First Impressions are Always Deceiving
A noble wolf on the packaging. Rich green tones, rustic fonts, a practical zipper. And prominently on the front: 80% Fresh Meat!
Sounds like premium. Sounds like nature. Sounds like the best for your dog. But often, it's not.
The pet food industry knows: purchasing decisions are made emotionally – especially when it comes to pet food. Those who love their pets want the best. And it should look the part. This is exactly where marketing comes in – not focusing on quality, but on appearance.
The Ingredient List – The Only Thing That Matters
First, the good news: Manufacturers are not allowed to falsify the ingredient list. By law, every ingredient must be fully and correctly declared – in descending order by weight. ¹
The bad news: The industry relies on you not reading it – or not understanding it.
Because while the front of the packaging is pure marketing, the back with the ingredient list is the only truth on the package.
Our advice: Turn the package around. Always. Before you buy.
The Fresh Meat Trick – Scientifically Explained
70% or 80% fresh meat in dry food sounds like a lot – but it's not. Fresh meat consists of 70-75% water. After the drying process, only about 17-20% actual meat content remains.
The ingredient list is declared before processing – not after. This is regulated by EU law. ¹
This means: A manufacturer can include 70% fresh meat in the recipe, then add massive amounts of starch and fillers – and still legally write 70% fresh meat on the packaging.
The Calculation Example:
- 70% fresh meat after drying: approx. 17% actual meat content
- 30% meat meal after drying: approx. 28% actual meat content
A food with good quality meat meal ultimately contains MORE actual protein than one with 70% fresh meat!
Independent inspection authorities such as the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office (CVUA) regularly check pet food for declaration conformity and repeatedly find significant discrepancies between packaging promises and actual content. ²
Poultry Protein Instead of Poultry Meat Meal – A Huge Difference
| Description | What's really inside | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken meat meal | Pure, dried muscle meat | Very good |
| Salmon meat meal | Pure, dried fish muscle meat | Very good |
| Poultry protein | May contain feathers, beaks, claws | Poor |
| Lamb protein / Duck protein | Not clearly defined | Poor |
| Animal protein | Completely unclear | Very poor |
| Meat and animal by-products | Slaughterhouse waste, varying composition | Very poor |
The simple rule: If meat meal with a clear animal type is on the ingredient list – good. If only protein is listed – be cautious!
Cellulose – In Over 90% of All Foods, Hardly Anyone Knows It
Look at the ingredient list of your current food. Do you find any of these words?
- Cellulose / Lignocellulose
- Vegetable fiber
- Vegetable by-products
Cellulose, Lignocellulose, and vegetable by-products are industrial plant fibers. In industry, cellulose is often obtained from wood and paper waste. Critics and independent feed experts point out that residues from processing – such as glue or paint remnants – cannot be completely excluded. ³
For dogs, the result is in any case completely indigestible and has zero nutritional value – it merely fills the stomach and increases the weight of the food.
For the body, this means constant stress: Digestion works overtime against indigestible substances – energy that is then lacking for healthy fur, a strong immune system, and vital joints.
Potato Starch – Grain-Free Does Not Mean Good
Potato starch often appears in foods that advertise as grain-free – technically correct, but still not a high-quality ingredient:
- Industrially extracted and highly processed
- High glycemic index – blood sugar rises quickly, then drops sharply
- Particularly problematic for older dogs, overweight dogs, or dogs with joint problems
- Mainly serves as a cheap binder – no nutritional value ⁴
The 60-Second Checklist for Good Food
What should be included:
- Meat meal with clear animal type listed first
- Short, understandable ingredient list
- No cellulose, no vegetable by-products
- No artificial preservatives (BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquin)
- Clear percentage declarations
These are red flags:
- Fresh meat high up, followed by many fillers
- Protein instead of meat meal – unclear, often inferior quality
- Cellulose or lignocellulose – filler with no nutritional value
- Potato starch high up – cheap binder
- Meat and animal by-products – no clear declaration
Turn the packaging around. Noble colors and beautiful design say nothing about quality. Nothing.
Conclusion
Expensive does not mean good. Beautiful does not mean healthy. Fresh meat does not mean a lot of meat.
The good news: It's easy to tell the difference – if you know what to look for. And that's exactly what we're here for.
Free personal consultation – we'll take the time for you!
WhatsApp or Phone: 015758289921
Or visit us directly: Frohnradstraße 22, 63768 Hösbach
Kallisbest – For the love of animals. Only the best.
Sources
¹ EU Regulation (EC) No. 767/2009 – Rules for the labeling of pet food. Search term: EU Regulation 767/2009 Pet Food
² Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office (CVUA) – Annual reports on pet food analysis. Search term: CVUA Pet Food Annual Report
³ Independent pet food experts and critics of the pet food industry. Search term: Cellulose Production Wood Waste Paper Animal Feed Pet Food
⁴ University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover – Publications on carbohydrate utilization in dogs. Search term: Potato Starch Glycemic Index Dog