The Dog Food Project - Introduction

7/31/2019 The Dog Food Project - Introduction

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Commercial Dry Foods - Introduction

If you have read about dog food on other websites, you might ask

"Why do you recommend any dry dog food at all? Shouldn't I avoid

all commercial products and just feed a homecooked or raw diet?"

The answer is simple - not everyone has the time, money,

resources or dedication to feed a properly balanced homemade

diet and not all commercial dog foods are made from low quality

ingredients and inexpensive byproducts, only meeting the bareminimum of nutritional requirements. The philosophies and ethics of

manufacturers vary widely and it is my goal to make as much

information available as possible so you can form your own opinion

about what is a good food and what isn't. If enough pet owners

make a conscious choice, avoid the "junk food" and support

trustworthy manufacturers by buying their quality products, maybe

it will send a message to the companies who are happy to sell you

bags of beef "flavored" corn or rice byproducts.

Fortunately, changes are already happening. More and more

smaller, privately owned businesses are entering the market with

quality products. Almost every pet food manufacturer that is owned

by a corporate giant is following the example of the successful

smaller companies, trying to secure themselves a piece of the"natural" or "holistic" segment of the market. Royal Canin offers

"Natural Blend" and "Sensible Choice", Heinz Pet Products offers

"Nature's Recipe" and Colgate-Palmolive offers Science Diet

"Nature's Best" and "Advanced Protection". Even the low-end range

on the grocery store shelf has candidates like Purina "Beneful".

In some cases a quick look at the ingredient list reveals whether

the product is made of quality components or not, in others it takes

more knowledge about individual ingredients to determine which

food is the better one. Of course every company is going to tell you

that they are using only the best quality ingredients, but the

constitutional right to freedom of speech does not require

such statements to be truthful.

Let that sink in for a moment.

It's your responsibility as a pet owner to look past the pretty

pictures of fresh cuts of meat and juicy vegetables, the cute

commercials and the misleading, biased information about "proper

nutrition" and question the statements the manufacturer makes. If

you can't locate enough information on my website, or doubt any of

its content, make use of your email and discuss things with the

manufacturers directly. If you are concerned about a particular

ingredient, get several different opinions and compare the

statements.

Dog Food Project - Introduction http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?p

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Label Information 101

Interpreting Pet Food Labels

This article will give you a quick overview about what the labels ona pet food tell you - and more important what theydon't tell you. Itis based on the FDA consumer information provided by the Centerfor Veterinary Medicine (parts are quoted in the grey boxes) andhas my own comments added below. I have chosen not to simplylink to that page and let it speak for itself, since it cites overly longexamples but leaves out some relevant information entirely and isalso outdated in some respects.

What is the AAFCO?

Before getting into the specifics, I would like to outline what theoften-mentioned Association ofAmerican Feed Control Officials is.This group regulates the pet food industry, and while the boardconsists of state and federal representatives, it is not a governmentbody and also includes people directly involved in the industry.According to the definition on their website, the AAFCO"provides a

mechanism for developing and implementing uniform and

equitable laws, regulations, standards and enforcement policiesfor regulating the manufacture, distribution and sale of animal

feeds", but if this process includes business insiders, they are likely

to protect their own interests first before anything else.

Their decisions are also the reason why pet food manufacturers(even if they wanted to) still can't use a more honest, descriptivelabeling system, with less opportunity to make a product look betterthan it actually is, thus effectively protecting those companies thatsell poor quality food. Manufacturers who use quality ingredientsdon't have anything to hide - they will proudly display e.g. chickenmeal, whole grains and fresh vegetables. Those who are usingingredients like chicken byproduct meal, brewer's rice and corngluten meal would have a hard time justifying the price of their

foods.

Information on the label

Product Name

The product name is the first part of the label noticed bythe consumer, and can be a key factor in the consumer'sdecision to buy the product. For that reason,manufacturers often use fanciful names or othertechniques to emphasize a particular aspect. Sincemany consumers purchase a product based on the

presence of a specific ingredient, many product namesincorporate the name of an ingredient to highlight itsinclusion in the product. The percentages of namedingredients in the total product are dictated by fourAAFCO rules. [...]

If a food is named specifically, e.g. "Beef Dog Food", the namedingredient must not be less than 95% of the total weight if the waterrequired for processing is excluded, no less than 70% if the wateris included in the calculation. If more than one ingredient is named,e.g. "Beef and Liver Dog Food", all of them combined must not beless than 95% (or 70% respectively) and they must be named indescending order of content by weight. This description is used

Dog Food Project - Dog Food Label Information 101 http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=lab

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almost exclusively for canned foods.

If a food name includes the word "dinner" (or similar ones like"formula", "nuggets" etc.), e.g. such as in "Lamb Formula", thenamed ingredient must not be less than 25% of the total weight. Ifmore than one ingredient is named, e.g. "Lamb and Rice Formula",all of them combined must not be less than 25% and they must benamed in descending order of content by weight.

Watch out:Since the named ingredients are only required to makeup 1/4 of the total product, they may not even bedescriptive of the main ingredients! The manufactur er isnot technically lying about what is used, but if you don'tlook closely, you may not be getti ng what you intendedto buy.

Ingredient list example where "Lamb and Rice Formula"is correct but misleading:Ground yellow corn, meat and bone meal, lamb,

brewers rice...

Example of truthful use:Lamb, ground rice, barley flour, fish meal...

If the name of a food includes the phrase "with [ingredient]" (e.g."with beef"), the named ingredient must not be less than 3% of thetotal weight.

Watch out:

The mentioned ingredient is only required to m ake up3% of the total product, so it will not be descriptive of theproduct at all! Unless you take a close look at theingredient lists of such foods, you are very likely to bedeceived.

Ingredient list example for "Product X With Real Lamband Rice":Ground yellow corn, chicken byproduct meal, wheat,

animal fat, corn gluten meal, lamb , rice, natural poultry

flavor, salt, minerals, vitamins...

Last but not least, if a name only includes the word "flavor" or"flavored", no specific percentage is required at all, but a productmust contain an amount sufficient to be able to be detected.

Watch out:If you buy a "flavored" product, you are guaranteed tofind only a minute amount of the flavoring ingredient in it,while the predominant ingredients are not mentioned inthe name at all.

Ingredient list example for "Product X with Liver Flavor":Ground yellow corn, poultry byproduct meal, brewers

rice, soybean meal, beef tallow, corn gluten meal,

brewers dried yeast, digest of beef liver, natural

flavors, salt, vitamins, minerals...


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Net uantity tatement

The net quantity statement tells you how much productis in the container. There are many FDA regulationsdictating the format, size and placement of the netquantity statement. None of these do any good if theconsumer does not check the quantity statements,especially when comparing the cost of products. Forexample, a 14-ounce can of food may look identical to

the one-pound can of food right next to it. Also, dryproducts may differ greatly in density, especially some ofthe "lite" products. Thus, a bag that may typically hold40 pounds of food may only hold 35 pounds of a foodthat is "puffed up." A cost-per-ounce or per-poundcomparison between products is always prudent.

This bit of information is important when you are comparing foodbrands that are sold in differently sized bags. Depending on thequality of the food, a 33 lb bag of one brand may be moreexpensive than a 40 lb bag of another, but the smaller bag maycontain a more concentrated food of which you have to feed a lotless.

Watch out:

If a particular brand is sold in bags of different sizes, thesmaller the size, the higher the price per pound.

Example: Brand X comes in bags of 5, 10, 20 and 40pounds.

A 5 lb bag costs $8, the price per pound is $1.60




As you see, you are paying twice the amount per poundwhen you buy the smallest bag. If you are concernedabout freshness and still want to save money, considerbuying a vacuum food sealer to split the content of onelarge bag into several smaller ones. There is no need torefrigerate or freeze vacuum packed dog food, just storeit in a dark, cool and dry place.

Manufacturer's Name and Address

The "manufactured by..." statement identifies the partyresponsible for the quality and safety of the product andits location. If the label says "manufactured for..." or

"distributed by...," the food was manufactured by anoutside manufacturer, but the name on the label st illdesignates the responsible party. Not all labels include astreet address along with the city, State, and zip code,but by law, it should be listed in either a city directory ora telephone directory. Many manufacturers also includea toll-free number on the label for consumer inquiries. Ifa consumer has a question or complaint about theproduct, he or she should not hesitate to use thisinformation to contact the responsible party.

