Freshpet becomes first dog food brand to earn Clean Label Project certification across its full portfolio

Last Updated on May 2, 2026 by Daily News Staff

Freshpet just landed a big third-party credibility boost in the pet food aisle.

In a Feb. 12 announcement, Freshpet, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRPT) said its entire U.S. and Canadian product line has earned Clean Label Project™ Certification and the nonprofit’s Purity Award for ingredient quality and safety. Freshpet says it’s the first and only pet food brand to earn that recognition across its full portfolio.

The Purity Award is reserved for the top third of performers in a product category, according to the release, based on independent testing for contaminants that consumers won’t see on a standard ingredient list.

What the certification tests for

Clean Label Project says its certification process involves independent lab testing for more than 100 environmental and industrial contaminants, including:

• Heavy metals: lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury
• Bisphenols (BPA, BPS)
• Phthalates (including DEHP)
• Acrylamide
• Pesticides and other environmental contaminants

Freshpet said certification of its recipes began in early 2025, and its full portfolio now meets Clean Label Project’s thresholds for heavy metals and industrial/environmental toxins.

“Twenty years ago, we set out to create a fundamentally different kind of pet food, made from real, simple ingredients and prepared in our own kitchens,” said Scott Morris, co-founder and president of Freshpet. “Clean Label Project’s Purity Award validates that belief and reinforces our commitment to raising the standard for pet food.”

New report highlights higher contaminant levels in many dry dog foods

Freshpet’s announcement follows the release of Clean Label Project’s Dog Food Category Report, which found that many popular dry dog foods contained significantly higher levels of heavy metals and industrial contaminants than fresh and frozen dog foods.

According to the release, the report looked at 79 top-selling dog foods and included more than 11,000 individual tests. In that dataset, traditional dry dog food averaged:

• 13.3 times more arsenic
• 20 times more lead and mercury
• Higher levels of DEHP and acrylamide

By contrast, Clean Label Project found that fresh and frozen dog foods—including Freshpet recipes—had the lowest heavy metal levels of any segment tested and were lower on average than the organization’s benchmark for human-consumable products across arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead, acrylamide, and DEHP, the release said.

“Most pet owners assume the food they buy for their dogs is held to the same safety standards as human food, but that’s simply not true,” said Molly Hamilton, executive director of Clean Label Project. “Given that dogs often eat the same food every day, this raises important questions about long-term exposure and the need for greater transparency and stronger safety standards.”

Freshpet’s approach: refrigerated, gently cooked recipes

Freshpet’s fresh, refrigerated recipes are positioned as a less-processed alternative to traditional kibble. In the release, the company highlighted:

• Fresh, recognizable ingredients like chicken, beef, salmon, vegetables, and whole grains—without rendered meat meals or fillers
• Gentle steam-cooking rather than high-heat extrusion, which can contribute to acrylamide formation
• 20+ quality and safety tests throughout production, according to the company

“Contaminants like heavy metals and industrial chemicals do not show up on a traditional ingredient list, yet they are what many health-conscious pet parents worry about for themselves and their pets,” said Dr. Lisa Weeth, board certified veterinary nutritionist and head of veterinary research and communications at Freshpet. “Independent verification from the Clean Label Project gives veterinarians and families data to help them make informed decisions when choosing a fresh diet over conventional options.”

What to watch for (STM Daily News)

• Will other brands pursue similar third-party testing? If certifications like this become more common, it could shift how pet parents compare products beyond marketing claims.
• More scrutiny on processing methods. The report’s focus on contaminants and acrylamide may increase attention on high-heat extrusion used in many dry foods.
• Transparency becomes a differentiator. Testing for “what’s not on the label” is likely to become a bigger talking point across the pet food industry.

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