Meat meal in dog food: what it means on the label

“Meat meal” is a short name you may see on dog food bags. It does not say what kind of meat. Here is what the name means, and what the rules allow.

What is meat meal in dog food?

Meat meal is meat from mammals that has been cooked down, dried and ground. The cooking takes out most of the water and fat. What is left is mostly protein and minerals. The word “meat” tells you it came from mammals. It does not tell you which ones.

The rules for this name come from AAFCO, a group of US feed officials that writes pet food ingredient names. AAFCO calls meat meal a “rendered product from mammal tissues.” Rendered means cooked with heat and pressure. This takes out most of the water and fat, and kills germs before the meal is shipped. The word “meal” means it was also ground into small bits that are all the same size.

Some things can’t be added. The rule leaves out added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide, manure and stomach contents. Tiny bits that can’t be helped with good processing are allowed.

What is the difference between meat meal and lamb meal?

The difference is the name. Lamb meal must come from lamb. Beef meal must come from cattle. Plain “meat meal” can come from any mammal, and the label does not have to say which one. So a named meal tells you more about where the protein came from.

AAFCO says that if a meal is named for a kind of animal, it must match that name. It gives “beef meal” as an example of a meal made only from cattle.

Here is a twist. Plain “meat” on a label can only come from cattle, pigs, sheep or goats. Meat meal does not have that limit, and it can come from other mammals with no name given. So “meat” and “meat meal” do not follow the same rule.

Chicken is a bird, not a mammal. So chicken meal is not part of meat meal. It has its own rule. To learn more, see is chicken meal bad for dogs?

What is the difference between meat and meat meal?

Meat on a label is raw muscle, with its water still in. Meat meal has been cooked, dried and ground. Raw meat holds a lot of water, so it is heavy when it goes in. Meal is dry, so the same weight holds more protein. That changes where each one sits on the list.

AAFCO says meat is mostly muscle, and it does not include bone. The ingredient list must go from most to least by weight. So wet meat can land near the top just from its water. Meal is dry. It may sit lower, but it is mostly protein and minerals.

This is why the first word on the list does not tell the whole story. The guide to reading a dog food label walks through the rest of the bag.

What is meat and bone meal?

Meat and bone meal is a lot like meat meal. The big difference is that its rule says it includes bone. Bone adds minerals like calcium. Like meat meal, it is cooked, dried and ground, and it can come from any mammal. The same limits on what can’t be added apply.

AAFCO says meat and bone meal is made from mammal tissues “including bone.” It must be at least 4% phosphorus, a mineral found in bone. Its calcium can’t be more than 2.2 times its phosphorus. Meat meal has that same calcium limit.

Both rules also check the protein. A lab test shows how much of it is hard to break down. For both meals, no more than 9% of the protein can fail that test.

Is meat meal bad for dogs?

The rules allow it. Studies of meat and bone meal, a close cousin, found dogs use its protein. It is a real source of protein. The open question is quality. Meals made from animal parts can vary a lot in quality. So one word on the bag does not tell you how good the food is.

One study says meals made from animal parts vary a lot in protein, and in how well dogs use it. In that study, dogs ate foods made with 8 different meat and bone meals. Those meals were about 40 to 47 percent protein. On average, the dogs could digest, or break down and take in, 76 percent of that protein. The study also tested meals made from bird by-products, bird parts like necks and feet. Dogs took in 85 percent of the protein from those, on average. Two authors worked at a company, and a company gave the lab money and help, the paper says.

In a small 2022 study, six beagles ate dry food with meat and bone meal added. Up to 24% of the food was meat and bone meal. The authors found it did not lower how well the dogs took in protein, and it did not harm their poop.

A dog food is judged as a whole, not by one line. If your dog has a health problem, your vet is the best person to ask about protein.

What rules keep meat meal safe?

Meat meal is cooked to kill germs before it reaches the pet food plant. US law also bans some cattle parts from all animal food. This is to stop the spread of mad cow disease. Those rules apply to meat meal and meat and bone meal too.

The cooking step kills germs before the meal is shipped. A US rule bans some cattle parts from the food of all animals, to cut the risk of mad cow disease. That ban includes the brain and spinal cord of cattle 30 months and older.

How do you spot meat meal on a label?

Look at the ingredient list for the words “meat meal” or “meat and bone meal.” If you want to know which animal, look for a named meal instead, like “lamb meal” or “beef meal.” A named meal tells you the animal. A plain one does not.

Meat meal is not the only meal you may see. Some meals come from by-products, like organs. See by-products in dog food. Some come from plants, like corn gluten meal. For a full walk through the bag, see how to read a dog food label.

If you want to check what is in a food fast, you can scan the label with Altie.