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Review of Nutrisca Grain Free Canned Dog Food
Nutrisca Grain Free canned dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.
The Nutrisca Grain Free product line includes the 4 canned dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrisca Grain Free Duck and Chickpea Stew | 4.5 | U |
| Nutrisca Grain Free Lamb and Chickpea Stew | 4.5 | U |
| Nutrisca Grain Free Turkey and Chickpea Stew | 4.5 | U |
| Nutrisca Grain Free Chicken and Chickpea Stew | 4.5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Nutrisca Grain Free Turkey and Chickpea Stew was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Nutrisca Grain Free Turkey and Chickpea Stew
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Turkey, chicken broth, water sufficient for processing, chicken liver, carrots, peas, dried egg product, dried ground peas, salmon (source of omega 3 fatty acids), dried chickpeas, dried egg whites, guar gum, natural flavor, tricalcium phosphate, spinach, menhaden fish oil ((source of docosahexaenoic acid), (preserved with mixed tocopherols)), salt, sodium tripolyphosphate, potassium chloride, minerals (zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, cobalt amino acid chelate, potassium iodide), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried tomatoes, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 8% | 4% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 44% | 22% | 25% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 36% | 44% | 21% |
Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.1
Turkey is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common addition component in many canned products.
The third ingredient includes water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The next ingredient is chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial inclusion..
The fifth ingredient lists carrots, which are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
Next, we find peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, something that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The seventh ingredient is dried egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries — from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The eighth ingredient includes ground peas. However, ground peas contain about 27% protein.
The ninth ingredient is salmon. Salmon is an oily marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Nutrisca product.
With 5 notable exceptions…
First, we find dried chickpeas in this recipe. Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) are a good source of carbohydrates. Plus they’re naturally rich in dietary fiber and contain about 27% protein, which will affect the final rating of this dog food.
Next, we note the use of menhaden fish oil. Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. Their oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids, two high quality fats boasting the highest bio-availability to both dogs and humans.
What’s more, in their mid-depth habitat, menhaden are not exposed to mercury contamination as is typical with deeper water species.
In addition, we note dried egg whites to be a commendable inclusion. Eggs are highly digestible and an excellent source of usable protein.
Next, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
And lastly, this food includes chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Nutrisca Grain Free canned dog food looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 44%, a fat level of 22% and estimated carbohydrates of about 25%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 44% and a mean fat level of 22%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 25% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 50%.
Which means this Nutrisca product line contains…
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to other canned dog foods.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the pea products and chickpeas, this looks like the profile of a canned product containing a notable amount of meat.
Our Rating of Nutrisca Grain Free Canned Dog Food
Nutrisca Grain Free is a canned dog food using a notable amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus receiving 4.5 stars.
Highly recommended.
Has Nutrisca Dog Food Been Recalled?
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 related to Dogwell.
- Dangerous Levels of Vitamin D Discovered in Several Dog Food Brands (12/7/2018)
- Nutrisca Dog Food Recall | November 2018 (11/4/2018)
- Nutrisca Dog Food Recall (2/11/2015)
- Dogswell Recalls Dog and Cat Jerky Treats (7/27/2013)
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
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