This is pretty straightforward and requires no further explanation.


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Ingredient List

All ingredients are required to be listed in order ofpredominance by weight. The weights of ingredients aredetermined as they are added in the formulation,including their inherent water content. [...]Ingredients must be listed by their "common or usual"name. Most ingredients on pet food labels have acorresponding definition in the AAFCO Official

Publication. [...]

"Listed in order of predominance by weight" refers to the weightbefore processing. This is important to know when you arecomparing products with different moisture content. Even in dryfoods this can be a difference of 4%, or even more if dry andsemi-moist kibble are mixed in the same bag. More importantthough, manufacturers can use this rule to make their product lookbetter than it actually is by using little tricks like ingredient splittingor use of better quality ingredients that still retain a lot of water, butthe dehydrated versions of less desirable components.

Watch out:A good rule of thumb to distinguish themajorcomponents of a food is to look for the first namedsource of fat in the ingredient list. Anything listedbefore that, and including it, make up the main portion ofthe food, other items are present in much smalleramounts to add flavor, function as preservatives orbecause of their dietary benefits (e.g. probiotics,vitamins and minerals).

Examples:Food A has the following ingredient list (first source offat marked green):Ground yellow corn, meat meal, chicken fat, ground

wheat, chicken byproduct meal, dried beet pulp,flaxseed, salt, vitamins, minerals...

Food B has the following ingredient list (first source offat marked green):Turkey, chicken, chicken meal, ground barley,

ground brown rice, potatoes, ground white rice,

chicken fat, herring, apples, carrots, cottage cheese,

sunflower oil , alfalfa sprouts, egg, garlic, probiotics,

vitamins, minerals...

This is important to know when looking for ingredientsthat may not necessarily be harmful but should only bepresent in small amounts in a quality product (beet pulp,corn gluten meal etc.).

A "common or usual name" may be very obvious when looking atsuch ingredients like "lamb" or "ground corn", but won't be commonor usual for the average consumer, who has never read thedefinition of ingredients like "hydrolyzed chicken protein", "digest ofpoultry byproducts" or "corn distillers grains with solubles".At thispoint I find it important to mention that the AAFCO does not providea lot of relevant information for consumers on its website. Anynon-AAFCO members interested in their publication (whichcontains the definitions and specifics for all feed ingredients) haveto pay $50 to obtain a copy. How many people do you know whowould order this publication just for the purpose of choosing a new


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food for their companion dog? If it was viewable online, thesituation would be different.

Watch out:

Ingredient lists can be manipulated in various ways tomake a product look more attractive than it really is. Onthe other hand, a plain, honest ingredient list may alsomake a quality product look worse than one of lesserquality with cleverly formulated ingredients, unless you

know what you are looking for.

Food A has the following ingredient list:Lamb, brewers rice, brown rice, poultry fat, rice flour,

beet pulp, rice bran...

Food B has the following ingredient list:Brown rice, chicken meal, chicken fat, fish meal, flax

seed meal...

Even though product A lists lamb as first ingredient, themeat still includes about 75% water. Once the moistureis removed to reach the final percentage of about 10%,the lamb meat will have shrunk to 1/4 of the originalamount, while relatively dry ingredients like the different

rice components will not change much. Product B listsrice as first ingredient, but since chicken is added inalready dehydrated meal form, the amount will not shrinkany further. Together with the fish meal the product maycontain an equal amount of animal protein and rice andis pretty much guaranteed to contain more meat thanproduct A.

Reversing this technique, let 's look at examples:Food C has the following ingredient list:Chicken, chicken byproductmeal, brown rice, oatmeal,

corn meal, chicken fat...

Food D has the following ingredient list:Chicken meal, chicken byproducts, brown rice,

oatmeal, corn meal, chicken fat...

Product C lists chicken as first ingredient (again, this stillincludes about 75% water) but the much less desirablechicken byproducts in dehydrated meal form - thefinished product will contain much less "real" chickenthan byproducts. Product D has chicken meal as firstingredient, and the byproducts as second, which willlose 3/4 of their weight by the time the food reaches itsfinal moisture content. Product D contains a largeramount of better digestible animal protein.

To recognize whether a food even includes any realmeat, you need to know the ingredient definitions. Some

animal proteins in "meal" form are of high quality,including for example the whole carcasses ofslaughtered chickens minus feathers, heads, feet, orentrails; while ones like "beef & bone meal" are madefrom any leftovers afterthe quality cuts of meat havebeen removed for human consumption. Here are twoexample ingredient lists of foods that do not contain aquality meat source whatsoever, despite the prettyimages on the bag:

Food E has the following ingredient list (animal proteinsources marked bold):Ground yellow corn, wheat middlings, meat & bone


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, ,

beef, poultry fat, brewers yeast, yeast culture, salt,

vitamins, minerals...

Food F has the following ingredient list (animal proteinsources in bold):Ground yellow corn, beef & bone meal, soybean meal,

digest of chicken byproducts, animal fat, poultry

byproduct meal, brewers rice, salt, vitamins,

minerals...

Guaranteed Analysis

At minimum, a pet food label must state guarantees forthe minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat ,and the maximum percentages of crude fiber andmoisture. The "crude" term refers to the specific methodof testing the product, not to the quality of the nutrientitself.

Some manufacturers include guarantees for othernutrients as well. The maximum percentage of ash (the

mineral component) is often guaranteed, especially oncat foods. Cat foods commonly bear guarantees fortaurine and magnesium as well. For dog foods, minimumpercentage levels of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, andlinoleic acid are found on some products. [...]

Since this website is limited to the topic of dry food, I will leave outmost of the material relating to canned and semi moist foods. If youare interested in those, please refer to theFDA document.

The guaranteed analysis is given on an "as is" or "as fed" basis. Inorder to compare products with different moisture content you willhave to calculate percentages for both products at anequal

moisture content.

Watch out:

Before comparing products by their weight, cost, contentof protein, fat, and fiber, make sure they have the samecontent of moisture. If they differ, you need convert thevalues for all products to an equal percentage.

Example:3 Products list 22% protein, 12% fat and 4% fiber "asfed". Product A contains 10% moisture, product B 12%and product C 14%. Note that the more moisture thefood contains, the less nutritious dry matter is present -meaning you pay for extra water and get less nutrients:

Product "asfed"

Containsdry matter

Product A

22%protein,12% fat,4% fiber,10%moisture

90%, or900 g perkg, or 14.4oz perpound


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roduct B

22%protein,12% fat,4% fiber,12%moisture

88%, or880g perkg, or 14.1oz perpound

Product C

22%protein,

12% fat,4% fiber,14%moisture

86%, or860g per

kg, or 13.8oz perpound

I'll leave it up to you to calculate the differences infeeding costs per month or year.

Furthermore, it lists the minimum levels ofcrude protein and fat and

the maximum levels of fiber and water. "Crude" means the contentregardless of quality or digestibility, leaving you without any meansto determine the true quality of the product from this analysis. A

chunk of meat and a handful of ground up feathers are bothsources of protein, chicken fat and discarded restaurant greaseboth provide fat. Which would you rather pay for, but much moreimportant - which would you rather feed your dog day in and dayout?

Watch out:

Different sources of protein and fat vary in digestibilityand content of valuable nutrients required to maintaingood health. The amount of food your dog has to eat(and conversely the amount of cleanup to do, food tobuy and money to spend) strongly depends on theconcentration of nutrients present in a product.

Approximate digestibility values (not the "biologicalvalue", which is a completely different concept) forprotein (based on information published by T.J. Dunn, Jr.DVM):

Egg whites and whey protein 100%Muscle meats (chicken slightly higher than beefor lamb) 92%Organ meats (heart, kidney, liver) 90%Fish, whole soybeans (not leftover fragments!)75%,Rice 72%Oats 66%Yeast 63%

Wheat 60%Corn 54%

Note: The above does not refer to the total digestibilityof the item, but specifically to the percentage to whichthe protein part can be utilized.Various meat and bone meals and byproduct mealsrange from about 45% to 80%, depending on thecontent of bone vs. more digestible parts.

