A shocking number of recent illnesses among cats and dogs appear to be linked to two well-known pet food brands produced by Midwestern Pet Food. There has only been one recall for Earthborn Holistic, which happened in 2021. Due to the risk of salmonella contamination, Midwestern Pet Foods in Illinois has recalled many distinct Earthborn recipes.

Midwestern Pet Food manufactures Earthborn Holistic. This is a family-owned business that is now in its fourth generation. Midwestern Pet Food, based in Evansville, Indiana, manufactures Earthborn Holistic in four locations across the United States.

Midwestern Pet Foods began as a small milling company in 1926. The company specializes in nutritious dog and cat food recipes and oven-baked biscuits and treats. They combine the finest ingredients, years of experience, cutting-edge technology, and a lot of love to prepare the best meals for our pets.

 Who makes and sells Earthborn Holistic?

Earthborn Holistic began as a family-owned and operated brand in the United States over 100 years ago. It has grown from a mill to various industries across the United States in its fourth generation. Earthborn’s headquarters and one kitchen are in Indiana, with two additional kitchens in New York and Oklahoma.

This dog food is suitable for all ages of dogs and all dog breeds. Earthborn Holistic offers seven unique recipes made from a variety of ingredients. There are options for puppy food, grain-free diets, dietary changes, and even a more significant breed option.

Earthborn Holistic is ideal for dog owners willing to pay a little more for better dog food. This food is somewhat costly. It’s also reasonably priced compared to similar brands that offer wholesome, natural recipes. It is a better ingredient selection, making it a good value for the money.

Earthborn Holistic Dog Food is an excellent choice for dog owners looking for a natural option. Despite having a limited number of available options (totaling seven), they select their recipes with nutrients in mind. There is peace of mind when choosing Earthborn to provide a holistic diet for your dog or cat. They have over a century of experience manufacturing dog and cat food recipes.

Earthborn holistic dog food recall

The United States Center for Veterinary Medicine issued a warning letter in 2021. It stated that since December 2020, various state health and agricultural agencies have received 

“multiple consumer complaints.” The complaints are about the pets becoming ill after eating Earthborn Holistic brands of dog and cat food,

This is due to the influence of aflatoxins. The FDA defines it as “an infection caused by the mold Aspergillus flavus that can grow on pet food products such as corn, peanuts, and other grains.” Aflatoxicosis, liver damage, and death in pets can occur due to high levels of aflatoxins. The toxins can also be present if there is no noticeable mould on the pet food.

2019

The Earthborn Holistic Diet includes a few ingredients, such as unusual meat or fish ingredients, and a few options that do not include peas or legumes. Its holistic selections have included grains. Its new unrefined range, released in late 2019, offers a wider variety of grain and vegetable ingredients, including quinoa, oatmeal, and squash.

Earthborn Holistic offers two lines of wet dog food: K95 and Earthborn’s Moist Grain-Free. Unrefined, the newest Earthborn Holistic selection, was released in 2019. Its ingredients appear to have been lifted directly from the pages of the FDA alert relating grain-free dog food to an unusual rise in dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, in dogs. 

While the FDA study is ongoing, some prominent theories suggest that including potatoes, peas, legumes, and lentils may result in a taurine deficiency, an amino acid essential for heart health. As a result, Earthborn Holistic has created a new line of dog food with added taurine that is free of these potentially harmful ingredients. Thus, there is no recall recorded for the year 2019.

2020

The company released an advertisement in 2020. They launched the new Earthborn Holistic dog food recipe in 25-pound bags, following in the footsteps of their UNREFINED and Venture lines. These flat-bottomed bags can stand up, making it easier to feed our furry family during meal times. No recall history was also reported in the year 2020 about Earthborn Holistic dog foods.

2021

In 2021, Midwestern Pet Foods of Evansville, Indiana, recalled several dogs and cat food brands. This is due to the possibility of contamination with disease-causing Salmonella bacteria. Let us investigate this matter in depth.

Midwestern Pet Foods was targeted in January 2021 after recalling six dry dog kibble mixes. It is due to the presence of aflatoxin, a poisonous carcinogen, in the food. The Food and Drug Administration suspected the corrupted food was to blame for the deaths of more than 70 dogs and the illness of approximately 80 others at the time.

On March 10, 2021, another recall was issued for cat and dog food that was thought to be contaminated with Salmonella. Later, the FDA issued a warning that Midwestern Pet Foods violated food safety rules, which could have resulted in more than 130 dog deaths and 220 illnesses.

Officials from Oklahoma’s Department of Agriculture confirmed the toxin’s presence when testing SPORTMiX High Energy Dog Food samples with expiration dates of February 6, 2022, and March 3, 2022. This was done as per the warning letter issued to Midwestern Pet Food. Aflatoxin was also discovered in subsequent analyses conducted at Midwestern Pet Foods plants in Illinois, Missouri, New York, and Indiana between February and May 2021.

FDA acknowledges that Midwestern Pet Food has submitted forms to illustrate corrective actions. The letter insists that the company needs to demonstrate that appropriate controls have been implemented to prevent future contamination from aflatoxin and Salmonella.

The January recall affected all corn-based products manufactured at Oklahoma’s Chickasha Operations Facility that expire on or before July 2, 2022. Specific lots of CanineX, Earthborn Holistic, Venture, Unrefined, Sportmix Wholesomes, Pro Pac, Pro Pac Ultimates, Sportstrail, Sportmix, and Meridian manufactured at its Monmouth, Illinois facility have also been recalled.

2022

Thus, Midwestern Pet Foods in Illinois recalled several different Earthborn recipes due to the possibility of salmonella contamination. This was discovered during a routine test involving sampling their pet food for both dogs and cats. During the year 2022, there was no recall of this product.

Is earthborn holistic dog food safe?

Some of the most common comments received from other pet owners who have purchased Earthborn Holistic dog food are as follows. We can learn what other people find most valuable about these products. According to the review, “these foods contain awesome ingredients that pets enjoy eating.” This primitive recipe is also high in protein, fat, and other nutrients in the proper ratio.

Conclusion

Overall, the recall resulted from the company’s routine sampling scheme, which discovered that the products might contain bacteria called Salmonella. It can infect animals that consume the products, and there is also a risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. Humans may suffer from it if they do not wash their hands properly after coming into contact with the products. Pets and other animals should not be fed the recalled products. Hence we must take utmost care when selecting our pet’s food!