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Pedigree with MarroBites Pieces Steak & Vegetable Flavor Adult Dry Dog Food, 14-lb bag
Pedigree

with MarroBites Pieces Steak & Vegetable Flavor Adult Dry Dog Food, 14-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $1.64/lb

Pedigree with MarroBites Pieces Steak & Vegetable Flavor Adult Dry Dog Food, 14-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 0/100 (F) with Fair evidence. 5 controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 39 due to 5 FLAG ingredients.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.

ACF

Score capped at 39 due to 5 FLAG ingredients.

CAP why?

Plant-protein-dominated formula. ground whole grain corn as the #1 ingredient.

PQI

Contains bha. IARC Group 2B probable carcinogen; CA Prop 65 listed; FDA reassessment announced 2025. Natural alternatives (mixed tocopherols) widely available..

CIP

Controversial ingredients · 6

  • 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.
  • yellow 6
    Artificial color with no nutritional value.
  • yellow 5
    Artificial color with no nutritional value. Some dogs show allergic-type reactions.
  • red 40
    Artificial color with no nutritional value. Linked to behavioral effects in children; relevance to dogs is unclear but the ingredient serves only marketing purposes.
  • blue 2
    Artificial color. A 1990s industry-funded study reported brain tumors in male rats; subsequent reviews disputed methodology, but the additive provides no nutritional benefit.
  • 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: 24% ⓘ
Protein
21%
min (as fed)
Fat
10%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
12%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

36 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    ground whole grain corn

    Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.

  2. 2
    meat and bone meal

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

  3. 3
    soybean meal

    Concentrated soy protein. Cheap plant protein that pads the label number, common in budget formulas.

  4. 4
    corn gluten meal

    Concentrated corn protein. Inflates the protein percent on the label without matching meat-quality amino acids.

  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 flavor

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

  8. 7
    dried plain beet pulp

    Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

  9. 8
    salt

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

  10. 9
    potassium chloride

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

  11. 10
    cooked bone marrow
  12. 11
    choline chloride

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

  13. 12
    calcium carbonate

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

  14. 13
    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 →

  15. 14
    dl-methionine

    Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.

  16. 15
    natural grilled steak flavor
  17. 16
    zinc sulfate

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

  18. 17
    yellow 6 Flagged

    Artificial coloring. No functional purpose. Banned or restricted in several countries.

  19. 18
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  20. 19
    l-tryptophan

    Essential amino acid. Sometimes added in calming or weight-management formulas.

  21. 20
    yellow 5 Flagged

    Artificial coloring. Strictly cosmetic. Banned or restricted in several countries.

  22. 21
    red 40 Flagged

    Artificial coloring. Dogs don't care about color. Banned in several countries over hyperactivity and allergic-reaction concerns.

  23. 22
    carrots

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

  24. 23
    blue 2 Flagged

    Artificial coloring. No nutritional or functional purpose. Banned or restricted in several countries.

  25. 24
    niacin supplement

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

Showing first 25 of 36. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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