This bag of Pedigree pet food has a picture of a grilled steak on the label, nevertheless it comprises no steak ingredient. As a substitute the Pedigree pet food comprises the ingredient “meat and bone meal”.
If the Pedigree pet food contained the meat portrayed on the label, a one pound steak would price $3.31 per pound ($331.00 per 100 kilos Selection Chuck).
However…as an alternative of steak, this Pedigree pet food comprises “meat and bone meal.” Per USDA pricing of meat and bone meal, 1 pound of this ingredient prices Pedigree $0.12 ($250.00 per ton).
The precise ingredient within the pet meals (meat and bone meal) prices 2500% LESS than the ingredient portrayed on the label (steak).
We contacted Pedigree by way of their web site contact type on 2/4/26, asking if their pet meals contained roasted hen or grilled steak as label photos painting. Pedigree didn’t reply to our questions.
Under are another frequent pet meals ingredient costs based mostly on USDA information. These are bulk costs, and lots of are human edible grade (not feed grade).
With meat elements in pet meals, current rules permit elements to be labeled as the entire meat when truly the product comprises a lesser minimize. As instance “hen”…
Pet meals rules permit for the ingredient title ‘hen’ to be listed within the ingredient panel when the precise ingredient within the pet meals is “hen backs and necks stripped” costing solely $0.07 per pound. Rooster backs and necks stripped means that almost all of the meat has been eliminated.
Pet meals rules additionally permit for the ingredient title ‘hen’ to be listed within the ingredient panel when the precise ingredient within the pet meals is mechanically separated hen.
And, in both occasion – regulatory authorities take no motion in opposition to producers that painting grilled hen breasts on a pet meals label when the pet meals truly comprises hen backs and necks. Pet meals producers are allowed to mislead shoppers with photos that allude they’re utilizing a better high quality ingredient – equivalent to hen breast meat costing $1.19 per pound bulk USDA pricing, when the pet meals truly comprises hen backs and necks stripped costing $0.07 per pound.
Don’t hesitate to ask your pet meals producer what cuts of meats are utilized in your pet’s meals, and ask why they choose that exact minimize. As properly, ask if elements are human grade/human edible or are feed grade.
Susan ThixtonPet Meals Security AdvocateAuthor Purchaser Beware, Co-Creator Dinner PAWsibleTruthaboutPetFood.comAssociation for Fact in Pet Meals
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