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Food Alert

Update 1: Fold Hill Foods recall several cat food products because of safety concerns

Last updated: 24 June 2021
Last updated: 24 June 2021

Fold Hill Foods is taking the precautionary action of recalling several hypoallergenic cat food products because of safety concerns. This product recall information notice has been updated to include all best before dates for Applaws products with the site code GB218E5009. This is not due to the identification of further safety concerns, but is a voluntary action by the manufacturer to make things easier for consumers to understand which products have been affected.

Product details

Applaws Cat Dry Chicken
Pack size 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Batch code GB218E5009
Best before All date codes
Applaws Cat Dry Chicken & Salmon
Pack size 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Batch code GB218E5009
Best before All date codes
AVA Adult Mature Chicken 7+
Pack size 2kg and 4kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
AVA Senior Chicken 12+
Pack size 2kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
AVA Sensitive Skin & Stomach
Pack size 1.5kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
AVA Weight Management
Pack size 1.5kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
AVA Hairball
Pack size 1.5kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
AVA Oral Care
Pack size 1.5kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
AVA British Shorthair
Pack size 1.5kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
AVA Persian
Pack size 1.5kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
AVA Maine Coon
Pack size 1.5kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
by Sainsbury’s Hypoallergenic Recipe complete dry cat food with Salmon 1+ Years
Pack size 800g
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
Applaws Kitten Dry Chicken
Pack size 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Batch code GB218E5009
Best before All date codes
by Sainsbury’s Hypoallergenic Recipe complete dry cat food with Chicken 1+ Years
Pack size 800g
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
Applaws Cat Dry Chicken & Lamb
Pack size 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Batch code GB218E5009
Best before All date codes
Applaws Cat Dry Chicken & Duck
Pack size 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Batch code GB218E5009
Best before All date codes
Applaws Cat Dry Ocean Fish
Pack size 350g, 1.8kg and 6kg
Batch code GB218E5009
Best before All date codes
Applaws Cat Dry Senior Chicken
Pack size 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Batch code GB218E5009
Best before All date codes
AVA Kitten Chicken
Pack size 300g and 2kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
AVA Adult Chicken
Pack size 300g, 2kg and 4kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes
AVA Adult Fish
Pack size 2kg
Batch code All batch codes
Best before All date codes

Risk statement

There is concern on the safety of the products listed above. There has been an increase in cases of pancytopenia in cats and there is a possible link to the cat food products listed above. Pancytopenia is a very rare condition wherein the number of blood cells (red, white and platelets) rapidly decreases, causing serious illness.

Action taken by the company

Fold Hill Foods is recalling the above products. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling these products. These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product. Please see the attached notices.

Our advice to consumers

If you have bought any of the above products you should stop feeding them to your cat. If you have bought an AVA product contact www.petsathome.com and fill out the contact form on the help page or livechat. If you have bought an Applaws product contact www.applaws.com/uk/contact-us. If you have bought a Sainsbury’s product contact www.sainsburys.co.uk/help or their Customer Careline on 0800 636262. If cat owners are concerned about the health of their pet then they should seek immediate advice from their vet.

Related alerts

About product recalls and withdrawals

If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be 'withdrawn' (taken off the shelves) or 'recalled' (when customers are asked to return the product). The FSA issues Product Withdrawal Information Notices and Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food. In some cases, a 'Food Alert for Action' is issued. This provides local authorities with details of specific action to be taken on behalf of consumers.

Ref: FSA-PRIN-36-2021-update-1