The biological value of proteins indicates how completea protein source is in regards to content of the essentialamino acids. Combining ingredients that complementeach other results in an appropriate balance of amino


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acids. To achieve this, not all ingredients are required tohave high individual biological values. Example: if themain protein source of a food is high in biological valuebut has a low content of one particular amino acid, thesecondary source only needs to fill that gap to createthe required balance. I am not able to quote a suitablesource for the BV of different protein sources, sincemost tables that are published are relevant for theessential amino acids for humans (histidine, isoleucine,leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine,

tryptophan and valine), dogs also require arginine intheir diet - humans synthesize it in the liver.

While fats are the main source of energy in a dog food,they also supply essential fatty acids, preventdehydration and serve as carriers for fat solublevitamins. Chicken fat, sunflower oil, various coldwaterfish oils and flax oil/seed are rich in nutrients, whilecheaper ingredients like animal fat, beef tallow, and lard(though very palatable to dogs, who just love the taste)lack significant and balanced amounts and are often ofquestionable quality.

An interesting side note: Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for

example are still not recognized as essential nutrientsby the AAFCO dog food nutrient profile. It is interestingthat they are often referred to by dieticians as"essential fatty acids" though and increasedsupplementation often solves many health problems. Gofigure.

Nutritional Adequacy Statement

[...] A "complete and balanced" pet food must besubstantiated for nutritional adequacy by one of two

means.

The first method is for the pet food to contain ingredientsformulated to provide levels of nutrients that meet anestablished profile. Presently, the AAFCO Dog or CatFood Nutrient Profiles are used. Products substantiatedby this method should include the words, "(Name ofproduct) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels

established by the AAFCO (Dog/Cat) Food Nutrient

Profiles."This means the product contains the properamount of protein, calcium, and other recognizedessential nutrients needed to meet the needs of thehealthy animal. The recommendations of the NationalResearch Council (NRC) were once used as the basis

for nutritional adequacy, but they are no longerconsidered valid for this purpose.

The alternative means of substantiating nutritionaladequacy is for the product to be tested following theAAFCO Feeding Trial Protocols. This means that theproduct, or "lead" member of a "family" of products, hasbeen fed to dogs or cats under strict guidelines andfound to provide proper nutrition. These products shouldbear the nutritional adequacy statement "Animalfeeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate

that (name of product) provides complete and

balanced nutrition."[...]


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These two phrases do not really tell you anything about a product,except that it contains the minimum of nutrients the AAFCO deemsappropriate to keep your dog alive and that he will survive while

eating it. The dictionary defines the word adequate as "sufficient to

satisfy a requirement or meet a need" - now ask yourself if you

want your dog to survive or to be healthy and thrive? I also find italarming that the recommendations of a group of people includingbusiness insiders are favored over those of a neutral body of

scientists with solid backgrounds in animal nutrition who do nothave a vested interest in profits from selling food products.

Watch out:

If a product analyzed in an AAFCO laboratory meets therespective standards established by this organization, itis considered "complete and balanced" without actuallybeing tested in feeding trials. Your dog is not alaboratory and neither are the nutritional requirements ofdifferent dogs, let alone different breeds, 100% thesame.

Just so you can form your own opinion, here are the

AAFCO requirements for their feeding trials, passingwhich is often used as a major point of advertisingespecially for low quality foods:

Only a minimum of 8 dogs is required as a valid"test group".There are no restrictions regarding breed or sex.Of these 8 animals, only 6 are actually requiredto complete the 26-week trial. The reasons forwhich an animal might drop out are losing toomuch weight or other negative side effects.During the trial, the only food available to the testanimals is the food being tested. Water is freelyavailable at all times.

At the beginning and end of the trial the testdogs must pass a physical examination by aveterinarian. The veterinarians evaluate generalhealth, body and hair coat condition.At the end (but not at the beginning) of the trial,hemoglobin, packed cell volume, serum alkalinephosphatase, and serum albumin are measuredand recorded.The diet being tested fails if any animal showsclinical or pathological signs of nutritionaldeficiency or excess.The maximum permissible weight loss duringther trial is 15% of the starting body weight.Specific minimum values for the blood tests are

given, and applied to the average result of allparticipating animals that finished the trial.

There you have it - wouldn't you have expected muchmore stringent rules, like larger sample groups, a timeframe that is longer than just 6 months (for a food yourdog might well be eating his or her entire life?), lesspermissible weight loss for a food that is supposed to bea maintenance diet? 15% is a loss of 7.5 pounds in a50 lb dog, and unless more than 25% of the testsubjects drop out from malnutrition, in the eyes of theAAFCO there is no problem with the product. Feedingtrials are also not conducted under conditions that even


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,they are mostly conducted in kennels of researchfacilities. A dog who sits in a kennel run all day surelyhas different nutritional requirements than one who isincluded in much of it's owners activities and gets amoderate to high amount of exercise every day.

Furthermore, if one particular food in a product lineproved to meet the AAFCO standard, the company isallowed to include the nutritional adequacy statement onother products of the same line that provide equal or

greater concentrations of all the nutrients. Breed specifichealth concerns, like for example orthopedic problems inlarge breeds, hypoglycemia in toy breeds, coppersensivity in Bedlington Terriers, zinc deficiencies inAlaskan Malamutes and other genetic and metabolicdifferences are not taken into consideration by AAFCO.

Feeding Directions

Feeding directions instruct the consumer on how muchproduct should be offered to the animal. At minimum,

they should include verbiage such as "feed ___ cups per___ pounds of body weight daily. [...]"

This piece of information is a valuable tool for a quick generalcomparison of different foods, but the content of fiber and ashshould not be overlooked. Kibble size and density also vary a lotbetween different brands.

Watch out:

Please take these recommendations only as very basicguidelines. How much you have to feed depends onwhether your goal is weight maintenance, weight loss or

gain; the individual dog's age, breed, metabolism, andactivity; and of course also environmental conditions.Manufacturers can over- or understate amountsdepending on whether their goal is to sell more food orto make their product look more economical than acompetitor's.

Calorie Statement

[...] until recently, calorie statements were not allowed onpet food labels. New AAFCO regulations were

developed to allow manufacturers to substantiate caloriecontent and include a voluntary statement.

If a calorie statement is made on the label, it must beexpressed on a "kilocalories per kilogram" basis.Kilocalories are the same as the "Calories" consumersare used to seeing on food labels. A "kilogram" is a unitof metric measurement equal to 2.2 pounds.Manufacturers are also allowed to express the caloriesin familiar household units along with the requiredstatement (for example, "per cup" or "per can"). Evenwithout this additional information, however, consumerscan make meaningful comparisons between products

'


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.As with the guaranteed analysis, the calorie statement ismade on an "as fed" basis, so corrections for moisturecontent must be made as described above. [...]

The caloric content of a food gives a good idea about thedigestibility of a product, but it should always be taken intoconsideration along with the guaranteed analysis. Fat providesmore than twice the amount of energy per weight unit than protein

or carbohydrates, so if a food is slightly higher in fat content, it willautomatically provide more energy.

Watch out:

Caloric statements can be found in three differentvalues:

Gross Energy - The amount of energy in a foodproduct on an "as fed" basis.Digestible Energy - The amount of energyavailable to the dog after the amount lost infeces has been substracted, andMetabolizable Energy - The amount of energy

available to the dog after the amount lost infeces, urine and gaseous products of digestionhas been substracted. This is the most commonvalue used.

It is easily possible to compare "apples and oranges"unless the Metabolizable Energy (ME) of all comparedproducts is taken into consideration.

Example 1:Manufacturer A lists the following product information:Gross energy 1,950 Kcal/lb, digestible energy 1,700

Kcal/lb and metabolizable energy 1,550 Kcal/lb.

The competitor B only lists the metabolizable energy

content of 1900 Kcal/lb.Manufacturer B offers the more nutritious food, butmanufacturer A distracts from the lower relevant valueby providing all 3.

