Pet food group faces more scrutiny

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As the Lincolnwood couple who own Evangers Dog & Cat Food Co., Inc., prepare for an Aug. 17 court date in which they are accused of stealing almost $2 million in gas and electricity to run their business, they are also defending themselves against allegations about their products.

Joel and Holly Sher, residents of Navajo Avenue, now face the scrutiny of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after inspectors analyzing some products manufactured at 221 Wheeling Road, Wheeling, found cans of pet food that did not contain what they claimed.

Evanger advertises that the company has a great variety of food, including “all meat grain-free products” for diabetic pets and pet food suitable for Kosher events or homes approved by the Chicago Rabbinical Council.

But FDA District Director Scott J. MacIntire sent a warning letter to the Shers last May 5 stating: “On Aug. 19, 2010, the FDA received samples of Lamb and Rice Dog Food from the distributor...Our analytical sample results of this product revealed that lamb was not detected in the product and that another ingredient (bovine material) detected in the product was substituted.

The letter stated the FDA last Dec. 14 collected samples of Evanger’s Grain-free Duck Pet Food during the inspection of the facility.

“Our investigation revealed that a valuable constituent (duck) was not detected in the product and had been omitted or abstracted therefrom,” the letter stated.

Furthermore, the FDA said the products were misbranded, meaning that labeling was false or misleading, because the cans contained neither duck nor lamb as the company claimed.

And the FDA also said that the Shers still had not provided the agency processing and production records for products manufactured in 2009.

The FDA gave the Shers 15 working days to notify it in writing of the steps they have taken to bring their business into compliance with the law.

The Shers answered the allegations by posting this response to their customers on their website:

“Recently the FDA notified Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Company that out of 300 different types of products, two production runs consisting of a total of four pallets of finished product manufactured in 2010, may have been misbranded by the FDA’s definition.

“Evanger’s has supplied information to the FDA which supports its assertion to be inaccurate.

“A product is considered misbranded ‘if a component has been omitted in part or in whole (according to the FDA)...’

“We, at Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Company, Inc., would like to assure our valued customers, distributors and constituents that there is absolutely no health or safety issue associated with this inquiry.”

The Shers also said they had retained a full service food safety and regulatory compliance consulting firm to conduct an independent review.

The consulting firm reportedly stated that it tested Evanger’s Super Premium Duck brand and found duck in the product, and the consultant was awaiting the complete laboratory analysis of the lamb product before making any statement about it, the Shers said.

When questioned about the difference in names of the duck pet food, the Shers said “Super Premium” refers to the Evanger’s line of food in which the Grain Free Duck is categorized.

But both refer to the duck product analyzed, according to Evanger’s website.

The Shers also “flatly denied” the allegation that they could not provide “certain required records” and maintained that all required records have always been, and remain at their facility for inspection.

“All of this information has been forwarded to the FDA and we are confident that the enclosed information should resolve this matter,” they added.

For more information about the Sher’s reaction to the FDA allegations, visit the website at www.evangersdogfood.com.