No illnesses or injuries were reported with any of the products. Nature’s Variety The recalls began Feb. 15 when St. Louis-based Nature’s Variety called out a single batch of Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula with a best-by date of 10/04/13. Some bags may contain pieces of clear plastic that could pose a choking risk to pets. The recalled foods include medallions in 3-pound bags (UPC number 7 69949 60137 1) and 27-pound cases (UPC number 7 69949 70137 8), and patties in 6-pound bags (UPC number 7 69949 60127 2) and 36-pound cases (UPC number 7 69949 70127 9). Consumers may return the food for a refund or exchange. More information is available at 888-519-7387. The Honest Kitchen San Diego-based The Honest Kitchen recalled five lots of its Verve, Zeal and Thrive dog foods Feb. 21 because of potential salmonella contamination. The food was produced from August to November 2012 and sold nationwide in the United States and Canada. The ingredient in question was a batch of human-grade parsley received from a supplier that no longer does business with The Honest Kitchen, said Lucy Postins, the company’s founder and CEO. “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,” Postins said. The company reported that it began additional quality-control steps, including steaming dehydrated leafy greens and conducting a second pathogen test on all leafy greens. The recalled lots include: • Verve: 4- and 10-pound boxes, expiration date 8/20/13, lot number 2332A (batches 1-3). • Verve: 10-pound box, expiration date 11/1/13, lot number 3062A (batches 8 and 9). • Thrive: 1-ounce sample, expiration date 9/18/13, lot number 2622A (batch 3). • Zeal: 4- and 10-pound boxes, expiration date 8/14/13, lot number 2272A (batches 1-5). • Zeal: 10-pound box, expiration date 9/21/13, lot number 2652A (batches 1-4). Refund information is available by calling 866-437-9729. Hy-Vee Inc. Some bags of Hy-Vee dog food were recalled because of elevated levels of a chemical commonly found in corn, the West Des Moines, Iowa-based grocer reported Feb. 22. The chemical, aflatoxin, is naturally occurring and is produced by the mold fungus aspergillus. Pets that ingest higher-than-normal levels of aflatoxin, especially over a period of time, may become ill, the company reported. The food was distributed from Oct. 26, 2012, to Jan. 11, 2013, at Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The recalled food includes: • Hy-Vee Complete Dog–Complete Nutrition, 34-pound green bag, UPC number 07545005647, lot number ending with 29812KC and best-by date of 11/24/13. • Hy-Vee Complete Dog–Complete Nutrition, 8-pound green bag, UPC number 07545005667, lot number ending in 29812KC and best-by date of 11/24/13. • Hy-Vee Complete Dog–Complete Nutrition, 4.4-pound green bag, UPC number 07545005665, lot number ending in 29812KC and best-by date of 11/24/13. • Hy-Vee Complete Dog–Complete Nutrition, 4.4-pound green bag, UPC number 07545005665, lot number ending in 29912KC and best-by date of 11/25/13. • Hy-Vee Complete Dog–Bites, Bones & Squares, 20-pound yellow bag, UPC number 07545005680, lot number ending in 29312KC and best-by date of 11/19/13. • Hy-Vee Complete Dog–Bites, Bones & Squares, 4.4-pound yellow bag, UPC number 07545005560, lot number ending in 29312KC and best-by date of 11/19/13. Recalled Hy-Vee food may be returned to any store for a refund. More information is available at 800-289-8343. <HOME>
