Label analysisGrade BKibble (Extruded)

NutriSource

NutriSource Grain Free Chicken & Pea

Editor ingredient insight

NutriSource Grain Free Chicken & Pea uses chicken, chicken meal, peas, pea flour, chicken fat, and pea starch with high joint-nutrient disclosure. I would use it for active chicken-and-pea tolerant dogs, not for pea sensitivity or weight control.

Logic-based verdict

This food can stay in comparison, but ingredient quality still needs a more conservative read.

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient guide

Whole plant protein source in the top 3

Animal protein

Chicken (#1), chicken meal (#2), salmon meal (#10)

Plant protein

peas (#3), pea flour (#4)

The crude protein number may include influence from whole plant ingredients.

This is not the same as processed protein boosting, but it is not purely meat-led.

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide

Yucca extract

Stool odor support ingredient

Yeast culture

Gut support ingredient

Probiotics

Gut support ingredient

Taurine

Heart support ingredient

L-carnitine

Heart and weight support ingredient

Omega-3

Skin and joint support ingredient

Omega-6

Skin and coat support ingredient

EPA+DHA

Skin, joint, and heart support ingredient

Glucosamine

Joint support ingredient

Chondroitin

Joint support ingredient

Vitamin E

Antioxidant and skin support ingredient

View full ingredients
Solid build

Ingredient grade

B

Grade B

Top ingredient profile

Chicken
chicken meal
peas
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
Crude protein28%
Crude protein28%
Crude fat18%
Other 54%

Calcium

1.5%

Phosphorus

1.1%

Sodium

0.3%

Protein position, fat position, and calorie density position are relative to foods in the same processing type cohort.

biotechProtein position
Higher
query_statsFat position
Higher
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Higher

There is enough public data to keep this food in comparison, but the top ingredient structure does not support a stronger positive claim yet.

Nutritional strengths

  • The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
  • Crude protein is on the higher side.
  • Nutrient disclosure is broad enough to compare real numbers directly.

What still needs work

  • Phosphorus is 1.1% on the label, at or above 1%. Senior dogs or dogs with kidney concerns should have phosphorus restriction reviewed with a veterinarian before using it as a staple food.
  • Fresh meat carries a moisture variable. When whole plant protein sources are also high in the list, part of the crude-protein number may come from those plant ingredients.
  • Whole plant protein sources can contribute to crude protein, so the animal-protein share still needs a closer read.

Alternative foods

Smart chicken alternatives

Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.

66 alternativesKibble (Extruded) · protein type/family cohort

Other recipes from the same brand

Other recipes from the same brand with a different purpose or feeding target.

NutriSource

Grain Free High Plains Select

Adult · All sizes

High nutrient disclosurePlant-protein boosted

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

NutriSource

Small & Medium Breed Puppy Chicken & Rice

Puppy · Small/medium breed

High nutrient disclosure

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

NutriSource

Adult Chicken & Rice

Adult · All sizes

High nutrient disclosure

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

NutriSource

Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice

Adult · Large breed

High nutrient disclosure

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 1964 in the United States. This brand appears in public voluntary recall lists during the researched period.

Ingredient analysis

The top ingredients give this recipe a strong first protein read, so the ingredient section starts from a favorable position.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

B4.5/6
Ingredient Grade
Good
1Chicken
Fresh Meat · Top
2chicken meal
Named Meal · Upper
3peas
Whole Plant Protein · Lower

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Chicken is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •chicken meal is a species-named animal meal ingredient. It is rendered rather than fresh, but the species source is still clearly identified. It reads as an upper-tier protein source.
  • •peas is a whole plant-protein ingredient. It is not a processed protein concentrate, but when it appears near the top it can still weaken the animal-protein-led structure. It reads as an lower-tier plant protein booster.
restaurantIngredient Grade BGood

Full collected ingredient list

34 ingredients
Chickenchicken mealpeaspea flourchicken fat (preserved with tocopherols and citric acid)pea starchflax seednatural chicken and turkey flavorsdehydrated alfalfa mealsalmon mealdried tomato pomacebrewers dried yeastpotassium chloridesaltsunflower oilDL methioninecholine chlorideminerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, selenium yeast, copper proteinate, magnesium oxide, manganese proteinate, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide)vitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid)lactic acidL-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C)yucca schidigera extractyeast culturedried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extractdried Bacillus subtilis fermentation productdried Bacillus licheniformis fermentation productdried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extractdried Enterococcus faecium fermentation productdried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation productdried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extractcalcium carbonatetaurineL-carnitinerosemary extract
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Alternative protein
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients

Why processed plant proteins are reviewed cautiously

Ingredient lists are ordered by input weight, not protein contribution. Fresh meat 100g and Soybean Meal 50g can both contribute about 20g of protein, and Pea Protein can deliver a similar amount at around 30g. So these ingredients can materially lift crude protein even outside the top three. The review treats processed plant-protein boosters cautiously because they can weaken the animal-protein-centered profile most guardians expect from a high-protein food.

Why did the base review land here?

Ingredient qualityNutrient disclosure levelManufacturing & trust

This review score combines ingredient composition, nutrient disclosure, manufacturing trust, and core nutrient caution signals.

Nutrient disclosure

Broad disclosure

Disclosure is broad enough that this section works as evidence, not guesswork.

Safety verification

No fails

No major red flag jumps out first, though undisclosed rows still define the limits of this safety read.

Public data trust (ETF)

C1 tier

Detailed nutrition is visible, but not at a product-level traceability standard.

Final word

This is a credible shortlist food, but the personalized step is where the final order should be decided.

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