More than 400 Family Dollar stores closed after over 1,000 dead rodents were found at Arkansas plant
More than 400 Family Dollar stores remained closed Monday after more than 1,000 dead rodents were found at a distribution facility in West Memphis, Arkansas. Several products sold at Family Dollar stores in six states are being voluntarily recalled, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
The dead rodents were found after a fumigation the discount retailer's distribution center, the FDA said.
The company said it was not aware of any customer complaints or illnesses linked to the problem.
The recall impacts stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, and products purchased between January 1, 2021, and today.
The recall includes, but is not limited to:
- FDA-approved dietary supplements
- Cosmetics, including skincare products, baby oils, lipsticks, shampoos and baby wipes
- Animal foods, including kibble, pet treats and wild bird seed
- Medical devices, including feminine hygiene products, surgical masks, contact lens cleaning solutions, bandages and nasal care products
- Over-the-counter medications, including pain medications, eye drops, dental products, antacids and other medications for both adults and children
The FDA said it began an investigation into the West Memphis, Arkansas, distribution facility after receiving a consumer complaint in January. Inspectors found live rodents, dead rodents, "rodent feces and urine, evidence of gnawing, nesting and rodent odors throughout the facility, dead birds and bird droppings, and products stored in conditions that did not protect against contamination," the FDA said. After fumigating the facility, more than 1,100 dead rodents were discovered.
Between March and September of last year, the company's internal records showed it found more than 2,300 rodents in the facility, the FDA said.
Days after inspectors arrived at the facility, distribution was stopped. The FDA says it concluded its investigation on February 11.
"Families rely on stores like Family Dollar for products such as food and medicine. They deserve products that are safe," Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs Judith McMeekin said in the FDA's statement. "No one should be subjected to products stored in the kind of unacceptable conditions that we found in this Family Dollar distribution facility."
If you bought any of these products, you are advised to not use them and to throw them out, the FDA said. Food in sealed containers is safe to use but should be thoroughly washed. Once you wash the food's container, you should thoroughly wash your hands as well.
Rodent contamination can cause salmonella and infectious disease. Anyone who purchased these products and experiences health concerns should contact a health care professional right away, the FDA said.