J.M. Smucker to purchase Rachael Ray's Nutrish dog food brandApril 6, 2018J.M. Smucker Co., owner of Kibbles 'n Bits, Meow Mix, and other pet brands, announced that it will buy the maker of Rachael Ray-branded dog food, Nutrish. Orrville, Ohio-based Smucker said it will pay about $1.9 billion for Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, Nutrish's parent company. The company's other pet-food brands include Better Than! and Dad's. Ray has a licensing agreement with Ainsworth, which will continue with Smucker after the deal is completed, which is expected to happen in the coming months. Nutrish promotes itself as using high-quality ingredients to satisfy a growing number of pet owners seeking greater nutrition for their companions.
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Pentobarbital discovery prompts J.M. Smucker dog food recallFebruary 16, 2018J.M. Smucker Co. is recalling some of its dog food products after traces of pentobarbital, a euthanasia drug, were discovered in samples from a range of the company's brands. The company announced that it would withdraw shipments of wet canned dog food from Gravy Train, Kibbles 'n Bits, Ol' Roy, and Skippy. The drug was discovered through an independent investigation by ABC7, which partnered with Ellipse Analytics, a lab specializing in food testing, to test the products. Sixty-two samples of wet dog food, from more than 24 brands, were tested over a period of several months. Only one brand, Gravy Train, repeatedly tested positive for trace amounts of pentobarbital, according to the investigation. Of the 15 cans of Gravy Train tested, 60 percent were positive for the euthanasia drug. Gravy Train is made by Big Heart Pet Foods, which is owned by Smucker. Other Big Heart Pet Foods brands include Meow Mix, Milk Bone, Kibbles 'n Bits, 9 Lives, Natural Balance, Pup-Peroni, Nature's Recipe, Canine Carry Outs and Jerky Treats. "Veterinarians and animal nutrition specialists, as well as the FDA, have confirmed that extremely low levels of pentobarbital, like the levels reported to …
