Puppy Chow Tender & Crunchy Beef & Rice Puppy Dry Dog Food 15 lbs

Name: Puppy Chow Tender & Crunchy Beef & Rice Puppy Dry Dog Food 15 lbs
Brand: Purina Puppy Chow

by Purina Puppy Chow

Overall Score: 92/100

Ingredients

Beef (protein)
Glycerin (other)
Egg And Chicken Flavor (protein)
Poultry And Pork Digest (protein)
Fish Oil (protein)
Salt (mineral)
Mono And Dicalcium Phosphate (other)
Potassium Chloride (mineral)
Calcium Carbonate (mineral)
Soybean Oil (fat)
Choline Chloride (vitamin)
Minerals [Zinc Sulfate (other)
Ferrous Sulfate (mineral)
Manganese Sulfate (other)
Copper Sulfate (other)
Calcium Iodate (mineral)
Sodium Selenite] (other)
Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement (other)
Niacin (Vitamin B-3) (other)
Vitamin A Supplement (vitamin)
Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5) (other)
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6) (other)
Vitamin B-12 Supplement (other)
Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1) (other)
Vitamin D-3 Supplement (other)
Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2) (other)
Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K) (other)
Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9) (other)
Biotin (Vitamin B-7)] (other)
L-lysine Monohydrochloride (other)
L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (Vitamin C) (other)
Dl Methionine (other)
Red 40 (additive)
Yellow 5 (additive)
Blue 2 (additive)
Garlic Oil (other)

Ingredient concerns

Red 40 (high concern): Provides no nutritional benefit whatsoever and is added solely for the visual appeal to human buyers, as dogs and cats have limited color vision. Multiple studies have raised concerns about behavioral effects in children, leading the EU to require warning labels on foods containing Red 40. Some animal studies have suggested potential genotoxicity, though results are debated. The FDA maintains it is safe at approved levels, but many veterinary nutritionists recommend avoiding artificial colors entirely.
Yellow 5 (high concern): Like Red 40, Yellow 5 provides no nutritional value and is added only for appearance. It has been associated with hypersensitivity reactions and behavioral effects in children in multiple studies. Banned or restricted in several countries. The EU requires warning labels on products containing tartrazine. No legitimate reason for its inclusion in pet food.
Blue 2 (high concern): Another artificial color with zero nutritional value. Some studies have found associations with brain tumors in male rats at high doses, though these findings are not universally accepted. Like other artificial colors, it exists in pet food solely for marketing purposes and offers no benefit to the animal.

Guaranteed analysis (dry-matter basis)

On a dry-matter basis (water removed for a fair wet-vs-dry comparison): protein 32%, fat 14%, fiber 4.7%, ash 7.5%, carbohydrate 41.9%. By calories: 29.7% from protein, 31.5% from fat, 38.8% from carbohydrate.

AAFCO compliance

This food meets the AAFCO growth dog nutrient minimums we can verify — protein 32% vs 22.5% minimum, fat 14% vs 8.5% minimum.

Dry food, with grains, for the puppy life stage.

Cost to feed

About $0.57 per day to feed (budget price tier); $0.71 per 1,000 kcal (calorie estimate).