Diamond Pet Foods recalls batch of dry dog food

[April 27, 2012]  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Salmonella concerns prompted Missouri-based Diamond Pet Foods to recall a second batch of dry dog food produced at a South Carolina plant where production has been suspended, the company announced Thursday.

The plant in Gaston, S.C., is the same one that made mold-contaminated food that killed dozens of dogs nationwide in 2005.

A statement from the company said the recall includes one production run of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Adult Light Formula dry dog food. The Meta, Mo.-based company said one bag tested positive for salmonella, and the recall of four production codes is being conducted as a precautionary measure. No dog illnesses have been reported.

The product was distributed to customers in 10 states: Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.

Production was suspended April 8 at the Gaston plant after a recall two days earlier involving a different product, Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice dry dog food. A cat food recall at the plant in 2009 was prompted because the food didn't contain enough thiamine, an essential nutrient for cats.

"We've taken swift action and suspended production," said Diamond spokeswoman Janine Smiley. "We take quality issues very seriously and will resume production when we can assure that our products meet our stringent quality standards."

The latest recall covers the following production codes:

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, 35 lb.
  CLF0102B31XCW 27/JAN/2013, CLF0102B32XWR 28/JAN/2013

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Adult Light Formula, 35 lb.
  CLF0102B31XCW 28/JAN/2013

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, 6lb.
  CLF0102B3XALW 28/JAN/2013

The company said customers should stop feeding the food in question to their pets and discard it.

[Associated Press; By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH]

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