FDA Alert: Lots of Sportmix Pet Food Recalled Has Been Expanded

According to the FDA Website update: 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in cooperation with the state departments of agriculture for Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, is investigating certain Sportmix pet food products manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. that may contain potentially fatal levels of aflatoxins.

On January 11, 2021, Midwestern Pet Foods expanded the recall to include additional products that contain corn and were made in their Oklahoma manufacturing plant.

The FDA is warning pet owners and veterinarians about certain Sportmix pet food products manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods Inc. in its Oklahoma plant that may contain potentially fatal levels of aflatoxins after being linked to 70 pet deaths.

As of January 11, 2021, FDA is aware of more than 70 pets that have died and more than 80 pets that are sick after eating Sportmix pet food. Not all of these cases have been officially confirmed as aflatoxin poisoning through laboratory testing or veterinary record review. This count is approximate and may not reflect the total number of pets affected.

They are also asking veterinarians who suspect aflatoxin poisoning in their patients to report the cases through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling their local FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators. Pet owners may also report suspected cases with the FDA as well.

Aflatoxins are toxins produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus, which grows on corn and other grains used as ingredients in pet food. When levels are too high, it may cause illness and even death in pets.

Pets are highly susceptible to aflatoxin poisoning because, unlike people, who eat a varied diet, pets generally eat the same food continuously over extended periods of time. If a pet’s food contains aflatoxins, the toxins could accumulate in the pet’s system as they continue to eat the same food.

Pet owners should stop feeding their pet the recalled products and consult their veterinarian, especially if the pet is showing signs of illness. Some signs of potential illness include loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and sluggishness.

Midwestern Pet Foods originally announced a recall of nine lots of its Sportmix pet food products on December 30, and then on Jan. 11, the company expanded that recall. The FDA is still working to determine whether any additional products may have been made with the same ingredients containing potentially fatal levels of aflatoxin, which means this recall list may continue to expand.

The recalled products were distributed to online retailers and stores nationwide within the United States.

How to Check Your if Your Food is Part of the Recall

Lot code information may be found on the back of the bag and will appear in a three-line code. See below:

Lots recalled on December 30:

• Sportmix Energy Plus, 50 lb. bag Exp 03/02/22/05/L2 Exp 03/02/22/05/L3 Exp 03/03/22/05/L2
• Sportmix Energy Plus, 44 lb. bag Exp 03/02/22/05/L3
• Sportmix Premium High Energy, 50 lb. bag Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
• Sportmix Premium High Energy, 44 lb. bag Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
• Sportmix Original Cat, 31 lb. bag Exp 03/03/22/05/L3
• Sportmix Original Cat, 15 lb. bag Exp 03/03/22/05/L2 Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

The Jan. 11 expanded recall includes all pet food products containing corn made in the company’s Oklahoma plant that will expire on or before July 9, 2022. More than 1,000 lot codes are affected, so they are not listed individually, the FDA said.

Lots of the following pet food products have been recalled if the date/lot code includes an expiration date on or before “07/09/22” and includes “05” in the date/lot code, which identifies products made in the Oklahoma plant. The recalled products are listed below.

• Pro Pac Adult Mini Chunk, 40 lb. bag
• Pro Pac Performance Puppy, 40 lb. bag
• Splash Fat Cat 32%, 50 lb. bag
• Nunn Better Maintenance, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix Original Cat, 15 lb. bag
• Sportmix Original Cat, 31 lb. bag
• Sportmix Maintenance, 44 lb. bag
• Sportmix Maintenance, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix High Protein, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix Energy Plus, 44 lb. bag
• Sportmix Energy Plus, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix Stamina, 44 lb. bag
• Sportmix Stamina, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix Bite Size, 40 lb. bag
• Sportmix Bite Size, 44 lb. bag
• Sportmix High Energy, 44 lb. bag
• Sportmix High Energy, 50 lb. bag
• Sportmix Premium Puppy, 16.5 lb. bag
• Sportmix Premium Puppy, 33 lb. bag

What to do if your pet ate any of the Recalled Food:

1. Contact a Veterinarian

If your pet has symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning, contact a veterinarian immediately. Even pets without symptoms may have suffered liver damage, so you may want to contact your veterinarian if your pet has eaten any of the recalled products. Remember to provide a full diet history to your veterinarian.

2. Stop Feeding the Recalled Products to Any Pets & Dispose of Properly

Don’t feed the recalled products to your pets or any other animal. Contact the company listed on the package for further instructions or throw the products away in a way that children, pets, and wildlife cannot access them. Sanitize pet food bowls, scoops, and storage containers using bleach, rinsing well afterwards with water, and drying thoroughly to remove any potentially harmful residue.

3. Report any suspected illness to the FDA

You can report suspected illness to the FDA electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling your state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators. It’s most helpful if you can work with your veterinarian to submit your pet’s medical records as part of your report. For an explanation of the information and level of detail that would be helpful to include in a complaint to the FDA, please see How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.