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.
Jicama
The crisp root of the jicama vine.
Juniper Berries
The berry of the juniper shrub.
Kale
A leafy brassica used fresh or dried.
Kamut Flakes
Flakes rolled from kamut, an ancient wheat variety.
Kangaroo
The clean flesh of the kangaroo, used fresh.
Kelp
Dried seaweed, used as a natural mineral source.
Kelp Meal
Dried seaweed ground into a meal.
L-Arginine
An added form of the amino acid arginine.
L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate
A stabilized form of vitamin C that survives processing.
L-Carnitine
A compound made from amino acids that moves fat into the cells' energy factories.
L-Cystine
An added form of the sulfur-containing amino acid cystine.
L-Lysine
The biologically active form of the essential amino acid lysine.
L-lysine Hydrochloride
A stable salt form of the amino acid lysine.
L-Lysine Monohydrochloride
A stable added salt form of the essential amino acid lysine.
L-Tryptophan
An added form of the essential amino acid tryptophan.
L-Tyrosine
An added form of the amino acid tyrosine.
Lactobacillus Acidophilus
A beneficial lactic acid bacterium added as a probiotic.
Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product Dehydrated
The dehydrated product of fermenting with Lactobacillus acidophilus, including the culture medium.
Lactobacillus Casei
A beneficial lactic acid bacterium added as a probiotic.
Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product Dehydrated
The dehydrated product of fermenting with Lactobacillus casei, including the culture medium.
Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Solubles
The soluble fraction of Lactobacillus casei fermentation.
Lactobacillus Lactis Fermentation Solubles
The soluble fraction of Lactococcus lactis fermentation.
Lactobacillus Plantarum
A beneficial lactic acid bacterium added as a probiotic.
Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product Dehydrated
The dehydrated product of fermenting with Lactobacillus plantarum, including the culture medium.
Lamb
The clean flesh of sheep, used fresh.
Lamb Bone
Lamb bone, included ground in raw-inspired and whole-prey style recipes.
Lamb Bone Broth
Broth produced by simmering lamb bones, used as a recipe liquid.
Lamb Broth
The liquid produced by simmering lamb, used to add moisture and flavor.
Lamb by-Products
The parts of the lamb left after the flesh is removed, such as organs and trimmings.
Lamb Digest
Lamb tissue broken down by enzymes into a concentrated flavor coating.
Lamb Heart
The heart muscle of the lamb, a muscle meat rather than an organ.
Lamb Kidney
The kidney of the lamb, an organ meat used in whole-animal recipes.
Lamb Liver
The liver of the lamb, an organ meat.
Lamb Lung
The lung of the lamb, an organ meat.
Lamb Meal
Lamb that has been cooked, dried and ground into a concentrated meal, with most of the water removed.
Lamb Spleen
The spleen of the lamb, an organ meat.