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Late this afternoon, FDA posted the Inspectional Observations report (Form 483 report) that was handed to the Plant Manager of Diamond Pet Foods in Gaston, South Carolina at the end of a week-long inspection. The inspection, which was initiated on April 12th as a result of an outbreak of Salmonella Infantis infections in the USA and Canada traced to contaminated pet food manufactured at the facility,produced four significant observations: OBSERVATION 1 All reasonable precautions are not taken to ensure that productionprocedures do not contribute contamination from any source. Specifically, no microbiological analysis is conducted or there isno assurance that incoming animal fat will not introduce pathogensinto their production and cause contamination of finished product.Also, the firm's current sampling procedure for animal digestdoes (?) preclude potential for adulteration after sampling andduring storage in warehouse. On 4/13/12, an employee was observedtouching in-line fat filter and oil with bare hands. OBSERVATION 2 Failure to provide hand washing and hand sanitizing facilities ateach location in the plant where needed. Specifically, there are no facilities for hand washing or handsanitizing in the production areas where there is direct contactwith exposed finished feed/food. OBSERVATION 3 Failure to maintain equipment, containers and utensils used toconvey, hold, and store food in a manner that protects againstcontamination. Specifically, paddles in conveyor (South or Middle conveyor leadingto the screeners going to packaging) were observed to have gougesand cuts, which exhibited feed residues. The damage to the paddlesmay allow for harborage areas for microorganisms and are difficultto clean and sanitize. OBSERVATION 4 Failure to maintain equipment so as to facilitate cleaning of theequipment. Specifically, firm utilizes cardboard, duct tape, and other noncleanable surfaces on equipment. These materials were observed tohave residues adhering. The foam gaskets around access doors to thebucket elevators were observed in deteriorating condition andexhibited an accumulation of feed residues and dust. This is what Diamond Pet Foods has to say about its own quality program: Each of our products undergoes a rigorous quality control processprior to shipment, including 141 ingredient tests and 10 finalproduct quality and safety checks. Diamond uses only the highest-quality ingredients. Every Diamond Pet Foods product is Precision Formulated forcontent, quality, consistency and uniformity. Diamond is audited regularly by a highly respected independentlaboratory for food safety, quality and palatability. We only sell products that we would be proud to feed to our ownpets. Can anyone tell me how this company, with its self-proclaimed attention to productquality and safety, managed to miss the ongoing presence of Salmonella Infantis in its finished products for at least four months? Can anyone tell me how the "highly respected independent laboratory that auditsthe company on a regular basis missed the cardboard and duct tapeused on equipment in the Gaston plant, and also missed thedeteriorating gaskets and the damaged paddles? And, can anyone tell me why the FDA report does not mention sampling the productionenvironment, ingredients or finished products as part of theirweek-long inspection? There are other things we still don't know, including: How many pets have become infected as a result of eating thecontaminated food? Have any of the infected pets died? Where else – other than the USA, Canada and Puerto Rico– was the recalled pet food distributed? Asia? Europe? LatinAmerica? The Caribbean? Neither FDA nor Diamond has answered thatquestion yet. Why was December 9, 2011 chosen as the earliest production date forrecall? The oldest batch of food in which a government lab found Salmonella was produced January 3-4, 2012 . This suggests that the contamination was present somewhere in the production environment for five months without beingdetected by the company's quality assurance program. Here – once more – are some things consumers in Canada,the USA and elsewhere can do to protect themselves, their families,and their pets from becoming statistics in this outbreak: Check your supply of pet food to see whether it is affected by therecall. If it is on the recall list, either throw it away or returnthe unused portion to the retailer. Do not assume that your pet food is safe if your state or countrywas not mentioned on the recall distribution list. If you have handled one of the recalled products and you developsymptoms of Salmonella (stomach ache, diarrhea, etc), seek immediate medical attentionand mention the possible link to pet food. If your dog or cat was fed one of the recalled products anddevelops symptoms of gastrointestinal illness (vomiting ordiarrhea), seek immediate veterinary attention. Ask yourveterinarian to test your pet for Salmonella. If the test is positive, you or your veterinarian should contactFDA immediately to have the unused portion of the pet food tested. Direct your veterinarian to the CDC web site for information on how to proceed. Review the FDA Tips for Preventing Foodborne Illness Associated with Pet Foodand Pet Treats , and follow its recommendations to keep your family and your petssafe. Monitor eFoodAlert's Diamond Pet Foods, Etc. Recalls – 2012 page. It will be updated as more information becomes available. Above all, be aware that dogs may be infected with Salmonella - and may shed the bacteria in their stool - without showing any outward symptoms of illness. If yourpet has consumed a Diamond Pet Foods dry dog food , be especially careful to wash your hands after handling theanimal, and supervise closely any interaction between children andyour pet. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as China Wireless Video Door Intercom , Audio Video Doorphone for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Audio Video Doorphone.
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