Montego addresses mould issue
SOME concerning statements were made in the article, “More mould complaints” (The Star, March 2). After discussing these with Georgina Crouth, and as a company that strives to consistently and transparently produce high-quality standard products, we wish to address the issues and assure you that we are not experiencing abnormal cases of mould formation.
Of more than 300 000 bags sold last month, Montego Pet Nutrition (Montego) received a 0.014% ratio of consumer queries. This is below the maximum levels as determined by our FSSC 22000 system, and in line with our historic data over the past two decades. The FSSC 22000 is the global governing body of food safety management.
Mould can occur in dry, perishable dog food products due to a range of environmental factors during storage, transportation and distribution, as is the case with any other perishable products.
Where mould is found, there is the potential to test positive for aflatoxin, which is produced by certain moulds, under certain conditions, and is not itself a form of mould. There are multiple strains and we conduct several stringent tests, which all confirm that no harmful levels are present in our food. During 20 years of production, we have never had to recall products due to aflatoxins.
From September to November, we initiated a nationwide product quality recall to retailers due to instances of mould formation in certain batches of food. We discovered a faulty moisture analyser that impacted moisture levels.
The fault was rectified, and the moisture analyser was cleared for use after consistency tests were conducted. The incident was reported to the SGS, an auditing and certifying body of FSSC 22000, as well as the Department of Agriculture and The Pet Food Industry Association of SA. The FSSC 22000 was satisfied by the recall, declaring it resolved on November 18.
A concern was raised that our packaging might be a contributing factor to mould formation. This is not the case. Our packaging is consistent with industry norms, where the presence of ventilation holes allows the product to breathe. The main reason that larger bags of pet food allow for ventilation, either through the stitching of the seal or through small, punched holes, is that they are packed on top of one another in large quantities during transportation.
Ventilation mitigates the chances of bags bursting in transit between areas with different air density. Smaller bags are packed in boxes and are not put under such pressure, removing the need for ventilation.
We are updating our packaging designs, but this is merely an aesthetic change. Quality and food safety are of the utmost importance at Montego Pet Nutrition, and we assure you we are committed to upholding the high standards associated with every product we produce and sell.
If you have purchased a Montego product that is not in line with our high-quality standards, please contact us at 049 891 0825 or info@montego. co.za.
Montego Pet Nutrition
Managing director,
Georgie: Initial contacts with Montego failed to address my questions about the recall, the mould incidence and packaging concerns. Montego’s management then reached out to me last week to clear up any confusion caused by poor communication.