Skip to content
In The Kibble
My dogs

Ingredient file // Vitamin or mineral

Folic Acid

An essential vitamin added in tiny amounts

Folic acid is the manufactured form of folate, a vitamin dogs need to make DNA and new cells. Pet food makers add a trace to help the finished food supply enough after processing. Its presence does not make one food better than another.

Role in the food Supporting nutrient
What it is
The manufactured form of folate, added to food to supply a vitamin dogs need for normal cell renewal.
Made from
Chemically reacted vitamin building blocks
Main job
Supplies folate after processing
Typical amount
Trace amounts; trial diets held 0.3 to 0.45 mg/kg
Watch for
Extra tablets offered without a medical reason
Not the same as
Natural food folates

Straight answer

Is Folic Acid safe for dogs?

Read the adequacy statement before this vitamin

Expect folic acid near the end of the list. Its tiny weight says little about the food's quality. Check that the bag says complete and balanced for your dog's life stage, then judge the main ingredients and the whole diet. Do not add folic acid tablets on the strength of a label claim.

Why it is in the food
Supplies folate after processing

Our read // In our catalog

In 1 of every 1 foods we track

Share of foods that list it

80%

2,567 of the 3,204 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 91 brands. 1,725 dry dog food, 747 wet dog food, 46 dog food topper.

Each square is 1% of the catalog

Where it sits on the label

Median position 23. In the top five of 7 foods, so it is usually a minor ingredient.

Top five List position, heaviest first

Above the salt

8%

Usually listed after the salt, which caps it at roughly 1% of the recipe in 92% of foods.

Price per lb

Foods with it $3.17
All foods $3.25

Median of the cheapest bag price across 1,473 priced foods, about level with the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.

Who leans on it

7%

of the foods that list it are from Purina. 91 brands use it in total.

The story

From a 1930s anemia cure to dog food premixes

Folic acid's story starts with human anemia, not pets. Between 1929 and 1931, English physician Lucy Wills published four reports from India, where she studied a severe, fatal anemia in pregnant textile workers in Bombay. She got a dramatic recovery in these patients by giving them a commercial yeast extract that the Marmite company supplied in bulk. That work is remembered as the start of the folic acid story.11

The vitamin got its name in 1941, when researchers isolated it from spinach and took the name from the Latin word for leaf. Two years later, in 1943, Bob Stokstad of Lederle Laboratories first made it synthetically in crystalline form. This was the shift that mattered for feed. Making the vitamin by chemical reaction meant no one had to extract traces of it from leaves, and folic acid sold for animal feed is still a synthetic compound.5,11

Pet food rules followed decades later. In August 2013, the European Union authorized folic acid as a feed additive for all animal species, based on a 2012 safety and efficacy opinion from its food safety agency. When the approval came up for renewal, a 2023 review found no new evidence to change its safety conclusions for land animals. In the US, AAFCO's complete dog food profiles also list a folic acid minimum, so formulators include it in the vitamin premix.5,8

What it is

How it is made

Vitamin manufacturers make folic acid by chemical synthesis rather than extracting it from plants. The method supplies a consistent vitamin for food and feed premixes at lower cost than current fermentation methods.5,7

  1. 01 // Source Chemical building blocks A pyrimidine compound, a carbon compound and a glutamic acid derivative provide the parts of the vitamin.
  2. 02 // Process Reacted together Manufacturers combine the building blocks in a chemical reaction that forms folic acid.
  3. 03 // Process Purified The product is refined into a crystalline powder and checked for vitamin content and related compounds.
  4. 04 // Output Folic acid powder A yellow to orange powder reaches premix makers, sometimes blended with maltodextrin as a carrier.

What is in it

Composition, dry matter

97.8

% folic acid

The average active vitamin content of feed additive batches, measured without water. This is the powder's composition, not its share of dog food.

Folic acid 96.5-98.7%5
Related impurity A 0.1-0.3%5
Related impurity C 0.1-0.3%5

The active vitamin assay excludes water. The smaller figures are related compounds reported in the additive assessment, not nutrients a dog food maker seeks. Suppliers also sell folic acid in preparations with a carrier.5

Benefits

What it does for your dog

Each benefit carries the same evidence grade as the claims below.

