Albright’s Raw recalls chicken dog food over Salmonella risk

Albright’s Raw Pet Food has voluntarily recalled one lot of its Chicken Recipe for Dogs Complete and Balanced after routine FDA sampling found potential Salmonella contamination, adding another entry to a busy 2026 pet food recall calendar. The affected product is a frozen raw diet sold in 1-pound vacuum-packed bricks, generally distributed in 30-pound cases, and identified by lot code C001730 and best-by date April 28, 2027. The company issued the recall on May 6, 2026, and FDA published the notice on May 7, 2026. (fda.gov)

The immediate trigger was FDA routine sampling, which identified Salmonella in one composite sample from the recalled lot. Albright’s said it was acting “out of an abundance of caution” while it conducts additional investigation and third-party laboratory testing. As of the initial announcement, no illnesses in pets or people had been confirmed. (fda.gov)

The recall is narrowly scoped, at least for now. It applies to Albright’s Chicken Recipe for Dogs Complete and Balanced, UPC 20855404008367, packaged as 1-pound pouches. That limited scope matters operationally for clinics and retailers because it gives veterinary staff something concrete to ask about when pet parents call: brand, protein, lot code, and best-by date. FDA’s recalls database still lists the Albright’s action among current 2026 animal food recalls, indicating it remains relevant for case screening and client communication. (fda.gov)

This recall also lands in a broader context of ongoing scrutiny around raw pet food safety. FDA consumer guidance says raw pet food is more likely than processed pet food to contain harmful bacteria, including Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, and advises that the best way to prevent infection with those foodborne pathogens is not to feed a raw diet. AAHA similarly says it does not advocate or endorse feeding raw or dehydrated nonsterilized animal-origin foods because of pathogen transmission risks to pets and people. (fda.gov)

Industry and expert commentary around raw diets has remained pointed this year. In a separate May 2026 post about another raw food recall, University of Guelph veterinarian Scott Weese wrote that contamination events in raw pet food are “largely expected” and criticized delays by some companies in responding to FDA recall requests. That commentary was not about Albright’s specifically, but it reflects the broader professional frustration surrounding recurring pathogen detections in the raw segment. In trade coverage of the Albright’s recall, the company said it remained committed to producing safe, high-quality food and would update customers and partners as more information becomes available. (wormsandgermsblog.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the practical issue is bigger than a single lot withdrawal. Salmonella exposure can affect the pet, the pet parent, clinic staff, and anyone handling bowls, packaging, feces, or contaminated surfaces. FDA notes that dogs and cats can shed Salmonella in feces even without obvious illness, which complicates triage when pets present with mild GI signs, vague systemic illness, or no symptoms at all. Clinics may want to use this recall as a prompt to revisit intake questions about raw feeding, reinforce hygiene counseling, and tailor recommendations for households with children, older adults, pregnant people, or immunocompromised family members. (fda.gov)

There’s also a communication challenge. Many pet parents who choose raw diets are highly engaged and may be skeptical of blanket warnings, so the most useful conversations are likely to focus on specifics: this lot, this pathogen risk, this household exposure pathway, and this clinic’s recommendations for handling, disposal, monitoring, and diet transition if needed. Because no illnesses had been confirmed at the time of the announcement, veterinary teams have an opportunity to frame the recall as preventive action, while still taking exposure questions seriously. (fda.gov)

What to watch: The next meaningful developments will be whether third-party testing confirms the FDA finding, whether the recall expands beyond lot C001730, and whether FDA or the company reports any linked illnesses or additional enforcement activity in the weeks ahead. (fda.gov)