The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set off alarm bells with an announcement about contaminated cat food. According to the information provided, more than 1,000 pounds of this food, created by the Blue Ridge Beef company, were recalled due to salmonella contamination. This drastic decision was taken as a precaution to protect the health of the animals and their owners.
As the FDA points out in its announcement, the salmonella bacteria is quite dangerous. It can cause infections in pets, with symptoms that include diarrhea or even bloody diarrhea. To this can be added fever and vomiting, although in some pets the symptoms include decreased appetite and abdominal pain. In addition, it should be noted that some infected animals may be healthy, but they can still infect other pets or humans.
Details published by the FDA on contaminated cat food
The infected cat food, which was recalled after a thorough FDA investigation, was sold mostly in retail stores. The sales took place between July 18 and July 16, 2024 in six states: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. The affected packages have lot number N25-0716 and UPC number 8542980013436.
The discovery of the salmonella contamination of the cat food followed a customer complaint after his pet became ill. A sample was collected and tested by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resourceson December 12. The study was conducted by the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory, which found that the result was positive for salmonella.
In view of this situation, the FDA decided to recall these foods. In addition, it urges consumers who bought this product to return it to the store where it was purchased or destroy it completely. In this way, they will prevent their pets from catching this dangerous virus.
What is Salmonella?
Salmonella is a type of bacteria found in the intestines of animals and humans that can cause food poisoning. The foods with the highest risk of contamination are usually animal products. These include raw meat, unpasteurized milk, undercooked poultry and eggs. However, this virus can also be present in fruits and vegetables, through fertilizers used on crops.
Other cases of salmonella contamination
Blue Ridge Beef’ s Kitten Mix cat food is not the only one to have been recalled by the FDA. Last month, Northwest Naturals announced the recall of its Feline Turkey Recipe frozen raw pet food. This decision was made after a domestic cat died in Oregon. Subsequent testing revealed that the product contained avian influenza virus. These tests were conducted with the assistance of the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), which confirmed a genetic match between the virus found in the pet food and the virus that infected the cat.
In 2024, there was also an unexplained increase in food recalls. In late December, Braga Fresh issued a voluntary recall of its Marketside broccoli florets. The reason they gave was for “possibility of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes”, which can cause invasive and intestinal illnesses. The recalled product was sold in Walmart stores in 20 states.
Separately, Gardners Candies issued a nationwide recall of its Cappuccino Meltawat bars, as they may contain an undeclared amount of nuts. This represents a serious or potentially life-threatening allergic reaction for consumers with a severe allergy or sensitivity to this type of food.
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