  1. 01

    Normal cell and blood renewal

    Folate carries the one-carbon units the body uses to build DNA, which fast-dividing cells such as developing red blood cells need. This rests on the vitamin being essential. No dog trial tests added folic acid for it.4,7

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None
  2. 02

    Keeps blood folate supplied

    Dietary folic acid is there to keep blood folate topped up, but the dog evidence is thin. In 64 pet dogs fed set vitamin levels for 122 days, blood folate showed only a tendency to rise with intake.13

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

Why it is in the bag

A required vitamin, added in a tiny but useful dose

  1. Main nutrition
  2. Supporting nutrient
  3. Does a job
  4. Mostly filler

Folic acid supplies folate, a B vitamin dogs must get from their diet. Makers use the industrially produced form for fortification because it gives a measured, consistent dose. Folic acid is among the vitamins most sensitive to extrusion, so kibble recipes add enough to cover losses. It sits near the end of the list because ingredients are ranked by weight and the dose is tiny. Small is the right amount here; it is not filler.6,7,9

  1. 01

    Meets a vitamin minimum

    Dogs need folate for normal cell division. Adding a measured amount helps a complete food meet its folic acid target despite variation in the meat and plants used.7,8

  2. 02

    Covers processing losses

    Folic acid is among the vitamins sensitive to extrusion heat and conditions. Formulators account for expected losses so enough remains in the finished food.6

  3. 03

    Supplies it at scale

    Chemical synthesis yields a consistent powder for vitamin premixes and currently costs less than producing folate by fermentation. Only a trace is needed per recipe.7,8

How much Trial dog diets contained 0.3 to 0.45 mg/kg; a later formula used 5 mg/kg to restore low blood folate in affected dogs.1

Our read // The claims

What the evidence supports

Strong: controlled studies in dogs agree. Some: small or mixed dog data. Thin: mechanism or lab work only. None: nothing, or the evidence points the other way.

  1. Vets say

    Added folic acid restores low blood folate

    Evidence

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

    In a Farmina-funded trial involving dogs with chronic gut disease, oral folic acid restored normal serum folate in 6 dogs. A diet reformulated to contain 5 mg/kg maintained their levels. Blood results alone do not show a health benefit.1

  2. Owners say

    Folic acid prevents cleft palates in puppies

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

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

    A study of 25 supplemented Pug and Chihuahua dams saw fewer clefts in later litters, but the change was not statistically significant. A separate study covering 1,917 guide dog puppies found no reduction. Both tested supplements, not ordinary food.2,3

  3. Owners say

    Extra folic acid prevents anemia in healthy dogs

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

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

    Folate supports DNA production needed for new blood cells. In a 12-dog study, a minimally adequate folate diet lowered blood folate without consistent blood or bone marrow abnormalities. Extra folic acid has no demonstrated anemia benefit for healthy dogs.4,7

  4. Critics say

    Synthetic folic acid is toxic to dogs

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

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

    An EFSA feed additive assessment found no need to set a maximum folic acid level for terrestrial animals, while noting limited dog toxicity data. Chemical manufacture alone is no evidence of harm at food amounts.5

The research

Studies worth knowing

Published research we read for this page, dog studies first.

  1. 2021 // Supplement trial, past-year comparison

    Extra folic acid did not cut cleft palates in guide dogs3

    Labrador, golden retriever and cross dams in a guide dog breeding colony

    Found. 137 dams got 5 mg of folic acid daily from the start of heat to day 40 of pregnancy. Across 1,917 puppies, cleft palate rates were 2.34% with the supplement and 2.25% without. Stillbirths were 2.92% vs 3.26%.

    What it means. In dogs without a strong inherited risk, do not count on a pregnancy folic acid tablet to prevent birth defects.

  2. 2013 // Supplement trial with controls

    Fewer clefts in Pug and Chihuahua litters after supplements2

    Pug and Chihuahua dams, breeds predisposed to clefts, with 12 unsupplemented dams as controls

    Found. 25 dams got extra folic acid from heat to day 40 of pregnancy. Compared with earlier litters, clefts fell from 10.86% to 4.76% of Pug puppies and from 15.78% to 4.8% of Chihuahua puppies.

    What it means. The study was small and a much larger one disagreed. Treat it as a lead for high-risk breeds, not proof.

  3. 2023 // Medical record review

    Gut disease did not lower blood folate in dogs12

    673 dogs tested at a university veterinary hospital, 2016 to 2019

    Found. When 99 dogs with chronic gut disease were compared with 95 dogs without it, median serum folate was higher in the gut disease group, 12.1 vs 10.4. Vitamin B12 was lower, 343 vs 550.

    What it means. A normal folate result does not rule out gut disease. Vets get a clearer signal from vitamin B12.

Straight answers

What owners ask

  1. Q01

    Is it just filler?

