Rachael Ray Nutrish Logo

Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food Ingredients


According to our research, Rachael Ray Nutrish manufactures 54 dog food recipes using 172 unique ingredients. To evaluate the quality of ingredients used by Rachael Ray Nutrish, we've studied all 172 ingredients. In this article, we'll share our findings on Rachael Ray Nutrish ingredients.

Dog Food Recipes54
Unique Ingredients172
Artificial Colors0
Animal By-Products0
Anonymous Meats2
Controversial12
Harmful1

First 5 Ingredients

Dog food ingredients in the United States are listed in descending order of pre-cooked weight. The first 5 ingredients typically constitute a significant portion of the recipe.

For Rachael Ray Nutrish, these are the most common ingredients found within the first 5 dog food ingredients.

  1. chicken
  2. chicken meal
  3. dried potato
  4. dried egg product
  5. egg whites

As you can see, the most common first ingredient in Rachael Ray Nutrish is chicken. The most common 2nd ingredient is chicken meal, followed by dried potato, dried egg product, and egg whites.

Artificial Food Coloring Dyes

Rachael Ray Nutrish does not use any artificial food coloring dyes. According to our records, none of the 54 Rachael Ray Nutrish dog foods contain artificial food dyes.

Artificial food coloring dyes are unnecessary and potentially harmful ingredients. In general, we not not recommend feeding any pet foods that contain artificial dyes.

In 2010, the CSPI raised serious concerns regarding the safety of many artificial dyes. Most of the studies referenced by the CSPI involved prolonged or excessive consumption. Since most dogs consume the same foods throughout their lives, concerns raised by the CSPI are alarming to say the least.

To read more about Artificial Food Dyes, click here.

Animal By-Products

According to our records, Rachael Ray Nutrish does not contain any animal by-products.

Animal by-products are basically the leftover parts of the the carcass after its been processed for meat. AAFCO defines by-products as the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals.

Although by-products are still fairly nutritious ingredients, consumers have equated them with slaughterhouse waste. Therefore, most premium brands, including Rachael Ray Nutrish have decided to remove by-products and instead use named organ meats (beef liver, chicken gizzards).

For further reading on the controversy over animal by-products, click here.

Anonymous Meat Ingredients

Anonymous meats are animal-based ingredients which do not provide the source animal's name. These ingredients are controversial because they can come from almost any animal.

In addition, anonymous animal-based ingredients are very inexpensive and often the lowest quality meats that are still allowed to be used in pet food.

In general, we do not recommend feeding any products which contain anonymous meats. When in doubt, always contact the brand's customer service desk for further clarification.

Unfortunately, we've identified 2 anonymous meat ingredients used by Rachael Ray Nutrish.

fish meal
6 Recipes

Fish meal is defined by AAFCO as "the clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish or fish cutting, either or both, with or without the extraction of part of the oil." Since the specific type of fish is not mentioned, we cannot discuss any specific qualities of this ingredient. In general, anonymous ingredients are low quality inclusions when compared to ingredients such as tuna meal, salmon meal, catfish meal, etc.

The following recipes contain fish meal:

poultry fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
9 Recipes

Controversial Ingredients

In most cases, ingredients which are given the controversial classification can be substituted with higher-quality alternatives. You should evaluate each controversial ingredient independently to see if there is truly a valid cause for concern.

Keep in mind, certain sacrifices often must be made to produce dog foods at a reasonable price. In general, the more expensive the product, the fewer controversial ingredients you'll find.

In our analysis, we've identified 12 controversial ingredients inside Rachael Ray Nutrish products. These controversial ingredients are listed below. Click on each ingredient for more information.

canola meal
2 Recipes

Canola meal is a high protein by-product of canola oil production. This ingredient is marked controversial because it may be derived from genetically modified rapeseed, which is associated with multiple adverse health affects.

The following recipes contain canola meal:

iron oxide
5 Recipes

Iron oxide is an FDA approved natural food coloring agent. It's commonly found in rusting metal and provides a reddish-brown color.

We believe food colorants are unnecessary ingredients in dog food. Other than potential harm, food colorants do not provide any nutritional value. These type of ingredients are used only to make the food look appealing to humans.

The following recipes contain iron oxide:

soybean protein
1 Recipes

Soybean protein can significantly boost the protein content of the product. The inclusion of non-meat protein typically degrades the overall quality of protein in the recipe. This degradation is due to the inferior amino acid profile of plant based proteins.

