Your Dog Food Bag: 3 Reasons to Save It

Holding onto your dog food bag can benefit you and your pup in many ways. Here are a few important reasons to keep your dog food bag.

Reason 1: You’ll Be Prepared for Recalls.

The Food & Drug Administration regulates the manufacture of (most) dog food, and also manages pet food recalls. And having your bag will not only help identify if your pet’s food is part of the recall, but it will also help inform other pet parents of possible issues with the pet food they’ve purchased.

“Pet food bags contain valuable details including its lot number and production batch information,” says Dr. Chavez. “Saving the bag can help you identify whether or not your particular bag of food has been involved in a recall. In the case that your pet may be among the first cases of a recall, the bag can help your veterinarian report the possible issue through the FDA portal. They will ask for this information when the report is filled out.”

Reason 2: It Preserves Shelf Life and Slows Spoiling.

Believe it or not, the lining of kibble bags isn’t a useless part of the packaging. It actually helps to preserve the food inside.

“Dry pet food companies rely on the lining of the pet food bag as the final layer of defense, which is specifically designed to extend the shelf life of the contents,“ says Dr. Chavez. “Heat, air, and sunlight can accelerate the spoiling process, and some heat or light sensitive nutrients can deteriorate.”

Reason 3: It Decreases Risk for Contamination.

By keeping your dog’s food in its original bag, you could also be reducing the risk of contamination.

“By leaving the food in the bag to begin with, you reduce the chance of introducing contamination through handling,” says Dr. Chavez. “Per the FDA, some pet food can already be contaminated, and by moving it out of the bag, you can risk contaminating other surfaces. It’s best to keep the pet food in its original bag until you feed it.”