    No

    It supplies a required vitamin, even though the quantity is too small to affect calories or stool. Its place near the end of an ingredient list reflects the tiny amount needed.8,9

  2. Q02

    Is folic acid the same as folate?

    One form

    Folate names a family of related vitamin forms found in foods. Folic acid is the manufactured form used for fortification. The dog's body converts it to active folate forms.5,7

  3. Q03

    Why is it near the end?

    Tiny dose

    Ingredients are listed by weight, and vitamins contribute little weight. AAFCO's dog food profile sets a folic acid minimum of 0.216 mg/kg dry matter. A late listing is normal.8,9

  4. Q04

    Should I add more during pregnancy?

    Not routinely

    The dog studies disagree on cleft prevention, and neither tested the small addition in ordinary kibble as a treatment. Choose a complete food appropriate for reproduction and discuss any separate dose with the dog's clinician.2,3,10

Who uses it

Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps

Top brands, by foods that list it

  1. Purina 180 / 185
  2. Blue 169 / 186
  3. Royal Canin 158 / 160
  4. Hill's 115 / 116
  5. Wellness 101 / 118
  6. Merrick 91 / 107
  7. NutriSource 88 / 91
  8. Nulo 86 / 117
  9. Stella & Chewy's 74 / 85
  10. Fromm 59 / 67

Foods that list it / all the brand's recipes we track.

Plus 81 more brands.

Amazon best sellers that list it

  1. #1 Blue Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  2. #2 Purina One SmartBlend Adult Dog Lamb & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food
  3. #3 Purina Pro Plan Adult Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food
  4. #4 Hill’s Science Diet Light Small & Mini Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
  5. #5 Blue Life Protection Formula Adult Small Breed Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  6. #6 Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
  7. #7 Stella & Chewy’s Marie’s Magical Dinner Dust Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Topper
  8. #8 Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat Formula All Life Stages Salmon & Potato Formula Dry Dog Food

Rank on Amazon's dog food best seller list, checked October 2026.

Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it

  1. Chicken 42%
  2. Mixed Tocopherols 39%
  3. Natural Flavor 36%
  4. Chicken Fat 36%
  5. Peas 31%
  6. Flaxseed 28%
  7. Chicken Meal 27%
  8. Brown Rice 24%
  9. Carrots 18%
  10. Dried Plain Beet Pulp 16%
  11. Sweet Potatoes 16%
  12. Potatoes 15%

On the shelf

Foods that list Folic Acid

2,567 foods in our catalog list it. These 60 list it highest on the label.

