FDA WARNING_LETTER - Evanger's Dog & Cat Food Co - February 14, 2017

The FDA conducted an inspection of Evanger's Dog & Cat Food Company, Inc. in Wheeling, Illinois, from January 10 to February 14, 2017, following a consumer complaint about sick and deceased dogs after consuming "Evanger's Hunk of Beef in Au Jus." The inspection revealed serious violations of the FD&C Act.

FDA analysis confirmed pentobarbital contamination in "Evanger's - Braised Beef Chunks," "Evanger's - Hand Packed Hunk of Beef in Au Jus," and "Against the Grain - Grain Free Pulled Beef with Gravy," rendering them adulterated under section 402(a)(1) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. §342(a)(1)]. Pentobarbital, a euthanasia agent, has no established residue tolerance in food-producing animals, making its presence in pet food injurious to animal health.

The inspection resulted in a six-item Form FDA-483. Key violations included pentobarbital in specific lots of "EVANGER?S *** HAND PACKED HUNK OF BEEF AUS JUS ***" and "AGAINST the GRAIN *** GRAIN FREE PULLED BEEF with Gravy ***." Further FDA sampling found pentobarbital in additional lots of "Evanger's Braised Beef Chunks" and "Evanger's Hunk of Beef Au Jus."

The FDA noted the company