An article published by ConsumerAffairs.com says that dog food sold under the "Diamond", "Country Value" and "Professional" brands has killed 76 dogs thus far, based on figures from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

News about this has dominated the dog news of late. This food is tainted with aflatoxin, a naturally occuring chemical produced by a fungus that grows on corn.

See the FDA webpage for a full list of affected dog foods.

So, what can you do to protect your dog from future poisonings from commercial dog food? Avoid commercial dog food altogether?

I suppose that's up to you.

The fact is that no one is safe from food poisoning. Whether you eat a hamburger from McDonald's, or a hamburger patty from Whole Foods Market, all food is subject to dangerous biologicals. Both McDonald's and Whole Foods Market are corporate entities exploiting a market for profit. It simply comes down to which organization does the best job of enforcing its safety procedures.

The fact is that bacteria and other toxins are not prejudiced; they infiltrate all foods. The employees who work in a natural food store are the same type of people who work for a factory food processor. They're all just average folks like you and me. It's not that it's "natural" that makes food safer, it's the employees.

In the case of Diamond Pet Foods, the problem wasn't some weird chemical they added, but that the corn they used was moldy. You might also find moldy corn at a natural food store. And if a natural food store hires the same ordinary folks that could just as well work for Diamond Pet Foods, then how can you be totally certain your food is safe?

There just isn't any way to know. You have to take it on faith that the employees handling the food you buy have respected all safety procedures.