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Rachael Ray Nutrish Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag
Rachael Ray Nutrish

Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $1.79/lb

Rachael Ray Nutrish Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 59/100 (C) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.

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

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: 29% ⓘ
Protein
26%
min (as fed)
Fat
14%
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
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

  2. 2
    salmon meal

    Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient.

  3. 3
    canola meal
  4. 4
    sweet potato

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

  5. 5
    pea starch

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

  6. 6
    chicken fat

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

  7. 7
    sunflower meal
  8. 8
    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 →

  9. 9
    potato

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

  10. 10
    tapioca

    Starch from cassava root. Highly digestible energy source, but pure starch with minimal nutrition beyond that.

  11. 11
    fish meal

    Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile.

  12. 12
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

  13. 13
    salt

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

  14. 14
    dried plain beet pulp

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

  15. 15
    chicken meal

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

  16. 16
    turkey meal

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

  17. 17
    natural flavor

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

  18. 18
    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

  19. 19
    citric acid

    Natural antioxidant preservative. Helps keep fats from going rancid.

  20. 20
    zinc sulfate

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

  21. 21
    ferrous sulfate

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

  22. 22
    copper sulfate

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

  23. 23
    sodium selenite Flagged

    Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →

  24. 24
    manganese sulfate

    Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.

  25. 25
    calcium iodate

    Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.

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

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