Pathogens continue to drive pet food safety technologies

The growing raw pet food space in particular continues to evolve its approach to ensuring final product safety.

Beaton Headshot New Headshot
Lindsay Beaton
April 13, 2026
Pet food safety technologies are becoming more nuanced in the wake of growing categories like raw, which require special efforts to ensure pathogens don’t make their way into pets’ bowls.
Pet food safety technologies are becoming more nuanced in the wake of growing categories like raw, which require special efforts to ensure pathogens don’t make their way into pets’ bowls.
tdusanpetkovic | iStock.com
Subscribe to Magazine

As of this writing (February 2026), there have been 18 pet-related recalls recorded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since January 2025. Of those, 11 involved suspected or confirmed Salmonella contamination. It’s no surprise, then, that food safety technologies continue to focus on minimizing the possibility of pathogens in pet food.

Log in to view the full article
Subscribe to Magazine
Recommended
The agreement lays the foundation for what could become one of the most influential pet food platforms in Central America and the Caribbean.
Latin America/Carribean
CMI, Grupo Bios form Central American pet food alliance
Tony Neff was director of merchandising and private label at Petland.
Pet Food News
Petland mourns Tony Neff, 46-year retail veteran
Related Stories
Go Raw Cat Food Recall
Pet Food Recalls
FDA warns of thiamine deficiency in Steve's Real Food Quest cat food
Managing ingredient supplies requires knowledge, skill and trust to ensure the final product remains safe for pets.
Ingredient Issues
Managing worldwide ingredient inventories
Dall·e 2025 02 19 13 39 28 A Close Up Image Of A Single Piece Of Dog Food Kibble Under A Magnifying Glass The Kibble Is Highly Detailed, Showing Its Rough Texture And Small Por
Adventures in Pet Food
Clean Label Project redux: We’ve seen this playbook before
Amid growing concerns about misinformation, industry leaders need to ensure consumer communication is grounded in facts and scientific rigor.
Ingredient Issues
Clean Label Project — science or marketing?
More in Pet Food Safety
Pet Food Safety
Salmonella, antibiotic resistant bacteria found on imported dog treats in US
Researchers isolated three bacteria resistant to colistin, an antibiotic considered a last-resort treatment in human medicine, from pig ear treats imported from Brazil.
Chat Gpt Image Jun 16, 2026, 09 06 35 Am
Ingredient Issues
Heating pet foods via consumer microwaves
Surveys show that some pet owners heat up their pets’ food, but where are they getting their instructions?
Pet owners may microwave their pets’ food without understanding the potential downsides or how to do it properly at all.
Global Commerce
Asia's drug smugglers exploiting pet food as their Trojan Horse
Pet food seen as an innocuous vehicle for those looking to transport drugs over borders
Pet food products are being used during shipping as vehicles for drug smuggling, as several cases at Asian ports in the last year have shown.
Preservatives
Pet food industry needs consumer-friendly preservation techniques
Jasmine Kataria, senior R&D scientist at Kerry, tells Petfood Forum attendees how to combat the risks of high-moisture pet food while maintaining customer satisfaction.
Raw Canned Pet Food
Raw Cat and Dog Food
Science-backed shelf-life extension for refrigerated pet food
Microbiology enables manufacturers to anticipate risks and optimize formulations before production, reducing reliance on trial-and-error testing.
A Mad Scientist And His Pet Beagle Freeze A Container Of Fresh Dog Food In An Elaborate Cryogenic Machine
Safety & Quality
Keep semi-moist pet food products safe with antimicrobial strategies
Charlie Connolly of Symrise explains how antimicrobials are used to manage yeasts and mold in semi-moist products at Petfood Forum.
Antimicrobial Petri Dish
Ingredient Issues
The importance of microbial control
Irradiation is an option that should be investigated more thoroughly when it comes to pathogens and pet food safety.
There are options that may currently be underused or overlooked when it comes to maximizing pet food safety.
Pet Food Recalls
FDA warns of thiamine deficiency in Steve's Real Food Quest cat food
Federal testing found eight product lots with critically low or absent levels of the essential B vitamin.
Go Raw Cat Food Recall
Ingredient Issues
Managing worldwide ingredient inventories
Supplies, procedures and risks must all be considered these days when it comes to ingredient sourcing and management.
Managing ingredient supplies requires knowledge, skill and trust to ensure the final product remains safe for pets.
Adventures in Pet Food
Clean Label Project redux: We’ve seen this playbook before
The Clean Label Project’s recent report about supposedly high levels of heavy metals in dry dog food revives memories of a similar pet food report in 2017.
Dall·e 2025 02 19 13 39 28 A Close Up Image Of A Single Piece Of Dog Food Kibble Under A Magnifying Glass The Kibble Is Highly Detailed, Showing Its Rough Texture And Small Por
Ingredient Issues
Clean Label Project — science or marketing?
Clean Label Project has released a report that misses the mark in terms of thorough scientific inquiry.
Amid growing concerns about misinformation, industry leaders need to ensure consumer communication is grounded in facts and scientific rigor.
Pet Food Recalls
RCL Foods recalls pet food over Salmonella contamination risk
Potentially contaminated product that had been designated for destruction has been confirmed to have entered the formal trade.
Product Recall Chrisd2105 Bigstock com
Page 1 of 95
Next Page