Unless you have a dog who loves eating and tends toovereat, feeding a more concentrated food is the bettereconomic solution and also cuts down on the cleaningup you will have to do, since less waste is excreted.

Example 2:Two products both list 24% protein, 14% fat, 3% fiber

and 10% moisture.

Product A contains 2,700 Kcal/kg metabolizable energy,

product B contains 3,600 Kcal/kg.Product B is clearly the better quality food with moredigestible ingredients, you need to feed much less of itper day compared to product A to supply the sameamount of energy.

Another detail you need to know is that the amount ofKcal per cup isn't really a good basis of comparison,since a cup is a measurement for volume, not for weight.Depending on size and density of the kibble, one cupmay hold under 3 ounces(~85 grams) to over 4 ounces(~113 grams) of food. If you can't locate the amount ofKcal per pound or kilogram on a product bag ormanufacturer website, email or call to find out.


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Other Label Claims

Many pet foods are labeled as "premium," and somenow are "super premium" and even "ultra premium."Other products are touted as "gourmet" items. Productslabeled as premium or gourmet are not required to

contain any different or higher quality ingredients, norare they held up to any higher nutritional standards thanare any other complete and balanced products.

The term "natural" is often used on pet food labels,although that term does not have an official definitioneither. For the most part, "natural" can be construed asequivalent to a lack of artificial flavors, artificial colors, orartificial preservatives in the product. [...]

"Natural" is not the same as "organic." The latter termrefers to the conditions under which the plants weregrown or animals were raised. There are no official rulesgoverning the labeling of organic foods (for humans or

pets) at this time, but the United States Department ofAgriculture is developing regulations dictating whattypes of pesticides, fertilizers and other substances canbe used in organic farming.

While it is true that many terms used to market a pet food are notlegally defined, the manufacturers of quality brands go out of theirway to supply their customers with additional information, such asusing hormone free animal products, pesticide free grains,providing the USDA grades of ingredients, avoiding geneticallymodified products and so on. To put the quoted FDA article intodate perspective, as of Oct. 21, 2002, products labeled as organicrequire certification by USDA-accredited certifying agents unlessthe operation qualifies for exemption.

Watch out:

Manufacturers are not required to include substances inthe ingredient list that they did not add to the productthemselves. Products they obtain from their suppliersmay still contain undesirable ingredients such assynthetic preservatives and/or other additives. A primeexample is fish meal, which, according to US CoastGuard regulations, must be preserved with Ethoxyquin ifit is not destined for human consumption.

So while terms like "human grade", "human quality","table quality" etc. may not be legally defined, they stillprovide some information about the quality of certainingredients and the way they are handled before theyend up in the food product. If words like "hormone free","organic" etc. are used, it is not likely that suchingredients are feed grade or low quality.

Summary

[...] The pet food label contains a wealth of information,


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if one knows how to read it. Do not be swayed by themany marketing gimmicks or eye-catching claims. Ifthere is a question about the product, contact themanufacturer or ask an appropriate regulatory agency.

It is correct that the pet food label contains a wealth of information,but it can be very misleading to anyone who has not read up muchon the topic - and to be honest, would you unless you have areason? Almost every single element of the label in formation is ofambiguous nature and seems to favor the interests of the

manufacturer over those of the consumer. Unfortunately, until amore truthful, customer-friendly labeling system is implemented, themajority of pet owners will be swayed by marketing gimmicks andeye-catching claims because watching cute commercials requiresless effort than understanding the information on the label.


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Identifying better products

In the section "Label Information 101" the pros and cons of the

information available on the product label are discussed in detail.

This article provides recommendations for actually picking out a

quality product.

The process is not always simple and often you will have to make

up your mind whether something is still acceptable for you or not. If

your dog doesn't show sensitivities to things like for example wheat,corn, beef, or brewer's yeast and they are of good quality (e.g.

USDA inspected or antibiotic and steroid free etc.), they are not

"bad" and you have absolutely no reason to feel guilty if a food

contains them! I could go on with countless examples for

ingredients that have been vilified due to people's half-knowledge

that finds the internet as a prolific breeding environment.

It is my goal to provide you with all the tools that you need in order

to make an informed decision whether a particular food is

acceptable for you or not.

The recommendations below are based on the official AAFCO

definitions of food ingredients, my independent research of those

ingredients and also advice from other sources. Except for very few

more widely available brands I have not taken special needs

formulations for allergies or other health concerns into

consideration, since they are formulated under completely different

aspects.

Step One - Determine the main ingredients

of the food

Contrary to popular belief, it's not always the "first five" or "first

seven" ingredients listed that make up the major portion of a

product. The number of main ingredients actually depends on the

specific formulation of a food and the degree of variety included, so

one brand may have only three or four main ingredients, while

another could have eight or ten.

What you need to look for is the first source of fat or oil that

appears in the ingredient list. This can either be from an animal or

vegetable source, there are good and bad ones of both, but more

details on that later. Anything listed before that first source of fat,

and including it, are the main ingredients of the food. Any other

items are present in much smaller amounts to add flavor, function

as preservatives, help with the manufacturing process or provide

dietary benefits (e.g. probiotics, vitamins and minerals).

Step Two - Evaluate the quality of the

ingredients and the amounts used

Sadly, this is easier said than done, due to the ambiguous names

of many ingredients. As a consumer you have no way of knowing

how much of an ingredient is really in a food, or whether a

manufacturer uses a good or poor quality ingredient that is

available in different grades - AAFCO (Association of American

Feed Control Officials - the regularing body for the feed industry)

does not permit statements in regards to quality on ingredient

labels. You will have to do your homework and determine which

manufacturers you trust. We will take a look at the different

ingredient groups in chapter 2.

Ste Three - Re uired readin

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anufacturer's websites, brochures, pamphlets - read it all

and if you have questions, don't be afraid to contact them

and ask. Does the provided information include facts you

can verify by consulting independent sources?

Talk to company representatives at dog shows or other

venues. How well prepared and how willing are they to

answer specific questions?

Does the company make outrageous claims without backing

them up? Compare how the quality of the ingredients used

in their products matches up with any statement they makeabout proper nutrition.

If a manufacturer boasts about "awards" and "winning taste

test results", do they reference the exact criteria products

had to meet and who conducted the evaluations?

If a manufacturer compares a product to those of

competitors, are the comparisons truthful or is the main

tactic making the competitor look bad without explaining

why their own product is of superior quality? Of course

everyone is trying to present their own food in the best light,

but if pointing out weaknesses in other products or

employing scare tactics is all they can do, their own can't be

that much better. Make the effort to examine all products in

a comparison table provided by a given manufacturer, often

they do not represent competitor products truthfully.

Consider the use of catchphrases and marketing gimmicks

in TV commercials and advertising campaigns.

How difficult is it to locate relevant product information like

ingredients, guaranteed analysis, caloric content etc. (on

the manufacturer's website or otherwise)? Is it readily

available or buried in various articles that do not directly

relate to the product(s)?

Step Four - Do your own feeding trial

The "best" food will not do if your dog either can't tolerate it or won't

eat it. Don't be afraid to select more than one brand and see how

they work out for your dog. Give it enough time though, it takes 4-6weeks at the very least to see results. Unless symptoms of

intolerance surface, 3-4 months are a more reasonable time frame.

The manufacturers of most high quality foods will be happy to send

you free samples of their products so you can find out if your dog

even likes the taste of a particular food before you buy.

Ingredient groups - what to look for

and what to avoid

Protein

Protein, in the form of quality meat ingredients, is the most

important component of a dog's diet. As animals with a carnivorous

background, their digestive tract is designed to utilize primarily

meat and fat. It is also the most expensive ingredient for a

manufacturer to buy and the profit margin on a product is drastically

affected by the amount and quality used. Ideally, the first ingredient

of a food should be either a specified meat meal, or a specified

fresh meat type followed by a meal. If your individual dog's specific

needs limit you to using foods that do not include a concentrated

source of meat in meal form, I highly recommend supplementing

with fresh or canned meats on a daily basis.

