Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co. Inc. (Wheeling, Ill.) said a “misunderstanding regarding paperwork” led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revoke its temporary emergency permit in June and stop interstate shipment of its pet food.

“Our company has been working closely with the FDA and we have already addressed many of their questions,” said Joel Sher, vice president of Evanger’s.

None of the company’s products had been recalled at press time—despite assertions to the contrary published in some pet industry blogs.

The FDA said Evanger’s failed to comply with processing and documentation guidelines required when making thermally processed, low-acid canned food products. It suspended the company’s temporary emergency permit, halting interstate commerce, on June 12. Evanger’s immediately filed a formal request for reinstatement, based on documentation that the company is operating in full compliance with mandatory requirements.

According to the FDA, straying from the rules could result in under-processed pet food and increase the risk of botulism.

Evanger’s was issued an “Order of Need for Emergency Permit” in April 2008 after the FDA determined the company had failed to meet regulatory requirements to process a product that does not present a health risk. FDA issued Evanger’s a temporary emergency permit in June 2008. However, during inspections in March and April this year, it determined Evanger’s was not in compliance with the conditions of the temporary permit. 

The FDA says Evanger’s must document that corrective actions and processing procedures have been implemented to ensure that the finished product will not present a health hazard before it can resume shipping in interstate commerce.

Evanger’s said the permit revocation was linked to paperwork filed in 2008 and the company is working with FDA consultants to resubmit corrected files.

The enforcement action was a collaborative effort between the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, which has authority over animal feed and foods, and the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, which is responsible for regulating human and animal low-acid canned and acidified food processing.

“[The] enforcement action sends a strong message to manufacturers of pet food that we will take whatever action necessary to keep unsafe products from reaching consumers,” said Dr. Bernadette Dunham, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.

“The safety and quality of all Evanger’s products is our No. 1 concern and we are working closely with FDA to ensure that all record keeping and processes have met, and will continue to meet their strict guidelines,” said Sher.

For updates, call Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co. Inc. at 800-288-6796 or visit www.evangersdogfood.com. [August 2009 PET AGE]