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Is fermented raw pet food safe to leave out at room temperature?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Female | spayed | 7 years and 7 months old | 17 lbs

Hello, I have a question for Melanie. I do not wish to feed a raw diet but I am very intrigued by a particular company who is making very bold claims that I cannot simply understand. They claim because their raw meat (and milks) diet are fermented that the longer you leave the food out at room temperature the safer it will be to feed. They say that fermentation process eats the bad bacteria and makes the food safe. I cannot understand how they can make such bold claims. is there any merit tothis

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on February 17th, 2020

No, there aren't any merits to this. As we talked about before, companies will make bold claims to get you to buy their products. You see it all the time with homeopathic products claiming to cure things such as cancer. They want you to buy their product.

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1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

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Health & Wellbeing
Thank you Melanie for your response! I thought everything they said seemed off too. I just wanted to make sure. My follow up question is that does fermenting make a raw meat or dairy product safe by any means? Because this is what this company is adv
You are so welcome! No, it does not make it safe. Nothing makes a raw diet safe except for cooking the meat lol. Raw food can be freeze dried, so read the labels. That will tell you if the food is raw. Same for dehydrated. Dehydration is taking the water out, not cooking the meat.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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I am aware of a company that advertises their diet of raw meat and dairy as being fermented therefore it is supposedly safer. This company also states that it is completely safe for any pet to consume an all raw fermented milk diet on an ongoing basi
Sorry, but I had to laugh at what you say the company is saying. There is absolutely no scientific proof at all that a raw diet can cure and prevent disease. And of course they would say it's safe, they are trying to sell you their food! Butter is bad for dogs, it's quite fatty and can cause pancreatitis. Do not buy this food. You will be risking getting Chloe and yourself sick from it. You get sick by handing it and since the bacteria like E coli and Salmonella remain on her tongue for hours after eating raw food, her licking you can get you sick.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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I have been reading claims from a company that-with confidence- claims that any mammal-specifically dogs and cats can surrive and thrive on an all fermented raw milk diet. does this make any sense at all? I’m trying to rationalize how they can even c
This is one of the most nonsense claim i have ever heard, and i have heard plenty. any mammal, including humans by the way, are only supposed to drink their species milk for a very short time from birth for several weeks/months (depending on the specific specie), after that milk (even fermented) can only harm the digestive system.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
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In relation to this article on choosing right food for my 3 yr old dog. A friend swears by RAW food and that’s all she gives her little dog. What is your opinion of RAW food for my dog?
Personally, I don't approve of raw diets as there are way too many issues with them. First off, you have to make sure you're sourcing products that are safe, however with any raw food you are always running the risk of introducing bacteria and pathogens not only to your dog eating it, but if your dog licks you or your family -- especially if anyone including your pet is immunocompromised. Secondly, balancing nutrition can be hard with a raw diet. It isn't a matter of just giving a piece of bone with meat on it and being done. You have to make sure there are the right balance of proteins, fats, carbs, vitamins, minerals, etc being given, and formulating the correct diet for your dog's needs can be time-consuming with creating food at home, regular vet visits and bloodwork to monitor nutrition, etc. It's often why people go for commercial diets as they are convenient, safer usually, and already nutritionally balanced. Thirdly, any sudden transition, especially a large one from commerci
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I have been hearing a lot about the Raw Food Diet for dogs and was wondering if this truly is the most nutritious option for my dog. If so, are there resources you can direct me towards?
