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Lotus Oven-Baked Small Bites Grain-Free Sardine & Herring Recipe Dry Dog Food, 4-lb bag
Lotus

Oven-Baked Small Bites Grain-Free Sardine & Herring Recipe Dry Dog Food, 4-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $8.25/lb

Lotus Oven-Baked Small Bites Grain-Free Sardine & Herring Recipe Dry Dog Food, 4-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. sardine 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
14%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

46 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    sardine
  2. 2
    herring

    Whole fish, naturally high in omega-3s and very digestible protein. Common in premium formulas.

  3. 3
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

  4. 4
    dried 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 →

  5. 5
    dried egg product

    Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

  6. 6
    pea protein concentrate
  7. 7
    pea fiber

    Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.

  8. 8
    cassava flour
  9. 9
    catfish oil
  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
    dicalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.

  12. 12
    brewers dried yeast

    Yeast left over from brewing. Rich in B vitamins and amino acids. A traditional and well-tolerated inclusion.

  13. 13
    calcium carbonate

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

  14. 14
    choline chloride

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

  15. 15
    salmon oil

    Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.

  16. 16
    olive oil
  17. 17
    carrots

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

  18. 18
    apples

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

  19. 19
    salt

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

  20. 20
    calcium propionate
  21. 21
    monosodium phosphate

    Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.

  22. 22
    garlic
  23. 23
    dried kelp

    Natural source of iodine and trace minerals. A common premium-brand inclusion.

  24. 24
    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

  25. 25
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

Showing first 25 of 46. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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