Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food Review (Canned)

Rachael Ray Nutrish canned product range is made up of nine recipes with ratings varying from 3.5 to 4.5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4 stars.

This wet dog food does not contain poultry by-products, artificial flavors, or preservatives. It does include options for dogs with digestive issues, those looking for grain-free diets, alongside a weight management formula.

The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Rachael Ray Nutrish Real Turkey, Brown Rice, Peas & Carrots Recipe Chunks in Gravy was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is turkey broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to dog food, they are a common component in many wet products. 

The second and third ingredients are turkey and chicken. Both meats are considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey or chicken”.¹

They are naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The fourth ingredient is liver. Normally, liver can be considered a quality component. However, in this case, the source of the liver is not identified. For this reason, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.

The fifth ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.

The sixth ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The seventh ingredient is peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The eighth ingredient is soy protein concentrate, what remains of soybeans after removing the water soluble carbohydrates from the beans.

Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat. And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The ninth ingredient is carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.

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 the product.

However, this recipe does have six notable exceptions.

First,  carrageenan, a gelatin-like thickening agent extracted from seaweed. Although carrageenan has been used as a food additive for hundreds of years, there appears to be some recent controversy regarding its long term biological safety. 

The article, The Carrageenan Controversy, published in Scientific American, does a good job of addressing this topic.

Next, 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.

We also note, grain distillers dried yeast, also known as GDDY.

GDDY is an ingredient obtained from the fermentation of cereal grains separated from distilling mash as a by-product of the ethanol (biofuel) industry.

This low-quality item is typically found in cattle feed and is only rarely used to make pet food.

Although it contains more than 40% protein, GDDY would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

What’s more, less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label – a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

Next, canola oil. Unfortunately, canola can be a controversial item. That’s because it can sometimes (but not always) be derived from genetically modified rapeseed.

Yet others cite the fact that canola oil can be a significant source of  omega-3 fatty acids.

In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.

In addition, menhaden 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 as likely to be exposed to mercury contamination as is typical with deep water species.

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, Rachael Ray Nutrish Real Turkey, Brown Rice, Peas & Carrots Recipe Chunks in Gravy looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 39.6%, a fat level of 25% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 22.9%.

As a group, the brand features a protein content of 37.5% and a mean fat level of 25%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 24.7% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 66%.

This means this Rachael Ray Nutrish canned product line contains near-average protein, below-average carbohydrate and above-average fat when compared to typical wet dog food.

Rachael Ray Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Rachael Ray through March 2025.

No recalls noted.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food

Rachael Ray is a quality brand designed to support your dog’s health and well-being at an affordable price.

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About

Rachael Ray Nutrish was purchased from Ainsworth Pet Nutrition in 2018 by Big Heart Pet Brands… a division of The J. M. Smucker Company of Orville, Ohio.

All dry foods are produced in the United States. Wet recipes are made in Thailand.

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