Thaindian News

New York, Aug 10 (THAINDIAN NEWS) American authorities and pet food manufacturers are worried about the link between dry pet food and the suspected salmonella outbreak in humans. It may be recalled that in the 2006 to 2008 outbreak, dried pet food contaminated with salmonella affected more than 79 people in 21 states in the United States. Most of the affected states were on the eastern side of the country.

Scientists say that they believe those infected, mostly children, did not eat the pet food, but were infected by touching the infected pet or touching their dirty eating plates. 



During the 2006 to 2008 outbreak, there were no cases of reported pet illness but scientists were able to detect the bacteria in their stool. Since the outbreak, scientists have paid special attention to dry pet foods. But manufacturers say they suspect the contamination happens outside the loop of production.

They maintain that high temperatures in manufacturing the dry pet food mean that no bacteria will be able to survive in the product. They suspect that the pellet on which they pack the finished products might play a role in the contamination.

Already this year, there have been five recalls of dry pet foods from several companies on the fear of salmonella contamination.