Merrick · Pet Food Bags
Merrick Classic Real Chicken and Green Peas Recipe Dry Dog Food
Lower PFAS concern for dry pet food in standard bag; packaging design typical but no public PFAS transparency.
Merrick's dry dog food comes in a conventional paper/polymer multilayer bag common to the pet food industry. No PFAS-specific disclosures are publicly available from Merrick regarding this product's packaging.
Shop Merrick on Amazon →Material
paper/kraft bag with likely polymer lining
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
Merrick Classic is packaged in a multi-layer kraft paper bag with a polymer (likely polyethylene) interior lining, standard for dry pet food preservation. The lining prevents moisture ingress and grease migration into the paper outer layer, which protects kibble shelf stability. No heating or cooking occurs post-packaging for dry kibble, eliminating thermal leaching pathways that concern plastics-in-food products. The formulation itself (chicken, peas, grain blend) carries no known chemical additives flagged in independent pet food safety databases.
The brand's record and disclosure
Merrick (owned by Big Heart Pet Brands, acquired by J.M. Smucker in 2015) has no public history of voluntary PFAS or chemical packaging disclosure and does not publish third-party testing for bag leachables. The brand has no major FDA recalls for chemical contamination in the past 10 years; ingredient recalls (e.g., salmonella in 2014) are unrelated to packaging chemistry. Merrick does not hold certifications like BPA-free labeling or independent packaging audits, reflecting industry-wide silence on dry pet food bag chemistry.
How it compares in its category
Dry dog food bags (kraft-polymer laminate) are the industry standard and carry lower risk than wet/canned foods in polymer-lined metal cans or moist treats in plastic pouches, where leaching accelerates. Merrick's packaging is indistinguishable from competitors (Purina Pro Plan, Orijen, Acana) in material and disclosure practice. Premium brands rarely differentiate on bag chemistry; most rely on ingredient quality as the marketing anchor rather than packaging safety transparency.
If you buy it
Store the unopened bag in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat (polymer lining can soften above 60C / 140F, though this is unlikely in typical home storage). Transfer kibble to airtight glass or food-grade plastic containers after opening to limit polymer exposure to air and moisture. Discard the bag after 4-6 weeks of opening to prevent rancidity and mold growth, which pose greater pet health risk than packaging chemistry. No special handling is needed; standard dry pet food storage practices apply.
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.”
Polymer lining leachates (BPA, phthalates)
No published contamination or migration data exists for Merrick bags specifically. Dry kibble does not undergo heating or moisture exposure that accelerates polymer leaching; risk is theoretical and unquantified in the dry pet food category.
Moisture and mold growth post-opening
Kraft bags are permeable once opened; improper re-sealing or extended storage in humid conditions can enable fungal growth, which poses documented health risks to pets. This is a storage practice issue, not inherent to the bag material.
Heavy metals in kibble ingredients (lead, cadmium, mercury)
Merrick sources chicken and peas from undisclosed suppliers; no independent heavy metal testing is publicly available. Pet food industry testing is voluntary and Merrick does not publish mineral assay reports. Risk is general to all pet foods, not specific to this brand.
Coating/ink migration from bag exterior printing
Kraft bags typically use food-safe outer inks, but direct skin contact or chewing of the bag exterior (especially in puppies) poses minor risk. Interior polymer lining provides a barrier between ink and kibble.
Aflatoxin contamination in grain ingredients
Dry pet foods are susceptible to aflatoxin (mold toxin) in sourced grains; Merrick makes no public disclosure of mycotoxin screening. No recalls have been issued for this product, but the risk exists industry-wide and is ingredient-dependent, not packaging-related.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 62% 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.