Bowl Charts

6.6

Acceptable

Overall Rating

Positive

Acceptable

Concern

Ingredient Audit

Ingredient audit — 23 ingredients in position order.
Ingredient	Rating	Type	Toxicity	Explanation	Source
Brewers Rice	Acceptable	—	—	Refined grain fraction. It can be usable as a carbohydrate source, but it is less meaningful than a whole grain or whole-food carbohydrate ingredient.	AAFCO ingredient labeling framework
Chicken by-product meal	Acceptable	—	—	Named poultry by-product meal. It can be a usable animal-derived protein/mineral ingredient, but it is less transparent and less desirable as a quality signal than chicken meal because by-product composition can vary.	AAFCO poultry by-product meal definition
Oat Groats	Positive	—	—	Recognizable whole oat grain ingredient.	Veterinary nutrition references for grains; AAFCO labeling framework
Wheat	Acceptable	—	—	Recognizable grain, but less specific than whole grain wheat or wheat flour. Acceptable but not the strongest whole-food signal because processing/form is unclear.	Veterinary nutrition references for grains; AAFCO labeling framework
Corn Protein Meal	Acceptable	—	—	Processed corn protein ingredient. Useful as a plant protein source, but more of a formulation tool than a whole-food ingredient.	AAFCO ingredient labeling framework
Chicken fat	Positive	—	—	Named animal fat source. Transparent and useful as a fat/palatability/energy ingredient.	AAFCO ingredient labeling framework; Merck Veterinary Manual fat/nutrient reference
Natural Flavors	Concern	—	Not toxic, but quality/transparency penalty	Vague flavoring term without clear source. Adds palatability but weakens ingredient transparency.	AAFCO/FDA pet food labeling framework
Dried plain beet pulp	Positive	—	—	Recognized functional fiber source used in pet foods.	Veterinary nutrition references; AAFCO ingredient labeling framework
Fish Oil	Positive	—	—	Useful omega fat ingredient. Even when fish species is not named, fish oil is a recognized functional fat source under this model.	Merck Veterinary Manual fat/nutrient reference
Calcium carbonate	Acceptable	—	—	Named calcium source used for mineral balancing.	Merck Veterinary Manual mineral nutrition reference
Vegetable Oil	Concern	—	—	—	—
Potassium chloride	Acceptable	—	—	Named potassium/chloride source used for electrolyte/mineral balancing.	Merck Veterinary Manual mineral nutrition reference
Monocalcium Phosphate	Acceptable	—	—	Named calcium/phosphorus source used for mineral balancing.	Merck Veterinary Manual mineral nutrition reference
Salt	Acceptable	—	—	Common sodium/chloride source used for electrolyte balancing and palatability.	Merck Veterinary Manual mineral nutrition reference
Choline chloride	Acceptable	—	—	Named choline source used for nutrient balancing.	Merck Veterinary Manual nutrient reference
Vitamins	Concern	—	Not toxic, but quality/transparency penalty	Generic supplement group without individual compounds listed.	AAFCO/FDA pet food labeling framework
Rosemary Extract	Positive	—	—	Natural antioxidant/preservative ingredient when used in standard pet-food form.	FDA/AAFCO ingredient and food additive framework; veterinary nutrition references
Mixed Tocopherols	Positive	—	—	Natural antioxidant/preservative commonly used to protect fats from oxidation.	FDA/AAFCO ingredient and food additive framework; veterinary nutrition references
Citric Acid	Acceptable	—	—	Common acidifier/preservative-support ingredient. It can be useful in formulation but is not a whole-food ingredient or strong quality signal.	AAFCO/FDA ingredient labeling and food additive framework
Hydrolyzed Yeast	Acceptable	—	—	Processed yeast ingredient that may support palatability, nutrients, or functional compounds, but its role and active components are not clear from the name alone.	AAFCO ingredient labeling framework; Needs verification for intended function
Trace Minerals	Concern	—	Not toxic, but quality/transparency penalty	Generic mineral group with no specific compounds listed. Low transparency.	AAFCO/FDA pet food labeling framework
L-Lysine	Acceptable	—	—	Named amino acid supplement used for nutrient balancing.	Merck Veterinary Manual amino acid/nutrient reference
Magnesium Oxide	Acceptable	—	—	Named magnesium source used for mineral balancing.	Merck Veterinary Manual mineral nutrition reference