Meat By-Products in Pet Food

Grade D-4 ptsProteins

What It Is

"Non-rendered clean parts of slaughtered mammals, other than meat. Includes lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomachs."

Health Impact

Sounds clinical. Here's what it means in practice: intestines, udders, esophagus, and whatever else didn't make the human food cut. The source animal is unspecified — it could be cattle, pigs, horses, or unknown. The word "clean" in the AAFCO definition is not regulated the way you'd hope.

Why This Grade

A meaningful red flag: an unnamed source, heavy processing into a by-product or digest form, or documented regulatory scrutiny in at least one country. -4 pts deducted.

Sources & Further Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Meat By-Products safe for dogs and cats?

Rated D (-4 pts) by PetPro-tectors™. Sounds clinical. Here's what it means in practice: intestines, udders, esophagus, and whatever else didn't make the human food cut. The source animal is unspecified — it could be cattle, pigs, horses, or unknown. The word "clean" in the AAFCO definition is not regulated the way you'd hope.

What is Meat By-Products in pet food?

Non-rendered clean parts of slaughtered mammals, other than meat. Includes lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomachs.

Related Proteins Ingredients

SalmonSardineAnchovyMackerel
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Sources: FDA, AAFCO Official Publication, National Toxicology Program,
WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines, Journal of Animal Science.

PetPro-tection League™