Which Alpo Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?
Alpo Dog Food receives the Advisor’s lowest rating of 1 star.
The Alpo product line includes the 2 dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Alpo Prime Cuts Savory Beef Flavor | 1 | M |
| Alpo Come and Get It Cookout Classics | 1 | M |
Alpo Come and Get It Cookout Classics was selected to represent both products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient ContentProtein =
Ingredients: Ground yellow corn, corn germ meal, beef and bone meal, soybean meal, beef fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols, pork and bone meal, egg and chicken flavor, natural flavor, corn gluten meal, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride, minerals [zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium iodate], sodium selenite, natural grill flavor, vitamins [vitamin E supplement, niacin (vitamin B-3), vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B-6), vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B-1), vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B-2), menadione sodium bisulfite complex (vitamin K), folic acid (vitamin B-9), biotin (vitamin B-7), ], dl-methionine, l-lysine monohydrochloride, l-tryptophan, red 40, yellow 5, calcium carbonate, blue 2, yellow 6, garlic oil
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 18% | 9% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 21% | 10% | 62% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 19% | 22% | 58% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is corn. Corn is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain. And aside from its energy content, this grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The second ingredient is corn germ meal, a meal made from ground corn germ after much of the oil has been removed. Corn germ meal is a protein-rich by-product left over after milling corn meal, hominy grits and other corn products.
However, the protein found in corn germ meal (about 25% dry matter basis) must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The third ingredient is beef and bone meal, a dry rendered product from (beef) tissues, including bone, exclusive of blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents”.
Beef and bone meal may have a lower biological value than most other meat meals.
Scientists believe this decreased protein quality may be due to the ingredient’s higher ash and lower essential amino acid content.
On the brighter side, beef and bone meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh meat.
In any case, beef and bone meal is not considered a better quality dog food ingredient.
The next ingredient is soybean meal, a by-product of soybean oil production more commonly found in farm animal feeds.
Although soybean meal contains 48% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that can’t be ignored when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient is beef fat. Beef fat (or tallow) is most likely obtained from rendering, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Although it may not sound very appetizing, beef fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The sixth ingredient is pork and bone meal, a dry “rendered product from (pork) tissues, including bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents”.
Pork and bone meal may have a lower digestibility than most other meat meals.
Scientists believe this decreased protein quality may be due to the ingredient’s higher ash (about 25-30%) and lower essential amino acid content.
On the brighter side, pork and bone meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh pork.
After the egg and chicken flavor and natural flavor, we find corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate washed out of it.
Although corn gluten meal contains 60% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat and can notably boost the total protein reported on the label.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Alpo product.
With 6 notable exceptions…
First, we’re always disappointed to find artificial coloring in any pet food. That’s because coloring is used to make the product more appealing to humans — not your dog. After all, do you really think your dog cares what color his food is?
Next, garlic can be a controversial item. Although many favor the ingredient for its claimed health benefits, garlic has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.
So, one must weigh the potential benefits of feeding garlic against its proven tendency to cause subclinical damage to the red blood cells of the animal.
In addition, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing to help with digestion.
Next, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.
Additionally, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
And lastly, this dog food includes menadione, a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
Since vitamin K isn’t required by AAFCO in either of its dog food nutrient profiles, we question the use of this substance in any canine formulation.
Based on its ingredients alone, Alpo Dog Food looks like a below-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 21%, a fat level of 10% and estimated carbohydrates of about 62%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 21% and a mean fat level of 10%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 62% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 47%.
Which means this Alpo product line contains…
Below-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn germ, corn gluten and soybean meals, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing just a limited amount of meat.
Review of Alpo Prime Cuts Canned Dog Food
Rating:
Alpo Prime Cuts canned dog food receives the Advisor’s second-lowest tier rating of 2 stars.
The Alpo Prime Cuts product line includes the 5 canned dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Purina Alpo Prime Cuts with Lamb and Rice | 2 | M |
| Purina Alpo Prime Cuts with Beef | 2 | M |
| Purina Alpo Prime Cuts Stew with Beef and Vegetables | 2 | M |
| Purina Alpo Prime Cuts with Turkey | 2 | M |
| Purina Alpo Prime Cuts with Chicken | 2 | M |
Purina Alpo Prime Cuts Stew with Beef and Vegetables was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient ContentProtein =
Ingredients: Water sufficient for processing, meat by-products, chicken, wheat gluten, beef, soy flour, corn starch-modified, carrots, potatoes, added color, peas, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, minerals [potassium chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite], vitamins [vitamin E supplement, niacin (vitamin B-3), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B-1), calcium pantothenate (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B-6), vitamin B-12 supplement, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B-2), vitamin A supplement, folic acid (vitamin B-9), vitamin D-3 supplement, biotin (vitamin B-7), ]
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 8.3%
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 8% | 3% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 44% | 14% | 34% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 40% | 30% | 30% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The second ingredient includes meat by-products, an item made from slaughterhouse waste. This is what’s left of slaughtered animals after all the prime striated muscle cuts have been removed.
With the exception of hair, horns, teeth and hooves, this item can include almost any other part of the animal.
What’s worse, this particular item is anonymous. So, the meat itself can come from any combination of cattle, pigs, sheep or goats — which can make identifying specific food allergies impossible.
Although most meat by-products can be nutritious, we do not consider such vaguely described (generic) ingredients to be as high in quality as those derived from a named animal source.
The third ingredient is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The fourth ingredient is wheat gluten. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once wheat has had most of its starchy carbohydrate washed out of it.
Although wheat gluten contains 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.
Beef is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The sixth ingredient is soy flour, a high-protein by-product of soybean processing.
Although soy flour contains about 51% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The seventh ingredient is corn starch, a starchy powder extracted from the endosperm found at the heart of a kernel of corn. Corn starch is most likely used here to thicken the broth into a gravy.
Corn starch isn’t a true red flag item. Yet we’ve highlighted here for those wishing to avoid corn-based ingredients.
The eighth ingredient lists carrots, which are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The ninth ingredient is potato. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Purina product.
With 3 notable exceptions…
First, we find peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
Next, we’re always disappointed to find artificial coloring in any pet food. That’s because coloring is used to make the product more appealing to humans — not your dog. After all, do you really think your dog cares what color his food is?
And lastly, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.
Based on its ingredients alone, Alpo Prime Cuts Dog Food looks like a below-average canned product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 44%, a fat level of 14% and estimated carbohydrates of about 34%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 44% and a mean fat level of 14%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 34% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 31%.
Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the wheat gluten and soy flour, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a moderate amount of meat.
Our Rating of Alpo Prime Cuts Canned Dog Food
Alpo Prime Cuts is a grain-inclusive canned dog food using a moderate amount of named meats and unnamed meat by-products as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 2 stars.
FAQ
What dog foods should I avoid?
Alpo is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a limited amount of named meat and bone meal as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 1 star. Not recommended.
Is Alpo Prime Cuts dry dog food good?
- BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) First on our list is butylated hydroxyanisole, also known as BHA. …
- White Flour. …
- Meat Meal. …
- Artificial Food Coloring. …
- Corn Syrup. …
- Rendered Fat. …
- Vegetable Oil. …
- Farmed Salmon.