Generically named sources of protein or fat (animal ___,


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meat ___, poultry ___, etc.) are never present in truly high

quality products because they are derived from highly

questionable sources. If a manufacturer uses quality

ingredients and has nothing to hide, there is no need for

generic names.

Byproducts of any type are less desirable and only

acceptable if they do not make up the main source of

animal protein and if the name of the species used is also

defined in some manner (e.g. "chicken byproducts" or "beef

byproducts" but not "meat byproducts" or "poultry

byproducts"). Byproducts consist of anything but the qualitycuts of meat and highest quality edible offal used for human

consumption. What this means (on a market with high

demand for human snacks like "buffalo wings" and cheaper

pet foods requiring flavoring agents like beef or chicken

liver digest to make otherwise uninteresting food more

attractive), I leave to your imagination.

Contrary to what many people believe, meat sources in

"meal" form (as long as they are from a specified type of

animal, such as chicken meal, lamb meal, salmon meal etc.)

are not inferior to whole, fresh meats. Meals consist of meat

and skin, with or without the bones, but exclusive of

feathers/hair, heads, feet, horns, entrails etc. and have the

proper calcium/phosphorus ratio required for a balanced

diet. They have had most of the moisture removed, butmeats in their original, "wet" form still contain up to 75%

water. Once the food reaches its final moisture content of

about 9-12%, the meat will have shrunk to sometimes as

little as 1/4 of the original amount, while the already

dehydrated meal form remains the same and you get more

concentrated protein per pound of finished product. This

means that in the worst case you are left with only 4 ounces

of actual meat content per pound of fresh meat included in

a dry kibble, many of which contain less than one pound of

meat per 2-3 pounds of grain to begin with. Preferably a

food contains quality meat meal as well as some fresh

meat.

What to look for:

Specifically named meats and meat meals such as

chicken, chicken meal, turkey, turkey meal, lamb, lamb

meal, duck, duck meal, beef, beef meal, eggs and so on.

The following are lesser quality ingredients and are

not found in truly high quality products, but may be

present in smaller amounts (not as the main protein

ingredients) in "mid range" foods: fresh byproducts

indicating a specific species (e.g. beef/chicken

/turkey/lamb byproducts), corn gluten, corn gluten

meal.Products that include these as main ingredients

should be avoided.

What to avoid:

All generic meat ingredients that do not indicate a

species (meat, meat byproducts, meat byproduct meal,

meat meal, meat & bone meal, blood meal, fish, fish

meal, poultry, poultry byproducts, poultry meal, poultry

byproduct meal, liver, liver meal, glandular meal etc.)

Byproduct meals, even if a species is identified

(chicken/beef/turkey/lamb byproduct meal etc.), since

highly questionable ingredients may be used in these

rendered products.

Any food that contains corn (ground or otherwise) as a


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,

main ingredient and no concentrated source of identified

meat protein (e.g. chicken meal, lamb meal etc.) is

present.

Corn gluten or soy(bean) meal as main ingredients.

Note: Not all dogs tolerate soy products! Small amounts,

especially of organic soy, are okay as long as a dog is

not sensitive. There are only very few products on the

market that include high quality soy ingredients, none of

them sold at grocery stores or mass retailers.

Fats and Oils

Dogs need a certain amount of fats and oils in their diet, mostly for

skin and coat health, but also for proper brain development and

other critical processes in the body - and in this regard some are

more valuable than others. As food ingredients they should be

specifically named and of high nutritional value. Beef tallow and

lard make foods highly attractive to dogs and are not harmful, but

they are high in saturated fat and low in valuable fatty acids.

What to look for:

Specifically named fats and oils such as chicken fat,

herring oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, flax oil etc.High percentages of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty

acids, but a low ratio of the two. For each percent of

Omega-6s at least 0.13% Omega-3s should be present,

resulting in a minimum ratio of 7:1. Ratios of 5:1 and

lower are preferable. Don't discount a food because of

low percentages of essential fatty acids though, you can

easily make up for this with a good quality fish oil

supplement.

What to avoid:

Non-specific sources such as animal fat, poultry fat,

vegetable oil, generic fish oilMineral oil

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates may originate from grains (rice, wheat, barley, oats,

corn etc.) or alternative sources like potatoes, sweet potatoes,

tapioca or peas. The claim that all carbohydrates in commercial

dog food are nothing but fillers and can not be digested by dogs is

incorrect - properly cooked (as in extruded and baked dry foods as

well as canned foods) they are highly digestible and valuable

sources of energy.

The tolerance of amounts and types varies, some dogs dobetter with more carbs in their diet than others, and some

do better on grain-free foods with alternative sources.

For certain health conditions it is beneficial to avoid

high-gluten grains like barley, wheat, rye or oats and favor

low gluten ones like rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa and

sorghum (milo).

Quality is also important, since grains deemed unfit for

human consumption (often contaminated with mold) can

legally still be used for animal feed.

Whole, unprocessed grains (also listed as "ground" or in

"meal" form) retain all the nutrients in the bran layer, the

original fat content and the endosperm. Grain fragments

and flours are incom lete and ma have alread lost much


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of their nutritional value during processing and storage.

Some manufacturers include one fragment (most commonly

brewers rice) to lower product cost, which is acceptable if

whole grains or starchy vegetables are also present. Be

wary of products that consist mainly of fragments and

flours. Flours are highly refined and while not harmful,

contain less valuable nutrients and more refined

carbohydrates than whole ground grains.

Be careful of "splitting" of ingredients, such as for example

rice, rice flour and rice bran all appearing in an ingredient

list. Added together they would appear much higher on theingredient list.

What to look for:

Whole ground grains such as rice, oats, barley, millet

etc., potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas

Corn often gets an undeserved bad reputation. While

it is not acceptable as a main source of protein in a dog

food (as it is used in combination with corn gluten), as a

source of carbohydrates it is no better and no worse

than other grains in terms of nutritional value and

digestibility. The starch part of corn is highly digestible

but the whole ground product has a higher fiber content

than other grains (around 7%), which results in slightlylarger stools - often incorrectly interpreted as lack of

digestibility. Unless an individual dog is intolerant or

allergic to corn, there is no need to avoid products which

include it in reasonable amounts.

What to avoid:

Fragments like potato product, middlings/mids or mill

run of any kind

Unspecified grain sources like cereal food fines,

(distiller's) grain fermentation solubles

Fiber

Fiber is the part of carbohydrates that can not be digested by the

dog. Depending on nutritional goals, varying levels of dietary fiber

with different properties are necessary to make a highly processed

food source like commercial kibble "work", since a dog's digestive

tract is not designed to process a diet with such high levels of

carbohydrates - most commercial dry foods contain 40-50%, low

quality ones even more.

Depending on the inclusion of ingredients that are naturally

high in fiber (e.g. brown rice, oats, certain fruits or

vegetables), a food may or may not include specific,

isolated types of fiber.

Beet Pulp, the isolated fibrous material from sugar beets, is

another ingredient that has an undeservedly bad reputation.

It is a very gentle, beneficial source of fiber that is not only

generally very well tolerated, but also has specific

properties that make it suitable as a source of nutrition for

the beneficial bacteria that reside in the intestinal tract. The

sugar is almost completely removed, what is left in the pulp

is only about 1/5 the amount of sugar that you would find in

a serving of carrots of equal size. It is also colorless and

does not turn a dog's coat turn red, like urban legends

claim. The argument that beet pulp is an "unnatural"

ingredient is often brought up, but people who present this

complaint seem to forget that it is also not natural for dogs


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to eat highly processed commercial products with a carb

content of generally 40% and more, and a moisture content

of only around 10% as opposed to a more natural 60-70%.

Added fiber is required to make such formulations work for

the pets who eat a dry diet.

What to avoid:

Corn bran, peanut hulls, rice hulls, soybean hulls, oat

hulls

Fruits & Vegetables

Fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables add vitamins, minerals

and various phytonutrients. They are nice ingredients but by no

means necessary and mostly only included in insignificant

amounts. If a brand of food contains high quality protein,

carbohydrate and fat sources but no fruits or vegetables, it's still a

better choice than one with less ideal main ingredients that does

have a few pieces of blueberries, peas or carrots added to make

the ingredient list look more impressive. Sharing some of the fresh,

unprocessed fruits and vegetables you eat yourself will add much

more nutritional value to your dog's diet - just please do not give

onions, grapes or raisins.

