RCL Foods has issued a recall of certain dry pet foods in South Africa over salmonella contamination risks. 

This follows the recent theft of condemned dry pet food that had been sent to a waste management facility in eastern Gauteng for destruction, and its subsequent resale on the informal market. 

Salmonella is a well-recognised food and feed safety pathogen capable of surviving in dry-processing environments. It can cause illness in pets and humans. 

Batches sold in informal trade 

In a statement, the group said it instituted further checks on potentially contaminated product that had been designated for destruction, and regrets to confirm that some of these batches are in the formal trade. 

“Consequently, in line with our commitment to the highest safety standards, RCL Foods is initiating a countrywide recall of limited batches of Bobtail, Bonzo, Catmor, Canine Cuisine, Feline Cuisine, Optimizor and Ultra Pet Dog food manufactured at one of our pet food plants,” reads the statement. 

Working to remove affected products 

It further states that the company is working closely with retailers, regulators and relevant authorities to identify and remove all affected products from the market. 

Shoppers who have purchased any of the affected pet food batches have been advised to return the product to their retailer for a refund or replacement. 

“In addition to the ongoing investigation into theft of condemned product, independent experts have been appointed to determine how product that had been marked for destruction entered the formal market,” says the statement. 

Internal assessments 

“At this stage, we are not aware of any animals or people having been affected. However, shoppers are advised to exercise caution,” says RCL. 

“On behalf of RCL Foods, I want to apologise to all affected shoppers. Our primary concern is the health and well-being of shoppers and their pets,” says CEO Paul Cruickshank. 

“Our immediate priority is to recall, remove and replace all potentially affected products from circulation. We did not meet our own standards. This is not what our customers expect from RCL Foods. We are taking every step necessary to rectify the situation,” he says. 

What you should do 

If you have pet food products with identifying expiry dates, please return them to your retailer for a refund, should stock be available. 

The list of contaminated food can be found on the RCL Food website. Consumers can reach out to the customer care team via the company’s 24-hour line on 0860 103 764, on WhatsApp on 087 359 0476 or by email RCLConsumerCare@rclfoods.com 

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