Of course this concern may be nullified if the syrup is used in very small quantities. It's considered controversial because it can raise a dog's blood sugar to unhealthy levels. Corn syrup is made from corn starch and it's typically used as a thickener, sweetener, and humectant (keeps the product moist). Therefore, it's important to ensure that other meat sources are included within the first few ingredients to ensure the product derives most of its protein from meat. After cooking, the relative meat contribution of beef is dramatically reduced. Although beef is an excellent protein source, raw beef contains more than 60% moisture. It's important to note that plant based protein does not provide the same amino acid profile as meat based protein. However, wheat does provide plant-based protein and makes pet food more affordable for consumers. Ground wheat is regarded as an inexpensive and low-quality filler in pet food. Next we have water sufficient for processing, which is a fairly self-explanatory ingredient. Therefore, we'll continue discussing the remaining ingredients in this Kibbles 'n Bits recipe. However, collectively they still have a significant impact on the overall quality of the product. Wheat middlings are marked controversial because many experts and pet owners believe wheat middlings are low quality by-products which do not provide any notable nutritional benefits.īecause ingredients are listed in order of pre-cooked weight, the remaining ingredients in Kibbles 'n Bits Meaty Middles Prime Rib Flavor are not as important as the first five ingredients. Wheat middlings are defined by AAFCO as 'coarse wheat bran, fine particles of wheat bran, wheat shorts, wheat germ, wheat flour and the offal from the tail of the mill.' What's more, this ingredient is preserved with BHA, an artificial preservative and possible carcinogen according to the World Health Organization. The source animal is not specific and therefore we cannot be certain that the source does not include diseased animals or even euthanized dogs and cats. Animal fat is a by-product of tissue rendering. The fourth ingredient is animal fat (preserved with BHA). The rendering process dramatically reduces the natural moisture of beef and thereby results in a highly condensed protein, calcium and phosphorus source. Beef and bone meal is produced by cooking beef tissues and beef bone using a process called rendering. The third ingredient is beef and bone meal. This degradation is due to the inferior amino acid profile of plant based proteins. The inclusion of non-meat protein typically degrades the overall quality of protein in the recipe. Therefore, soybean can significantly boost the protein content of the product. Soybean meal contains more than 50% protein. Therefore the usage of corn as the primary ingredient in dog food should certainly warrant further questioning. There are many other ingredients which are more complete and biologically appropriate. Although corn does provide many vitamins and minerals, it not necessarily an exceptional ingredient in this regards. Therefore substituting corn for meat is an unsuitable substitution and actually degrades the overall protein quality of the product.įinally, we'll discuss the claims about vitamins and minerals in corn. In regards to the protein contribution, we must note that corn is a plant based protein which does not contain all of the necessary amino acids required by dogs to sustain life. In regards to digestibility, the claims of 'highly digestible' are only true if corn is processed into a meal or flour and subsequently cooked. Opponents however believe that positive claims in regards to corn are either half-truths or completely false, we'll discuss a few of the opposing arguments. Proponents of corn claim that corn is highly digestible and an excellent source of protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. It also happens to be one of the most controversial ingredients in dog food.

Corn is a cereal grain which provides a modest amount of vitamins, minerals, and plant based protein. We'll begin this review of Kibbles 'n Bits Meaty Middles Prime Rib Flavor with a detailed discussion of the ingredients.

Kibbles 'n Bits Meaty Middles Prime Rib Flavor is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for the maintenance of adult dogs. In other words, this formula is AAFCO approved. This product is manufactured by Big Heart Pet Brands.Īccording to our data, this Kibbles 'n Bits recipe provides complete & balanced nutrition for the maintenance of adult dogs.

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