Bravo Pet Food Recalled Due to Presence of Salmonella

 Bravo is recalling chicken blend cat and dog food product after product tested positive for Salmonella.  Along with this, they are recalling turkey based products as well.   The chicken blend product is called raw, but according to the website, the  product is high pressure processed.  This process uses high pressures to inactivate pathogenic bacteria rather than using a heat process.  So the product should be technically safe, but essentially raw in terms of sensory and nutrient attributes.

 

 

FDA Recall Notice

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm476860.htm

Bravo Recalls Select Chicken and Turkey Pet Foods Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk.

For Immediate Release

December 10, 2015

 

Contact

Consumers info@bravopetfoods.com  (866) 922-9222

Media info@bravopetfoods.com  (866) 922-9222

 

Firm Press Release

 

Bravo Pet Foods of Manchester, CT is recalling a select lot of Bravo Chicken Blend diet for dogs & cats with a best used by date of 11/13/16 due to concerns of the possible presence of Salmonella . Out of an abundance of caution, Bravo is also recalling three additional items that did not test positive for Salmonella , but were manufactured on the same day. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers. Always use proper caution when handling raw foods.

 

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

 

These products were sold to distributors, retail stores, internet retailers, and directly to consumers in the U.S.

 

The following product is being voluntarily recalled because of the possible presence of Salmonella .

 

ProductItem #SizeBest Used by DateUPCBravo Blend Chicken diet for dogs & cats - chub 21-102 2 lb.(32oz.) chub 11-13-16 829546211028

  

The recall was initiated after routine testing of a 2 lb. chub of Bravo Chicken Blend diet for dogs and cats (Item #21-102) by the Colorado State Department of Agriculture, collected at a single retailer, revealed the presence of Salmonella . Two hundred and one cases of this product were sold to distributors, retail stores, and directly to consumers in the U.S. between 11/21/14 and 1/15/15.

 

Out of an abundance of caution, Bravo is also recalling three additional items that did not test positive for Salmonella , but were manufactured on the same day: 250 cases of Bravo Blend Chicken diet for dogs & cats – 5 lb. chubs only, 8 cases of Bravo Blend Turkey diet for dogs & cats – 8 oz. patties only and 60 cases of Bravo Balance Turkey diet for dogs – 4 oz. patties only.

 

These products DID NOT test positive for Salmonella , but are also being voluntarily recalled out of an abundance of caution.

 

ProductItem #SizeBest Used by DateUPCBravo Blend Chicken diet for dogs & cats - chub 21-105 5 lb. (90 oz.) chub 11-13-16 829546211059

Bravo Blend Turkey diet for dogs & cats - patties 31-508 5 lb. bag of 8 oz. patties 11-13-16 8829546315085

Bravo Balance Turkey diet for dogs - patties 31-401 3 lb. bag of 4 oz. patties 11-13-16 829546314019

 

No additional products are affected by this recall. The company has received no reports to date of illness in either people or animals associated with these products.

 

All products tested negative by a third party independent laboratory prior to release for distribution and sale to consumers.

 

The recalled product should not be sold or fed to pets. Pet owners who have the affected product at home should dispose of this product in a safe manner (example: a securely covered trash receptacle).

 

To submit a claim, pet owners should return to the store where they bought the product.

To get a refund at the store where you bought the product: Customers should return to the store where they purchased the product and submit the Bravo Recall Claim Form available on the Bravo website,

http://www.bravopetfoods.com/consumerrecall.html, for a full refund or store credit. See Bravo Product Claim Form for details.

  

Bravo Webiste

http://www.bravopetfoods.com/foodsafety.html 

A comprehensive approach to food safety.

 

At Bravo, we are committed to delivering the healthiest, safest dinners and treats for your pet – we make “the diet that nature intended.” We work continuously with food safety experts from across the country to improve and refine our pathogen control programs while delivering the purest, most unadulterated nutrition for your dog and cat. You can be assured that our multi-step process described below meets strict food safety standards for pathogen control while keeping our foods as close to natural as possible.

