On July 3, the J.M. Smucker Company announced a voluntary recall of one lot of Natural Balance® Ultra Premium Chicken & Liver Paté Formula canned cat food.
Make sure to check your cat’s food to ensure it’s not from the lot included in the recall. You can find the product information on the bottom of the can.
Single Cans:
- Natural Balance® Ultra Premium Chicken & Liver Paté Formula canned cat food, 5.5 oz can, lot code 9217803
Only this specific lot is affected by the recall; no other Natural Balance products are mentioned.
Image Courtesy: www.fda.gov
This voluntary recall is due to elevated levels of choline chloride. Although not a food-borne pathogen, excessive choline chloride can be harmful to cats.
Cats do require choline, as explained by Greg Aldrich, PhD, from Pet Food Industry here. He mentions, “Almost all commercial pet foods contain supplemental choline, predominantly from choline chloride.”
However, at times, the levels of choline chloride can surpass safe limits, leading to a recall.
Image Courtesy: www.fda.gov
Signs of Excessive Choline Chloride in Cats
If your cat has consumed the affected food, be on the lookout for any of the symptoms listed and contact your veterinarian immediately:
- Nausea with heavy drooling, constricted pupils and poor vision, diarrhea or vomiting
- Difficulty walking
- Shaky muscles or tremors
- Irregular heartbeat
- Difficulty breathing
- Possible cardiac or respiratory failure
- In extreme cases, death
Although the recall is voluntary, adverse reactions in cats have been reported to the J.M. Smucker Company. If you suspect that your cat has fallen ill due to consuming Natural Balance® Ultra Premium Chicken & Liver Paté Formula canned cat food, contact your vet.
Image Courtesy: www.fda.gov
Prioritizing Feline Safety
Once again, the recall is voluntary and no specific food-borne pathogens have been identified. However, the J.M. Smucker Company and the FDA issued the recall due to high levels of choline chloride in one lot of cans. The J.M. Smucker Company emphasizes their commitment to safety and quality standards, with a primary focus on keeping people and animals safe.
The Smucker website states, “Led by our experienced Quality Assurance team, in partnership with our Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement and Commodities teams, our experts receive regular training on national and global safety and quality initiatives, as well as our own internal Smucker practices. Efforts are rooted in the expectation that our quality standards will always meet and exceed that of our consumers and customers.”
The issue with the food was discovered during one of these quality audits. If you have any concerns or questions, reach out to the J.M. Smucker Company at 888-569-6828 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET. For inquiries via email, contact info@naturalbalanceinc.com.
H/T: www.fda.gov