COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, UTAH — In a significant move impacting the premium pet food sector, Go Raw LLC has announced a formal expansion of its earlier February 17, 2026, voluntary recall. The update, issued on June 8, 2026, includes additional lots of freeze-dried chicken products found to contain potentially inadequate levels of thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1.
The expansion comes as the company continues its internal investigation into nutrient stability within its supply chain. While the company maintains that the move is being made out of an "abundance of caution," the potential health risks associated with thiamine deficiency—particularly in feline populations—have prompted urgent warnings from veterinary experts and consumer advocacy groups.
Main Facts: The Scope of the Expanded Recall
The June 8 update specifically targets a popular line of freeze-dried raw food used by both dog and cat owners. The primary addition to the recall list is a specific lot of Steve’s Real Food Chicken Recipe Freeze-Dried pet food.
Product Details for the June Expansion:
- Product Name: Steve’s Real Food Chicken Recipe Freeze-Dried
- Packaging: 1.25 lb. beige, zip-locked bag with a distinctive maroon stripe.
- Lot Code: C26022
- UPC: 6-91730-164 02-7
- Best Buy Date: 1/22/2028
According to company records, this specific lot was distributed across a wide geographic footprint, reaching retail shelves in 21 states: Colorado, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Michigan, California, Texas, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, Idaho, and Montana.
This expansion supplements the initial February 17 recall, which focused on the Quest Cat Food line. The previous recall included:
- Quest Cat Food Chicken Recipe Freeze-Dried Nuggets (10 oz. Bag, Lot C25288, Best Buy 10/15/2027)
- Quest Cat Food Chicken Recipe Frozen Diet (2 lb. Bag, Lot MCD25350, Best Buy 6/16/2027)
- Quest Cat Food Chicken Recipe Frozen Diet (12 lb. Bag, Lot MCC25321, Best Buy 5/17/2027)
Chronology: From Initial Detection to Expansion
The timeline of this recall suggests a complex, ongoing investigation into the manufacturing and formulation processes at Go Raw LLC.
- February 17, 2026: The initial recall was triggered following routine testing that indicated thiamine levels in certain Quest Cat Food batches did not meet the nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced diet. The company immediately pulled the affected frozen and freeze-dried nuggets from distribution.
- Spring 2026: Go Raw LLC launched a deep-dive investigation into their vitamin premixes and the stability of thiamine during the freeze-drying process. During this period, the company began transitioning all Steve’s Real Food products to a new formulation featuring an updated vitamin premix.
- June 8, 2026: Based on further analytical testing and a retrospective look at older inventory, Go Raw LLC identified Lot C26022 of Steve’s Real Food Chicken Recipe as also falling below the necessary thiamine threshold. Although the company confirmed that this lot is no longer in active distribution channels, they issued the expansion to alert consumers who may still have the product in their pantries or freezers.
Supporting Data: The Critical Role of Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
To understand the severity of the recall, one must look at the biological necessity of thiamine in domestic pets. Thiamine is a water-soluble vitamin that serves as a coenzyme in the metabolism of carbohydrates. It is essential for converting glucose into energy, a process that is particularly vital for the brain and nervous system, which rely almost exclusively on glucose for fuel.
Species Susceptibility: Why Cats are at Higher Risk
While both dogs and cats require thiamine, cats are significantly more vulnerable to deficiencies. This is due to several physiological factors:
- Higher Requirement: Cats require approximately three times more thiamine in their diet than dogs do.
- Lack of Storage: As a water-soluble vitamin, thiamine is not stored in the body in large amounts. It must be consumed daily.
- Thiaminase Sensitivity: Cats are highly sensitive to thiaminases (enzymes that break down thiamine) sometimes found in raw fish or created through certain bacterial growths.
Clinical Progression of Deficiency
Veterinary professionals categorize thiamine deficiency into three stages:
- Early Stages: Pet owners may notice a sudden "pickiness" or decreased appetite. This is often accompanied by weight loss, vomiting, and hypersalivation (drooling). At this stage, the symptoms are non-specific and often mistaken for minor stomach upsets.