What to look for:

Fruits and vegetables are a nice touch but should not

be a deciding factor in choosing a brand. Unprocessed,

fresh items are preferable to already processed ones,

and organic is always the best choice.

What to avoid:

Apple pomace, grape pomace, citrus pulp

FlavoringsHigh quality foods do not really need any flavorings, but natural

ones are harmless and may even add a little nutritional value.

What to look for:

Specific stocks or broths (e.g. chicken, beef), liver of

specified animals

What to avoid:

Any highly rendered products (e.g. digests of any

kind), ingredients of unknown origin ("meat broth"),

glandular meal, artificial flavor(ing)Onion of any form is toxic to dogs and thus has no

place in dog food!

Preservatives

Quality products are preserved naturally, but sadly there is almost

always a possibility of products containing hidden preservatives

and additives, since manufacturers only have to declare ingredients

on the label that they have added themselves. If they purchase for

example fish oil and meal, fats or other prepared ingredients from

suppliers with stabilizers and other additives already added, these


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.

The higher the ingredient quality, the less effort must be made to

delay further degradation of the product, making natural

antioxidants like rosemary extract and vitamin E very effective. Any

chemical preservative should not be trusted, some of them are

even banned from human consumption in some countries outside

of the U.S. due to their questionable side effects.

What to look for:

Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E), Rosemary-, Sage-, orClove Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid and

other forms of Vitamin C

What to avoid:

BHA (Butylated Hydroxysanisole), BHT (Butylated

Hydroxytoluene), Ethoxyquin, TBHQ (Tertiary

Butylhydroquinone), Sodium Metabisulphite

Sweeteners

Sweeteners have no place in food products that are consumed

daily, period. They are generally only added to poor quality foods to

make them more attractive, since otherwise dogs would simply

refuse to eat them. Many dogs get addicted to sweeteners, which

can cause or aggravate health problems, including ear infections

and diabetes. This addiction frequently poses a problem when

owners are trying to convince their pets to eat a better quality food

that does not contain any sweeteners, so frustrated owners

continue feeding unhealthy brands.

Blackstrap Molasses is not very sweet, a source of many

trace minerals and not the same as Cane Molasses. It is

harmless as a supplement in small amounts.

While any sweeteners should be avoided in food that a dog

eats on a daily basis, small amounts of unrefined sugar,

such as honey or molasses, are okay in dog treats.

What to avoid:

Cane molasses, corn syrup in any form, sugar,

sorbitol, sucrose, fructose, glucose, ammoniated

glycyrrhizin, propylene glycol

Dyes

Dyes are another unnecessary ingredient in dog food, since dogs

do not care about the color of their food. This is strictly aimed at

making products look more appealing to humans, for example by

hiding the grey color of poor quality rendered products or visiblevariations in ingredients, or attempting to make a food look like it

contains more meat by adding red dye.

While natural substances like caramel coloring are harmless, they

are still unnecessary and generally only serve to make a food look

more appealing and uniform to the human eye.

What to avoid:

Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6, other "numbered"

dyes.


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upp emen s

All dog foods are required to meet certain nutritional standards, so

manufacturers must add certain minimum amounts of vitamins and

minerals. Like any other ingredients, these can vary in quality and

in how well the body can absorb them. Any other supplements are

not a "must" but some of them add considerable health benefits.

Certain nutrients are lost or altered during processing, but

manufacturers of quality foods take great care to add them back

into their product after it has cooled down sufficiently. Do not

hesitate to ask if you can't locate the information on the bag, in abrochure or on the internet or have additional questions.

Trustworthy companies will gladly inform you about their

procedures.

It is important to understand that supplements like glucosamine,

chondroitin and probiotics are generally not included in large

enough doses to actually provide a therapeutic effect for particular

health conditions in the daily feeding amount. Their presence may

reduce the amount you have to include of a separate supplement,

but it is not a good idea to choose a food based on added

supplements. A different food combined with a proper dosage of a

specific stand-alone supplement product is likely to bring better

results.

What to look for:

Chelated or sequestered minerals (also labeled as

chelates, proteinates, amino acid chelates or complexes,

polysaccharide complexes).

Nonacidic, time released versions of Vitamin C

(labeled as Ester C, Calcium Ascorbate, Stabilized

Vitamin C or L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate), natural

Vitamin E (Tocopherol, Natural Tocopherol) and natural

sources of Vitamin K (egg yolk, liver, oats, kelp, alfalfa).

What to avoid:

Menadione in any form (also listed as vitamin K3 or"vitamin K supplement", please refer to

www.dogfodproject.com/menadione to learn about this

harmful version of synthetic vitamin K), Yeast Culture

Harmless but poorly absorbed and thus mostly

useless: sulfate and oxide based mineral supplements

(e.g. zinc oxide, iron oxide)

In closing, a few bad examples

Next time you go shopping for dog food, have a look at the

ingredient list and check it against the claims made by

manufacturers in their TV commercials and print ads. Here are a

few examples to spark your interest:

Claim: "Double Helpings of Chicken and Rice"

Actual ingredient list, obviously lacking any quality

chicken meat:

Ground Whole Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Chicken

By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Rice, Animal Fat

(preserved with BHA/BHT), Natural Poultry Flavor, Dried

Beet Pulp, Wheat Flour, Salt, Potassium Chloride,

Wheat Mill Run, Carmel Color, Vegetable Oil, Wheat

Gluten, Vitamins, Minerals, Added FD&C and Lake

Colors (Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5).


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Claim: "Made with real chicken, a high quality protein

source, made with healthy real vegetables that dogs love, no

artificial flavors or fillers"

Actual ingredient list: (no word about the inclusion

of no less than 4 artificial colors and the artificial

preservatives...)

Ground Whole Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Corn Gluten

Meal, Chicken By-product Meal, Animal Fat (preservedwith BHA/BHT), Natural Poultry Flavor, Wheat Flour,

Chicken, Rice, Dried Whole Peas, Wheat Mill Run,

Dried Beet Pulp, Wheat Gluten, Salt, Carrot Powder,

Potassium Chloride, Vegetable Oil (Source of Linoleic

Acid), Caramel Color, Vitamins, Minerals, Added FD&C

and Lake Colors (Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5).

Claim: "Moist, chewy chunks made with real beef,

Contains vegetables"

Actual ingredient list:

Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn

gluten meal, whole wheat flour, beef tallow preservedwith mixed-tocopherols, rice flour, beef, soy flour, sugar,

sorbitol, tricalcium phosphate, water, animal digest, salt,

phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, dicalcium

phosphate, sorbic acid), L-Lysine monohydrochloride,

dried peas, dried carrots, calcium carbonate, calcium

propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, vitamin

supplements, added color (Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6,

Blue 2), DL-Methionine, zinc sulfate, glyceryl

monostearate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, manganese

sulfate, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement,

biotin, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, copper sulfate,

pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, menadione sodium

bisulfite complex, calcium iodate, sodium selenite

Claim: "Delivers real beef, real garden vegetables and

wholesome grains for the health and happiness of your dog"

Actual ingredient list:

Brewers Rice, Ground Whole Grain Wheat, Chicken

Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat

(preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Beef,

Peas, Carrots, Soybean Oil, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried

Beet Pulp, Iron Oxide, Flaxseed, Dried Egg Product,

Iodized Salt, L-Lysine, Potassium Chloride, Choline

Chloride, vitamins, Vitamin E Supplement, Dicalcium

Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Minerals, preservedwith Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, L-Tryptophan,

Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract


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Ingredients to avoid

Ingredients are listed by category, to search within this page please

press control-F to perform a search for a specific ingredient if you

don't know the category.

This is not a comprehensive list of dangerous and/or poor quality

ingredients, but it names most of the ones that are used especially

in lower-end foods and should be avoided. The list will change and

possibly grow as my research progresses.

