🎯 Key Takeaways: 10 Critical Facts About Dog Food Recalls
What dog food is recalled right now (2026)? Raaw Energy dog food is under an active Fda advisory after all eight tested samples showed contamination with Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli O157, and Campylobacter — and the company refused to issue a recall.
Which major recall rocked the industry recently? Mid America Pet Food agreed to pay $5.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit after recalling all Victor, Eagle Mountain, Wayne Feeds, and Member’s Mark pet foods due to Salmonella.
What peanut butter is recalled? Ventura Foods recalled multiple single-serve peanut butter products shipped to 40 states after discovering blue plastic fragments, classified as Class Ii by the Fda in February 2026.
Is Royal Canin recalled? Royal Canin has no active recalls as of March 2026 and maintains one of the industry’s strongest safety records.
What dog food brand has never been recalled? Virtually no large brand can claim a perfectly clean record forever, but brands like Life’s Abundance and some smaller manufacturers have maintained recall-free histories.
What food should I avoid? Raw/frozen diets are disproportionately recalled — appearing on Fda advisories year after year for bacterial contamination.
Is Victor dog food safe now? Victor resumed production after the 2023 recall, but the Fda issued a warning letter to Mid America Pet Food in November 2024 noting that sanitation deficiencies persisted during follow-up inspections.
How do I check if my dog food is recalled? Visit the Fda’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals & Safety Alerts page or sign up for Dog Food Advisor’s free recall alert emails.
Are Canadian recalls different? Yes — Canada issues separate recalls through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (Cfia), though some recalls overlap with the U.S.
What should I do if my dog ate recalled food? Stop feeding immediately, watch for vomiting/diarrhea/lethargy, contact your vet, and report to the Fda through their Safety Reporting Portal.
🚨 1. The January 2026 Raaw Energy Advisory Is Alarming — the Company Refused to Recall After the Fda Found Four Different Pathogens
This is the most significant dog food safety event of 2026 so far, and what makes it uniquely troubling is the manufacturer’s response.
The Fda requested the company recall its implicated products, but the company has not done so. The implicated dog food tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, E. coli O157, and Campylobacter jejuni — four different pathogens found across eight samples. Government testing was triggered after a consumer complaint to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture about a dog illness.
| 🚨 Raaw Energy — January 2026 Fda Advisory | Details |
|---|---|
| Date issued | January 23, 2026 📅 |
| Contaminants found | Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli O157, Campylobacter jejuni ☣️ |
| Samples tested | 8 unopened — all 8 positive for pathogens 🔴 |
| Company response | Refused to recall despite Fda request ⚠️ |
| Product type | Frozen raw dog food sold in 2-lb and 5-lb tubes 🧊 |
| Distribution | Ordered online, picked up in person 📦 |
| Affected products | Chicken Medley, Beef Chicken Tripe Medley (multiple date codes) 🐾 |
Products are sold frozen and packaged in 2-pound or 5-pound clear plastic tubes sealed on each end with a metal clip, sold in brown cardboard boxes.
💡 Pro Tip: When a company refuses the Fda’s recall request, the agency can issue an advisory warning consumers directly — which is exactly what happened here. The Fda can either request or order a dog food recall, depending on the severity of the problem, and consumers should pay particular attention to ordered recalls, which are used on products with the biggest problems. If you have any Raaw Energy products, dispose of them immediately in a secure container.
