Unwanted plastic is showing up everywhere — from the far reaches of Mount Everest to in our bodies. Now, it's come for man's best friend.

What's happening?

Fromm Family Foods recently announced a recall for 300 cases of Bonnihill Farms BeefiBowls Beef Recipe frozen dog food, the Independent reported. The product made its way to the shelves of stores in 14 U.S. states and Ontario, Canada.  

Dog owners triggered the recall after stumbling upon visible plastic contamination in BeefiBowls dog food. The FDA notice stated that "potential adverse reactions could occur in all size dogs." 

Those reactions can run the gamut of severity from loss of appetite and vomiting to serious problems like intestinal obstruction. For that reason, the FDA advised owners to immediately stop feeding the dogs the recalled products and instead return them to retailers. 

Fortunately, no illnesses or injuries among unlucky pups had been recorded as of the recall notice.

Why is plastic contamination in dog food important?

The recall was another sign that plastic contamination in food is a rising issue. Human food (that happens to a pup's favorite) is similarly at risk, with Costco and Tillamook announcing their own recall of cheese this summer. Kraft cheese similarly has had a recall for plastic invading its product via its packaging.

It's definitely not just cheese and dog food, as a study uncovered plastic from car tires is even making it into our fresh produce. Plastic contamination in human and pet food comes with an array of worrisome health concerns. 

It's clear the systems in place aren't catching all of these unfortunate mix-ups. Producers' reliance on plastic during the packaging and food production process is undoubtedly raising the risk level.

While some of these examples are visible to the naked eye, maybe the scarier prospect is the plastics we can't see, like microplastics. While we're still in the early stages of exploring their health risks, the news isn't encouraging for humans or pets who ingest them unwittingly.

What's being done about contamination in pet food?

In the recall notice, Fromm said that "in addition to our existing safety process, we have put corrective actions in place to prevent this from happening again." Reducing its own plastic usage in food production and packaging could do wonders to shore up its defenses.

What type of food do you feed your pets? Conventional kibble 🐕 Canned 🥫 Fresh 🍗 Insect-based 🦗 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

For their own part, prompt recall announcements by the FDA play a crucial role in preventing harm when guidelines aren't followed. 

"If you see something, say something" is very valuable in the case of compromised food items. Sending in complaints to the FDA or brand can get the wheels turning and save others from their pets or themselves ingesting plastic.
The overall plastic problem is trickier, but using less plastic is one step consumers can take. Researchers, meanwhile, are working on plastic substitutes, and more companies, including pet brands, are looking at ways to reduce their use of plastic packaging.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.