Instinct Raw Boost · Pet Food Bags
Instinct Raw Boost Whole Grain Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
Lower PFAS concern for this dry pet food bag, but no brand transparency on packaging materials.
Instinct Raw Boost uses standard paper-based dry food packaging, which typically carries lower PFAS risk than waterproof or grease-resistant treated bags. However, the brand provides no public disclosure about barrier coatings or PFAS avoidance in packaging.
Shop Instinct Raw Boost on Amazon →Material
paper/paperboard bag with standard barrier coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Category baseline
food packaging is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
Safe base material
Made from a material with no inherent PFAS use (ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber).
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This product uses a paper/paperboard bag with a standard moisture and oxygen barrier coating, typical for dry pet foods to maintain freshness and prevent rancidity. The coating is likely a polyethylene or wax-based film applied to the interior, which is food-contact compliant under FDA guidelines. Dry kibble has minimal leaching risk compared to wet foods or liquids because moisture contact is minimal and the product has low fat content relative to other foods that could mobilize coating compounds.
The brand's record and disclosure
Instinct (owned by Nature's Variety, part of Nestlé Purina) does not publicly disclose detailed packaging material sourcing or PFAS avoidance commitments specific to this product line. The brand has no major product recalls tied to packaging contamination in recent records. Transparency on sustainable or PFAS-free barrier coatings is not publicly stated, placing it in the middle ground of industry practice rather than the leader or laggard position.
How it compares in its category
Dry pet food bags across brands typically use similar paper-plus-barrier-coating designs; this is a conventional approach with no inherent safety advantage or disadvantage. Some premium brands (e.g., some Orijen or Acana products) market compostable or plant-based packaging, but Instinct Raw Boost does not. The material choice is functionally equivalent to most mainstream competitors, with no published data suggesting superior or inferior chemical safety profiles.
If you buy it
Store the unopened bag in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to preserve kibble quality and prevent any accelerated degradation of the barrier coating. Once opened, transfer kibble to an airtight container or reseal the bag with a clip to maintain freshness; this also reduces any theoretical long-term contact between kibble and the bag interior. No special handling is required beyond standard food storage practice. Replace the bag if you notice tears, moisture entry, or rancid odor, which could indicate barrier failure.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Barrier coating leachates (polyethylene/wax films)
No recalls or reported incidents of coating compounds migrating into dry kibble for this product. The low-moisture, low-fat nature of dry dog food minimizes leaching risk compared to wet foods or high-oil products.
Moisture ingress and mold/bacterial growth
If bag integrity is compromised by storage in humid environments or physical damage, kibble can absorb moisture and support fungal or bacterial growth. This is a storage and handling issue, not a material defect specific to Instinct Raw Boost.
Ink/printing residues (bag exterior)
Pet food bags are required to use FDA-compliant inks on food-contact surfaces. No specific safety incidents reported for this brand or dry pet food category related to printing chemicals.
PFAS in barrier coating
Standard paper bag coatings may contain legacy PFAS compounds; the brand does not disclose coating chemistry. Risk is lower for dry kibble than for high-moisture products, but complete avoidance cannot be confirmed without transparency.
Heavy metals or contaminants in kibble ingredients
No recalls for lead, cadmium, or other heavy metals in Instinct Raw Boost products are on public record. This hazard reflects ingredient sourcing and quality control, not the bag material itself.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 72% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
More pet food bags grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.