FDA EIR - Nestle Purina PetCare Company - March 26, 2019

An FDA inspection of Nestle Purina PetCare Company in Saint Joseph, MO, was conducted from March 18-26, 2019. The routine inspection, focusing on pet food manufacturing under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and Low Acid Canned Food (LACF) regulations, identified four significant observations on FDA Form 483. The primary issues revolved around the contamination of "Muse Natural Chicken in gravy" cat food (lot 80941162 L1MX1) with blue plastic/rubber originating from a deteriorated conveyor belt on the 3oz production line. Violations included failure to implement adequate preventive controls for foreign material hazards, specifically a pre-requisite program that did not effectively control equipment damage. The company also failed to reanalyze its food safety plan after determining a food safety problem, even after implementing corrective actions. Furthermore, equipment was found not appropriately designed to prevent animal food adulteration. A critical observation was the failure to submit a reportable food report to the FDA within 24 hours, despite receiving eight consumer complaints and deeming the -inch plastic/rubber pieces a potential choking hazard. Required actions, some already initiated by the firm, involve ensuring effective preventive controls are in place, particularly for equipment maintenance. The food safety plan must be reanalyzed when appropriate, and equipment design and upkeep should prevent contamination. Most importantly, the company must comply with the 24-hour reporting requirement for reportable foods, demonstrating a commitment to public health safety and regulatory compliance.