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How We Score

Our nutritionists at Pet Food Expert take information from product packaging and supplier websites. If unable to get a clear answer we write to suppliers to provide you with a scientific and unbiased assessment of a food’s quality.

1. Ingredient Score

The 'Ingredient Score' percentage shown is based on the nutritional qualities of each ingredient used. These ingredients can be accurately scored for both digestibility and the health benefits for the animal. With most food types, we believe that the less processed and more 'natural' an ingredient, the better it is for the animal, and therefore a higher score is awarded.

2. Allergen Level

"Low Allergen" describes foods that contain no high allergen ingredients or one which is of high quality and considered skewed by population exposed to it.

"Normal Allergen" describes foods that only contain a few of the known allergen-causing ingredients.

"High Allergen" describes foods that contain more than 3 of the known allergen causing ingredients.

3. Company Information

Pet owners should be aware of the environmental and ethical practises of the pet food brands they are using or looking to use.

Company information gives consumers more information about the brand behind their food. All information is taken from the company’s website and social media channels. If anything is unclear companies are contacted for clarity.

Ingredient Score Hypoallergenic Score Hypoallergenic Score
96%Ingredient Score
Meat Quality Score 10/10
Meat Quantity Score 8/10
Carbohydrate Quality Score 10/10
Fat Quality Score 10/10
Fibre Quality Score 4/5
Oil Quality Score 5/5
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Pet Food, Chicken

Pet Food, Chicken

Life Stage / Breed Size
Low Allergen
Dried
Wheat Free
Grain Free
Hypoallergenic Principles
Use Only Natural Preservatives
Company Information
View Product

Ingredients Used to score

If there are several ingredients found in the foods which contribute to a score; then the ingredient which comes first in the composition will be the one used. This is because it will be the largest quantity item, and therefore have the most effect.

What we look for when scoring

When scoring protein sources, digestibility, along with the transparency of the proteins source, will deliver a higher score.

However, when there are several factors to look at, they are all weighed up when making the decision. For example, with carbohydrates both the digestibility and their Glycaemic Index (GI) are compared. This allows a fairer comparison.

Ingredient Score

The Ingredient Scoring is broken down into 5 parts (as shown in the images below) and eachingredient is weighted to reflect its importance in the diet. For example, meat contributes 40%of the overall score due to its nutritional importance. Oil on the other hand only contributesa maximum of 10%.

Scoring For:

Protein Quality &
Quantity

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Meat Quality
& Quantity

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Carbohydrate
Quality

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Fat
Quality

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Oil
Quality

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Fat/Oil
Quality

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Fibre
Quality

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Joint Care
Quality

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Product Checklist

The 'Product Checklist' details items that might not improve a foods nutritional value but is often important to consumers.

Wheat Free Y/N
Grain Free Y/N
Hypoallergenic Principles Y/N
Use Only Natural Preservatives Y/N
Joint Care Y/N
Cooking Process Extruded/Baked/Pressed Pellet…

Allergen Level

The term 'hypoallergenic' is often used on pet food bags but it isn't always clear what that term means. The definition of the word is ‘the lack of, or reduced number of, allergens likely to cause an immune response.’

There are no completely hypoallergenic foods on the commercial market as this would require the complete breakdown (normally hydrolysis) of all the ingredients. This would make the food extremely expensive and unhealthy (in the long term) for the animal's digestive system.

However, some foods try to contain the least number of known allergens possible.

Similarly, there are no set laws for pet food companies to follow when stating 'hypoallergenic’ or ‘based on hypoallergenic principles'. One brand’s version of hypoallergenic can be very different to another, making it harder for pet owners to find the perfect food.

Therefore, we assess the ingredients contained in the food and assign an appropriate hypoallergenic score. We will look deeper at the ingredients and even those brands that label themselves as ‘hypoallergenic’ will be given an appropriate rating based on whether those ingredients are likely to cause allergy.

Pork, Rabbit, Beef, Chicken, Fish, Lamb, Egg, Corn, Soy, Wheat, Dairy

This is a list of the most common allergens which is done by the population exposed to the allergen. This list is just a guideline and is constantly changing.

Some are on here purely because they are fed the most but must still be considered. We look at the quality and amount of the ingredients used when deciding the allergen level of foods.

Cooking Process

The way a food is cooked can affect how digestible and palatable it is. Some pets will benefit more from foods that are gently cooked.

Extrusion

Foods are steam-cooked at high temperatures and pressure. Typically, foods are cooked between 140-200°C. Occasionally they are cooked at 250°C, although with modern processing this happens less often.

This is the traditional way of cooking and processing pet food and enables food to be produced at a high standard and quickly. The higher temperatures are effective at killing off bacteria but can destroy some vitamin content.

Baking

Foods are cooked in an oven at lower pressures and temperatures, which can lead to less vitamin loss and higher digestibility. This way of cooking is more expensive than traditional processing methods.

Pressed Pellet foods more info

Cold Pressed foods are cooked at much lower temperatures to keep essential nutrients intact. They offer an alternative to standard kibble, which can benefit digestion. Cold Pressed food doesn’t swell in the stomach so suits pets with sensitive dispositions.

Beware: Cold Pressing can be misleading. Many brands use precooked ingredients (meat meals, vegetables) which are extruded and cooked at higher temperatures before being added to the foods.

Freeze Drying

This process involves freezing the ingredients and then using a machine to lower the pressure. This draws the moisture from the mix and causes the food to become dehydrated. This process means there is no cooking so all the nutrients remain intact and is as close to a raw diet as pre-packaged food can be.