What is actually in dog food
Plain explanations of the things you find on a label, from the obvious ones to the ones that sound like chemistry. No opinions about whether an ingredient is good or bad, just what it is and what it does in the bag.
Ground Whole Grain Wheat
Whole grain wheat ground for digestibility, with the bran and germ retained.
Ground Whole Rice
Whole grain rice ground for digestibility, with the bran and germ retained.
Ground Whole Wheat
Whole grain wheat ground for digestibility, with bran and germ retained.
Ground Whole White Rice
Whole white rice ground for digestibility.
Ground Yellow Corn
Yellow corn kernels milled to a coarse flour.
Guar
The short name for guar gum, a thickener from the guar bean.
Guar Gum
A thickener extracted from the seed of the guar bean.
Haddock
A lean white ocean fish related to cod.
Halibut
The flesh of halibut, a large lean flatfish.
Ham
Cured pork leg, used in small amounts for flavor.
Hemicellulase
An enzyme that breaks down hemicellulose, a plant cell wall fiber.
Herring
The flesh of herring, an oily cold-water fish, used fresh.
Herring Meal
Herring that has been cooked, dried and ground into a concentrated meal with most of the water removed.
Herring Oil
Oil pressed from herring, an oily cold-water fish.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
A sweetener made by converting corn starch sugars to fructose.
Honey
The sweet substance produced by bees.
Hydrochloric Acid
A strong acid used in tiny amounts to adjust acidity during processing.
Hydrochloride
Not an ingredient in its own right, but the salt form of several added vitamins, as in thiamine…
Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver
Chicken liver broken down into smaller protein fragments by enzyme treatment.
Hydrolyzed Dried Brewers Yeast
Brewer's yeast broken down by enzymes and dried.
Hydrolyzed Poultry By-Products Aggregate
Poultry by-product tissue broken down into smaller protein fragments by enzyme treatment.
Hydrolyzed Salmon
Salmon protein broken into smaller fragments by enzyme treatment.
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Soy protein broken down into smaller fragments by enzyme treatment.
Hydrolyzed Yeast
Yeast broken down by enzymes into smaller, more absorbable fragments.
Inositol
A vitamin-like nutrient involved in cell membrane structure and fat transport.
Inulin
A soluble fiber extracted from chicory and other plants.
Invertase
An enzyme that splits sucrose into simpler sugars.
Iodine Supplement
An added source of iodine.
Iron Amino Acid Chelate
Iron bound to amino acids to improve absorption.
Iron Amino Acid Complex
Iron complexed with amino acids as a trace mineral supplement.
Iron Carbonate
An inorganic iron carbonate used as a mineral supplement.
Iron Chelate
Iron bound to an organic carrier to improve absorption.
Iron Oxide
An inorganic iron compound, used mainly as a coloring rather than a nutrient.
Iron Polysaccharide Complex
Iron bound to a polysaccharide carrier.
Iron Proteinate
Iron bound to protein to improve absorption.
Iron Sulfate
An inorganic iron salt used as a mineral supplement.