The Freshpet recall of June 2022 shows why controlling which pet-food batches leave a warehouse matters as much as knowing what is in the bag. The recall involved one lot of Freshpet Select Fresh From the Kitchen Home Cooked Chicken Recipe in 4.5-pound bags, identified by an October 29, 2022 sell-by date, because of potential Salmonella contamination. According to Freshpet's announcement reproduced by the FDA, the lot had been designated for destruction, but a small portion was shipped to retailers by mistake.
That sequence is the focus of this article: what was recalled, how the affected stock reached stores, which package details mattered, and what owners were told to do. Storage advice follows from that discussion, rather than replacing the account of the recall. The company announcement was dated June 17, 2022, and the FDA posted it on June 18, 2022. The FDA now marks this historical recall as completed and terminated; it is not a new alert about food currently on sale.
Which product and lot were included in the June 2022 Freshpet recall?
The notice covered a single lot, not the entire Freshpet range. Matching the product name alone was not enough: the package size, UPC and date/code marking were needed to identify the recalled bags. Freshpet stated that no other products or lot codes were included in this particular recall.
| Product | Freshpet Select Fresh From the Kitchen Home Cooked Chicken Recipe |
|---|---|
| Package size | 4.5-pound bag |
| Retail UPC | 627975011673 |
| Sell-by date | October 29, 2022 |
| Date/code marking shown | 10/29/22 L3 |
| Announcement dates | Company announcement: June 17, 2022. FDA posting: June 18, 2022. |
| Reason | Potential Salmonella contamination |
The original notice directed owners to the bottom and back of the bag for the identifying information. Its package photographs and identifier table remain useful for understanding exactly which product was involved. A different recipe, bag size or date should not be treated as part of this recall simply because it carries the same brand name.
How did Freshpet stock marked for destruction reach retailers?
Freshpet said its team had designated the lot for destruction. Despite that decision, a small portion was inadvertently shipped to retailers in limited geographic markets during the two weeks before the announcement. This is the specific stock-handling failure described in the company's original announcement.
Two separate issues therefore need to be understood. The potential contamination explains why the food was recalled. The accidental shipment explains how some of the stock designated for destruction reached stores. The announcement does not identify the original source of the possible contamination, nor does it specify which internal picking, labeling or release-control step failed. Attributing the incident to a broken refrigerator or a particular employee would go beyond the published account.
The operational lesson is that identifying a batch for destruction and preventing its shipment are different controls. In this case, the company's stated decision about the lot did not stop every affected bag from entering distribution. That is a lesson drawn from the reported sequence, not a claim about undisclosed warehouse procedures.
Where could the recalled Freshpet bags have been sold?
Freshpet identified limited Walmart stores in Alabama and Georgia, plus limited Target stores and other select retailers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia. The distribution statement did not say every store in those locations received the lot.
Location was therefore a useful clue, not a substitute for checking the bag. The identifying details in the notice remained the way to distinguish the affected stock. Freshpet also reported that it had received no reports of illness, injury or adverse reactions at the time of the announcement. That statement describes what had been reported then; it does not mean the recalled food was considered safe to keep feeding.
What did the Freshpet recall tell owners to do?
The original notice told owners to stop feeding matching bags and dispose of the food immediately. It also asked owners with the recalled product, questions or adverse-reaction reports to contact Freshpet. Those were the instructions for the June 2022 incident; for any current concern, consult the applicable notice and the manufacturer's current contact details.
The reason for acting was the potential Salmonella risk to both animals eating the food and people handling contaminated food or exposed surfaces. The notice described possible signs in dogs including lethargy, diarrhea, fever, vomiting and reduced appetite. It also noted that infected dogs without obvious illness could carry the bacteria. Owners whose dogs had eaten the recalled product and developed symptoms were advised to contact a veterinarian. People who became unwell after contact were advised to contact their healthcare provider. These instructions are recorded in the FDA-hosted Freshpet announcement.
For a suspected food problem, keep purchase details, package photographs and a timeline of what your dog ate and when signs appeared. The FDA's complaint instructions explain how to report a concern. Reporting an illness helps an investigation; it does not by itself establish its cause. Keep recalled food out of the diet and clean feeding equipment and contacted surfaces, as discussed in the CDC's pet-food safety guidance.
What the Freshpet notice teaches about checking labels and dates
The recalled food had an October sell-by date even though the announcement was issued in June. This distinction matters: a product can still be within its printed date and be subject to a recall. For this incident, the product name, 4.5-pound size, UPC and date/code marking had to be read together. A date check alone would not have answered the recall question.
Keep the original packaging or photographs of all identifying details. The FDA's pet-food complaint checklist asks for the full product name, package details and codes, along with purchase and storage information. Photographing the whole label is more useful than saving only the barcode. As a practical household habit, keep any package you are querying separate from food you plan to serve until the seller or manufacturer has answered the question.