  

The Bravo 10-step food safety process.

1. We have been in the meat business since 1942 processing human grade meats and poultry under USDA regulations for restaurants and institutions throughout the northeast. The same knowledge, experience, and concern for quality and safety go into every Bravo product.
2. We only buy from reliable long-term suppliers of minimally processed ingredients that have been USDA inspected and approved. Our facility and those of our suppliers follow strict federal and state food handling and processing guidelines.
3. We operate our own plant where we control every step of the manufacturing process. While we do use selected outside suppliers for certain Bravo products, we monitor their food safety systems to assure compliance with our protocols. We inspect finished products daily to ensure they meet the Bravo standard for quality, appearance, freshness and safety.
4. We employ a Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety system. HACCP is a system designed to identify and prevent microbial (pathogenic) and other hazards in food production. It includes steps designed to prevent problems before they occur and to correct them as they are detected. Such preventative control systems are widely recognized by scientific authorities and international organizations as the most effective approach available for producing safe food.
5. All of our products are continually monitored for freshness, cleanliness and temperature throughout the manufacturing process.
1. All incoming materials are checked for proper temperature before receiving – anything over 40 degrees is rejected.
2. Temperatures are monitored constantly before, during and after production.
3. All raw materials are screened for sight, smell, and texture to ensure quality and freshness.
6. We are one of the very few pet food companies in the US using bacteriophages “phages” (learn about phages at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFoo1OVa11E) to eliminate pathogens in all our frozen raw diet and other at risk products. We have partnered with a worldwide leader in the development of phages, natural products for use against dangerous bacteria in the food chain. Phages target only bad bacteria – Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli. This new, cutting-edge technology allows us to avoid using any chemicals or product altering processing methods. The goal is simple: To make safe products with nutritional integrity without changing the texture, taste, smell or bioavailability of essential nutrients. Our customers have told us repeatedly that they want products that are as close to natural as possible.
7. In addition to phages, we also do a final “kill step” for these at risk products to further eliminate pathogens called High Pressure Processing (HPP). High Pressure Processing is a cold pasteurization process that inactivates the bacteria (Salmonella, E-coli, Listeria). After Bravo has been made it is placed in a high pressure chamber filled with plain cold water where it is held for about a minute as the high pressure breaks down and inactivates the pathogens. HPP is a 100% natural process without the addition of any chemicals, irradiation, preservatives or other non-natural additives. High Pressure Processing is USDA and FDA approved as an anti-pathogenic process for many foods. HPP is being used by the other leading brands of raw diets. HPP is also in wide use for a variety of commonly purchased products we buy every day, such as raw juices, coconut water, salads, salad dressing, hummus, guacamole, soups and more.
8. All of our equipment is human food grade stainless steel NSF (National Science Foundation) approved commercial grade.
9. Finished products must pass through metal detectors on all our lines before being boxed and flash frozen.
10. As a final step, all finished products are tested at a USDA/FDA accredited third party independent lab. This procedure is called “hold/test/release” in which every batch is held until all tests for E. coli 0157:H7, listeria monocytogenes and salmonella come back negative and are properly recorded.

 

Our 10-step process protects pets for our customers who wish to feed a minimally processed raw diet. While nothing is 100%, we are continually evaluating and improving our methods and trying new technologies to provide the safest products possible.

 

 

 

The benefits.

Our 10-step process protects pet health while preserving the vital nutrients that exist in pure, raw diets.

Our innovative use of new, cutting-edge technologies allows us to avoid processes that can destroy the full nutritional benefits of our food, treats chews, and bones. With our process, the healthy microbes that naturally exist in raw foods are protected and remain bioavailable.

Our exclusive process maintains the natural texture, and we believe, taste of raw meats, vegetables and fruits.

 

 

 

That’s just the beginning.

 

At Bravo, we seek to continuously improve our pathogen control methods to further enhance the safety of our products, while keeping them as close as possible to their natural state. If you have any questions about our food safety program, please email us.