Grandma Lucy’s Organic Banana & Sweet Potato Dog Food TopperGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s Organic Banana & Sweet Potato Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 1 on the labelGrandma Lucy’s Organic Apple Dog Food TopperGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s Organic Apple Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 1 on the labelPurina Beyond Mixers+ Immune Support Chicken Bone Broth Dog Food TopperPurinaPurina Beyond Mixers+ Immune Support Chicken Bone Broth Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 2 on the labelNorthwest Naturals Fruits & Veggies Dog Food TopperNorthwest NaturalsNorthwest Naturals Fruits & Veggies Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 4 on the labelEvanger’s Super Premium Heritage Classic Chicken & Rice Dog Food TopperEvanger'sEvanger’s Super Premium Heritage Classic Chicken & Rice Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 5 on the labelDave’s Pet Food Restricted Diet Sodium Wet Dog FoodDave's Pet FoodDave’s Pet Food Restricted Diet Sodium Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelEvanger’s Grain Free Braised Beef Chunks with Gravy - packed by hand! Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Grain Free Braised Beef Chunks with Gravy - packed by hand! Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelTruDog Elevate Smoky BBQ Stew Grain Free Shredded Chicken Stew w/ Sweet Potat Wet Dog FoodTruDogTruDog Elevate Smoky BBQ Stew Grain Free Shredded Chicken Stew w/ Sweet Potat Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 7 on the labelBixbi Rawbble Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog FoodBIXBIBixbi Rawbble Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 7 on the labelAgainst the Grain The Good Egg - Steak ‘n Egg Wet Dog FoodAgainst the GrainAgainst the Grain The Good Egg - Steak ‘n Egg Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 7 on the labelAgainst the Grain The Good Egg - Bacon N Eggs Scramble Wet Dog FoodAgainst the GrainAgainst the Grain The Good Egg - Bacon N Eggs Scramble Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 7 on the labelHalo Elevate Smoky BBQ Stew Grain Free Shredded Chicken Stew w/ Sweet Potat Wet Dog FoodHaloHalo Elevate Smoky BBQ Stew Grain Free Shredded Chicken Stew w/ Sweet Potat Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 7 on the label
Show 48 more
Grandma Lucy’s Organic Pumpkin Dog Food TopperGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s Organic Pumpkin Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 1 on the labelGrandma Lucy’s Organic Blueberry Dog Food TopperGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s Organic Blueberry Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 1 on the labelEvanger’s Heritage Classic Lamb & Rice Dinner Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Heritage Classic Lamb & Rice Dinner Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelEvanger’s Roasted Chicken Drummet Dinner - packed by hand! Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Roasted Chicken Drummet Dinner - packed by hand! Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelEvanger’s EVX Restricted Diet: Weight Management Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s EVX Restricted Diet: Weight Management Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelEvanger’s Heritage Classic Senior & Weight Management Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Heritage Classic Senior & Weight Management Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 7 on the labelEvanger’s Super Premium EVX Restricted Diet: Skin & Coat Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Super Premium EVX Restricted Diet: Skin & Coat Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 7 on the labelZignature Inception Chicken Recipe Food Can Wet Dog FoodZignatureZignature Inception Chicken Recipe Food Can Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 7 on the labelCesar Home Delights Hearty Chicken & Noodle Dinner in Sauce Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Home Delights Hearty Chicken & Noodle Dinner in Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 7 on the labelEvanger’s Chunky Chicken Casserole - packed by hand! Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Chunky Chicken Casserole - packed by hand! Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelEvanger’s EVX Restricted Diet: Digestion Bland Diet Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s EVX Restricted Diet: Digestion Bland Diet Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelEvanger’s Grain Free; Super Premium Chicken Dinner Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Grain Free; Super Premium Chicken Dinner Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelZignature Inception Pork Recipe Food Can Wet Dog FoodZignatureZignature Inception Pork Recipe Food Can Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelNatural Balance Platefulls Tender Carrot, Potato & Beef Recipe Wet Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance Platefulls Tender Carrot, Potato & Beef Recipe Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelPurina Pro Plan Sport Adult High Protein Beef & Bison Entrée Classic Wet Dog FoodPurinaPurina Pro Plan Sport Adult High Protein Beef & Bison Entrée Classic Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelZignature Inception Pork Formula Dry Dog FoodZignatureZignature Inception Pork Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 8 on the labelWysong Archetype Burgers Freeze-Dried Raw Dog FoodWysongWysong Archetype Burgers Freeze-Dried Raw Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 8 on the labelWellness Core 95% Turkey & Spinach Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWellnessWellness Core 95% Turkey & Spinach Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelWellness Core 95% Chicken & Broccoli Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWellnessWellness Core 95% Chicken & Broccoli Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelEvanger’s Grain Free LID Venison + Beef Dinner Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Grain Free LID Venison + Beef Dinner Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelZignature Essence LIR Landfowl Recipe Food Can Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodZignatureZignature Essence LIR Landfowl Recipe Food Can Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelZignature Inception Fish Recipe Food Can Wet Dog FoodZignatureZignature Inception Fish Recipe Food Can Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelNatural Balance Platefulls Savory Duck & Pumpkin Recipe Wet Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance Platefulls Savory Duck & Pumpkin Recipe Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelThe Honest Kitchen Tender Turkey One Pot Stew Wet Dog FoodThe Honest KitchenThe Honest Kitchen Tender Turkey One Pot Stew Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelThe Honest Kitchen Slow Cooked Chicken One Pot Stew Wet Dog FoodThe Honest KitchenThe Honest Kitchen Slow Cooked Chicken One Pot Stew Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelPurina Pro Plan Adult 7+ Senior Complete Essentials Chicken & Rice Entrée Classic Wet Dog FoodPurinaPurina Pro Plan Adult 7+ Senior Complete Essentials Chicken & Rice Entrée Classic Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelZignature Select Cuts Turkey Formula with Super Grains Dry Dog FoodZignatureZignature Select Cuts Turkey Formula with Super Grains Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 9 on the labelZignature Inception Fish Formula Dry Dog FoodZignatureZignature Inception Fish Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 9 on the labelWysong Fundamentals Dry Dog FoodWysongWysong Fundamentals Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 9 on the labelGather Free Acres Organic Free-Run Chicken Recipe for Adult Dogs Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodGatherGather Free Acres Organic Free-Run Chicken Recipe for Adult Dogs Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 9 on the labelPurina Beneful Chicken & Carrots Loaf Wet Dog FoodPurinaPurina Beneful Chicken & Carrots Loaf Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelDave’s Pet Food Bland Diet Pouches Dave’s Bland Duck & Pumpkin Pouch Recipe for Dogs / 10 Pack - Pou Wet Dog FoodDave's Pet FoodDave’s Pet Food Bland Diet Pouches Dave’s Bland Duck & Pumpkin Pouch Recipe for Dogs / 10 Pack - Pou Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelGravy Train Ground Dinner With Chicken Wet Dog FoodGravy TrainGravy Train Ground Dinner With Chicken Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelEvanger’s EVX Restricted Diet: Hip & Joint and Senior Support Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s EVX Restricted Diet: Hip & Joint and Senior Support Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelZignature Essence LIR Ranch Recipe Food Can Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodZignatureZignature Essence LIR Ranch Recipe Food Can Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelZignature Original Food Lamb Formula Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodZignatureZignature Original Food Lamb Formula Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelZignature Original Food Turkey Formula Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodZignatureZignature Original Food Turkey Formula Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelThe Honest Kitchen Roasted Beef One Pot Stew Wet Dog FoodThe Honest KitchenThe Honest Kitchen Roasted Beef One Pot Stew Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelOpen Farm Icelandic Cod & Herring Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodOpen FarmOpen Farm Icelandic Cod & Herring Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelInstinct Freshly Crafted Meals Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Wet Dog FoodInstinctInstinct Freshly Crafted Meals Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelPurina Beneful Freshly Prepared Stews Turkey Dinner with Spinach and Ditalini Pasta in Gravy Wet Dog FoodPurinaPurina Beneful Freshly Prepared Stews Turkey Dinner with Spinach and Ditalini Pasta in Gravy Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelPurina Beneful Freshly Prepared Stews Chicken Dinner with Carrots and Rice in Gravy Wet Dog FoodPurinaPurina Beneful Freshly Prepared Stews Chicken Dinner with Carrots and Rice in Gravy Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelBlue Wilderness Wild Meals Chicken & Sweet Potato Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness Wild Meals Chicken & Sweet Potato Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelFirstMate Pacific Ocean Fish Weight Control Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodFirstMateFirstMate Pacific Ocean Fish Weight Control Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 10 on the labelFirstMate Pacific Ocean Fish Large Breed Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodFirstMateFirstMate Pacific Ocean Fish Large Breed Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 10 on the labelFirstMate Pacific Ocean Fish Meal Original Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodFirstMateFirstMate Pacific Ocean Fish Meal Original Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 10 on the labelZignature Essence LIR Landfowl Recipe Dry Dog FoodZignatureZignature Essence LIR Landfowl Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 10 on the labelZignature Inception Chicken Formula Dry Dog FoodZignatureZignature Inception Chicken Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 10 on the label

