You can report complaints about a livestock food product electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or you can call your state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators.
Please have as much of the following information available when submitting your complaint:
If possible, please save the original packaging until the food has been used up. The packaging contains IMPORTANT information often needed to identify the variety of food, the manufacturing plant, and the production date. For products delivered in bulk, information may be included on the bill of lading, receipt, or invoice.
- Exact name of the product and product description (as stated on the product label)
- Type of container (e.g. bag, bale, block, bulk, drum, etc.)
- Lot number - This number is often hard to find and difficult to read. It is stamped onto the product packaging and typically includes a combination of letters and numbers, and is always in close proximity to the best by/before or expiration date (if the product has a best by/before or expiration date). The lot number is very important as it helps us determine the manufacturing plant as well as the production date.
- Best by, best before or expiration date
- UPC code (also known as the bar code)
- Net weight
- Purchase date and location
- Results of laboratory tests performed on the product or on the animals, if any
- How the food was stored, prepared, and handled
Description of the problem with the product. Examples include:
- Foul odor, off color, inconsistent texture
- Foreign material found in the product.
If you think animals have become sick or injured as a result of consuming a specific food, you may also provide information about the animals, including:
- Species (e. g., horse, cattle, swine, poultry, fish, other)
- Age, weight, breed, production, pregnancy, lactation status and housing
- Previous health status of the animals including any known pre-existing conditions
- Other foods, or drugs the animals received
- Clinical signs observed (e.g., diarrhea, lethargy, staggering)
- How soon after consuming the product the clinical signs appeared
- Your veterinarian or other consulted professional’s contact information, diagnosis and medical records
- How many animals consuming the product were affected and how many were not
- Why you suspect the product caused the illness
Source:FDA