📋 2. Here’s Every Dog Food Brand Recalled in 2025–2026 — the Complete Fda-Verified Timeline
The Fda maintains a public list of all outbreaks and advisories related to pet food on its website. Below is the comprehensive timeline of significant dog food recalls and advisories from 2025 through early 2026, compiled from Fda records:
| 📅 Date | Brand/Product | Reason | Severity | ⚠️ Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | Raaw Energy (multiple products) | Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli O157, Campylobacter | Active Fda advisory — company refused recall | 🔴 Active |
| Dec 2025 | Country Vet Biscuits (Consumers Supply Distributing) | Salmonella | Voluntary recall — 7 states | 🟡 Resolved |
| Dec 2025 | Fromm / Bonnihill Farms BeefiBowls | Plastic contamination | Voluntary recall — 300 cases | 🟡 Resolved |
| Sep 2025 | Darwin’s Natural Pet Products BioLogics | Salmonella & Listeria | Fda advisory | 🟡 Resolved |
| Jul 2025 | Darwin’s Natural Pet Products | E. coli O157:H7 & Salmonella | Fda advisory | 🟡 Resolved |
| Apr 2025 | Zesty Paws Soft Chews (Petdine) | Salmonella | Voluntary recall — 8 products | 🟡 Resolved |
| Apr 2025 | Blue Ridge Beef Puppy Mix / Kitten Mix | Salmonella & Listeria | Voluntary recall | 🟡 Resolved |
| Feb 2025 | Viva Raw (dog and cat foods) | Salmonella & Listeria | Voluntary recall — 2 lots | 🟡 Resolved |
| 📅 Major 2024 Recalls | Brand/Product | Reason | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2024 | Answers Pet Food (beef & chicken formulas) | Salmonella & Listeria | Voluntary withdrawal 🟡 |
| Sep 2024 | Darwin’s Natural Selections | Salmonella & Listeria | Fda advisory 🟡 |
| Nov 2023–2024 | Mid America Pet Food (Victor, Eagle Mountain, Wayne Feeds, Member’s Mark) | Salmonella — 7 human infections, 6 were children under 1 year | Class I recall — $5.5M settlement 🔴 |
💡 Pro Tip: Notice a pattern? Darwin’s Natural Pet Products appears on the Fda’s advisory list repeatedly — in 2024, twice in 2025, and in prior years going back to 2018. This is a brand with a documented pattern of contamination issues. If a company appears on the recall list multiple times, that’s a serious red flag regardless of how “natural” or “premium” the branding appears.
🏭 3. The Mid America Pet Food / Victor Recall Was the Biggest Pet Food Safety Crisis Since 2018 — and It’s Still Unfolding
The Victor recall story deserves its own deep dive because of its sheer scale and the severity of its consequences.
Mid America Pet Food voluntarily recalled all pet food brands it manufactured with a best-by date before October 31, 2024, including Victor, Eagle Mountain, Wayne Feeds and two varieties of Member’s Mark pet foods. The recall expanded three times — in September, October, and November 2023 — as the scope of contamination became clearer.
The Cdc reported that seven people were infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella from seven states. Six of seven cases were children one year of age or younger. Five cases reported exposure to dogs and three reported feeding Victor pet food to their pets.
The aftermath was equally sobering:
| 📊 Mid America / Victor Recall — Full Impact | Details |
|---|---|
| Initial recall | September 3, 2023 (Victor Hi-Pro Plus, single lot) 📅 |
| First expansion | October 30, 2023 (additional Victor beef formula) 📅 |
| Final expansion | November 9, 2023 (ALL products, ALL brands, best-by before 10/31/24) 📅 |
| Brands affected | Victor, Eagle Mountain, Wayne Feeds, Member’s Mark 🏷️ |
| Products affected | 35 dog and cat foods sold nationwide 📦 |
| Human infections confirmed | 7 people (6 were infants under 1 year old) 👶 |
| Hospitalizations | 1 confirmed 🏥 |
| Dogs affected | Multiple — two euthanized per lawsuit filings 🐾 |
| Fda warning letter | November 22, 2024 — citing persistent sanitation failures ⚠️ |
| Class-action settlement | $5.5 million 💰 |
During Fda inspections in January–February 2024, investigators observed that sanitation deficiencies persisted, and environmental samples from surfaces in the facility tested positive for Salmonella, indicating the facility may have resident strains of the bacteria.
💡 Pro Tip: Mid America manufactures Victor, Eagle Mountain, Nature’s Logic, and Wayne Feeds. If you feed any brand made at this facility, monitoring Fda updates is especially important. The fact that the Fda issued a formal warning letter — a significant regulatory enforcement action — months after the recall indicates the agency had ongoing concerns about the company’s ability to prevent recurrence.
🥜 4. Yes, Peanut Butter Is on Recall Too — and It Matters for Every Dog Owner Who Uses It as a Treat
Peanut butter is one of the most popular dog treats in America, used to fill Kongs, disguise medications, and provide enrichment. So when peanut butter gets recalled, dog owners need to pay attention.
Ventura Foods of Los Angeles recalled multiple peanut butter products after discovering foreign material — specifically pieces of blue plastic — in a filter during production. The recall was initiated on April 30, 2025, and the Fda assigned the Class Ii classification on February 12, 2026.