Additives

Glyceryl

Monostearate

A lipophilic non-ionic surfactant with HLB of 3.6 -

4.2. It has effects of emulsification, dispersion,

foaming, defoaming, starch anti-aging and fat

agglomeration control, and is widely used in

foodstuffs, cosmetic, medicine and plastic

processing industries. It is an emulsifier used the

most widely and in the largest quantities in the

foodstuff industry.

A thickening, emulsifying, antisticking and

antistalant agent. Can contain up to 200 ppmbutylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as a preservative

(see also BHT). Depending on method of

manufacture, it can also contain glyceryl

distearate (42-44%), glyceryl tristearate

(20-23%), free glycerol (3-5%). Other impurities

include mono-, di-, and triesters of related fatty

acids as well as unreacted fatty acids. Due to the

uncertainty of chemical additives, this ingredient

should be avoided.

Phosphoric

Acid

A clear colorless liquid, H3PO4, used in fertilizers,

detergents, food flavoring, and pharmaceuticals.

A harmless but unnecessary ingredient, used in

inexpensive, poor quality dog food as flavoring,

emulsifier and discoloration inhibitor. Used for

example as a flavoring for Coca Cola.

Propylene

Glycol

A colorless viscous hygroscopic liquid,

CH3CHOHCH2OH, used in antifreeze solutions,

in hydraulic fluids, and as a solvent.

Used as humectant in semi-moist kibble to keep it

from drying out. May be toxic if consumed in large

amounts, and should definitely not be an

ingredient in a food an animal will eat daily for

weeks, months or even years of its life. In

countries of the European Union, propylene

glycol is not cleared as a general-purpose food

grade product or direct food additive.

Binders

Corn Gluten I have not been able to locate an official definition

of this product, but since it is contained in only

one formulation of one manufacturer (Excel

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,

"Corn Gluten Meal".

An inexpensive by-product of human food

processing which offers very little nutritional value

and serves mainly to bind food together. It is not a

harmful ingredient but should be avoided simply

for its poor nutritional value and quality.

Wheat Gluten AAFCO: The tough, viscid nitrogenous substanceremaining when wheat is washed to remove the

starch.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food

processing with almost no nutritional value left,

serves mostly as a binder.

Carbohydrate Sources

Brewers Rice Also appears in ingredient lists as ground

Brewers Rice.

AAFCO: The small milled fragments of rice

kernels that have been separated from the larger

kernels of milled rice.

A processed rice product that is missing many of

the nutrients contained in whole ground rice and

brown rice. Contrary to what many pet food

companies want to make you believe, this is not

a high quality ingredient, just much cheaper than

whole grain rice.

Cereal Food

Fines

AAFCO: Particles of breakfast cereals obtained

as a byproduct of their processing.


processing of unknown source, quality, possible

chemical residue, sweeteners or other additives.

Feeding Oat

Meal

AAFCO: Feeding oat meal is obtained in the

manufacture of rolled oat groats or rolled oats

and consists of broken oat groats, oat groat

chips, and floury portions of the oat groats, with

only such quantity of finely ground oat hulls as is

unavoidable in the usual process of commericial

milling.

A food-grade fractionated grain, byproduct from

human food processing, that is not as nutritionally

valuable as the product obtained from whole oats.

Grain

Fermentation

Solubles

AAFCO: The dried material resulting from drying

the water soluble materials after separation of

suspended solids from grain fermentation.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food and

beverage production which adds little or no

nutritional value to pet foods.


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Maltodextrins

&

Fermentation

Solubles

I have not been able to locate an official definition

for this product so far.

A brewery byproduct much like "grain

fermentation solubles", with some maltodextrin

from malted barley. Better suited for use in short

term feeding like e.g. livestock than as an

ingredient in pet food.

Potato

Product

AAFCO: Potato pieces, peeling, culls, etc.,

obtained from the manufacture of processed

potato products for human consumption.

A cheap byproduct of human food processing that

has been stripped of much of the nutritional

benefits that whole, fresh potatos offer.

Soy Flour AAFCO: The finely powdered material resulting

from the screened and graded product after

removal of most of the oil from selected, sound,

cleaned and dehulled soybeans by a mechanical

or solvent extraction process.

Much of the nutritional value is lost already during

processing of the grain to flour. May contain

particles of hull, germ, and the offal from the tail of

the mill.

Coloring Agents

Blue 2

(artificial

color)

The color additive FD&C Blue No. 2 is principally

the disodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-5-sulfo-

2H-indol-2-ylidene)- 2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid with smaller amounts of the

disodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-7-sulfo-

2H-indol-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-

5-sulfonic acid and the sodium salt of 2-(1,3-

dihydro-3-oxo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-

3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid. Additionally,

FD&C Blue No. 2 is obtained by heating indigo

(or indigo paste) in the presence of sulfuric acid.

The color additive is isolated and subjected to

purification procedures. The indigo (or indigo

paste) used above is manufactured by the fusion

of N-phenylglycine (prepared from aniline and

formaldehyde) in a molten mixture of sodamide

and sodium and potassium hydroxides underammonia pressure. The indigo is isolated and

subjected to purification procedures prior to

sulfonation.

The largest study suggested, but did not prove,

that this dye caused brain tumors in male mice.

The FDA concluded that there is "reasonable

certainty of no harm", but personally I'd rather

avoid this ingredient and err on the side of

caution.


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Red 40

(artificial

color)

The color additive FD&C Red No. 40 is principally

the disodium salt of 6-hydroxy-5-[(2-methoxy-

5-methyl-4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2-

naphthalenesulfonic acid.

The most widely used food dye. While this is one

of the most-tested food dyes, the key mouse tests

were flawed and inconclusive. An FDA review

committee acknowledged problems, but said

evidence of harm was not "consistent" or

"substantial." Like other dyes, Red 40 is usedmainly in junk foods. Personally I'd rather avoid

this ingredient and err on the side of caution.

Titanium

Dioxide

A white powder, TiO2, used as an exceptionally

opaque white pigment and dough conditioner.

Non toxic but an unnecessary ingredient that

could just as well be left out.

Yellow 5

(artificialcolor)

The color additive FD&C Yellow No. 5 is

principally the trisodium salt of 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1-(4-sulfophenyl)-4- [4-sulfophenyl-azo]-1H-

pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (CAS Reg. No.

1934-21- 0). To manufacture the additive,

4-amino-benzenesulfonic acid is diazotized using

hydrochloric acid and sodium nitrite. The diazo

compound is coupled with 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-

1-(4-sulfophenyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid

or with the methyl ester, the ethyl ester, or a salt

of this carboxylic acid. The resulting dye is

purified and isolated as the sodium salt.

The second most widely used coloring can cause

mild allergic reactions, primarily in aspirin-

sensitive persons.

Yellow 6

(artificial

color)

The color additive FD&C Yellow No. 6 is

principally the disodium salt of 6-hydroxy-5-[(4-

sulfophenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid

(CAS Reg. No. 2783-94-0). The trisodium salt of

3-hydroxy-4-[(4- sulfophenyl)azo]-2,7-

naphthalenedisulfonic acid may be added in small

amounts. The color additive is manufactured by

diazotizing 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid using

hydrochloric acid and sodium nitrite or sulfuric

acid and sodium nitrite. The diazo compound is

coupled with 6-hydroxy-2-naphthalene-sulfonicacid. The dye is isolated as the sodium salt and

dried. The trisodium salt of 3-hydroxy-4-[(4-

sulfophenyl)azo]-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid

which may be blended with the principal color is

prepared in the same manner except the diazo

benzenesulfonic acid is coupled with 3-hydroxy-

2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid.

Industry-sponsored animal tests indicated that

this dye, the third most widely used, causes

tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. In

addition, small amounts of several carcinogens

contaminate Yellow 6. However, the FDA


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reviewed those data and found reasons to

conclude that Yellow 6 does not pose a significant

cancer risk to humans. Yellow 6 may also cause

occasional allergic reactions. Another ingredient I

would rather avoid and err on the side of caution

rather than risking my pet's health.

Fat Sources

Animal Fat AAFCO: Obtained from the tissues of mammalsand/or poultry in the commercial processes of

rendering or extracting. It consists predominantly

of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no

additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is

used, the common name or names must be

indicated, followed by the words "used as a

preservative".

