Orijen Dog Food Recall & Safety Review
Manufacturer: Champion Petfoods LP · Also known as: Orijen Dog Food
Safety Status
Orijen has never been the subject of an FDA-mandated or company-initiated recall in the U.S. or Canada. However, in 2018 Champion Petfoods learned that a supplier's beef tallow shipments were contaminated with pentobarbital; some affected finished product reached consumers before the issue was caught, and no consumer-level recall was issued (the FDA's inspection classified the incident as 'No Action Indicated' after retained samples tested negative). Orijen was also named in the FDA's 2019 grain-free/DCM review.
Want extra peace of mind?
Orijen has some flagged concerns. These alternatives have a cleaner track record if you'd rather not take the risk.
- No FDA-verified recalls on record
- Risk score 7/100 — reviewed 2026-07-22
- No FDA-verified recalls on record
- Risk score 7/100 — reviewed 2026-07-22
- No FDA-verified recalls on record
- Risk score 12/100 — reviewed 2026-07-22
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Special concern
Recall History
No recalls on record for this brand as of our last review.
Controversial Ingredients (2)
- Beef tallow (2018 supplier contamination incident)medium concern
A 2018 supplier shipment tested positive for pentobarbital; some finished product reached consumers before detection and no recall was issued, though FDA closed the matter with 'No Action Indicated' after retained samples tested negative
- Legume-heavy grain-free formulationlow concern
Named by the FDA in 2019 as one of 16 brands under review in its ongoing, inconclusive investigation into a possible link between grain-free diets and canine DCM
Safer Alternatives
Lower-risk brands from our own reviewed dataset, based on the same recall data shown on this page.
- No FDA-verified recalls on record
- Risk score 7/100 — reviewed 2026-07-22
- No FDA-verified recalls on record
- Risk score 7/100 — reviewed 2026-07-22
- No FDA-verified recalls on record
- Risk score 12/100 — reviewed 2026-07-22
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Risk scores are compiled from FDA recall databases, company announcements, and public ingredient records. They are informational only and not a substitute for veterinary advice. Read our full methodology & data sources.