Blue Ridge Beef—Repeat offender

Eight recalls in eight years. Two failed inspections—one in 2019, the other in 2021. One Warning Letter, Dated June 26, 2020.

Something is very wrong at Lea-Way Farms, Inc. (dba Blue Ridge Beef).

Yesterday (January 31, 2025), Blue Ridge Beef recalled 5,700 lbs of its Natural Mix for Dogs (2-lb logs; Lot #N25/12/31; UPC 854298001054) after the North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Food and Drug Protection Laboratory found Salmonella in a sample of the product.

The recalled raw dog food was distributed between January 3/2025 to January 24/2025 and sold primarily in retail stores in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York State, Tennessee, and Rhode Island.

Although no illnesses were reported in connection with this recall, the same cannot be said for two prior recalls.

On December 6, 2024, the FDA received a complaint about two cats that had developed gastrointestinal symptoms after being fed Blue Ridge Beef – Kitten Mix (two different lot numbers). The cats survived. The company recalled a single production lot of the Kitten Mix after the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources reported the presence of Salmonella in a sample of the food.
On November 24, 2024, the FDA received a complaint about a litter of puppies that had fallen ill after being fed Blue Ridge Beef Puppy Mix. Fecal samples from the puppies tested positive for Salmonella. The puppies appeared to have recovered after two weeks of treatment with antibiotics. One puppy died suddenly after recovering from the initial illness. A necropsy revealed evidence of sepsis (generalized infection) and stomach ulcer consistent with a bacterial infection. Blue Ridge Beef recalled 9,600 lbs of the Puppy Mix after testing by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirmed the presence of Salmonella in a sample of the product.

A history lesson

According to the FDA Inspections Dashboard, Lea-Way Farms has been inspected three times—in 2016 (Voluntary Action Indicated), 2019 (Official Action Indicated), and 2021 (Official Action Indicated).

The Official Action taken following the 2019 inspection culminated in a Warning Letter issued on June 26, 2020, and addressed to Steven J. Lee, CEO/Owner of the company. In this letter, the FDA cited multiple, serious violations of Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP). The agency also noted that Lea-Way had failed to renew its food facility registration, as required by law.

Some of the cGMP violations included:

Raw materials were not examined to ensure their suitability for manufacturing and processing, and were not handled under conditions that would protect the food from contamination. Specifically, the company used tissues from animals that died otherwise than by slaughter without determining whether the animals had been sick, or injured, or medicated prior to death.
Concrete floors of the kill floor (used for skinning and evisceration of whole animals), the cooler room, and the grinder/mixer room were rough and pitted, and there were standing pools of water.
Thawing beef parts were allowed to come into contact with the concrete floors.
Carcasses were dragged on the concrete floors, dropped from the railing system onto the floors, and trimmed from the floors.
Stomach contents and fecal matter were observed to have spilled over onto exposed carcasses, which were then transferred into the cooler area without being rinsed clean.

One year later, not much had changed. A July/August 2021 inspection revealed multiple violations, some of which were repeat observations from 2019.

Although the company’s Food Safety Plan specified daily sampling of product for pathogen testing, no samples had been collected or analyzed since the April 2019 inspection.
The company used pathogen reduction steps that had not been validated for their ability to reduce the level or presence of pathogens in the finished product.
The company still used tissues from animals that had died other than by slaughter without determining whether they had been sick, diseased, injured, or medicated prior to death.
The company was unable to provide monitoring records associated with metal detection, sanitation, pest control, environmental monitoring, water testing, and employee training.
The concrete floors had not been repaired.
Environmental testing had not been conducted since April 2019, and the test kits on had had expired on 22 Feb 2018.
Salmonella London, Salmonella Montevideo, and Listeria monocytogenes were recovered from finished product samples collected during the course of the inspection.

The company responds

The company responded in writing to the observations from the 2021 inspection with a list of promised corrections, including:

A hazard analysis had been generated and supplied to the FDA.
Random product samples would be tested using test swabs and, if positive, would be sent to a third party lab for analysis.
Documentation of pathogen reduction effectiveness would be made available during subsequent inspections.
The cattle in question were shot on the farm and the carcasses transported to the manufacturing facility. The farm advised the company that the cattle had not received any medication.
Monitoring records are now updated daily and have been made available to FDA.
Employee training has been updated and all employees have been retrained in proper procedures.
New test swabs for environmental testing were ordered and periodic testing will resume.
The company is seeking a contractor who can perform a resurfacing of the concrete floor that can withstand cleaning and sanitation and be affordable.

Then what happened?

We don’t know.

