Is it safe to feed my pet food that's been open for 3 months?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the bag containing the food was air tight and non-pourous it is likely fine. Even if it wasn’t stored with essential oils, 3 months is a long time to store dog food. We worry about mold formation and these foods usually have an expiration date. I’d remove the food from the closet with the essential oils. If it smells like the oils when you open the bag, discard the food. Have a good day

The safest option is to discard it. There may be bacterial or fungal growth in old food since it has been open and exposed to air and light. Nutritional value is likely decreased as well. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-safely-store-pet-food

The dog food may be "fresh" and palatable, but it will have lost some aroma and definitely a lot of the vitamins. Usually Vitamins stay actively working for about 6 months, so if you have a bag that has been opened for longer than 6 months the quality of the food is less than when it was originally opened. You can feed the food, but realize, that its nutritional value may be lower than when the bag was opened. If the manufacturer tells you that after 18 months the food was as good as when it originally was opened, you want to see the respective research proving that. In my professional opinion: the faster you use up the food after opening, the better.

Hello. Dog kibble has organic compounds like fats, just like any other perishable food might have. Generally, if a kibble is not used within a month , it is a good idea to put the remainder in the fridge or freezer to prevent the breakdown & loss of essential vitamins & nutrients & rancidity of the fatty acids. As long as the original package seal is not broken, a food might remain relatively fresh for months, but once opened, it is good to try & use the entire contents within 4-6 weeks. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The oil should not spoil within a month. Check the sell by date on the bag. The oils should be stable until at least that date. Keep the bag in a cool dark place, and there should be no problem and the advertised amount of omega 3's should still be present.

Anytime you open a wet food I would put the open portion in the fridge. I would recommend covering the food with either a lid (you can get them at the pet store) or plastic wrap. I usually throw all wet food away on the 4th day of it being open. If they don't like the cold food, you can heat in a little bit in he microwave. Just make sure it isn't too hot. I wouldn't worry about it one time if it was in a cool spot as long as Noushmc isn't having any vomiting or diarrhea. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Dry commercial dog foods are shelf stable and do not require refrigeration or freezing for storage. Store any open food in a food-grade container that seals well at room temperature. Be sure to use all food before the expiration date printed on the bag.