Egg and Chicken Flavor

One patented route uses eggs and poultry material from poultry production, including hens no longer used for laying. Enzymes break down the material, and a dry carrier makes it easier to handle. A bag does not identify its supplier's process.^5,6

1. 01 // Source Eggs and poultry The patented method starts with inedible eggs and poultry material, including hens no longer used for laying.
2. 02 // Process Proteins broken down Ground poultry material is mixed with an egg and enzyme solution until the mixture is mostly liquid.
3. 03 // Process Carrier added The mixture is combined with a dry carrier that absorbs moisture; options include corn, wheat and soybean meal.
4. 04 // Process Dried and sized The mixture is formed into pieces, dried and milled into granules for handling.
5. 05 // Output Prepared flavoring The granules are ready to be mixed into kibble or applied to its surface.

1. 01

   Changes food aroma

   Dogs use odor when choosing food. In a paired-bowl study, dogs ate more identical kibble when a meat-based palatant odor came from beneath one bowl.¹

2. 02

   Improves acceptance

   A manufacturer's patent reports greater intake of test foods containing its egg and chicken flavoring in round-robin palatability trials. It does not give the number of dogs tested, so the result has limits.⁶

3. 03

   Uses poultry material

   The patented process turns eggs and poultry material from production facilities into a dry ingredient. For manufacturers, making use of that material and improving food acceptance both have economic value.^5,6

4. 04

   Fits existing recipes

   In the patent tests, flavoring on a corn protein carrier replaced parts of the control recipe. The carrier helps the flavoring fit into a dry food formula.⁶

How much A manufacturer's patent tested 2.5 to 10% flavoring, including its carrier; that range does not describe usual commercial use.⁶

1. Brands say

   It makes some dry dog foods more appealing

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   A 36-dog study found that odors changed intake, but it tested other palatants. A manufacturer patent reports round-robin palatability trials with an 87:13 preference share for the flavored test food; it omits the dog count.^1,6

2. Brands say

   It adds meaningful egg and chicken protein

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   In the patent's 5% test, finished food had 26.7% protein as fed versus 26.1% for the control. Those are whole-food values. The patent gives no nutrient analysis of the flavoring or its egg and chicken portions.⁶

3. Owners say

   Flavor means the food contains plenty of chicken

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   AAFCO's flavor rule requires a flavor source on the label but sets no large minimum amount for a flavor claim. The patented flavoring includes a carrier, so its inclusion rate cannot tell you how much chicken is present.^4,6

4. Owners say

   Flavoring is safe for chicken allergic dogs

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   This flavoring has not been tested in allergic dogs. In a 10-dog crossover trial, a different hydrolyzed chicken liver diet triggered flares in 4 dogs. Processing chicken does not, by itself, prove allergy safety.²

5. Critics say

   Egg and chicken flavor is just filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   A manufacturer reported greater intake in round-robin palatability trials of foods with the flavoring, although it did not publish the dog count. The ingredient has a flavor job; the evidence does not show that it supplies meaningful nutrition.⁶