Regardless of whether they manufacture fresh food, such as Next Generation Pet Food Manufacturer Association members do, or conventional pet food, such as represented by the remainder of the industry, all pet food manufacturers know that the FDA has a zero tolerance policy on Salmonella and Listeria in food, specifically pet food.
The compliance policies are well known.
CPG 690.800 has put forth, since 2013, the FDA’s policy of zero tolerance on Salmonella in Animal F/ood. CPG 555.320 has been in existence since 2008, and has a zero tolerance policy on Listeria in “ready to eat food.” Pet food is considered to be ready to eat in the eyes of the FDA, therefore, their zero tolerance policy has been propagated through this compliance policy as well. (This zero tolerance policy for Listeria lead to the closure of Rad Cat.)
So what does it mean when a search of the Internet to find a current link to the compliance policy goes to a broken page? What does it mean when the CPG against Salmonella is not in the list of current CPGs nor is it in the list of rescinded CPGs?
Is it possible that the FDA sees the writing on the wall and realizes that their zero tolerance stance is untenable?
Before you throw a party thinking that maybe we won, the compliance policy against Salmonella in food for animals has “simply“ been moved to the archive. It remains present at this link.
Doesn’t it seem strange that the CPG regarding Salmonella written in July 2013 has been archived where the CPG against Listeria written in February 2008 has not?
Regardless, no announcement has been made. Much is left to the reader’s imagination. Did this CPG truly move on September 5, 2019? Only the regulators know. But it does suggest changes are afoot.
