Despite having the name Beef Meal or Chicken Meal, the majority of “meat meals” only contain a small amount of beef or chicken meat.
It’s another frustrating challenge for pet owners. The pet food label says Beef Meal or Chicken Meal. That implies that it contains beef or chicken, right? Not quite. There may be portions of a cow and a chicken in beef meal or chicken meal, but those portions aren’t always the same as those found in human food. Not even close.
And the issue is made worse by the fact that pet food producers are not required to disclose all the ingredients in their “meat” meals to pet owners.
Nutritious Ingredient or Anonymous Waste?
Of course, not all meat meals are created equal. Some are extremely high quality, while others are abhorrent.
Everything comes down to the ingredients in the stew, the raw materials And one critically important principle….
Meat from sources that can be clearly identified usually results in better meals. Low-quality foods are made from unidentified ingredients like spoiled supermarket meats, cattle that are ill or dying, or dead zoo animals.
You might be interested in reading “The Shocking Truth About Commercial Dog Food” for a more thorough look at the industry’s dark side.
How to Recognize Lower Quality Meat Meals
Due to the fact that many manufacturers don’t adequately disclose the true nature of the ingredients they use, following two key guidelines can help you avoid selecting subpar products.
Avoid dog foods containing any meat meal that:
- Includes the words “by-products” in its name
- Fails to identify the specific source animal
Here are some examples of inferior meat-based protein ingredients. Notice the generic nature of the phrases:
- Meat meal
- Animal meal
- Chicken by-product meal
- Meat and bone meal
When you see ingredients like these in any recipe, it’s a red flag that the dog food you’re considering is probably of lower quality.
Meal Prep For The Week In Under An Hour | Beef Stir Fry Recipe
FAQ
What does beef meal consist of?
Meat meal, in contrast to fresh alternatives, is made from animal parts that aren’t permitted to be sold for human consumption, such as leftover meat, offal, connective tissues, and occasionally bones. These ingredients are essentially dehydrated to a dry, brown powder by being cooked at very high temperatures.
What does it mean when it says beef meal on dog food?
Definition of Beef Meal Meal can come from any mammalian species (or from a combination of mammalian species) if a product is listed as containing “meat meal.” However, if a product’s label states “beef meal,” only cattle are used to produce the meal.
Is beef meal the same as beef?
Not quite. There may be portions of a cow and a chicken in beef meal or chicken meal, but those portions aren’t always the same as those found in human food. Not even close.
What is the difference between beef meal and beef in dog food?
Before they are cooked, ingredients are listed on pet food packaging in order of weight predominance. Meat meal is highly concentrated meat that is dehydrated, containing 5% moisture and 70% protein Meat is wet, containing 70% water and only 12% protein.