Sources

What we read

Checked September 1, 2026.

  1. 1 Randomized controlled trial of hydrolyzed fish diets in dogs with chronic enteropathy Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2023 // Journal
  2. 2 Oral folic acid supplementation decreases palate and/or lip cleft occurrence in Pug and Chihuahua puppies and elevates folic acid blood levels in pregnant bitches Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 2013 // Journal
  3. 3 Folic acid supplementation does not decrease stillbirths and congenital malformations in a guide dog colony Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2021 // Journal
  4. 4 Hematologic values and plasma and tissue folate concentrations in dogs given phenytoin on a long-term basis American Journal of Veterinary Research, 1990 // Journal
  5. 5 Assessment of the feed additive consisting of folic acid for all animal species for the renewal of its authorisation (Chr. Olesen A/S and DSM Nutritional Products Ltd) EFSA Journal, 2023 // Journal
  6. 6 Stability of vitamins during extrusion Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2009 // Journal
  7. 7 Biological, dietetic and pharmacological properties of vitamin B9 Nutrients, 2025 // Journal
  8. 8 AAFCO DOG AND CAT FOOD AAFCO, 2013 // Regulator
  9. 9 What’s in the Ingredients List? AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
  10. 10 Supplements AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
  11. 11 Marmite: Its place in medical history. Lucy Wills and the discovery of folic acid Hektoen International, 2022 // Journal
  12. 12 Association of folate concentrations with clinical signs and laboratory markers of chronic enteropathy in dogs Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2023 // Journal
  13. 13 Blood vitamin concentrations in privately owned dogs fed non-standardized commercial diets and after intake of diets with specified vitamin concentrations Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 2007 // Journal
An ingredient on its own tells you very little. What matters is how much of it there is and where it sits in the list. That is why we weigh the top five rather than reacting to any single name further down. Back to the wiki

Keep In The Know,
Know What's In The Bowl

The In the Kibble newsletter. Useful emails for dog owners: what we find inside dog food, how to feed well, and a heads-up when a food is recalled.
DOUBLE OPT-IN // ONE CLICK TO STOP // NEVER SHARED