Nature’s Recipe dog food hit with class action lawsuit over preservative-free claim

Nature’s Recipe class action overview:

• Who: A consumer filed a class action lawsuit against Post Holdings Inc.
• Why: The plaintiff alleges the company falsely advertises its Nature’s Recipe dog food as containing no artificial preservatives.
• Where: The class action was filed in California federal court.

A new class action lawsuit alleges Post Holdings Inc. falsely advertises its Nature’s Recipe dog food as containing no artificial preservatives.

Plaintiff Karla Elisa Cortez filed the Nature’s Recipe class action complaint against Post Holdings on Aug. 14 in California federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws.

According to the lawsuit, the company falsely advertises its Nature’s Recipe dog food as containing “no artificial preservatives” despite the product containing citric acid, a synthetic preservative.

The plaintiff alleges that the false advertising violates California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act and Unfair Competition Law. 

The class action seeks to represent all consumers who purchased the Nature’s Recipe dog food in California and is asking for damages and restitution for the purchase price of the products, which were allegedly falsely labeled.

Citric acid not natural, Nature’s Recipe class action alleges

The Nature’s Recipe dog food class action claims that consumers are misled into believing they are purchasing a premium product free from artificial ingredients, when in reality, the dog food contains citric acid produced through chemical processes.

The lawsuit argues that the citric acid used in Nature’s Recipe dog food is not naturally derived from fruits but is instead manufactured using a type of black mold called Aspergillus niger. This process involves significant chemical processing, making the citric acid artificial, the lawsuit states.

The class action cites various studies and regulatory documents to support the claim that manufactured citric acid is synthetic and can cause adverse health effects.

While a number of foodstuffs have faced similar allegations, this lawsuit follows similar allegations filed against The Kroger Co. for falsely advertising its Abound brand of dog as containing no artificial preservatives.

What do you think of the allegations in this Nature’s Recipe dog food class action lawsuit? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Michael T. Houchin, Craig W. Straub and Zachary M. Crosner of Crosner Legal P.C.

The Nature’s Recipe dog food class action lawsuit is Cortez v. Post Holdings Inc., Case No. 2:25-at-01067, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

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