FDA elevates recall in 7 states of California farm’s rice, which may contain foreign ‘rodent’ object

Federal regulators have elevated a recall involving 27,600 bags of wild rice from a Northern California farm distributed to seven states due to concerns that the product may contain a foreign object that “appears to be of rodent origin.”

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday said the recall of Lundberg Family Farms Wild Blend Rice one-pound bags would be elevated to a Class II after the Butte County company’s voluntary recall was first issued on May 10. A Class II recall is for a product that “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences” as opposed to a Class III which is not likely to have health effects.

Rice from Richvale-based Wehah Farms, which markets under the name Lundberg Family Farms, was distributed in California, Oregon, Washington, Maine, Florida, Arizona and New Hampshire.

“Out of an abundance of caution, in May 2024, Lundberg Family Farms issued a small voluntary recall of 4,600 cases of its 1 lb. Sustainable Wild Blend Rice,” a company spokesperson told Health. “This is not a new recall and the affected product is no longer on store shelves. No illnesses have been reported from the consumption of the affected product.”

According to the FDA’s recall notice, 27,600 poly bags of the product — a blend of black, brown, red and wild rice, according to the company — were affected.

These types of recalls are fairly common and the description refers to pieces of a mouse or rat that got into the product during manufacturing or production, Health wrote.

Those who already purchased the rice can check if their purchases fell under the recall using the following identifications:

UPC number: 73416-00430

Lot code: 231004

Best by date: Oct. 4, 2024

A representative for the company was not available Saturday for comment.

New lots of the wild rice varieties not affected the recall are sold in several stories including Walmart and Safeway.