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Sniff
Big Red High Protein Dog Food, 50-lb bag
Big Red

High Protein Dog Food, 50-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $0.70/lb

Big Red High Protein Dog Food, 50-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 16/100 (F) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Score capped at 49 due to bha.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.

CQI

Score capped at 49 due to bha.

CAP why?

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

Score capped at 54 due to primary protein is unnamed.

CAP why?

Controversial ingredients · 2

  • bha
    Synthetic preservative classified by the U.S. National Toxicology Program as 'reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.' Many premium brands have removed it.
  • sodium selenite
    Synthetic selenium source. Selenium is essential, but sodium selenite has a narrower safety margin than organic alternatives like selenium yeast. Better-formulated foods use the organic form.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 30% ⓘ
Protein
27%
min (as fed)
Fat
15%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

29 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    meat and bone meal

    Unnamed animal protein with bone included. Cheap, vague, and not traceable to a specific species.

  2. 2
    ground corn

    Cracked whole corn. Fine in moderation, but its presence in the top few ingredients usually signals a lower-cost recipe.

  3. 3
    wheat middlings
  4. 4
    cornprotein meal
  5. 5
    animal fat

    Unnamed fat source. The species matters: 'chicken fat' or 'beef fat' is fine, but 'animal fat' tells you nothing about origin.

  6. 5
    bha Flagged

    Synthetic preservative. Listed as a possible human carcinogen by the IARC. Banned from human food in Japan and parts of the EU, still permitted in US pet food.

  7. 6
    natural flavors

    Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.

  8. 7
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  9. 8
    fish oil

    Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.

  10. 9
    vitamine supplement
  11. 10
    niacin supplement

    B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.

  12. 11
    d-calcium pantothenate

    B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  13. 12
    riboflavin supplement

    B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.

  14. 13
    vitamin a supplement

    Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.

  15. 14
    vitamin d3supplement
  16. 15
    vitamin b12 supplement

    Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.

  17. 16
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

    B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.

  18. 17
    biotin

    B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  19. 18
    thiamine mononitrate

    B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.

  20. 19
    folic acid

    B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.

  21. 20
    manganesesulfate
  22. 21
    zinc sulfate

    Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.

  23. 22
    ferrous sulfate

    Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.

  24. 23
    copper sulfate

    Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.

  25. 24
    ethylenediamine dihydroiodide

Showing first 25 of 29. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

19 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.