US Justice Department Sues Washington Pet Food Maker Darwin’s Natural Over Contamination

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a federal lawsuit against Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, a Washington State-based raw pet food manufacturer, over years of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli contamination in its uncooked pet food products .

Key Finding: The lawsuit, filed in US District Court for the Western District of Washington, seeks a permanent injunction to stop Darwin’s from manufacturing and distributing contaminated raw pet food products until it implements comprehensive safety controls—a move that could reshape regulatory oversight of the $5.2 billion raw pet food industry.efeedlink

Critical Context: This is the first major federal enforcement action against a raw pet food manufacturer since FDA’s 2019 guidance on raw pet food safety, signaling increased regulatory scrutiny of the rapidly growing segment (CAGR 8.2%, 2024-2029).

Core Allegations

The DOJ complaint alleges that Darwin’s Natural Pet Products has:

1. Manufactured and distributed adulterated pet food in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act)efeedlink

2. Failed to implement adequate safety controls to prevent pathogen contamination in raw, uncooked pet food products

3. Repeatedly tested positive for Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in finished products and production environments (2020-2026)

4. Distributed contaminated products to consumers in all 50 US states and potentially Canada

5. Ignored FDA warnings and failed to correct violations despite multiple inspections and warning lettersefeedlink

DOJ’s Requested Relief

The federal government is seeking:

• Permanent injunction prohibiting Darwin’s from manufacturing/distributing raw pet food until it implements comprehensive safety controls

• Mandatory recall of all potentially contaminated products still in commerce

• Civil penalties (amount not specified in initial filing)

• Court-supervised compliance program with third-party auditing

• Public notification to consumers about contamination risksefeedlink

Quote from DOJ Filing:

“Despite years of FDA warnings, testing, and voluntary recalls, Darwin’s has failed to implement adequate controls to prevent pathogen contamination in its raw pet food products, putting pets and pet owners at serious risk of illness.”

Company Profile

Product Portfolio

Darwin’s sells three main product lines:efeedlink

1. Darwin’s Natural Selections (Raw frozen meals)

   • Chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, duck formulations

   • Sold in 1-lb, 2-lb, 5-lb frozen packs

   • Price: $8-25 per pack (premium pricing)

2. Darwin’s Purely Raw (Freeze-dried raw)

   • Lightweight, shelf-stable raw food

   • Rehydrate before feeding

   • Price: $30-60 per bag

3. Darwin’s Raw Treats (Freeze-dried treats)

   • Single-ingredient (chicken liver, beef heart, etc.)

   • Price: $10-20 per bag

Raw Pet Food Industry: Market Size, Growth, Safety Concerns {#industry-overview} Market Statistics: