Lea Way Farms, Inc., doing business as Blue Ridge Beef, today (December 21, 2023) announced a recall of three raw pet food products after the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services found both Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in one lot of each of those products.
The recall covers the following items:
- Kitten Grind, 2-lb tube:- All lot codes & Use-by dates from N24 1124 to N24 1224; UPC 8 54298 00101 6
- Kitten Mix, 2-lb tube:- All lot codes & Use-by dates from N24 1124 to N24 1224; UPC 8 54298 00243 6
- Puppy Mix, 2-lb tube:- All lot codes & Use-by dates from N24 1124 to N24 1224; UPC 8 54298 00169 6
The recalled products were packaged in clear plastic and sold primarily in retail stores located in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The lot numbers and use-by dates are located on the silver tabs at the end of the tubes.
To date, FDA has not received reports of any illnesses.
This is the second recall in less than two months for the company. On October 27, 2023, Blue Ridge Beef recalled a single production lot of Breeders Choice 2# log dog food after the FDA found Salmonella in a sample of the product.
The company’s production facility was first inspected by the FDA in December 2016. Subsequent inspections were performed in October 2019 and August 2020.
The 2019 inspection revealed major infractions of food safety practices, resulting in the issuance of a Warning Letter to the company on June 26, 2020. Some of the violations raised in the Warning Letter included,
- Mishandling of carcasses (dragging them across the floor)
- Not examining raw materials to determine whether they were suitable for use in manufacture of animal food
- Spilling of fecal material over exposed carcasses
- Inadequate maintenance of equipment and facilities
- Operating under a canceled Food Facility Registration
- Presence of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in samples of finished product collected during the inspection
The August 2020 inspection, carried out as a follow-up to the Warning Letter, revealed that the company had not yet rectified several of the violations listed in the June 26th letter.
What consumers should know
Puppies and kittens are more susceptible to illness than adults. Pet owners who have fed the recalled products to their pets should be on the lookout for symptoms of infection.
Pets with Salmonella and Listeria infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
The FDA relies on reports from pet owners and veterinarians for information on potentially hazardous pet foods. If you believe your pet was infected or harmed by consuming a pet food, you can report the issue electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or you can call your state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators.
For more details on making a pet food complaint, visit How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.
“A complete and compelling account of the hidden and not-so-hidden ways the food we give our beloved pets can be contaminated.” – JoNel Aleccia, Health Reporter, Food & Nutrition, The Associated Press.
“An invaluable resource for busy pet owners” – Food Safety News
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