Natural Flavor

Pet foods often need help tasting good to a dog or cat, so flavourings are sprayed on or mixed in. “Natural” here follows AAFCO’s definition: the source is plant, animal or mined, and it may be heated or fermented, but it isn’t made by a chemically synthetic process.

The label needn’t say what the flavour is made from. It’s often animal tissue broken down by heat or enzymes, or yeast. If your pet has a food allergy, this can matter even in a recipe that names another meat, so ask the maker and your veterinarian.