Key takeaways
- A recall names exact products, batch codes, and best-before dates - your package either matches the notice or it does not.
- Keep the original packaging until the food is finished; it holds the lot code you would need.
- Handle every pet food like food: wash hands, clean bowls, and keep vulnerable people away from risky handling.
What actually counts as a recall match?
A recall applies to specific products and lots - not usually to a whole brand. A social post may say to avoid a brand, while the official notice may apply to one recipe, two lots, a facility, or a narrow date range.
In the EEA, recalls surface through the EU’s RASFF alert system and your national food-safety authority, alongside the brand’s own notices. Notices usually include product name, company, batch or lot code, best-before date, reason for recall, and recommended consumer action. Your package either matches the notice or it does not - that binary check is the whole job.
What to check on the package
- Exact product name and recipe, including size or form when listed.
- Lot number, batch code, or manufacturing code.
- Best-before or expiry date.
- EAN or barcode when the notice includes one.
- Storage state: opened, unopened, frozen, refrigerated, or dry shelf storage.
This is also the argument for keeping dry food in its original bag: the bag carries the lot code and date you would need. If you prefer a container, put the whole bag inside it and wash the container between bags.
What to do if your pet’s food is recalled
- Stop feeding it - do not finish the bag “to be safe with money.”
- Keep the packaging, or photograph the batch code, best-before date, and barcode before disposal.
- Follow the notice’s instructions: usually return the product for a refund or dispose of it where pets, wildlife, and children cannot reach it.
- Wash bowls, scoops, storage containers, and any surfaces the food touched.
- Watch your pet, and call your veterinarian if symptoms appear - mention the recall by name.
Raw foods carry a different safety profile
The US CDC does not recommend raw pet food or treats for dogs and cats, and US FDA testing has found raw pet food more likely than other tested pet-food types to be contaminated with disease-causing bacteria. The agencies are American; the pathogens are not - Salmonella and Listeria do not respect borders, and European raw products carry the same handling questions.
This is about exposure pathways. Salmonella, Listeria, and other pathogens can affect pets and people who handle contaminated food, bowls, surfaces, saliva, or feces - which is why households with young children, elderly members, or immunocompromised people are urged to be especially careful.
Safe handling is boring and powerful
- Wash hands with soap and water before and after handling pet food or treats.
- Keep pet food away from human food-prep surfaces where practical.
- Wash bowls, scoops, mats, and storage containers regularly.
- Do not let children handle recalled food or raw pet food.
- Keep original packaging details until the food is finished.
Safety sits alongside the label basics: once the food checks out here, the complete-or-complementary statement tells you whether it belongs in the bowl every day.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if my pet food has been recalled?
Check the EU’s RASFF Window portal and your national food-safety authority’s alerts, plus the brand’s own notices, then match your package against the exact product name, batch code, best-before date, and barcode listed in the notice. A recall applies to specific products and batches, not usually to a whole brand.
What should I do if my pet’s food is recalled?
Stop feeding it, keep the packaging (or photos of the batch code and best-before date), and follow the instructions in the recall notice - usually returning the product or disposing of it where animals cannot reach it. Wash bowls, scoops, and storage containers, and call your veterinarian if your pet shows symptoms.
Is raw pet food safe?
The US CDC does not recommend raw diets for dogs and cats, and US FDA testing has found raw pet food more likely than other tested types to carry disease-causing bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria. Those pathogens are the same on European shelves, and the risk applies to pets and to the people who handle the food, bowls, and surfaces.
How should I store pet food?
Keep dry food in its original bag, sealed, in a cool dry place - the bag carries the batch code and best-before date you would need in a recall. If you use a storage container, put the whole bag inside it and wash the container between bags. Refrigerate opened wet food promptly.
Can pet food make humans sick?
Yes, indirectly. Pathogens like Salmonella and Listeria can spread through contaminated food, bowls, scoops, surfaces, pet saliva, and feces. Handwashing before and after feeding, and keeping young children away from pet food and bowls, removes most of the everyday risk.
