Raw and frozen pet food moved from a niche mail-order product to something stocked in freezers at pet chains, shipped direct to homes and sold as freeze-dried nuggets on the dry shelf. The recall record followed it there. Counting the entries on the FDA’s recalls and withdrawals listing for animal and veterinary products ourselves, on September 24, 2026, 15 were posted between January 1 and September 24, 2026, against 12 in the same period of 2025, and seven of the 2026 notices came from raw, frozen or freeze-dried pet food brands.
That concentration is the story. Pet food recalls have not multiplied, but they have shifted in character: away from the vitamin errors and packaging faults of the dry and canned aisle, and toward pathogens in uncooked meat. The latest entry, on August 28, 2026, covered a frozen raw chicken recipe for cats and one for dogs, pulled after testing found Salmonella in one and both Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella in the other.
Trend Signal
62/100 Steady momentum
- Emerging
- Rising
- Mainstream
- Peaking
- Cooling
Recall notices for raw and frozen food outnumber the rest of the aisle
We counted the entries on the FDA’s recalls and withdrawals listing for animal and veterinary products on September 24, 2026: 15 posted between January 1 and September 24, 2026, against 12 in the same window of 2025, and seven of the 15 from raw, frozen or freeze-dried pet food brands.
Our editorial reading of the cited data, not a forecast. How it is scored
By the numbers
- 15Our count of FDA animal recall entries, January 1 to September 24, 2026, pulled Sept 24FDA recall listings
- 7 of 15Of those 15, the entries from raw, frozen or freeze-dried pet food brands (our count)FDA recall listings
- 32 of 196Raw pet food samples positive for Listeria monocytogenes in FDA testing, 2011 to 2012FDA
What the 2026 recall list looks like
The FDA publishes company announcements for animal food on a single list, and 2026 reads differently from the dry-food years. Alongside a wet food pulled for possible plastic and another for possible metal, the raw and frozen entries arrive at a steady pace and with two recurring causes. They are a small part of an aisle the American Pet Products Association projects at $69.7 billion in food and treats in 2026, and they carry a disproportionate share of the notices.
One company, Go Raw LLC, appears three times for low thiamine across frozen and freeze-dried cat and dog recipes sold under the Quest and Steve’s Real Food names. Four separate raw or frozen brands appear for pathogens. Distribution is not limited to specialty stores: the August 28, 2026 notice describes products distributed to retail stores nationwide, and the August 17, 2026 notice covers a frozen raw dog food sold through direct online orders and through retail and wholesale accounts in 11 states.
| Date listed | Brand | Product | Reason given |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2026 | Quest | Freeze-dried cat food nuggets | Low thiamine |
| Feb 26, 2026 | Quest | Frozen cat food, expanded recall | Low thiamine |
| May 7, 2026 | Albright’s | Chicken recipe for dogs | Possible Salmonella |
| May 22, 2026 | Raaw Energy | Frozen dog food tubes | Possible Listeria monocytogenes |
| Jun 8, 2026 | Steve’s Real Food | Freeze-dried chicken recipe | Low thiamine |
| Aug 17, 2026 | Oma’s Pride | Frozen raw dog food, 6 lb bag | Salmonella |
| Aug 28, 2026 | Northwest Naturals | Frozen raw cat and dog chicken recipes | Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes |
Two failure modes dominate: pathogens in uncooked meat, and nutrient errors in small-batch production.
The two problems that keep repeating
The pathogen problem is inherent to the format. The FDA’s own sampling, now old but still the agency’s reference point, screened more than 1,000 pet food samples between October 2010 and July 2012; of 196 raw samples bought online in the second year, 15 tested positive for Salmonella and 32 for Listeria monocytogenes. The other categories tested, including dry food, semi-moist food and jerky treats, showed minimal or no contamination.
The notices put the risk on both sides of the bowl. The August 28, 2026 announcement states that Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes can affect animals eating contaminated pet products, and that there is risk to people from handling them, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after contact. Bowls, scoops, feeding mats and hands are the transfer route.
The nutrient failures are different in kind. Three of the 2026 notices, all from one company, cover recipes recalled for low levels of thiamine, or vitamin B1. Three more cover milk replacers: two canine products recalled for variable levels of vitamin D, and one feline range for low levels of potassium, copper, folic acid, choline and vitamin B6. Those are formulation and verification problems, and the argument for buying from makers that can show their testing.
Bird flu added a second hazard to the category
On March 15, 2025 Savage Pet recalled a chicken cat food in large and small boxes over a possible bird flu health risk, distributed in 15 states and the District of Columbia. The notice describes a cat in Colorado that contracted H5N1 and recovered; PCR testing of sealed packets of the food came back non-negative, and virus isolation testing at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory later returned negative. A kitten in New York fed from the same lot contracted avian flu, with further testing ongoing.