There has been no Warning Letter issued as a follow-up to the 2021 inspection.

The FDA did not release their reply to the company’s corrective measures as part of the agency’s response to eFoodAlert‘s Freedom of Information Act requests.

As best we can tell from the FDA Inspection Database, there has been no further follow-up inspection since 2021.

An email to FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine spokespersons regarding the most recent recall notice has gone unanswered so far.

What does this mean?

The FDA’s silence and apparent inaction could mean one of two things: either the agency does not have the resources to conduct a proper follow-up investigation at Blue Ridge Beef, or the FDA is quietly preparing legal action against the company.

Only time will tell.

Meanwhile, consumers who choose to feed their dogs and cats commercial raw pet foods should consider switching to a brand with a better track record for food safety.

“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

Available from all major on-line retailers, including:

Eggs recalled in Canada due to Salmonella contamination

Burnbrae Farms has recalled certain lot codes of six brands of shell eggs due to possible Salmonella contamination.

The recall was triggered by test results. No illnesses have been linked to the recalled products.

The following list of recalled eggs are known to have been distributed in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario, and may have been distributed in other Canadian provinces and territories.

Compliments brand Extra Large Size White Eggs (12/pkg; UPC 0 55742 35751 6; Lot code BB 2025 FE 22; from 8 P**0021320 up to and including 8 P**0021720 (**= 03 to 32))
Compliments brand Large Size White Eggs (12/pkg; UPC 0 55742 35750 9; Lot code BB 2025 MR 01; from 8 P**0101145 up to and including 8 P**0101800 (** = 03 to 32))
Compliments brand Large Size White Eggs (18/pkg; UPC 0 55742 35756 1; Lot code BB 2025 MR 01; from 8 P**0101145 up to and including 8 P**0101800 (**= 03 to 32))
Foremost brand Large Size Eggs (18/pkg; UPC 0 61483 05666 3; Lot codes BB 2025 FE 22; from 8 P**0021320 up to and including 8 P**0021720 (** = 03 to 32) and BB 2025 MR 01; from 8 P**0101145 up to and including 8 P**0101800 (** = 03 to 32))
Golden Valley Eggs brand Extra Large Size Eggs (30/pkg; UPC 0 55799 10301 2; Lot code BB 2025 MR 01 * 010 (*= C, D, E, F or H); from C6 1145 010 up to and including C6 1800 010)
Golden Valley Eggs brand Jumbo Size Eggs (20/pkg; UPC 0 55799 10310 4; Lot code BB 2025 FE 22 * 002 (*= A, C, D, E or F); from 1320 Est 8 up to and including 1720 Est 8)
Golden Valley Eggs brand Large Size Eggs (2 x 30/pkg; UPC 0 55799 10503 0; Lot code BB 2025 FE 22 * 002 (* = A, C, D, E or F); from 1320 Est 8 up to and including 1720 Est 8)
Golden Valley Eggs brand Large Size Eggs (30/pkg; UPC 0 55799 10303 6; Lot codes BB 2025 MR 01 * 010 (* = C, D, E, F or H); from C6 1145 010 up to and including C6 1800 010 and BB 2025 MR 01 * 010 (* = C, D, E, F or H); from C4 1145 010 up to and including C4 1800 010)
Golden Valley Eggs brand White Extra Large Size Eggs (18/pkg; UPC 0 55799 11101 7; Lot code BB 2025 MR 01; from 8 P**0101145 up to and including 8 P**0101800 (**= 03 to 32))
Golden Valley Eggs brand White Large Size Eggs (12/pkg; UPC 0 55799 10103 2; Lot code BB 2025 MR 01; from 8 P**0101145 up to and including 8 P**0101800 (** = 03 to 32))
IGA brand Extra Large Eggs (12/pkg; UPC 0 55742 05119 3; Lot code BB 2025 FE 22; from 8 P**0021320 up to and including 8 P**0021720 (** = 03 to 32))
no name brand Large Size Eggs (12/pkg; UPC 0 60383 66414 5; Lot code BB 2025 MR 01; from 8 P**0101145 up to and including 8 P**0101800 (**= 03 to 32))
no name brand Large Size Eggs (30/pkg; UPC 0 60383 22293 2; Lot codes BB 2025 FE 22 * 002 (*= C, D, E, F or H); from C6 1320 002 up to and including C6 1720 002, BB 2025 MR 01 * 010 (*= C, D, E, F or H); from C6 1145 010 up to and including C6 1800 010, and BB 2025 MR 01 * 010 (*= C, D, E, F or H); from C4 1145 010 up to and including C4 1800 010)
no name brand Large Size Eggs (30/pkg; UPC 0 60383 22293 2; Lot code BB 2025 FE 16 BW24 354 M)
Western Family brand Extra Large Size White Eggs (12/pkg; UPC 0 62639 41011 7; Lot codes BB 2025 FE 22; from 8 P**0021320 up to and including 8 P**0021720 (** = 03 to 32) and BB 2025 MR 01; from 8 P**0101145 up to and including 8 P**0101800 (** = 03 to 32))
Western Family brand Large Size White Eggs (30/pkg; UPC 0 62639 39498 1; Lot code BB 2025 MR 01 * 010 (* = C, D, E, F or H); from C4 1145 010 up to and including C4 1800 010)

