ORIJEN Original

Fresh chicken (25%), raw turkey (8%), fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (7%), raw whole herring (6%), raw whole hake (5%), fresh eggs (5%), raw turkey liver (5%), dehydrated chicken (4%), dehydrated turkey (4%), dehydrated mackerel (4%), dehydrated sardine (4%), dehydrated herring (4%), whole red lentils, whole chickpeas, whole peas, chicken fat (3%), whole green lentils, whole pinto beans, whole navy beans, lentil fibre, pollock oil (1%), pea starch, dried kelp, fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole zucchini, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole apples, fresh whole pears, dried chicory root, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh beet greens, fresh turnip greens, whole cranberries, whole blueberries, whole saskatoon berries, turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips

First 5 ingredients

This is the largest single category in FeedWise. It looks at which animal ingredients are present, whether the species is named, whether organs, egg and named fats are included, and whether concentrated plant proteins are diluting the animal content.

• Named animal protein first

  Fresh chicken (25%) is a named animal ingredient in position 1.

  +8 / 8

• Animal Prominence Index

  Animal Prominence Index 77 of 100. This is a FeedWise position-weighted measure of how far animal ingredients dominate the ingredient panel. It is a label-position index, not a manufacturer-disclosed recipe percentage.

  +4 / 5

• Liver

  Liver is included.

  +2 / 2

• Heart

  No heart in the ingredient panel.

  0 / 2

• Other appropriate organs

  No additional organ meats identified.

  0 / 2

• Whole egg

  fresh eggs (5%) is included.

  +1 / 1

• Named animal or marine fats

  Named animal or marine fat sources: chicken fat (3%), pollock oil (1%), raw whole herring (6%), raw whole hake (5%), dehydrated mackerel (4%), dehydrated sardine (4%), dehydrated herring (4%), pollock oil (1%).

  +2 / 2

• Verified animal ingredient proportion

  Manufacturer confirms 85 percent animal ingredients.

  +2.5 / 3

• Plant protein dilution

  No concentrated plant proteins detected.

  0

Every ingredient is classified into a quality tier and weighted by its position on the label, so ingredient number one counts far more than ingredient number fifteen.

• Position weighted ingredient quality

  39 food ingredients assessed by quality tier with early positions weighted most heavily. 4 fortifying nutrients or preservatives excluded from the average.

  +18 / 20

• Ingredient splitting

  Multiple fractions of the same core ingredient appear: LENTIL FAMILY (whole red lentils, whole green lentils, lentil fibre); PEA FAMILY (whole peas, pea starch).

  -2

• Estimated carbohydrate: 18 percent
• Pulse ingredients detected: whole red lentils, whole chickpeas, whole peas, whole green lentils, whole pinto beans, whole navy beans, lentil fibre, pea starch
• Plant protein concentrates: none
• Ingredient splitting: LENTIL FAMILY (whole red lentils, whole green lentils, lentil fibre); PEA FAMILY (whole peas, pea starch)

Estimated carbohydrate, calculated as 100 minus protein, fat, moisture, fibre and ash.

• Carbohydrate burden

  Calculated with a published ash value carbohydrate of 18 percent.

  +5 / 7

• Ingredient based plant load

  Plant load assessed as HIGH. Carbohydrate bearing plant ingredients: whole red lentils (whole pulse), whole chickpeas (whole pulse), whole peas (whole pulse), whole green lentils (whole pulse), whole pinto beans (whole pulse), whole navy beans (whole pulse), lentil fibre (whole pulse), pea starch (refined starch), fresh whole butternut squash (starchy vegetable), dried chicory root (fibre ingredient).

  +2.5 / 8

• Combined pulse load

  8 pulse ingredients detected at positions 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22: whole red lentils, whole chickpeas, whole peas, whole green lentils, whole pinto beans, whole navy beans, lentil fibre, pea starch. Together these represent a substantial plant contribution.

  -2

• Split plant fractions

  Split plant fractions understate the true plant load in the ingredient order.

  -1

Processing method: Extruded. This category measures food integrity only. Raw handling safety is assessed separately under Safety and Quality Control, so a raw food can score well here and still lose safety points.

• Processing method

  Extruded processing. Food integrity only. Raw handling safety is assessed separately under Safety and Quality Control.

  +5 / 10

• Animal species clearly identified

  Every animal ingredient names its species.

• Ingredient sourcing disclosed

  Not publicly verified

• Country or region identified

  Country or region of origin published: Canada.

• Manufacturing location identified

  Manufacturing location published: NorthStar Kitchens, Morinville AB.

• Detailed nutritional analysis

  A detailed nutritional analysis is published.

• Traceability information

  Not publicly verified

• Manufacturer provides sourcing detail

  Not publicly verified

• Overall formulation transparency

  A complete ingredient panel and an identified manufacturer are on file.

Marketing language alone does not count. Anything that has not been published is shown as not publicly verified rather than as a failure.

• Complete and balanced for the stated life stage

  ORIJEN Original Dog is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by FEDIAF for All Life Stages, except for growth of Great Dane puppies prior to 14 weeks.

• Detailed nutritional analysis available

  A full guaranteed analysis with energy content is on file.

• Qualified formulation expertise

  Not publicly verified

• Feeding trial or validation

  Not publicly verified

• Calcium and phosphorus disclosed

  Calcium 1.4 percent and phosphorus 1.1 percent disclosed.

• Batch testing

  Not publicly verified

• Pathogen testing

  Not publicly verified

• Supplier verification

  Not publicly verified

• Lot traceability

  Not publicly verified

• Nutrient verification

  Not publicly verified

• Manufacturing quality program

  Not publicly verified

• Recall context and corrective action

  No recalls on file.

A recall alone does not destroy a score. Severity, cause, frequency, recency and documented corrective action are all considered.