The N.C. Agriculture Department has advised pet owners not to feed their animals seven products made by a New Jersey company after state inspectors discovered improperly labeled items at a store in Greensboro.
A picture of a B&B pet foods product. The B&B brand pet foods, made by B&B of New Jersey, are raw meat-based products and sold frozen in a silver foil stand-up pouch with resealable closure and a white with black ink printed label. “Significant information was missing from the product label and because the pet food products contain ingredients with a potential risk of pathogen contamination, they could put your pets at risk,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a news release.
“If you have purchased this product and still have it, please do not feed it to your pets.” Agriculture Department workers found the products during a routine inspection at Proformance Pet Supply in Greensboro. Seven B&B products were identified as missing significant portions of the label required under state law.
Owners have been advised not to feed their pets the following products: Key information missing from the package included the guaranteed analysis to advise the purchaser of the product’s nutrient content, proper feeding guidelines, net weight, guarantor information and intended species information, according to the release. In addition to missing required label information, the products are also not registered for sale as animal food in North Carolina and it was subsequently determined they’re not manufactured under inspection by the New Jersey regulatory agency to ensure their safety. George Ferguson, the administrator for the Department of Agriculture animal feed program, said Proformance had received products by purchasing them directly from the manufacturer.
But the department also discovered there were two distributors selling the products, one primarily working in North Carolina, and the other in South Carolina. He said it was unknown how many stores in North Carolina the distributor may have sold the product to. “So, the reason for the notification is we were not confident that Proformance was the only location that may have received or be selling the product,” Ferguson said.
“We know it was in one store and it is most likely that it’s also being offered for sale in other stores in North Carolina.” Ferguson said Proformance in Greensboro won’t face any penalties because it’s the manufacturer’s responsibility — not the store’s — to make sure products are properly labeled. Stores like Proformance Pet Supply undergo routine inspections by the Department of Agriculture about once every five years.
He said the Department of Agriculture has contacted the owner of B&B in New Jersey and explained the requirements on registering their products. At this time, the owner of B&B pet food products hasn’t been fined or penalized. Omissions of some information in labeling is not uncommon, Ferguson said, but more was missing than usual in this case.
The Department of Agriculture is advising those who’ve purchased these products to throw them away. “We encourage consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers and discard any of these products,” Ferguson said. “If you have any of the B&B pet food products, stop feeding it to your pets and throw it away in a secure container where other animals, including wildlife, cannot access it.
” Consumers are also being advised to clean refrigerators and freezers where they were stored and surfaces the food may have contacted, such as bowls and food prep surfaces. People who think their pets have become ill after consuming contaminated pet food should contact their veterinarians first. camdyn.
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