The following recipes contain soybean protein:

whole corn
4 Recipes

Whole corn is the entire corn kernel (the germ, bran, and endosperm). Corn is a cereal grain which provides a modest amount of vitamins, minerals, and plant based protein. It also happens to be one of the most controversial ingredients in dog food.

Proponents of corn claim that corn is highly digestible and an excellent source of protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids.

Opponents however believe that positive claims in regards to corn are either half-truths or completely false, we'll discuss a few of the opposing arguments.

In regards to digestibility, the claims of "highly digestible" are only true if corn is processed into a meal or flour and subsequently cooked. In regards to the protein contribution, we must note that corn is a plant based protein which does not contain all of the necessary amino acids required by dogs to sustain life. Therefore substituting corn for meat is an unsuitable substitution and actually degrades the overall protein quality of the product.

Finally, we'll discuss the claims about vitamins and minerals in corn. Although corn does provide many vitamins and minerals, it not necessarily an exceptional ingredient in this regards. There are many other ingredients which are more complete and biologically appropriate. Therefore the usage of corn as the primary ingredient in dog food should certainly warrant further questioning.

The following recipes contain whole corn:

brewers rice
2 Recipes

Brewer's rice is the small fragments of rice kernel that are separated from the larger kernels of milled rice. The fragments do not contain the same nutrition profile of the whole kernel and therefore brewer's rice is a lower quality grain. Brewer's rice is typically regarded as an inexpensive and low quality filler.

The following recipes contain brewers rice:

wheat gluten
5 Recipes

Wheat gluten is the main protein of wheat. Although wheat gluten is mostly protein, wheat gluten is considered controversial because it significantly boosts the protein content of the product. This is undesirable because plant based protein does not provide the same amino acid profile as meat based protein.

The following recipes contain wheat gluten:

ground whole grain corn
2 Recipes

Ground whole grain corn contains the entire corn kernel (the germ, bran, and endosperm). Corn is a cereal grain which provides a modest amount of vitamins, minerals, and plant based protein. It also happens to be one of the most controversial ingredients in dog food.

Proponents of corn claim that corn is highly digestible and an excellent source of protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids.

Opponents however believe that positive claims in regards to corn are either half-truths or completely false, we'll discuss a few of the opposing arguments.

In regards to digestibility, the claims of "highly digestible" are only true if corn is processed into a meal or flour and subsequently cooked. In regards to the protein contribution, we must note that corn is a plant based protein which does not contain all of the necessary amino acids required by dogs to sustain life. Therefore substituting corn for meat is an unsuitable substitution and actually degrades the overall protein quality of the product.

Finally, we'll discuss the claims about vitamins and minerals in corn. Although corn does provide many vitamins and minerals, it not necessarily an exceptional ingredient in this regards. There are many other ingredients which are more complete and biologically appropriate. Therefore the usage of corn as the primary ingredient in dog food should certainly warrant further questioning.

The following recipes contain ground whole grain corn:

caramel color
2 Recipes

Caramel color is a concentrated form of caramel, a natural food colorant. Caramel color has been linked to cancer in laboratory animals. Since our pets do not care about food color, caramel color is an unnecessary addition with possible health risks.

The following recipes contain caramel color:

poultry fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
9 Recipes
textured soy protein product
1 Recipes

Soybean protein product can significantly boost the protein content of the product. The inclusion of non-meat protein typically degrades the overall quality of protein in the recipe. This degradation is due to the inferior amino acid profile of plant based proteins.

The following recipes contain textured soy protein product:

Potentially Harmful Ingredients

Harmful ingredients are those which have been linked to adverse health effects. In general, we do not recommend feeding any product which contains any harmful ingredients.

There are certain situations where these ingredients may be necessary. We always recommend contacting Rachael Ray Nutrish for further clarification regarding any harmful or controversial ingredient.

We have identified 1 harmful ingredient used in certain Rachael Ray Nutrish recipes. To learn more, click on the ingredient's name.

Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food Ingredient Lists

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Smoochies Biscuits
Chicken & Apple Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Smoochies Biscuits Chicken & Apple Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
textured soy protein product
chickpea
apple
guar gum

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Smoochies Brushes
Apple & Mint Flavor (Large Dogs)
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Smoochies Brushes Apple & Mint Flavor (Large Dogs)
First Five Ingredients
tapioca
potato flour
pea starch
vegetable glycerin
pea fiber

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Smoochies Brushes
Apple & Mint Flavor (Small & Medium Dogs)
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Smoochies Brushes Apple & Mint Flavor (Small & Medium Dogs)
First Five Ingredients
tapioca
potato flour
pea starch
vegetable glycerin
pea fiber

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Dish
Grain Free Chicken & Potato Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Dish Grain Free Chicken & Potato Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
dried pea
dried potato
pea starch

Rachael Ray Nutrish

SuperMedleys
Wellness Blend
Rachael Ray Nutrish
SuperMedleys Wellness Blend
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
brown rice
barley
soybean meal

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Super Premium
Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe For Large Breed Dogs
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Super Premium Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe For Large Breed Dogs
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
dried pea
soybean meal
ground whole grain corn

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Just 6
Grain Free Turkey Meal & Pea Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Just 6 Grain Free Turkey Meal & Pea Recipe
First Five Ingredients
turkey meal
dried pea
pea starch
dried plain beet pulp
chicken fat

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak
Northern Woodlands Recipe With Turkey, Duck & Quail
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Northern Woodlands Recipe With Turkey, Duck & Quail
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
turkey meal
tapioca
dried pea

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Zero Grain
Beef, Potato & Bison Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Zero Grain Beef, Potato & Bison Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
turkey meal
dried potato
sunflower meal
dried pea

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Zero Grain
Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Zero Grain Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
sweet potato
sunflower meal
pea starch

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Zero Grain
Turkey & Potato Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Zero Grain Turkey & Potato Recipe
First Five Ingredients
turkey
chicken meal
dried potato
sunflower meal
dried pea

Rachael Ray Nutrish

SuperMedleys
Vitality Blend
Rachael Ray Nutrish
SuperMedleys Vitality Blend
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef meal
barley
soybean meal
brown rice

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Little Bites
Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Little Bites Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
soybean meal
whole corn
grain sorghum

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Zero Grain
Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Zero Grain Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe
First Five Ingredients
salmon
chicken meal
sweet potato
turkey meal
pea starch

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Dish
Beef & Brown Rice Recipe With Veggie & Fruit Blend
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Dish Beef & Brown Rice Recipe With Veggie & Fruit Blend
First Five Ingredients
beef
chicken meal
dried pea
brown rice
brewers rice

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Bright Puppy
Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Bright Puppy Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
brown rice
soybean meal
whole corn

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Super Premium
Real Turkey, Brown Rice & Venison Recipe For Healthy Weight
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Super Premium Real Turkey, Brown Rice & Venison Recipe For Healthy Weight
First Five Ingredients
turkey
chicken meal
brown rice
ground whole grain corn
soybean meal

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Dish
Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe With Veggie & Fruit Blend
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Dish Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe With Veggie & Fruit Blend
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
dried pea
brown rice
brewers rice

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Limited Ingredient
Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Limited Ingredient Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe
First Five Ingredients
lamb meal
brown rice
ground rice
dried plain beet pulp
chicken fat

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak Protein
Open Prairie Recipe With Beef, Venison & Lamb
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Protein Open Prairie Recipe With Beef, Venison & Lamb
First Five Ingredients
beef
chicken meal
dried potato
natural pork flavor
tapioca

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Super Premium
Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Super Premium Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chicken meal
soybean meal
grain sorghum
dried pea

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Super Premium
Real Beef, Pea & Brown Rice Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Super Premium Real Beef, Pea & Brown Rice Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
beef meal
soybean meal
whole corn
grain sorghum

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak
Open Range Recipe With Chicken & Beef In Hearty Gravy
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Open Range Recipe With Chicken & Beef In Hearty Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
chicken
beef
dried egg product
egg whites

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak
Red Range Recipe With Lamb & Beef In Hearty Gravy
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Red Range Recipe With Lamb & Beef In Hearty Gravy
First Five Ingredients
beef broth
lamb
dried egg product
chicken
beef

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak
Wetlands Recipe With Chicken & Duck In Rustic Gravy
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Wetlands Recipe With Chicken & Duck In Rustic Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
chicken
duck
dried egg product
egg whites

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak
Wild Ridge Recipe With Chicken & Lamb In Savory Gravy
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Wild Ridge Recipe With Chicken & Lamb In Savory Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
chicken
lamb
dried egg product
egg whites

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak
Wild Streams Recipe With Duck & Salmon In Rustic Gravy
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Wild Streams Recipe With Duck & Salmon In Rustic Gravy
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
duck
dried egg product
chicken
salmon

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak
Woodland Ranch Recipe With Beef & Duck In Savory Gravy
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Woodland Ranch Recipe With Beef & Duck In Savory Gravy
First Five Ingredients
beef broth
beef
chicken
dried egg product
duck