This recall affects single-serve peanut butter packets distributed under numerous brand names across 40 states. While these are primarily human-food products, many dog owners purchase single-serve peanut butter specifically for pet use.
| 🥜 Peanut Butter Recall — Key Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Company | Ventura Foods (Dyma Brands) 🏭 |
| Contamination type | Blue plastic fragments 🔵 |
| Fda classification | Class Ii (temporary/reversible health effects possible) ⚠️ |
| Products affected | 0.5-oz and 0.75-oz single-serve cups and PB&J combos 📦 |
| Brand names involved | Dyma Brands, Flavor Fresh, Sysco, Us Foods, Gordon Food Service, others 🏷️ |
| Distribution | 40 states across the U.S. 🗺️ |
| Recall status | Ongoing as of March 2026 🔴 |
Separately, there’s an important xylitol warning that every dog owner needs to know about peanut butter, unrelated to recalls. Many sugar-free peanut butter brands contain xylitol (sometimes labeled as “birch sugar”), which is extremely toxic to dogs — even small amounts can cause life-threatening hypoglycemia and liver failure. Always check the ingredient list for xylitol before giving any peanut butter to your dog.
💡 Pro Tip: Stick to plain, unsweetened peanut butter with only peanuts (and possibly salt) on the ingredient label. Avoid any peanut butter containing xylitol, artificial sweeteners, excessive sugar, or chocolate flavoring. Brands like plain Jif, Skippy Natural, or 365 Organic are generally safe choices for dogs — but always verify the label hasn’t changed.
🐾 5. Salmonella Is the Number One Reason Dog Food Gets Recalled — and It Threatens You as Much as Your Dog
Looking at the recall data from 2023 through 2026, one pathogen dominates the list overwhelmingly: Salmonella. It appears in the majority of all pet food recalls and advisories, and here’s what most dog owners don’t fully understand — Salmonella in dog food is a human health crisis as much as a pet health one.
Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after coming into contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.
| ☣️ Pathogen | How Often It Appears in Recalls | Risk to Dogs | Risk to Humans | 💡 Key Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmonella | Most common — appears in 70%+ of all pet food recalls | Diarrhea, vomiting, fever, lethargy; some dogs are symptomless carriers | Nausea, cramping, fever; dangerous for children, elderly, immunocompromised | Dogs can shed bacteria in feces even without symptoms 🐾 |
| Listeria monocytogenes | Second most common — often found alongside Salmonella | Mild symptoms in most dogs | Fever, muscle aches, confusion; potentially fatal for pregnant women, elderly | Can survive refrigeration temperatures ❄️ |
| E. coli O157:H7 | Less frequent but extremely dangerous | Bloody diarrhea, kidney damage possible | Kidney failure (HUS), especially dangerous for children | Produces Shiga toxins that damage intestinal lining 🔴 |
| Campylobacter jejuni | Rare in recalls but found in 2026 Raaw Energy case | Diarrhea, cramping | One of the most common bacterial causes of diarrheal illness | Spread through contact with infected puppies 🐶 |
| Aflatoxin (mold toxin) | Periodic — caused massive 2020 recall | Liver failure, death in severe cases | Not directly transmitted from pet food handling | Produced by mold growing on corn and grain ingredients 🌽 |
💡 Pro Tip: The Fda maintains a zero-tolerance policy, considering any presence of Salmonella and Listeria, regardless of origin, quantity, and type, as an adulterant in pet food. This means even trace amounts trigger regulatory action. Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling any dog food — especially raw or freeze-dried products.
🔍 6. Raw and Frozen Dog Foods Are Recalled at Dramatically Higher Rates Than Kibble — Here’s Why That Matters
If you scroll through the Fda’s advisory list from 2018 to 2026, a stark pattern emerges: raw and frozen pet foods appear disproportionately, despite representing a small fraction of total market share.
Brands that appear repeatedly on the Fda advisory list include Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, which has had advisories issued in 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, and twice in 2025. Answers Pet Food, Viva Raw, Blue Ridge Beef, and now Raaw Energy have all appeared in recent years.
| Dog Food Type | Recall Frequency | Primary Contamination Risk | Why | 💡 Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw frozen | Very high — appears most frequently on Fda advisories | Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, Campylobacter | No kill step (cooking) to eliminate bacteria | 🔴 Highest |
| Raw freeze-dried | Moderate to high | Salmonella, Listeria | Freeze-drying doesn’t reliably eliminate all pathogens | 🟠 High |
| Wet/canned | Low | Vitamin/mineral imbalances, foreign objects | Cooking/canning kills bacteria; sealed environment | 🟢 Low |
| Dry kibble | Low to moderate | Salmonella (post-processing contamination), aflatoxin, vitamin D excess | Extrusion kills bacteria, but post-process contamination possible | 🟡 Low-moderate |
| Treats/chews | Moderate | Salmonella (especially imported jerky), foreign objects | Processing varies widely by manufacturer | 🟡 Moderate |
This doesn’t mean raw diets can’t be fed safely — many owners do so under veterinary guidance with rigorous handling protocols. But the data is clear: if you feed raw, you’re accepting a statistically higher contamination risk, and you need to monitor Fda advisories more vigilantly.