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is verifying that all recalled product has been removed from the market and is conducting a food safety investigation that may lead to additional recalls.

What you need to know

If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, contact your healthcare provider
Check to see if you have recalled products
Do not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute recalled products
Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased
Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased the recalled products are advised to contact their retailer

Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections. Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.

“Reads like a true crime novel” – Food Safety News

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen

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FDA finds Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes in ANSWERS raw dog foods. Issues Advisory

September 23, 2024

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued an Advisory to pet owners, recommending that they not feed certain ANSWERS raw dog foods to their pets.

The FDA collected and analyzed unopened retail samples of these products following receipt of three consumer complaints about sick dogs.

Two of the following products were found to be contaminated with Salmonella, one with Listeria monocytogenes, and one with both Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. All four products were packaged in 4-lb. (half-gallon) cartons.

Answers Pet Food Raw Beef Detailed Formula for Dogs
- UPC/bar code number: 856554002102
- BUBD: May 06 2026
Answers Pet Food Raw Beef Straight Formula for Dogs
- UPC/bar code number: 856554002072
- BUBD: Jan 31 2026
Answers Pet Food Straight Chicken Formula for Dogs
- UPC/bar code number: 856554002065
- BUBD: Jan 02 2026
Answers Pet Food Straight Chicken Formula for Dogs
- UPC/bar code number: 856554002065
- BUBD: Mar 11 2026

ANSWERS raw pet foods are manufactured by Lystn LLC. The products are sold on-line and in retail stores across the United States.

Company voluntarily withdraws products

Lystn, LLC, dba ANSWERS Pet Food announced a voluntary withdrawal of the four contaminated product batches, but stopped short of initiating a full recall. In announcing the product withdrawal, the company took pains to state that, “No illnesses associated with these lots have been confirmed.“

The FDA has not revealed whether one or more of the BUBD dates of the products in which it found Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes corresponds to products consumed by the sick dogs. (Note: ANSWERS does not use lot codes. Instead, a “Best If Used By” date (BUBD) is stamped on each package.)

Why did the FDA issue an Advisory?

As is usual in this type of situation, the FDA requests/recommends that a manufacturer initiate a voluntary product recall. This action triggers a standard oversight and follow-up by the agency to ensure that all of the contaminated product has been removed from the marketplace. The FDA also oversees the safe disposal of recalled product that has been recovered by the manufacturer.

In this instance, the company has declined to initiate a formal recall.

Due to concerns that a product withdrawal might not be adequate to ensure the safety of pets and their human companions, the FDA has reached out directly to consumers, explaining that, “To date, the firm has not initiated an adequate recall of the affected products.“

What the FDA wants consumers to know

If you have any of the Answers Pet Food products listed above, stop feeding it to your pets and throw it away in a secure container where other animals, including wildlife, cannot access it. Do not donate the food.

The Best Used By Date can be found on a sticker on the carton. If you no longer have the packaging or can’t read the Best Used By Date, throw the food away.

Consumers who have had these products in their homes should clean and disinfect all pet supplies, including all storage containers, bowls, utensils, food prep surfaces, pet bedding, litter boxes, toys, floors, and any other surfaces that the food or pet may have had contact with, including your refrigerator or freezer. Clean up the pet’s feces in places where people or other animals may become exposed. Consumers should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the product or cleaning up potentially contaminated items and surfaces.

How to report a pet illness to the FDA

People who think their pets have become ill after consuming contaminated pet food should first contact their veterinarians. Veterinarians who wish to have pets tested for Salmonella and L. mono may do so through the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN Network) if the pet is from a household with a person infected with Salmonella or L. mono.

The FDA encourages consumers to report complaints about pet food products electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal. Additionally, consumers can visit the SmartHub – Safety Intake Portal – Report a Product Problem (fda.gov) to obtain electronic assistance with submitting a report.