Blue Ridge Beef has expanded its pet food recall to 16 US states

business

Through Lisa Fickenscher

A company that sells expensive raw meat as a healthier pet food alternative says it has expanded its recall of puppy and kitten products to nine additional states after traces of salmonella were found.

Blue Ridge Beef of Statesville, NC issued a recall on Dec. 15 in seven states for its 2-pound Kitten Grind log, 2-pound Kitten Mix log and 2-pound Puppy Mix log — including New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.

But on January 3, it recalled products in nine additional states, including Florida, Illinois, Ohio and Rhode Island, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that posted the company’s notice.

This is Blue Ridge’s second wave of recalls since October, when it pulled another product, Breeders Choice, because of salmonella.

The company did not immediately return calls for comment and there was no mention of the recall on its website.

The latest recall involves logs wrapped in “clear plastic” and sold in retail stores, according to the notice, which advises pet owners to “destroy the food in a manner that cannot access by children, pets, and wildlife” they are.

Contaminated pet food can pose a risk to people who handle it, especially if they do not thoroughly wash their hands after handling the products or any surfaces exposed to these products, according to the notice.

Pets infected with Salmonella and Listeria can be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting and can become carriers and infect other animals and people, according to a Food Safety News report on the recall.

The lot numbers and use by dates of the recalled puppy and kitten logs are N24 1114 to N24 1224.

The company said no illnesses have been reported to date.

Other pet food companies have had recent recalls over possible salmonella contamination, including TFP Nutrition of Nacogdoches which recalled its 50-pound bag of Retriever All Life Stage Mini Chunk Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food in October.

Mid America Pet Food also pulled Victor Super Premium Dog Food Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula dry food from store shelves after three random test lots at its Mount Pleasant, Texas, production facility returned that was positive for salmonella in October.