Instinct Raw Boost · Pet Food Bags
Instinct RawBoost Whole Grain Real Beef & Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food
Lower concern as dry pet food bag; standard paper packaging carries minimal PFAS risk but brand makes no disclosure.
Instinct RawBoost's dry dog food comes in a typical kraft paper bag with likely minimal processing. Standard dry pet food bags generally do not require water/grease barriers that drive PFAS use, unlike coated food containers or fast-food wrapping.
Shop Instinct Raw Boost on Amazon →Material
paper/kraft bag (food packaging)
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 comes in a paper/kraft bag, the industry standard for dry pet food packaging. Kraft paper is food-contact compliant and designed to provide moisture barrier and structural integrity without requiring heavy chemical coatings. The bag interior may include a thin plastic film layer (often polyethylene) to enhance moisture resistance, but this is a passive barrier not exposed to the food under normal storage conditions.
The brand's record and disclosure
Instinct (owned by Nature's Variety, part of Mars Petcare) has no public PFAS disclosure policy specific to packaging, which is common across the pet food industry. The brand has not faced documented recalls or safety controversies tied to packaging materials. Instinct markets premium/raw-inspired products but does not publish third-party packaging safety certifications.
How it compares in its category
Kraft bags are the default for dry pet foods and represent the lower-risk end of pet food packaging compared to coated papers or metallized films. Most premium dry pet food brands (including competitors like Taste of the Wild, Orijen) use identical kraft or kraft-plus-film construction. No material differentiation exists that would make this product stand out as safer or riskier than category peers.
If you buy it
Store the unopened bag in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and moisture to preserve bag integrity and prevent mold. Once opened, reseal the bag tightly or transfer contents to an airtight pet food container to prevent oxidation and pest access. Inspect the bag interior for any visible tears, discoloration, or off-odors before feeding; discard if compromised. Replace the bag every 4-6 weeks once opened, as dry pet food can become rancid and lose nutritional quality.
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.”
Bag degradation and moisture ingress
Over time, kraft bags can develop micro-tears or lose seal integrity, allowing moisture and mold growth. This risk depends entirely on storage conditions and is not inherent to the bag material itself.
Ink or adhesive migration (bag printing)
Pet food bags use food-grade inks and adhesives regulated by FDA; no recalls or safety incidents have been documented for Instinct bags or kraft pet food packaging in this category.
Plastic film layer leachables (if present)
If the bag interior includes a polyethylene laminate, this material does not leach BPA or phthalates under normal dry storage conditions. The film never contacts the kibble directly and is only a passive moisture barrier.
Contamination from external sources (shipping/storage)
Kraft bags offer less physical protection than rigid containers, so external contaminants during transport or warehouse storage could theoretically settle on the outer surface. This is a logistics issue, not a material hazard, and is standard to the category.
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.