70/ 100
C
OverallF42/100
Best Breed Grain Free Farmer's Chicken Recipe

The Farmer's Dog · Pet Food Bags

Best Breed Grain Free Farmer's Chicken Recipe

C · Moderate

Lower PFAS concern for product itself; packaging history warrants caution.

Verdict: BuyWet pet food in sealed pouches carries minimal chemical leaching risk; brand transparency modest but no established contamination recalls.

The Farmer's Dog's wet food is a minimally processed meat-based product with no inherent PFAS risk in the food itself. Pet food pouches and trays may use grease-resistant coatings containing PFAS to prevent oil migration, though this is not universally standard. The brand makes no public PFAS disclosure about packaging materials.

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Material

wet pet food in sealed pouch/tray 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.

Hurts the grade

No PFAS disclosure

No public statement about PFAS in this product.

Hurts the grade

Safe base material

Made from a material with no inherent PFAS use (ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber).

Helps the grade

The full breakdown

What it's made of and why it matters

This product is a wet pet food delivered in sealed polymer pouches or trays, not a ceramic or hard cookware item. The food itself contacts the inner pouch surface during storage and shipping. Wet pet food packaging typically uses multi-layer films (polyester, polypropylene, aluminum) designed to block oxygen and light, minimizing the need for preservatives. The sealed, non-heated storage environment means polymer-to-food migration is much lower than in products exposed to high temperatures or repeated contact cycling.

The brand's record and disclosure

The Farmer's Dog markets itself as a fresh, whole-ingredient pet food brand with emphasis on sourcing transparency. The company publishes ingredient sourcing and has published third-party testing results for pathogens and nutritional content on its website. However, packaging material composition and PFAS testing status are not publicly disclosed on their standard product pages. No major recalls or contamination incidents have been established in public records for this specific recipe as of recent data.

How it compares in its category

Sealed wet pet food in polymer pouches is among the lower-risk formats compared to dry kibble bags (which have higher surface-area exposure) or non-sealed fresh products. The Farmer's Dog sits in the premium fresh pet food segment, which generally uses similar multi-layer pouch technology to brands like Ollie and NomNomNom. This packaging standard is safer than older single-layer plastics but offers less transparency than glass or metal containers, which are rarely used in this category due to weight and cost.

If you buy it

Store pouches in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to minimize any slow polymer degradation. Do not microwave the product in the pouch; always transfer to a ceramic or glass dish before heating. Inspect the pouch for punctures, leaks, or swelling before use; these indicate possible microbial growth or seal failure, which is the primary food-safety concern with wet products. Discard opened pouches within 3-4 days if refrigerated, per standard wet pet food guidelines.

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.”

Possible

Polymer pouch leachables (BPA, phthalates, or other plasticizers)

Multi-layer pet food pouches typically use food-contact polymers compliant with FDA rules, but specific resin type (BPA-free vs. standard PC, phthalate-free vs. PVC) is not disclosed by the brand. Risk is low in sealed, non-heated storage but not zero over extended shelf life.

Reported

Microbial growth if seal is compromised

Wet pet foods are inherently prone to spoilage if packaging integrity fails. While no outbreak tied to this specific product is on record, wet food safety depends entirely on pouch seal; any visible swelling, leakage, or odor indicates bacterial or mold colonization.

Possible

Aluminum foil layer in pouch (if present) and aluminum from ingredients

Sealed pet food pouches often include thin aluminum as a barrier layer. Direct contact between acidic or high-moisture food and bare aluminum is rare due to polyester/polypropylene liners, but any manufacturing defect in the laminate could allow slow leaching. Dietary aluminum from meat and grain is the larger contributor to pet intake.

None known

Formaldehyde or biocide residues in printed packaging inks and labels

Pet food pouch printing inks are regulated but not routinely tested by consumers. The Farmer's Dog does not publicly disclose ink chemistry or migration testing. Risk is minimal because printed surface typically does not contact food directly, but label-food contact during transport or storage compression is theoretically possible.

Reported

Inadequate disclosure of packaging composition and testing

The brand does not publicly provide detailed pouch material specifications, PFAS testing results, or third-party packaging safety audits. This lack of transparency limits independent verification of chemical compliance, though it does not confirm a problem.

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.