💡 Pro Tip: If you feed raw dog food, treat it exactly like you’d treat raw chicken in your own kitchen. Use separate cutting boards and bowls, sanitize all surfaces after feeding, wash hands immediately, and never let immunocompromised family members or young children handle the food. Store it properly and check the Fda advisory page at least weekly.
🏆 7. Royal Canin, Hill’s, and Purina Pro Plan Have Some of the Strongest Safety Records — but “No Recalls Ever” Is Nearly Impossible for Any Large Brand
Dog owners frequently search for brands that have never been recalled. The honest answer is that very few companies with significant market share can make that claim across their entire history, but some brands have dramatically better safety records than others.
Royal Canin has no active recalls as of March 2026 and has had an exceptionally clean history. Hill’s Science Diet had a significant vitamin D recall in 2019 (affecting canned foods) but has otherwise maintained a strong record. Purina Pro Plan has a generally clean safety profile, though parent company Nestlé Purina has had isolated incidents across its broader portfolio.
| 🏆 Brand | Recall History | Wsava Compliant? | Safety Infrastructure | 💡 Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Canin | Minimal — no significant recent recalls | ✅ Yes | Employs veterinary nutritionists; company-owned facilities; feeding trials | Excellent safety record 🏆 |
| Hill’s Science Diet | 2019 vitamin D excess in canned food (significant) | ✅ Yes | Board-certified nutritionists; extensive research | One major incident but swift response ✅ |
| Purina Pro Plan | Very limited recalls specific to Pro Plan | ✅ Yes (Purina corporate) | Company-owned Usa facilities; rigorous testing | Strong overall safety profile 🟢 |
| Iams / Eukanuba | Isolated incidents over decades | ✅ Yes | Mars Petcare quality control | Generally solid history 🟢 |
| Orijen / Acana (Champion) | No significant pathogen recalls | Not Wsava-verified | Own manufacturing; premium sourcing | Clean safety record 🟢 |
| Blue Buffalo | Multiple recalls (2010, 2015, 2016, 2017) | Partial | Now owned by General Mills | Historically more frequent issues 🟡 |
💡 Pro Tip: Rather than searching for a brand that has “never” been recalled (which becomes statistically impossible over decades of production), focus on brands that respond quickly and transparently when issues arise, employ veterinary nutritionists, conduct feeding trials, and own their manufacturing facilities. These factors are far more predictive of consistent safety than a zero-recall claim.
🇨🇦 8. Canadian Dog Food Recalls Operate Under a Completely Separate System — and Sometimes Catch Things the U.S. Misses
Canadian pet owners need to monitor the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (Cfia) for recalls, not the Fda. While many recalls overlap — especially for brands manufactured in the U.S. and sold in both countries — the regulatory frameworks are distinct.
| Factor | United States (Fda) | Canada (Cfia) |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory authority | Fda Center for Veterinary Medicine | Canadian Food Inspection Agency 🇨🇦 |
| Recall types | Voluntary, Fda-requested, Fda-ordered | Voluntary, Cfia-triggered |
| Where to check | Fda.gov → Recalls & Safety Alerts | Inspection.canada.ca → Food recalls |
| Classification system | Class I (most serious), Class Ii, Class Iii | Class I, Class Ii, Class Iii (similar) |
| Cross-border recalls | Fda does not automatically trigger Cfia action | Cfia may issue independent recalls for same product |
| Recent Canadian recall | Fromm / Bonnihill Farms BeefiBowls (also sold in Ontario) | Covered under both jurisdictions 🔄 |
The Fromm Family Foods recall of Bonnihill Farms BeefiBowls for plastic contamination included distribution to Ontario, Canada, demonstrating how cross-border products can be affected.
💡 Pro Tip: If you’re in Canada and feed a U.S.-manufactured dog food, you should monitor both the Fda and Cfia recall pages. A product recalled in the U.S. may take additional days or weeks to appear on the Canadian registry, and vice versa.
