A popular dog and cat food company has issued an urgent recall in seven US states after some of its products tested positive for salmonella and listeria.
North Carolina-based Blue Ridge Beef is warning pet owners about its two-pound logs of its Kitten Grind, Kitten Mix and Puppy Mix sold in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned humans to be wary of the food because they can also be infected from handling contaminated products.
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged to contact Blue Ridge Beef for a full refund and destroy the food in a way that children, pets, and wildlife cannot access.
North Carolina-based Blue Ridge Beef is warning pet owners about its two-pound logs of its Kitten Grind, Kitten Mix and Puppy Mix sold in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia , Maryland and Massachusetts
The lot numbers for all three recalled products are N24 1114 to N24 1224, shown on silver tabs at the end of the tubes.
Blue Ridge produces ‘100 percent pure raw pet food,’ according to its website.
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services discovered the potentially contaminated products, which tested some products in the company’s facility and found they tested positive for salmonella and listeria.
Salmonella is a bacterial infection often described simply as ‘food poisoning’ and occurs when food is prepared by people who have not washed their hands after using the toilet or handling other contaminated food.
Listeria is a bacterial infection often associated with dairy products — such as ice cream — and deli meats. It can be deadly to pregnant women, newborns and the elderly.
The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has warned humans to be wary of the food because they can also be infected from handling contaminated products
Healthy people infected with salmonella may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.
The FDA urges owners to look out for a decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain for pets.
‘Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans,’ the FDA shared in an announcement.
‘If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.’
The recall comes nearly four years since the FDA slapped Blue Ridge Beef with a warning letter after finding the company was not up to code.
The letter stated the company was not properly inspecting meat in its raw pet food.
‘Your firm utilizes tissues from animals that have died otherwise than by slaughter in the manufacturing of pet food without first determining whether the animals suffered any type of illness, injury, and/or whether any medications may have been administered to the animals prior to your pick up from the supplier and subsequent use in manufacturing, such that tissues from the animals would be unsuitable for manufacturing and processing into your pet food,’ the letter reads.