The company announcement posted by the FDA is careful about human risk: no human infections have been identified among people handling raw pet food products, but humans can become infected if live virus gets into a person’s eyes, nose or mouth. Its handling advice, washing hands and sanitizing contact surfaces, matches what the agencies say about Salmonella. For a shopper, raw poultry recipes now carry a hazard the category did not have a few years ago.
What the agencies actually recommend
The CDC is direct: it does not recommend feeding raw pet food or treats to dogs and cats, because raw meat and other raw animal protein can carry germs such as Salmonella and Listeria that spread to people. It singles out households with children under five, adults over 65, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women.
Where food is fed anyway, the advice converges on handling. The CDC tells owners to wash their hands before and after handling pet food or treats, to clean bowls, scoops, treat toys, feeding mats and placemats frequently, and to keep raw pet food sealed in the freezer or refrigerator, separate from other foods, until it is thawed.
The FDA adds the kitchen steps that come from human food safety: thoroughly clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that come into contact with raw pet food, and do not rinse raw meat.
If you feed raw anyway, what to keep
Keep the packaging until the food is gone. Every recall in the table is defined by a lot code and a best-by date printed on the bag, pouch or box, and a bag emptied into a bin takes that information with it. That habit decides whether a recall notice is actionable in your house.
Check the recall list rather than waiting to hear about it. The FDA posts company announcements for animal food on one page, and several 2026 notices cover food shipped straight to homes.
Consider what the format is buying you. Cooked and gently cooked products sit between raw and kibble, and toppers let a bowl carry a small amount of a premium food without making it the whole diet. Whichever you choose, read the nutritional adequacy statement: the FDA says a food carrying complete and balanced is intended as the sole diet.
What to watch next
- The FDA animal and veterinary recall page, which posts company announcements as they are issued
- Whether raw brands publish testing protocols such as a validated kill step, which is the main product-level answer to the pathogen problem
- Whether further bird flu cases appear in recall notices for raw poultry recipes
Where to start
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Gear and formats that change how raw food is handled
| Product type | Good fit for | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel pet bowls | Fits daily cleaning | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Washable silicone feeding mat | Fits containing the mess | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Gently cooked dog food | Fits stepping back from raw | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
Product types that fit the trend described above, not tested models. Check the exact listing before you buy. How we pick them.
Stainless steel pet bowls
Where to look: Amazon
Both agencies put frequent cleaning of bowls and scoops at the center of their advice, which makes a dishwasher-safe bowl the cheapest safety measure in the house.
- Survives the dishwasher
- No scratches for residue to sit in
- Slides on tile without a base
- Noisy for skittish eaters
Washable silicone feeding mat
Where to look: Amazon
Feeding mats appear by name in the CDC cleaning advice. The value is in containing what misses the bowl, so check that the lip is high enough to hold a spill.
- Keeps spills off the floor
- Rolls up for washing
- Needs washing as often as the bowls
- Thin mats curl at the edges
Gently cooked dog food
Where to look: Amazon
For owners who want the format without the pathogen profile. Read the nutritional adequacy statement to see whether the FDA’s complete and balanced wording appears.
- Cooked rather than uncooked protein
- Often sold in portioned packs
- Costs more than kibble
- Fridge or freezer space needed
More: Pets trends and how the Trend Signal is scored.
Sources
- Recalls and withdrawals, animal and veterinary — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Get the facts: raw pet food diets can be dangerous to you and your pet — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Northwest Naturals voluntarily recalls two raw pet food products because of possible Salmonella — FDA
- Savage Pet recalls Savage Cat Food Chicken because of possible bird flu health risk — FDA
- Updated: Oma’s Pride voluntarily recalls one lot of Woof Complete Canine Chicken Recipe — FDA
- Pet food safety — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Industry trends and stats — American Pet Products Association
Questions readers ask
How many pet food recalls were there in 2026?
We counted 15 entries on the FDA’s animal and veterinary recalls listing between January 1 and September 24, 2026, against 12 in the same period of 2025 on the same list, when we pulled it on September 24, 2026. Seven of the 2026 entries came from raw, frozen or freeze-dried pet food brands.
Does the CDC say raw pet food is unsafe?
The CDC states that it does not recommend feeding raw pet food or treats to dogs and cats, because raw animal protein can carry germs such as Salmonella and Listeria that spread to people. It names young children, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems as most at risk.
Can raw pet food carry bird flu?
A March 15, 2025 recall of a raw cat food was issued over a possible bird flu health risk after a cat in Colorado fell ill with H5N1 and a kitten in New York fed the same lot contracted avian flu. The company announcement posted by the FDA says no human infections have been identified among people handling raw pet food products.
What should I keep in case of a recall?
The original packaging, or a photograph of the lot code and best-by date. Every recall notice identifies affected product by those codes, and food tipped into a bin without them cannot be matched to a notice.
