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Evolve Deboned Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag
Evolve

Deboned Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $4.17/lb

Evolve Deboned Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 59/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. salmon delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

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

FQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..

CIP

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • 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: 28% ⓘ
Protein
25%
min (as fed)
Fat
15%
min (as fed)
Fiber
3%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

41 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    salmon

    Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.

  2. 2
    chicken meal

    Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken.

  3. 3
    tapioca starch

    Refined cassava starch, used as a binder. Easy to digest, low on nutrition.

  4. 4
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

  5. 5
    garbanzo beans

    Same as chickpeas. Part of the legume stack the FDA investigated. See why →

  6. 6
    turkey meal

    Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey.

  7. 7
    peas

    Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

  8. 8
    pea starch

    Refined starch from peas, mostly carbs after the protein is removed. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA examined.

  9. 9
    chicken fat

    Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid.

  10. 10
    ground flaxseed

    Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.

  11. 11
    beet pulp

    Soluble fiber from sugar-beet processing. Sometimes treated as a filler, but it's actually one of the better fiber sources in kibble.

  12. 12
    dried yeast

    Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.

  13. 13
    dried apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  14. 14
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  15. 15
    salt

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

  16. 16
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  17. 17
    menhaden fish oil

    Omega-3 from menhaden, a small oily fish. Same skin and coat support as salmon oil.

  18. 18
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  19. 19
    dried chicory root

    Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.

  20. 20
    yucca schidigera extract

    Plant extract added to reduce stool odor. Functional, not nutritional. Fine in trace amounts.

  21. 21
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  22. 22
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  23. 23
    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

  24. 24
    avocado
  25. 25
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

Showing first 25 of 41. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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