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Backcountry Raw Infused Game Bird Recipe Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Merrick

Backcountry Raw Infused Game Bird Recipe Grain Free Dry Dog Food

Evidence Fair
dry Data verified from brand site

Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Game Bird Recipe Grain Free Dry Dog Food 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

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

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.

STACK

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Contains menadione. Banned for human OTC use but tolerated at AAFCO-permitted levels in pet food. The only AAFCO-permitted vitamin K source..

CIP

Controversial ingredients · 2

  • 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.
  • menadione
    Synthetic vitamin K3. Banned in human supplements due to toxicity concerns at high doses. Permitted in pet food but premium brands use natural vitamin K alternatives.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Protein
34%
min
Fat
17%
min
Fiber
3.5%
max
Moisture
11%
max
Ingredients
40 total
  1. 1 turkey
  2. 2 turkey meal
  3. 3 chicken meal
  4. 4 sweet potato
  5. 5 potato
  6. 6 peas
  7. 7 chicken fat
  8. 8 pea protein
  9. 9 salmon meal
  10. 10 duck
  11. 11 natural flavor
  12. 12 chicken
  13. 13 chicken liver
  14. 14 tapioca
  15. 15 dried yeast
  16. 16 potassium chloride
  17. 17 salt
  18. 18 salmon oil
  19. 19 choline chloride
  20. 20 zinc amino acid complex
  21. 21 iron amino acid complex
  22. 22 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.
  23. 23 manganese amino acid complex
  24. 24 copper amino acid complex
  25. 25 calcium iodate

Showing first 25 of 40. Position 1-5 has the largest weight.