not be worried about pet food as a souce of contamination. “Companies are very vigilant and in rare occasions when it occurs, products are pulled off the market,” he said.

To reduce infection risks at home, the authors of the report recommend washing hands after handling pets and pet food; washing pet food bowls and feeding areas; and keeping children under 5 years old away from pet feeding areas and places where pet food bowls are washed.

You can read the entire AP story here.

You can see the list of recalled pet products on the Notes From The Funny Farm blog.

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