From percentages to “raw” entries: a quick guide to deciphering the composition and analytical components of pet food.
When reading the food label for our animals, the first information to check is the specification on the type of food: complete, complementary or snack. We then make sure that the product is suitable for the age of our pet.
The composition of the ingredients
At that point, we will find the list of ingredients under “composition”: they will be indicated based on the weight or percentage contained (“beef-based” means that it constitutes at least 10% of the total, “with beef” instead is 3%).
For cans of wet foods, it should be considered that that quantity also includes liquids, whereas in kibbles, on the contrary, only the dry substance is present.
The analytical components
Finally, the “analytical statement” lists nutrients under the term “crude” instead. This is an approximation: the term “raw ash” does not distinguish, for example, between the various mineral salts.
