Feline Pancytopenia and Recall of Dry Cat Food Products - Find a freedom of information request

We write in relation to the recent outbreak of Feline Pancytopenia, and the subsequent recall of certain dry cat food products manufactured by Fold Hill Foods Limited on 15 June 2021.

We understand that a joint investigation conducted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) was commenced in response to the outbreak. The FSA issued an update on 26 August 2021 confirming that Fold Hill Foods Limited had been authorised to recommence production and would be working with their Local Authority in order to do so. Given the significant amount of time that has elapsed since the Product Recall, and the limited amount of information that has been made publicly available so far, we seek the following information under the Freedom of Information Act:

1. Details of any additional measures that have been put in place at the affected Fold Hill Foods production site as a consequence of the Pancytopenia outbreak or the investigation;

2. Details of any additional reporting requirements placed on Fold Hill Foods since the decision was taken to allow them to recommence production;

1. It's important to highlight that following the Food Standards Agency’s investigation no causative link was found between the recalled feed and pancytopenia. Lincolnshire Trading Standards have not put any specific additional measures in place following the pancytopenia outbreak. However, as a registered feed business, Fold Hill Foods Limited continues to comply with all relevant legislation applicable to feed. See link for a list of existing relevant legislation published on the Food Standards Agency website.

As part of the investigation Fold Hill Foods Technical Manager and Professor Elliott (Professor of Food Safety and founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University, Belfast) have reviewed the Feed Business Operator’s quality systems. Part of the re-evaluation developed an enhanced analytical risk assessment of raw materials and finished products to incorporate the analytical data discovered during the incident investigations. These measures exceed the current legal requirements.

2. Lincolnshire Trading Standards have not imposed any additional reporting requirements on Fold Hill Foods Limited. Trading Standards maintain regular contact with Fold Hill Foods Limited with meetings and site visits.

Fold Hill Foods Limited continued to produce pet food throughout the investigation but did not produce any more of the recalled foods and have not recommenced production of any of the recalled products to date at the request of the brand owners.

Food Standards Agency update 26 August 2021 - update on website. The Food Standards Agency has been working closely with Fold Hill Foods over the course of the investigation into the recalled cat food. The company has co-operated fully.

The results of extensive testing identified higher levels of mycotoxins in some samples of the recalled cat food. This includes specific compounds known as T2 and HT2. These products are no longer on sale.

Mycotoxins are found in some types of feed and food and do not, in themselves, indicate they are the cause of feline pancytopenia. No causative link between pancytopenia and the recalled cat food products has been established. As a result of these findings, Fold Hill Foods is working with its local authority to take steps to resume production.

https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/news/further-update-from-the-food-standards-agency-and-food-standards-scotland-following-the-rise-in-cases-of-feline-pancytopenia