Note that the animal source is not specified and is

not required to originate from "slaughtered"

animals. The rendered animals can be obtained

from any source, so there is no control over

quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can

be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased,disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs,

horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at

shelters, restaurant and supermarket refuse and

so on.

Beef Tallow AAFCO: Fat with titer above 40 degrees Celsius,

obtained from the tissue of cattle in the

commercial process of rendering. Also called

Beef Fat.

Dogs and cats like the taste of this fat, so it is

often used to make low-quality food more

palatable. Beef tallow is very low in linoleic acid

and much cheaper for the pet food industry to use

than a good quality vegetable oil or nutritionally

rich chicken fat.

Lard AAFCO: The rendered fat of swine.

Very low in linoleic acid but very attractive to pets,

used to make poor quality food more appealing.

Few nutritional benefits.

Poultry Fat AAFCO: Obtained from the tissue of poultry in the

commercial process of rendering or extracting. It

shall contain only the fatty matter natural to the

product produced under good manufacturing

practices and shall contain no added free fatty

acids or other materials obtained from fat. It must

contain not less than 90 percent total fatty acids

and not more than 3 percent of unsaponifiables

and impurities. It shall have a minimum titer of 33

degrees Celsius. If an antioxidant is used, the

common name or names must be indicated,

followed by the word "preservative(s)".


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Note how in this product the source is not defined

as "slaughtered poultry". The rendered fowl can

be obtained from any source, so there is no

control over quality or contamination. Any kind of

animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead,

diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter),

turkey, chicken, geese, buzzard, seagulls, misc.

roadkill, birds euthanized at shelters and so on.

Vegetable Oil AAFCO: The product of vegetable origin obtained

by extracting the oil from seeds or fruits which are

processed for edible purposes.

The source vegetables for this oil (and therefore

the nutrient properties or lack thereof) are

unknown. Wouldn't you like to know just what

exactly you are feeding your pet?

Fiber Sources

Cellulose AAFCO: Purified, mechanically disintegrated

cellulose prepared by processing alpha cellulose

obtained as a pulp from fibrous plant materials.

Dried wood is the most common source for

cellulose (I'm not kidding.). It is cleaned,

processed into a fine powder and used to add

bulk and consistency to cheap pet foods. I would

consider this ingredient appropriate for termites,

but certainly not for dogs or cats.

Corn Bran AAFCO: The outer coating of the corn kernel.

An inexpensive source of fiber that serves as a

filler ingredient to add bulk to poor quality petfood.

Corn

Cellulose

AAFCO: A product obtained from the cell walls of

corn.

Obtained by use of a chemical process, it is used

to add bulk and consistency to cheap pet foods

and has no nutritional value.

Oat Hulls I have not been able to locate an official definition


Most likely what is left over from dehulling the

whole oat kernels after harvesting, comparable to

peanut hulls. It is not the same as oat bran (the

hull that protects the grain itself), which is a

quality source of dietary fiber and removed prior

to rolling and/or flaking. Thumbs down for this

filler ingredient.

Peanut Hulls AAFCO: The outer hull of the peanut shell.


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No nutritional value whatsoever, and are used

exclusively as a cheap filler ingredient. Possibility

of pesticide residues being present.

Rice Hulls AAFCO: The outer covering of rice.


processing, serving as a source of fiber that is

considered a filler ingredient.

Soybean Mill

Run

AAFCO: Composed of soybean hulls and such

bean meats that adhere to the hulls which results

from normal milling operations in the production of

dehulled soybean meal.


processing, commonly referred to as 'floor

sweepings'. An inexpensive filler with no real

nutritional value.

Wheat Mill

Run

May also appear as "Wheat Middlings".

AAFCO: Coarse and fine particles of wheat bran

and fine particles of wheat shorts, wheat germ,

wheat flour and offal from the "tail of the mill".


processing, commonly referred to as 'floor

sweepings'. An inexpensive filler with no real

nutritional value.

Flavoring Agents

Animal Digest AAFCO: A material which results from chemicaland/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and

undecomposed animal tissue. The animal tissues

used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth,

hooves and feathers, except in such trace

amounts as might occur unavoidably in good

factory practice and shall be suitable for animal

feed. If it bears a name descriptive of its kind or

flavor(s), it must correspond thereto.

A cooked-down broth made from unspecified

parts of unspecified animals. The animals used

can be obtained from any source, so there is no

control over quality or contamination. Any kind of

animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead,diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter),

goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals

euthanized at shelters, restaurant and

supermarket refuse and so on.

Digest May also appear as dried, or spray dried.

Sometimes the type and part of animals used is

specified, such as in "Chicken Digest", "Lamb

Digest" or "Poultry Liver Digest"

AAFCO: Material which results from chemical


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and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and

undecomposed animal tissue. The animal tissues

used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth,

hooves and feathers, except in such trace

amounts as might occur unavoidably in good

factory practice and shall be suitable for animal

feed. .

A cooked-down broth made from specified, or

worse, unspecified parts of specified or

unspecified animals (depending on the type ofdigest used). If the source is unspecified (e.g.

"Animal" or "Poultry", the animals used can be

obtained from any source, so there is no control

over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal

can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased,

disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs,

horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at

shelters, restaurant and supermarket refuse and

so on.

Flavor A substance, such as an extract or spice, that add

flavor to a product.

The manufacturer may or may not give more

detailed information about what is used for

flavoring and whether it is made from a natural or

chemical substance.

Glandular

Meal

I have not been able to locate an official definition


Since it is used as a "source of liver flavor" in

poor quality foods, it is safe to assume that it is a

meal obtained from the livers and other glands of

various, unspecified animals. As with all generic,unspecified ingredients, it is wise to avoid.

Fruits & Vegetables

Apple Pomace AAFCO: The mixture of apple skins, pulp, and

crushed seeds.


processing. Does not contain the whole

complement of nutrients as whole fresh or dried

apples.

Citrus Pulp Citrus Pulp is the dried residue of peel, pulp and

seeds of oranges, grapefruit and other citrus fruit.

This inexpensive byproduct is mainly used as a

bulk carbohydrate concentrate in cattle feed but

also added as a source of fiber in dog food. Since

the peel and some twigs and leaves are also

included, there is a possibility of residues from

pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.


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Pomace

, ,

crushed seeds.

An inexpensive byproduct left over from pressing

grapes for juice or wine. The product contributes

some fiber but otherwise has little to no nutritinal

value. Grapes have also shown to contain a

substance that is toxic to dogs, so they should not

be fed at all.

Preservatives

BHA Butylated Hydroxysanisole - a white, waxy

phenolic antioxidant, C11H16O2, used to

preserve fats and oils, especially in foods.

Banned from human use in many countries but

still permitted in the US. Possible human

carcinogen, apparently carcinogenic in animal

experiments. The oxidative characteristics and/or

metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to

carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity.

BHT Butylated Hydroxytoluene - a crystalline phenolic

antioxidant, C15H24O, used to preserve fats and

oils, especially in foods.

Banned from human use in many countries but

still permitted in the US. Possible human

carcinogen, apparently carcinogenic in animal

experiments. The oxidative characteristics and/or

metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to

carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity.

Ethoxyquin 6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydro-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline.Antioxidant; also a post-harvest dip to prevent

scald on apples and pears.

Originally developed by Monsanto as a stabilizer

for rubber, Ethoxyquin has also been used as a

pesticide for fruit and a color preservative for

spices, and later for animal feed. The original

FDA permit for use as stabilizer in animal feed

limited use to two years and did not include pet

food, but it falls under the same legal category. It

has never been proven to be safe for the lifespan

of a companion animal.It has been linked to

thyroid, kidney, reproductive and immune related

illnesses as well as cancer, but so far noconclusive, reliable research results either for the

safety of this product or against it have not been

obtained. Monsanto conducted research years

ago, but results were so inconclusive due to

unprofessional conduct and documentation that

the FDA demanded another study. There are

currently several studies underway to determine

whether Ethoxyquin is safe or not, and until those

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The Dog Food Project - Introduction

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