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.
Ocean Fish Meal
A concentrated meal rendered from unspecified ocean fish.
Ocean Whitefish
The flesh of unspecified ocean whitefish.
Ocean Whitefish Meal
A concentrated meal rendered from ocean whitefish.
Oceanfish
The flesh of unspecified ocean fish.
Oil of Rosemary
The essential oil of the rosemary plant, used as a natural preservative.
Olive Oil
Oil pressed from olives, used as a fat and flavor source.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
A general label for the long chain fats EPA, DHA and alpha linolenic acid.
Onion Extract
A concentrated extract of onion, used in very small amounts as a flavoring.
Organic Alfalfa
The leaf and stem of the alfalfa plant, a legume grown as forage.
Organic Amaranth
The seed of the amaranth plant, grown organically. A gluten-free pseudocereal.
Organic Apple
Apple grown to organic certification standards.
Organic Bananas
The fruit of the banana plant.
Organic Barley
The grain of the barley plant, one of the older cultivated cereals.
Organic Beef
The clean flesh of cattle, used fresh. Like all fresh meats it is mostly water before cooking.
Organic Beef Broth
The liquid produced by simmering beef, used to add moisture and flavor.
Organic Beef Kidney
The kidney of cattle, an organ meat used in recipes built around whole-animal nutrition.
Organic Beef Liver
The liver of cattle, an organ meat.
Organic Beets
Beets grown to organic certification standards, used as a vegetable ingredient. Distinct from beet pulp, which is the…
Organic Blueberries
The berry of the blueberry bush, used fresh or dried.
Organic Broccoli
The flower head and stalk of the broccoli plant, used in small quantities.
Organic Brown Rice
Rice with only the inedible outer hull removed, so the bran and germ stay on the grain.
Organic Canola Oil
Oil pressed from the seed of the canola plant, a variety of rapeseed bred for low erucic acid.
Organic Carrots
The root of the carrot plant, used fresh, cooked or dried.
Organic Cassava Root Flour
Flour milled from the cassava root, used as a grain-free carbohydrate and binder.
Organic Celery Juice Concentrate
Concentrated juice from organically grown celery, which is naturally high in nitrates and used as a curing agent.
Organic Cheese
A dairy product made by curdling and pressing milk.
Organic Chia Seed
Organically grown chia seed.
Organic Chicken
The clean flesh of the chicken, with or without skin, used fresh. Roughly 70% of its weight is…
Organic Chicken Broth
The liquid produced by simmering chicken, used to add moisture and flavor.
Organic Chicken Liver
The liver of the chicken, an organ meat.
Organic Chicken Meal
Chicken that has been cooked, dried and ground into a concentrated meal, with most of the water and…
Organic Chickpeas
The seed of the chickpea plant, also sold as the garbanzo bean.
Organic Coconut
The flesh of the coconut, used fresh, dried or shredded.
Organic Cranberries
The whole fruit of the cranberry, included fresh or dried.
Organic Dehydrated Chicken
Chicken with its moisture removed by drying, leaving a concentrated poultry ingredient.
Organic Dried Ground Peas
Organically grown peas, dried and ground.