🛡️ 9. How to Protect Your Dog From Recalled Food Before a Recall Is Even Announced
Recalls are announced after contaminated food has already been distributed and potentially consumed. The real question isn’t how to respond to recalls — it’s how to minimize your risk of being affected in the first place.
| 🛡️ Protection Strategy | How to Do It | Why It Works | 💡 Effort Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign up for recall alerts | Dog Food Advisor, Dogster, Fda email alerts | You’ll know within hours of an announcement 📧 | Low — one-time setup ✅ |
| Save lot codes and receipts | Photograph the bag’s lot code and best-by date | Lets you quickly verify if your specific bag is affected 📸 | Low — 30 seconds per bag ✅ |
| Buy from company-owned facilities | Choose brands that manufacture in-house | Third-party facilities have less quality oversight 🏭 | Medium — requires research 🟡 |
| Avoid brands with repeat recalls | Check Fda recall history before committing to a brand | Past behavior predicts future risk 📊 | Medium — one-time research 🟡 |
| Rotate lot numbers | Don’t buy multiple bags from the same production lot | If one bag is contaminated, you haven’t bought five of them 🔄 | Low — simple habit ✅ |
| Watch for sudden formula changes | If your dog suddenly refuses food they usually love, investigate | Dogs sometimes detect contamination before lab tests do 🐕 | Ongoing — trust your dog’s instincts 🐾 |
| Practice safe handling | Wash hands after touching any dog food; sanitize bowls daily | Protects your family from Salmonella regardless of recall status 🧼 | Low — daily habit ✅ |
💡 Pro Tip: There are two major types of pet food recalls: voluntary recalls, which are issued by the company, and ordered recalls, which come directly from the Fda. Ordered recalls are more serious and indicate the Fda had to intervene. Pay especially close attention to these.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a dog food recall today (March 2026)? The most recent Fda advisory involves Raaw Energy dog food, issued January 23, 2026, after eight unopened samples tested positive for harmful bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Campylobacter jejuni. No new dog food recalls have been issued since that date as of early March 2026, but the situation can change at any time. Bookmark the Fda’s Outbreaks and Advisories page for real-time updates.
Is Victor dog food safe to buy right now in 2026? Victor has resumed normal production following the 2023 recalls. However, the Fda issued a warning letter in November 2024 documenting persistent sanitation deficiencies at Mid America Pet Food’s manufacturing facility. The company also settled a class-action lawsuit for $5.5 million. Whether Victor is “safe” now depends on whether the company has successfully addressed the Fda’s concerns — monitoring the Fda’s enforcement actions page for updates is advisable.
What do I do if my dog ate recalled food and seems fine? Even if a dog is not showing symptoms after consuming contaminated food, it can still be a carrier of bacteria and spread it to humans. Stop feeding the product immediately, monitor your dog for symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, fever, blood in stool) for at least two weeks, and practice extra hand hygiene. If any symptoms develop, contact your veterinarian promptly.
How do I report a problem with dog food to the Fda? The Fda encourages consumers to report complaints about pet food products electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal on fda.gov. You can also contact your state’s Fda Consumer Complaint Coordinator by phone. If your dog required veterinary care, ask your vet to file a report as well — reports from veterinarians carry more investigative weight than consumer-only reports.
Can a recalled dog food make humans sick? Absolutely yes. In the Mid America / Victor recall, seven people were infected with Salmonella, and six of the seven cases were children one year of age or younger. You don’t have to eat the food — simply handling contaminated kibble, touching a contaminated bowl, or being licked by a dog that ate contaminated food can transmit pathogens. Children who crawl on floors where dog food may have been dropped are at particularly high risk.
Which is safer — dry kibble or raw food? Statistically, dry kibble has a significantly lower recall rate for pathogen contamination than raw or frozen foods. The extrusion process used to make kibble reaches temperatures that kill Salmonella, Listeria, and other bacteria. Raw foods skip this kill step entirely, which is why they appear on Fda advisory lists at disproportionately higher rates. This doesn’t mean all raw food is unsafe or all kibble is safe, but the data clearly shows raw feeding carries higher contamination risk.
This article reflects Fda records, Avma recall alerts, Cdc outbreak investigations, and manufacturer communications current through early March 2026. Dog food recalls can be issued at any time without warning. The most reliable way to stay protected is to sign up for recall alert services and check the Fda’s website regularly. If your dog shows sudden symptoms after eating any food — recalled or not — contact your veterinarian immediately and save the remaining food for potential testing.