Is it really fresh meat as the first ingredient?
Manufacturers that do not invest in state-of-the-art refrigeration to efficiently store and process fresh/frozen meat can still make claims like "Real meat is our first ingredient" and "1st ingredient: fresh meat" but they must rely on a process called Protein Slurry.
Slurry is an amalgamation of meat sources in a semi-liquid or dry state that does not require refrigeration. At the start, it can consist of as much as 65% water. Since ingredients are listed in descending order by their weight - including the water weight - it allows companies to put "meat" or "poultry" as the first ingredient. In other words, if this ingredient were listed by its' ending dry weight, it would be listed much further down in the ingredients list.
The easiest sign, that a manufacturer is using fresh/frozen meat, would be a reflection in their retail price per lb. We estimate the costs are at least $3 per lb and more. If you are paying any less for food with similar claims, we strongly suggest you inquire with the manufacturer specifically about how they process "fresh meat".
We agree whole meat is a great option. Or it is? especially if it is followed by a litany of legumes? We make food for big dogs. We know big dogs come in big packs so some of us don't have the luxury of paying $3-4 per lb for our dog's food. This is why we choose Meal over our current alternatives.
Meat meal is simply fresh meat that has been cooked or dried to remove moisture leaving you with highly concentrated protein. Fresh meat generally contains 70% to 80% water by volume, making meat meal a much more highly concentrated source of protein.
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