NJ Pet Food Maker Shut Down For Food Safety Violations: FDA

SALEM COUNTY, NJ - A South Jersey-based pet food company has been ordered to stop selling, producing and distributing its product after operating under unsanitary conditions and manufacturing food contaminated with bacteria, the Food and Drug Administration said Monday.

According to a statement from the FDA, Bravo Packing, Inc., a pet food company located in Carney’s Point, violated public safety standards protected under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Preventive Controls for Animal Food Regulation.

“The food we give our pets should be safe for them to eat and safe for people to handle,” said Steven Solomon, DVM, MPH, director of FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.

“The FDA has taken this action to protect public health because, despite multiple inspections, notifications of violations, and recalls, this firm continued to operate under insanitary conditions and produce pet food contaminated with harmful bacteria. We will not tolerate firms that put people or animals at risk and will take enforcement actions when needed.”

A warning letter was sent to the Salem County-based facility after the FDA conducted inspections in 2019. Another inspection was conducted in 2021.

During the inspections, the government agency found evidence of “significant food safety violations” including “grossly unsanitary conditions” and failure to follow animal food regulations. Multiple raw pet food product samples tested positive Salmonella, which, if ingested by a pet, could lead to illness.

Some food and environmental samples also tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

The manufacturer notably issued a recall for raw food products in March 2021 due to salmonella and listeria contamination concerns.

A U.S. district judge thusly prohibited Bravo from “receiving, preparing, processing, packing, holding, labeling, and/or distributing pet food unless and until the company completes corrective actions.”

Consumers who believe they or their pets may have been sickened by these products should seek guidance from a healthcare professional and contact the FDA.