Raw food diets are a huge area of controversy in veterinary medicine. Most vets will tell you that they aren't worth the risk and many websites will tell you that they are miraculous. I think (like most things) that the reality is somewhere in the middle. I tell clients that I don't think there is any benefit for most dogs to eat a raw diet over a fresh food diet and there are certainly risks associated with feeding a raw diet. My preference is a dehydrated diet (like The Honest Kitchen https://www.thehonestkitchen.com) or a freeze dried diet over a raw food diet. If you are interested in making a homemade diet, you could consider a recipe from Balance It (https://secure.balanceit.com/#). There are also a number of new companies that offer fresh food dets delivered to you, but I do not have as much experience with those. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, this isn't a top priority question, I don't want to get in the way of someone who needs a quick answer. However, I am curious: what do you think about Thomas Sandburg's Long Living Pets Research Project? I know that most commercial vets don't lik
Hi, I think it's great you are asking about this. I know there is a ton of conflicting information out there and nutrition seems to be a topic that is always under scrutiny. Also, I was not even aware of Thomas Sandberg before I read this, so I had to do a little research on him. The first thing I noticed is that Mr. Sandberg has absolutely no credentials in the topic he is researching. Meaning, he has no degrees in nutrition, animal science, veterinary science, or anything related. I cannot tell if he even has a bachelors degree, but he definitely does not have a PhD. I don't mean to tear the guy to pieces here, but his lack of credentials tells me: 1) He does not know the depth science behind nutrition that would be required to carry out his research; 2) He does not know how to run a quality scientific experiment. This information alone tells me that whatever research he is conducting is not quality. However, possible that he is hiring a nutritionist to do the study...I'm
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, why you dont recommend for all pet owners to feed their cats and dogs raw food?. Since dry food and canned food are not healthy at all, containing carbs and starch, which leads to cancer. Today i made a research about Gluconeogenesis, which is th
Thank you for you post on Boop by Petco. I do agree that some canned and dry pet foods can have less then desirable ingredients. Therefore I only recommend those which have been tested. There are only three pet food brands which are fully approved by veterinarians. These are Hill's science diet, royal canin and purina pro plan. Only these three Have undergone detailed research to ensure they provide an adequate and nutritious diet for pets. This research is approved by veterinarians. Any other food brands may not be as regulated or researched as thoroughly. For this reason I would only advise feeding one of those three. In regards to raw food diets, there are undeniably benefits to this type of fresh, less processed food. The issue can be obtaining, and preparing quality enough meat to prevent infections from food borne pathogens. An alternative to consider to raw food diets are home prepared diets. This is what I serve to my own pets, and what I recommend to clients who have
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
i asked a vet if i can feed a dog raw meat and he denied and said it could create problems. then i asked a different vet the same and he agreed and said that dogs should be given raw meat as regular diet. what should i believe?
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! It is to some extent a matter of opinion. However, it is well known the possible risks of eating raw meat just like it is possible health risk to a human for the same exact reasons like the development of an infection from ingesting raw protein. Also, it does not offer any benefit over cooked food. I personally do not recommend raw diets. Good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
What do u think of the BARF nutrition
Hello and welcome to Boop by Petco. Raw food has a huge number of risks associated with it, including auto-immune induced paralysis, severe gut infections, increased vomiting and therefore increased chances of pneumonia, etc. Also, if you feed your animal BARF, then there will be E.Coli and Salmonella all over your house. I never recommend a BARF diet, as there are no benefits and lots of side effects, for both your pet as well as the people living in your house. It especially should be avoided if any immuno-compromised people (old, young, pregnant, cancer patients, people on certain drugs, etc.) are present in the house or around your animal. Bones should also be avoided as they have no benefit (they often cause more damage then good to teeth), and cause many problems as well. Unfortuantely, working in emergency, I see dogs die daily as a direct side-effect of being fed raw food and bones. Many animals have it and do OK, but these are ticking time-bombs waiting to go off an
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
Hi! I'm Yoon from Korea. :) I have a question. What do you think about Raw food for dogs and cats? I would appreciate it if you could reply to my question. :)
Hi Yoon! I never recommend raw food diets. There is no scientific evidence they are actually good for cats and dogs, they are often unbalanced, and they pose a health risk to both the pet and owner. Both pets and owners have gotten sick from bacteria like E coli and Salmonella with raw diets. The pets from eating it, and the owners from handling it and/or being licked by their pets (the bacteria lives on the tongue for a while after eating). I would feed them a commercial dry diet food. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025

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