If you feed your dog or cat frozen raw food, go look in the freezer right now. Northwest Naturals, a Portland, Oregon company, pulled about 1,956 pounds of frozen chicken product from stores nationwide on Friday after FDA testing found both Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in samples it collected. Two products, two lot codes, and a risk that runs to the humans in the house as much as the animals. This one is easy to miss because the packaging looks identical to the bags that are fine.
The Two Products Being Recalled
The first is Northwest Naturals Frozen Chicken Recipe, sold as cat food and as a protein topper for dogs, in a 2 pound bag, lot B-5, best by 01/26/2028, UPC 087316384956. The second is Northwest Naturals Frozen Raw Diet for Dogs Chicken Recipe, 6 pound bag, lot B-19, best by 01/25/2028, UPC 087316380392. If your bag does not match one of those lot codes it is not part of this recall. Both lot codes are printed on the bag rather than on a sticker, and the best by dates are more than a year out, which means these have been sitting in freezers rather than moving quickly off shelves.
How Much Is Out There
Fifty three cases of the cat food, totaling 1,272 pounds, and 19 cases of the dog food, totaling 684 pounds. That is a small recall by volume, but it went to retail stores nationwide rather than to a single region, so the affected bags are scattered thin across a lot of freezers. Small nationwide recalls are harder to close out than large regional ones for exactly that reason. There is no single store list to check and no obvious cluster of buyers to notify.
The FDA Found It, Not the Company
This was not a company initiated catch. FDA collected product samples and they tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria. Northwest Naturals, based in Portland, Oregon, then issued the recall voluntarily. That sequence matters because it means the contamination cleared the company’s own testing before regulators caught it downstream. Northwest Naturals has been in the raw pet food business for decades and this is not its first recall, which is worth knowing without turning it into an indictment. Raw protein is a difficult product to make safe at scale.
People Can Get Sick Too
The FDA notice is explicit that both organisms can affect animals eating contaminated pet products and that there is risk to people from handling contaminated pet products. Raw pet food is the one category where the human in the kitchen is genuinely part of the exposure path, because the bag gets opened on a counter and the bowl gets washed in a sink. Thawing it in the fridge next to food for people is the other common exposure point, and it is the one almost nobody thinks about.
What to Watch For
In pets and in people the symptoms overlap: lethargy, diarrhea, fever, decreased appetite and vomiting. Listeria is the more serious of the two organisms for humans, particularly for pregnant people, older adults and anyone immunocompromised. It can take up to several weeks for symptoms to appear, which is why a recall like this one matters even after the bag is finished. A pet can also shed Salmonella without looking sick, which is the part most owners do not know. That means a healthy looking dog can still put the organism on your hands, the floor and the furniture for weeks after eating a contaminated meal.
No Illnesses Reported Yet
As of the announcement, no illnesses had been reported in connection with the recall. That is genuinely good news and it is also the standard language at the front end of a recall, before reporting catches up. Pet illness reporting is slower and patchier than human illness reporting, because there is no national surveillance system that catches a dog with diarrhea in Ohio. Raw pet food recalls of this type frequently expand. Cases get reported late, veterinarians do not always test for it, and the connection back to a specific lot of frozen food is difficult to make after the bag is gone.
How to Get Your Money Back
Return the product to wherever you bought it for a full refund. Northwest Naturals is taking calls at 1-866-637-1872, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific, and email at recallinfo@nw-naturals.net. Do not feed it out first and do not just toss it in the kitchen trash without bagging it. You do not need the receipt for a recall return, and most retailers will take it back without the original packaging as long as you can identify the product.
Clean the Bowl Like It Was Raw Chicken
Because it is. Wash bowls, scoops, counters and the inside of the freezer drawer with hot soapy water, then sanitize. Wash your hands after handling. This is the same protocol you would use after breaking down a raw chicken for dinner, and it is the protocol raw feeding always required, recall or not. If anyone in the household is pregnant, over 65 or immunocompromised, they should not be the one handling raw pet food at all, this week or any week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pet food is being recalled?
Northwest Naturals Frozen Chicken Recipe in a 2 pound bag, lot B-5, and Northwest Naturals Frozen Raw Diet for Dogs Chicken Recipe in a 6 pound bag, lot B-19.
When was the recall announced?
Friday, August 28, 2026.
What was found in the food?
Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, identified through FDA sampling.
Have any pets gotten sick?
No illnesses had been reported at the time the recall was announced.
Can people get sick from handling it?
Yes. The FDA notice specifically warns of risk to people who handle contaminated pet products.
How do I get a refund?
Return it to the store where you bought it, or contact Northwest Naturals at 1-866-637-1872 or recallinfo@nw-naturals.net.
