FDA warns salmonella risks in raw pet food

Raw dog food is back in the FDA’s warning stream — this time over Salmonella. The immediate news is narrow: Albright’s Raw Pet Food recalled one lot of its Chicken Recipe for Dogs Complete and Balanced after a composite sample tested positive. But the reason this keeps landing is bigger than one brand. Raw pet food can carry bacteria without looking spoiled, and a pet does not have to look sick to turn that into a household problem. ### What got recalled? Albright’s Raw Pet Food, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, announced on May 6 a voluntary recall of one lot of frozen 1-pound vacuum-sealed Chicken Recipe for Dogs Complete and Balanced, and the FDA posted the notice on May 7. The affected lot code is C001730, the best-by date is April 28, 2027, and the UPC is 20855404008367. (fda.gov) ### Why this lot? The trigger was routine FDA sampling. The product from that lot was tested for Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli, and one composite sample came back positive for Salmonella. Third-party confirmatory testing was still pending when the recall notice went up, but the company moved ahead anyway. Basically, the recall is precautionary — not the result of a confirmed outbreak. (fda.gov) ### Where did it go? This was not a tiny local run. The recalled food was distributed directly to consumers nationwide through online sales and also reached a limited number of retailers in Massachusetts, California, South Carolina, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and New York. So even though it is one lot, the footprint is broad enough that owners may have it sitting in freezers across the country. (dvm360.com) ### Why does Salmonella in pet food matter so much? Because the risk runs in two directions. Pets can get sick from eating contaminated food, but humans can also get infected by handling the food, touching contaminated bowls or counters, or coming into contact with an infected animal. The catch is that a dog may shed the bacteria even without obvious symptoms, which makes the hazard easy to miss. (dvm360.com) ### Are there reported illnesses? Not so far. The recall notice said no illnesses in pets or humans had been reported or confirmed in connection with this lot as of the announcement. That does not mean the risk is theoretical — it means the warning arrived before a documented cluster did, which is exactly how a precautionary recall is supposed to work. (dvm360.com) ### Why does raw pet food keep showing up here? Turns out raw diets are a recurring FDA concern for a simple reason: they are more likely than many other pet food types to test positive for dangerous bacteria. In one FDA study, 15 of 196 raw dog and cat food samples were positive for Salmonella, and 32 were positive for Listeria monocytogenes. That does not mean every raw product is contaminated. It does mean the category carries a built-in handling problem. (dvm360.com) ### What should owners do now? Do not feed the recalled product. Throw it out in a way that children, pets, and wildlife cannot reach it, and clean any bowls, utensils, storage containers, and surfaces that touched it. Albright’s said customers seeking refunds should send purchase details, a receipt, and product photos to the company. ### Bottom line (fda.gov) This is one lot, not a category-wide ban. But it is another reminder that raw pet food safety is not just about what a dog eats — it is also about what bacteria can move from the freezer to the kitchen to the rest of the house. (dvm360.com)