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Super Premium
Beef Stroganwoof
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Super Premium Beef Stroganwoof
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
beef
chicken
dried egg product
pea protein

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Super Premium
Chicken Muttballs
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Super Premium Chicken Muttballs
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
chicken
dried egg product
ground tapioca
pea protein

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Super Premium
Chicken Paw Pie
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Super Premium Chicken Paw Pie
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
chicken
dried egg product
egg whites
pea protein

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Super Premium
Hearty Beef Stew
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Super Premium Hearty Beef Stew
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
beef
chicken
dried egg product
egg whites

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Super Premium
Savory Lamb Stew
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Super Premium Savory Lamb Stew
First Five Ingredients
chicken broth
lamb
dried egg product
chicken
egg whites

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Super Premium
Rustic Duck Stew
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Super Premium Rustic Duck Stew
First Five Ingredients
water sufficient for processing
duck
dried egg product
chicken
egg whites

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Pawsta
Beef Stuffed Riggies Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Pawsta Beef Stuffed Riggies Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
ground rice
pearled barley
rye
vegetable glycerin

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Burger Bites
Turkey Burger Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Burger Bites Turkey Burger Recipe
First Five Ingredients
turkey
dried potato
chickpea
sugar
vegetable glycerin

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Chicken 'N Waffle Bites
Savory Chicken Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Chicken 'N Waffle Bites Savory Chicken Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
soybean grits
glycerin
dried carrot
dried pea

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Chicken Paw Pies
Family-Style Chicken Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Chicken Paw Pies Family-Style Chicken Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
soybean grits
glycerin
dried carrot
dried pea

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Deli Cuts
Savory Pepperoni Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Deli Cuts Savory Pepperoni Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
soybean protein
soybean grits
ground rice
sugar

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak Treats
Beef & Bison Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Treats Beef & Bison Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
chicken
dried potato
glycerin
bison

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak Treats
Chicken & Duck Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Treats Chicken & Duck Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
dried potato
glycerin
duck
salt

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Peak Treats
Turkey & Venison Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Peak Treats Turkey & Venison Recipe
First Five Ingredients
turkey
chicken
dried potato
glycerin
venison

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Sausage Bites
Oven-Browned Chicken Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Sausage Bites Oven-Browned Chicken Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
soybean grits
vegetable glycerin
salt
sorbic acid

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Savory Roasters
Savory Beef Roast Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Savory Roasters Savory Beef Roast Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
dried potato
chickpea
sugar
vegetable glycerin

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Meatloaf Morsels
Homestyle Beef Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Meatloaf Morsels Homestyle Beef Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
soybean grits
brown sugar
vegetable glycerin
dried potato

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Soup Bones Minis
Beef and Barley Flavor
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Soup Bones Minis Beef and Barley Flavor
First Five Ingredients
wheat flour
glycerin
rice syrup
potato starch
water

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Soup Bones Minis
Chicken and Veggies Flavor
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Soup Bones Minis Chicken and Veggies Flavor
First Five Ingredients
wheat flour
glycerin
rice syrup
potato starch
water

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Soup Bones
Turkey and Rice Flavor
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Soup Bones Turkey and Rice Flavor
First Five Ingredients
wheat flour
glycerin
rice syrup
potato starch
water

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Meatball Morsels
Beef, Chicken & Bacon Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Meatball Morsels Beef, Chicken & Bacon Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
chicken fat
dried potato
vegetable glycerin
pea fiber

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Soup Bones
Beef & Barley Flavor
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Soup Bones Beef & Barley Flavor
First Five Ingredients
wheat flour
glycerin
rice syrup
potato starch
water

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Turkey Bacon Treats
Hickory Smoked Turkey Bacon Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Turkey Bacon Treats Hickory Smoked Turkey Bacon Recipe
First Five Ingredients
turkey
dried potato
chickpea
gelatin
sugar

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Burger Bites
Beef With Bison Burger Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Burger Bites Beef With Bison Burger Recipe
First Five Ingredients
beef
chickpea
dried potato
sugar
bison

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Savory Roasters
Chicken Recipe
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Savory Roasters Chicken Recipe
First Five Ingredients
chicken
chickpea
dried potato
sugar
vegetable glycerin

Rachael Ray Nutrish

Soup Bones
Chicken and Veggies Flavor
Rachael Ray Nutrish
Soup Bones Chicken and Veggies Flavor
First Five Ingredients
wheat flour
glycerin
rice syrup
potato starch
water