FDA flags Viva Raw dog food for Salmonella and Listeria

What FDA found

FDA made public a warning to Viva Raw LLC on September 22, 2026, concerning frozen raw pet foods distributed during the previous summer. The Charlotte, North Carolina company’s Pure Chicken Pet Food Mixer and Chunked Chicken Dog Food tested positive for Salmonella Enteritidis. Listeria monocytogenes was detected in its Ground Turkey & Beef Puppy Food.

Although FDA posted the warning in September, the letter itself carries an August 5, 2026 date. The products had already been recalled nearly a year earlier, on August 25, 2025. Neither human nor animal illnesses were reported in connection with the affected food. FDA nevertheless classified the food as adulterated and cited Viva Raw for moving it across state lines.

The initial discoveries came through routine sampling performed by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, rather than through the company’s own testing. FDA inspected the contract manufacturing facility between August 25 and 29, 2025. Samples collected there confirmed Salmonella Enteritidis in the two chicken foods and found Listeria monocytogenes in the puppy recipe made with turkey and beef. Salmonella Enteritidis is the serotype most commonly associated with poultry and eggs during outbreaks involving people.

Products included

The recall encompassed six frozen raw foods across two production lots. Lot 21495 covered the beef items, while lot 21975 applied to the chicken items. The named products were Viva Ground Beef for Dogs, Viva Beef & Turkey for Puppies, Viva Ground Chicken for Dogs, Viva Chunked Chicken for Dogs, Viva Chicken for Cats and Viva Pure Chicken.

Distribution ran from July 2 through August 21, 2025. Viva Raw shipped orders directly to customers throughout the nation, while retailers received the foods in seven states: New York, Illinois, South Carolina, Florida, Kansas, California and Arizona. Because frozen raw food may remain stored for months, owners who purchased these products during that period should examine packaging for the applicable lot number before serving any remaining food.

The promised control

Viva Raw told FDA that packaged products would undergo high-pressure processing. That method destroys Salmonella and Listeria without cooking the food. However, FDA said the company had not supplied records demonstrating that the proposed change had been implemented. The letter arrived a year after the recall, yet FDA still lacked proof that the promised corrective measure was operating.

FDA released another raw-pet-food warning on the same day. That action involved Raaw Energy LLC of Adelphi, New Jersey, whose products contained Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni. Raaw Energy recalled everything produced between July 17 and December 23, 2025, along with one lot manufactured in March 2026. Its recall occurred on May 22.

How exposure spreads

Contaminated raw food can affect more than the animal eating it. Germs may move through a home on liquid released during thawing, food-preparation boards, feeding dishes, a dog’s mouth or its stool. Handling the product can therefore expose people even when no person eats the food directly.

Those facing the greatest chance of hospitalization include children younger than five, adults older than 65, pregnant people and individuals with weakened immune systems. Salmonella illness generally begins from 6 hours to 6 days following exposure. Possible signs include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. A fever above 102°F is a reason to seek medical care.

Safer raw handling

Owners who continue feeding raw food should wash their hands for 20 seconds after touching it. Frozen portions should be defrosted only inside the refrigerator, kept enclosed and stored apart from food intended for people. The pet’s bowl should be cleaned following every feeding.

Contact with the animal also matters after meals. Owners should prevent dogs from licking their faces, since bacteria can be carried in the mouth. These precautions address the same household pathways that allowed contaminated raw food to create a kitchen risk when the Viva Raw products were distributed.