Blue Ridge Beef expands pet food recall to 16 states in US

A company that markets pricey raw meat as a healthier pet food alternative said it has expanded a recall of its 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 Jan. 3 it recalled the products in nine additional states, including Florida, Illinois, Ohio and Rhode Island, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which posted the company’s notice.

It’s the second wave of recalls by Blue Ridge since October, when it yanked another product, Breeders Choice, due to salmonella.

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

The most recent recall involves logs that are packaged in “clear plastic” and sold in retail stores, according to the notice, which advises pet owners to “destroy the food in a way that children, pets, and wildlife cannot access” them.

The contaminated pet food can be a risk to humans who handle it, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products, according to the notice.

Pets with Salmonella and Listeria infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting and can be carriers and infect other animals and humans, 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 that no illnesses had 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 bags of Retriever All Life Stages 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 off store shelves after three randomly tested lots at its Mount Pleasant, Texas, production facility came back positive for salmonella in October.