FDA confirms safety of Purina pet foods

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced July 31 that no public health concerns are associated with Nestlé Purina Pet Care pet food after completing a review of the products that generated a jump in adverse event reports last year.

"After thoroughly analyzing pet food adverse event reports, testing opened products from pet owners and sealed products from retail settings, and conducting a facility inspection, the FDA has determined the existing evidence does not identify a public health concern that could explain the symptoms detailed in these adverse event reports about Purina pet foods," said the statement from the FDA.

After analyzing pet food adverse event reports, testing opened products from pet owners and sealed products from retail settings, and conducting a facility inspection, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined there was no direct or consistent connection between the wide range of reported adverse events and Purina pet food. (Photo courtesy of Purina)

Complaints that Purina pet food sickened pets started circulating on social media late last year, and pet owners on TikTok urged a boycott of the brand. Subsequently, the FDA received approximately 1,300 adverse event reports for several Purina pet foods between November 22, 2023, and April 15.

The most common clinical sign described in dogs and cats was gastrointestinal followed by renal, hepatic, or neurologic signs.

Testing and inspection efforts

The FDA applied selection criteria when investigating reported adverse events. These criteria included pet owner contact information, product information, descriptions of pet signs, and timeframe for when events occurred.

Ultimately, the agency identified 107 adverse event reports that contained adequate information for follow up and met the selection criteria.

From there, veterinarians from the FDA's Office of Surveillance and Compliance and its Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN) interviewed owners about their pets' medical and diet histories, tested pet food products that were still in the owners' possession, reviewed veterinary medical records, and performed diagnostic testing at the time of illness.

Initial Vet-LIRN testing was broad because no common factors were identified in the reports to help identify potential hazards, according to the agency.

Comparing the Vet-LIRN testing of open samples of food with the FDA's regulatory testing of sealed packages was done to help identify when contamination or other problems might have occurred.

Vet-LIRN's testing of both open and unopened products were negative for the mycotoxins aflatoxin, fumonisin, and deoxynivalenol; excess vitamin D; bacteria, including Salmonella and E. coli; pesticides; and phosphine, a fumigant used to control insects on grain and other commodities. Findings for metals were not of clinical concern for either category of pet food products.

The bacterium Bacillus was detected in some open product samples, but whole-genome sequencing of Bacillus cereus strains identified through open-product testing were not related to one another, so a common source of Bacillus was ruled out.

The FDA also conducted an inspection at the Purina manufacturing facility in Clinton, Iowa. The most frequently mentioned products in adverse event reports were manufactured at this site.

The FDA issued a single citation for the facility not having conducted "a reanalysis of your food safety plan as appropriate," per the Food Safety Modernization Act's Final Rule for Preventive Controls in Animal Food.

Conclusions

Overall, the FDA says regarding the adverse event reports mentioning Purina pet food, "there was no direct or consistent connection between the wide range of adverse events submitted to the FDA, and evidence does not conclusively link the reported adverse events to Purina pet food," according to the announcement.

When contacted for comment, Lorie Westhoff, senior director of corporate communications for Purina, said, "The FDA's investigation confirmed that there are no quality or safety issues with Purina pet foods. The quality and safety of our products is our highest priority, and we respect that the FDA invested time and resources into investigating any potential concerns. We always encourage consumers to contact us directly if they have any questions about Purina products and to consult their veterinarian if they have questions about their pet's health."

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