Those label-checking habits also apply to products used in an everyday care routine. When choosing Pure Majesty Liquid Collagen for Dogs for joint, skin and coat support, retain the bottle's identifying details and follow its own serving and storage directions. This is a separate everyday-care consideration, not a remedy for recalled food.
The same label-reading discipline is also the fastest way to compare joint products. Our guide to the best joint supplements for dogs explains which actives have the strongest evidence, what to look for on the label, and why our Advanced Hip & Joint Chews are our top pick for 2026.
The June 2022 Freshpet recall is now listed as completed and terminated. Do not interpret this historical notice as evidence of a new recall, or use it to decide the status of a different lot. For current alerts, check the FDA's animal-product recall listings and the manufacturer's current information.
Stock control versus storage: the distinction in the Freshpet case
Storage concerns the conditions in which food is kept. Stock handling also concerns which batch is selected and whether it should be released for sale. The Freshpet announcement described an error in that release process; it did not identify a refrigeration failure as the cause. Keeping those points separate avoids turning a documented shipping error into an unsupported claim about the product's storage history.
For owners, both checks still belong in the routine. Following refrigeration directions does not cancel a recall, and checking recall notices does not replace following the label's storage instructions. The CDC's pet-food safety guidance recommends avoiding recalled food and storing products as directed. The practical extension of the Freshpet case is to check batch status and storage directions as separate questions.
Applying the lessons: five checks when buying and storing pet food
The stock-release error in the Freshpet case happened before the food reached owners. The household checks below cannot correct a manufacturer's release error, but they help owners retain the information needed to respond to a notice and handle their food supply appropriately. The checklist combines the FDA's safe-handling advice and pet-food storage guidance.
| Check | What to do at home |
|---|---|
| Packaging | Choose intact bags, cans and pouches. Avoid visible tears, dents or discoloration. |
| Dry-food storage | Keep dry food in a cool, dry location below 80°F (about 27°C), in its original bag with the top securely folded down. |
| Refrigerated food | Follow the product's refrigeration directions. Promptly refrigerate leftover canned or pouched food in a covered container at 40°F (about 4°C) or below, or discard it. |
| Containers and batch details | Keep the original bag inside a storage container where possible. Wash and dry the container between bags rather than letting old crumbs and fat accumulate. |
| Hands and feeding equipment | Wash hands before and after handling food. Wash bowls and scooping utensils with hot, soapy water after use, and use a separate clean scoop rather than the feeding bowl. |
A simple way to put this into practice is to keep one small record for each open product: its name, code, opening date and storage instructions. This is an organizational suggestion, not a replacement for the directions on the package. An opening date is especially useful when the label sets a use-within period.
For products added to meals, storage habits extend beyond the food bag. Keep Pure Majesty Dog Dental Powder in a cool, dry place with the lid closed tightly after use, and use a clean, dry scoop. Follow the package's serving guide for this daily oral-care step.
Keep the recall response separate from everyday care
The Freshpet recall concerned potentially contaminated food; it was not a recommendation to replace a complete diet with supplements. Food safety and an appropriate complete and balanced diet come first. Additional care products have their own purposes and do not make contaminated food safe or replace treatment for a foodborne infection.
For everyday digestive support, Pure Majesty Liquid Probiotic for Dogs & Cats combines probiotics, prebiotic fibers and digestive enzymes in a liquid format. Compare the formula with other gut-health products already in use and follow the bottle's directions.
For a different routine focused on skin, paws and ears, Pure Majesty Yeast Support Drops are an oral supplement that includes a postbiotic ingredient rather than a live probiotic. Give the drops by mouth as directed, not in the ears. Choose your supply by the product's intended role and current serving guide, keeping its original label.
Freshpet recall and stock-handling questions
Was every Freshpet product recalled in June 2022?
No. The announcement covered one lot of the 4.5-pound Freshpet Select Fresh From the Kitchen Home Cooked Chicken Recipe, with the October 29, 2022 sell-by date. Freshpet said no other products or lot codes were included in that recall. See the original notice for the identifiers.
Was the recall caused by owners storing the food incorrectly?
That is not what the announcement reported. Freshpet described a lot designated for destruction because of potential contamination, part of which was shipped to retailers inadvertently. The published account did not establish improper storage by owners as the cause.
Does a product being within date rule out a recall?
No. In the Freshpet case, a June announcement concerned food with an October sell-by date. A printed date and a recall notice answer different questions. Check the full identifiers, not just whether the date has passed. The FDA's checklist treats the UPC, lot number and best-by information as separate details.
Can I pour dry food into a separate storage container?
The FDA recommends retaining the original bag; it can go inside the container. If you pour food out of the bag, keep the package information and use a clean, dry container. Wash and dry it before refilling.
Should I replace a complete diet with supplements after a recall?
No. Choose an appropriate replacement food when necessary, with veterinary guidance. Collagen, probiotics and other supplements serve their individual purposes alongside the diet; they are not complete meals or a way to salvage recalled food. The CDC's feeding guidance explains why the main diet needs to meet your pet's nutritional requirements.