Raw chicken pet food shows that cold-chain safety extends into the home

On October 26, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory concerning two lots of frozen cat food made with raw chicken after its testing detected Salmonella. The advisory concerns specific lots of Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, sold by subscription in two-pound packs divided into four units. FDA states that the company had not initiated an adequate recall at that point.

The case also matters to the meat sector because it illustrates a household-interface risk. The product can remain in domestic freezers for months and carries no expiration date. The agency advises disposal in a secure container, advises against donation, and calls for cleaning and disinfection of utensils, bowls, preparation surfaces, storage areas, bedding, toys, floors and, where relevant, refrigerators or freezers.

Contamination does not concern only the animal eating the food. According to FDA, pets can become ill from Salmonella or carry it and pass it to people without necessarily showing symptoms. In this notification, two cats developed gastrointestinal illness after eating the product; one was hospitalised, and both recovered after the product was no longer fed. The fact that consumer complaints preceded sampling underlines the value of linking surveillance, lot traceability and direct communication.