- Neurological Progression: As the deficiency worsens, the lack of energy in the brain leads to neurological "short-circuiting." A hallmark sign is ventroflexion of the neck, where the animal’s head droops toward the floor and they seem unable to lift it. Other signs include "wobbly walking" (ataxia), circling, and apparent blindness or pupil dilation.
- Critical Stage: Without intervention, the animal may suffer from seizures, profound lethargy, and heart failure. If left untreated, advanced thiamine deficiency is fatal.
Fortunately, if caught early, the condition is highly reversible. Treatment typically involves high-dose thiamine injections followed by oral supplementation and a transition to a nutritionally complete diet.
Official Responses: Company Accountability and Scientific Challenges
Go Raw LLC has remained transparent throughout the process, emphasizing their commitment to product safety. In a statement accompanying the recall expansion, the company highlighted the "valuable insights" gained regarding the complexities of thiamine stability.
"Thiamine is a sensitive nutrient, and testing results can vary significantly, even in products formulated with elevated levels," the company noted. This highlights a known issue in the pet food industry: thiamine is heat-sensitive and can be degraded by moisture, high temperatures, and even certain storage conditions.
Company Actions Taken:
- Formulation Update: All current products are now manufactured using a revised vitamin premix designed to ensure thiamine levels remain stable throughout the product’s shelf life.
- FDA Collaboration: Go Raw LLC is working in tandem with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and third-party industry experts to refine their analytical testing methodologies.
- Supply Chain Sweep: The company has worked with distributors to confirm that the affected lot is no longer being sold to new customers, focusing now on the "end-user" (the pet owner).
"Product safety and nutritional adequacy remain our highest priorities," the company stated. "We remain committed to following the data, maintaining transparency, and continuously improving our understanding of this essential nutrient."
Industry Implications: The Challenges of Raw and Freeze-Dried Nutrition
This recall sheds light on the broader challenges facing the "raw" and "alternative" pet food industry. As consumers increasingly move away from traditional kibble toward freeze-dried and raw diets, manufacturers face unique hurdles in nutrient stabilization.
Unlike kibble, which is cooked at high temperatures and often "over-fortified" to account for vitamin loss, freeze-dried foods are processed at low temperatures to preserve natural enzymes. However, this process does not exempt the food from the laws of chemistry. Thiamine’s sensitivity to environmental factors makes it one of the most difficult nutrients to manage in a raw-ingredient matrix.
Industry experts suggest that this recall may prompt more rigorous "shelf-life stability testing" across the sector. Rather than testing only at the time of manufacture, companies may be encouraged to test products at the 6-month, 12-month, and 24-month marks to ensure that vitamins like B1 haven’t degraded over time.
Consumer Guidance: What To Do Next
For pet owners currently using Steve’s Real Food or Quest Cat Food, the following steps are recommended:
- Check the Bag: Locate the Lot Code and Best Buy date on the front of the packaging. If the code matches C26022, stop feeding the product immediately.
- Monitor Your Pet: If your pet has consumed the affected lot and shows signs of lethargy, head drooping, or loss of appetite, contact a veterinarian immediately. Mention the thiamine deficiency recall so the vet can prioritize B1 testing and treatment.
- Seek a Refund: Consumers are encouraged to return the affected product to the retail store where it was purchased. Retailers have been instructed to provide full refunds or replacements with the new, updated formulations.
- Contact the Manufacturer: For specific questions regarding the recall or the new formulations, Go Raw LLC has opened a dedicated communication line:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 801-432-7478 (Monday–Friday, 9 am–4 pm MST)
As the pet food industry continues to evolve, the Go Raw LLC recall serves as a reminder of the delicate balance required to provide "biologically appropriate" nutrition while ensuring the strict chemical stability necessary for long-term animal health. For now, the focus remains on recovery and ensuring that no further pets are impacted by these nutritional gaps.
