Lawsuit Alleges Rachel Ray’s Dog Food Contains Pesticide

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
Rachel Ray is part of a class-action lawsuit about her ‘Nutrish’ dog food line, with customers saying her ‘natural’ food contains chemicals found in the weedkiller Roundup.


Well-known animal lover and chef Rachel Ray is part of a class-action lawsuit concerning her natural dog food line, and accusations that the dog food contains glyphosate, a controversial chemical found in the weedkiller Roundup.


Related: J.M. Smucker Buys Rachel Ray’s Nutrish


The lawsuit alleges that the Rachel Ray Nutrish line is heavily marketed on the premise that it is a ‘natural’ product because they know that pet parents look to natural products because they don’t contain chemicals that are harmful to their pets.


One claimant, Markeith Parks, claims that the Nutrish products are purposely deceptive and lead customers to believe that they are clean and natural, while they actually contain glyphosate. Glyphosate is a chemical biocide found in Roundup weedkiller, and has been found to disrupt the endocrine system. More and more research is being done on glyphosate and many natural and health-minded people are avoiding products for themselves and their pets.


The lawsuit alleges that glyphosate as an ingredient is far from natural or good for dogs and that Ray’s advertising is false and aimed at making people pay more for their dog food because it is ‘natural.’


Related: Martha Stewart Releases New Line of Natural Grooming Products for Pets


The lawsuit alleges that Rachel Ray Nutrish should disclose the fact that their product contains the herbicide.


A 2014 survey that the Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted that assesses consumer opinion about food labeling was also used in the lawsuit. The survey said that 66% of the respondents said a natural label on a product meant that no toxic chemicals/pesticides were used. The lawsuit also alleges that research is finding glyphosate to be related to the rise of pet cancers.


Bobby Modi is the VP of Pet Food and Pet Snacks for the J.M. Smucker Company and said they are reviewing the details of the lawsuit, but still stand behind their product, the ingredients and the sources. He said they are animal lovers and as such, would never include pesticides to their products and will fight the lawsuit aggressively.


For her part, a spokesperson for Rachael Ray said that she is a lover of pets and has always championed for good food for pets. She feeds and will continue to feed her dog Isaboo the Nutrish food and stands behind it.

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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