Pet Food Recalls Show Why Rigorous Testing Protects Families Too

When most people think about food recalls, they imagine supermarket shelves and dinner tables. But food safety isn’t just a human concern. In August 2025, a nationwide recall of contaminated dog food reminded the public of a crucial truth: what we feed our pets carries risks too. And when those risks are not detected early, the consequences ripple far beyond pets themselves—they impact families, households, and the trust we place in the food system overall.

For CMDC Labs (Longmont, CO), this event underscores the importance of rigorous, independent testing not only in the human food supply chain, but also across the pet food industry. This article explores the science, the regulations, and the actionable strategies behind pet food safety—and how CMDC Labs helps keep products safe for both pets and the families who love them.

Why pet food safety matters to human families

Pets are family. According to the American Pet Products Association, nearly 70% of U.S. households own at least one pet. That means contaminated pet food isn’t just an issue for veterinarians—it’s an issue for parents, caregivers, and consumers who expect the same level of safety for their pets’ bowls as their own plates.

Key risks include:

Zoonotic pathogens: Bacteria like Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes can transfer from pet food to humans during handling. Children and immunocompromised individuals are especially vulnerable.
Chemical contaminants: Heavy metals, mycotoxins, and pesticide residues can affect pets directly—and pose risks to humans exposed during storage and feeding.
Cross-contamination: Kitchens and pantries that store both human and pet foods can become unintentional transmission hubs if pathogens are present.

The takeaway: pet food safety is public health safety.

Recent recall trends: a snapshot

The August 2025 dog food recall was hardly isolated. Over the past decade, the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has documented multiple recurring patterns in recalls:

Microbial contamination (e.g., Salmonella in kibble, Listeria in raw diets).
Nutrient imbalance (e.g., vitamin D toxicity in dog food formulations).
Chemical contaminants (e.g., aflatoxins from mold-contaminated grains).
Foreign matter (e.g., plastic, metal shavings from processing lines).

Every one of these risks could have been mitigated—or prevented—by comprehensive testing protocols and independent verification.

Regulatory framework: who’s responsible

Unlike human food, which falls primarily under USDA and FDA oversight, pet food is regulated by the FDA CVM in collaboration with state agriculture departments. Standards are also influenced by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), which sets model regulations and nutrient profiles.

But oversight has limits:

Reactive recalls: Most recalls are initiated after consumer complaints or illness reports.
Resource gaps: CVM and state agencies don’t have the bandwidth to test every lot or inspect every plant.
Global supply chains: Ingredients are often imported, complicating traceability and testing consistency.

This creates a critical role for third-party labs—bridging the gap between regulatory intent and day-to-day operational reality.

The science of pet food testing

Pet food testing is more complex than many realize. Here are the major categories and why they matter:

1. Microbial Testing

Pathogens of concern: Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter.
Sample types: Finished kibble, raw frozen diets, canned foods, treats, and environmental swabs.
Methods: Culture techniques, PCR/qPCR for rapid results, and serotyping for outbreak investigations.

2. Mycotoxin and Chemical Testing

Mycotoxins: Aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxin A from contaminated grains.
Heavy metals: Lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury.
Analytical methods: LC-MS/MS for mycotoxins, ICP-MS for metals, GC-MS for pesticides.

3. Nutritional Testing

Proximate analysis: Protein, fat, fiber, ash, moisture.
Vitamins and minerals: Ensuring compliance with AAFCO nutrient profiles.
Risks: Deficiencies or toxic excess (e.g., vitamin D).

4. Shelf-Life and Stability Testing

Challenge studies for microbial growth.
Packaging integrity and leaching evaluations.

How recalls affect trust—and the market

Every recall comes with a double cost:

Direct financial losses: Product destruction, logistics, lawsuits, and insurance premiums.
Reputational damage: Loss of consumer trust, often harder to recover than lost revenue.

For pet food brands, the trust factor is particularly fragile. Parents who wouldn’t compromise on their child’s safety won’t compromise on their pet’s either. That means brands that invest in proactive safety programs win loyalty, while those that don’t risk long-term damage.

CMDC Labs’ role: building resilience before recalls happen

At CMDC Labs, we help pet food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and retailers move from reactive recall management to proactive safety assurance. Our services include:

AOAC-compliant pathogen detection: Culture and molecular methods validated for complex food matrices.
Mycotoxin and heavy metal testing: Ultra-trace LC-MS/MS and ICP-MS for reliable contaminant detection.
Shelf-life studies: Real-time and accelerated stability testing for dry, wet, and raw diets.
Environmental monitoring programs: Custom-designed swabbing and trending strategies to spot risks in plants before they reach products.
Regulatory readiness: Mock inspections, documentation reviews, and FSMA compliance support for both human and animal food facilities.
Root-cause investigations: Mapping contamination sources, identifying ingredient risks, and designing corrective actions that hold up under scrutiny.

From risk to opportunity: safety as a differentiator

In an industry where many players still treat recalls as an unavoidable cost of doing business, the smartest brands see safety as a market advantage:

Transparency: Brands that openly share testing protocols and results with retailers and consumers build credibility.
Premium positioning: Verified safety can support premium pricing and market differentiation.
Regulatory goodwill: Demonstrating proactive testing builds stronger relationships with inspectors and regulators.

CMDC Labs helps turn safety into a selling point, not just a compliance requirement.

Practical roadmap for pet food producers

For companies wondering where to start, here’s a simple but powerful roadmap:

Step 1: Baseline risk assessment

Identify high-risk ingredients (animal proteins, grains, raw inputs).
Review historical recall data for your category.

Step 2: Independent verification

Test every lot of high-risk raw materials.
Spot-check finished products and retain samples.

Step 3: Environmental monitoring

Swab drains, mixers, conveyors, and air handling units.
Trend data monthly to identify hot spots.

Step 4: Corrective action programs

Treat every positive as a chance to improve.
Document investigations, equipment changes, or sanitation upgrades.

Step 5: Communicate safety

Share your testing philosophy with retailers and consumers.
Use transparent reporting to build trust.

Conclusion: protecting more than pets

Pet food recalls are not niche stories—they are family stories. They highlight how deeply food safety is woven into our homes, our communities, and our confidence in the brands we buy.

Independent testing is no longer optional; it is the foundation of safety and trust. At CMDC Labs, we believe the real measure of a food system—human or animal—is whether it protects those who rely on it most. That means rigorous science, proactive monitoring, and transparent reporting that closes the gap between concern and confidence.

Because in the end, safeguarding a pet’s bowl is just another way of safeguarding the family table.

Sources: NottinghamMD coverage of nationwide dog food recall (Aug 28, 2025); FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) guidance on pet food safety; Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) regulations and model standards; FDA “Reportable Food Registry” annual summaries; American Pet Products Association market data; peer-reviewed literature on zoonotic risks of pet food (Salmonella, Listeria); AOAC validated methods for mycotoxins, heavy metals, and pathogens.