Do Not Feed Certain Lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Pet Food Due to E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella

The FDA is cautioning pet owners that a sample of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products beef dog food, made by Arrow Reliance, Inc. tested positive for Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 that is associated with a human illness.  In addition, one sample of Darwin’s chicken dog food and one sample of Darwin’s duck dog food tested positive for Salmonella Infantis and Hadar, respectively.  Closed product from the three affected lots, which were obtained from the household freezer of the ill human, was tested by a private third-party laboratory in May and June 2025.

In August 2024, a four-year-old child became infected with E. coli O157:H7 and subsequently developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), requiring hospitalization and extensive follow-up care. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) provided by the third-party laboratory shows that the E. coli O157:H7 present in the closed product sample of the Darwin’s beef dog food from the household freezer is a genetic match to the E. coli O157:H7 detected in a stool sample from the ill child.

According to complaint information provided to the FDA, a dog in the household that exclusively ate Darwin’s pet food began vomiting one day before the child fell ill. The child had direct contact with the family dog but no known direct contact with the contaminated dog food, suggesting that the E. coli O157:H7 exposure may have been via contact with the family dog or through objects or surfaces in contact with the waste of the dog that ate the food.

Affected products are sold in frozen 2-pound packages and include one lot of Darwin’s BioLogics All-Natural and Grain Free Beef Recipe for Dogs (Lot 10662), one lot of BioLogics All-Natural and Grain Free Chicken Recipe for Dogs (lot 10683), and one lot of Natural Selections Duck Recipe for Dogs (lot 10638). These product lots should not be fed to pets.

The FDA recommended that Arrow Reliance, Inc. recall the product lots that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella. To date, the firm has not recalled the affected products. These products, which were manufactured in May or June 2024, were sold frozen, have no expiration date on the label, and could still be in consumers’ freezers. Therefore, the FDA advises consumers to check their freezers for the affected lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products prior to feeding to pets.

If consumers have any pet food from the three affected lots, they are advised to throw it away in a secure container. Do not feed it to pets. Do not donate the food.

Clean and disinfect all pet supplies and surfaces that the food or pet had contact with.

 E.coli O157:H7 and Salmonellacan affect both people and animals. People with symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonellainfection should consult their health care providers. Consult a veterinarian if your pet has symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella infection. See advisory for information about human and animal symptoms.

For additional information, including lot codes, see: CVM Advisory 

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