Kibble contains 11-24x more heavy metals than fresh dog food but FDA sets no limits

A 2026 Clean Label Project study of 79 dog food products found dry kibble contains arsenic at 11.8x, lead at 21.2x, and mercury at 24x the levels in fresh/frozen dog food, with concentrations 3-13x higher than equivalent human foods. This matters because dogs eat the same food daily for years, causing heavy metals to accumulate in their kidneys and livers, contributing to chronic disease and cancer, which is the leading cause of death in dogs. The problem persists because the FDA's action level for lead in pet food is 10,000 ppb, orders of magnitude higher than the 50 ppb limit for bottled water, and there is no regulatory requirement for manufacturers to test finished products for heavy metal contamination before shipping.