Taste of the Wild · Pet Food Bags
Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain Dog Food
Lower concern for pet food itself; standard pet food bag carries routine PFAS risk inherent to many paper packagings.
Taste of the Wild makes no public PFAS claims about this product. The dog food (kibble) itself is not a product category flagged for intentional PFAS use. However, the packaging, a paper/cardboard bag, may contain legacy PFAS coatings common to food-contact papers for grease resistance, though this is unverified for this brand.
Shop Taste of the Wild on Amazon →Material
paper/cardboard bag, kibble
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
Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain is sold in a multi-wall paper/cardboard bag typical of premium pet foods. The kibble itself is grain-free (bison, venison, fish) and does not present documented hazards from the food composition. The bag material, kraft paper with likely plastic layer for moisture barrier, is the primary chemical exposure vector for any residual contaminants during storage and handling.
The brand's record and disclosure
Taste of the Wild is owned by Diamond Pet Foods, a mid-tier brand without major public safety recalls specific to chemical contamination in recent years. The brand does not publish detailed ingredient sourcing or packaging material certifications (BPA-free labeling, for example). No established controversies regarding heavy metals, aflatoxins, or manufacturing practices have been widely documented in independent testing or regulatory actions.
How it compares in its category
Premium grain-free pet foods occupy a middle tier for transparency. Taste of the Wild sits below brands offering third-party testing certificates or explicit chemical disclosures, but above budget brands with minimal oversight. The cardboard bag is standard for the category; most competitors use identical or near-identical multi-wall paper structures without formal PFAS or heavy-metal labeling.
If you buy it
Store the sealed bag in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight to minimize potential for packaging degradation or moisture ingress. Once opened, transfer kibble to an airtight glass or food-grade plastic container to prevent oxidation and limit contact with bag residues over time. Replace the bag after 3-4 weeks of opening if kept in the original packaging. Do not microwave or heat the kibble in the original bag, as any plastic liner may off-gas at elevated temperature.
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.”
Packaging migration (bag plasticizer/coating residues)
Multi-wall paper bags typically include a plastic moisture barrier (polyethylene or polypropylene). Long-term contact with fatty kibble (this product contains fish oil) creates conditions for low-level migration of plasticizers. No recalls or testing data specific to Taste of the Wild bags exist; this is a routine category-level concern.
Heavy metals in raw ingredients (bison, venison, fish)
Game meats and fish can concentrate metals like cadmium and mercury from forage/water. Taste of the Wild does not publish third-party heavy metal assays for finished product. No public recalls for elevated metal levels have been issued by FDA or brand.
Aflatoxin contamination (grain-free formulas)
Grain-free pet foods substitute legumes and potatoes, which carry lower documented aflatoxin risk than corn. No specific aflatoxin incidents linked to Taste of the Wild or Sierra Mountain formula are on record. Industry-wide risk remains present but not elevated for this brand relative to peers.
Bacterial growth in opened bag (moisture ingress)
Once the bag seal is broken, cardboard and paper-based closures do not prevent mold or bacterial proliferation if humidity is high or kibble is stored >3-4 weeks. This is a storage practice issue rather than a manufacturing defect, but bag material contributes to risk.
Oxidation and rancidity of fish oil (accelerated by packaging)
Fish-based formulas rely on omega-3 oils prone to oxidation. Paper bags offer modest light and oxygen barrier compared to foil-lined structures. Oxidized fat can produce off-flavors and potential free-radical compounds, but poses no acute toxicity in typical serving amounts.
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.