Cargill recalls a year's worth of dry dog food because of aflatoxin levels

Lecompte, La.

— Cargill Animal Nutrition voluntarily recalled two brands of dry dog food manufactured over the last year due to high aflatoxin levels.

The two regional brands affected by the recall are River Run and Marksman, and were made at Cargill’s Lecompte, La. plant, between Dec. 1, 2010 and Dec. 1, 2011. No illnesses have been associated with the affected products, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Affected products include:

• Professional Formula River Run HI-NRG 24-20 Dog Food, 50-pound bags;

• River Run Professional Formula 27-18, 50-pound bags;

• River Run 21% Protein Dog Food, 40- and 50-pound bags;

• River Run Hi-Pro No-Soy Dog Food, 40- and 50-pound bags;

• Marksman Dog Food 24% Protein 20% Fat, 40-pound bags;

• Marksman Dog Food 20% Protein 10% Fat, 40- and 50-pound bags; and

• Marksman Dog 28% Protein 18% Fat, 40-pound bags.

The recall only applies to the above products with the following Packaging Date Codes (lot numbers): 4K0335 through 4K0365, LL0335 through LL0365, 4K1001 through 4K1335 and LL1001 through LL1335.
The affected dry dog food products were distributed in Kansas, Missouri, Northeast Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Southeast Indiana, Southern Illinois, Hawaii, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and limited areas of Florida and California.

Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring byproduct from the growth of

Aspergillus flavus

and can be harmful to pets if consumed in significant quantities, FDA says. Pets affected by aflatoxin may exhibit symptoms of illness including sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, vomiting, yellowish tint to the eyes or gums, or diarrhea. Pet owners should seek veterinary care if dogs present with these symptoms, FDA adds.

Retailers have already been instructed to remove the affected brands and products from store shelves, says Cargill. Consumers may return affected products to their place of purchase for a full refund. For more information, go to www.cargill.com/feed/dog-food-recall or call (855) 460-1532.