Pea Flour

Pulse mills turn mature, dried peas into flour for food and feed. They may remove the hull before grinding. The flour is the product of milling, while further separation yields protein and starch fractions.⁵

1. 01 // Source Dry field peas Mature seeds are harvested dry and sent to mills for grinding or further processing.
2. 02 // Process Hulls removed optionally Taking off the outer hull reduces fiber and raises the proportions of starch and protein.
3. 03 // Process Seeds ground Milling breaks the peas into flour while keeping their starch and protein together.
4. 04 // Output Pea flour The dry powder arrives at the kibble plant ready to mix with other ingredients.

1. 01

   Supplies extrusion starch

   The starch cooks during extrusion and helps form the kibble. Replacing rice with dehulled pea flour in a dog food trial made the pieces denser and less expanded.²

2. 02

   Adds plant protein

   Pea flour brings about 24% protein on a dry basis alongside its starch. That protein counts in the crude protein figure, which does not tell an owner how much came from meat.^5,7

3. 03

   Meets a market need

   An industry market analysis describes pea flour as lower cost than other pulse flours and identifies dog food as its largest outlet. It provides no cost comparison with rice or meat.⁸

4. 04

   Changes glucose response

   In dog diet comparisons, pea flour or pea based diets produced a smaller or later blood glucose response than rice diets. That is a formulation effect, not a proven health benefit.^1,2

How much One 28-day trial fed 58% wrinkled pea flour, an unusually high amount, in lab-made diets the authors say may not represent most commercial diets.³

1. Critics say

   Pea flour raises protein without adding meat

   Evidence

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

   Dry peas average about 24% crude protein on a dry basis, ranging from 19 to 28.5%. The crude protein on the bag counts that protein the same as meat protein, and the label does not split the two.^5,7

2. Brands say

   Pea flour gives dogs steadier blood sugar

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   A 36-dog diet comparison found a later glucose response with peas than with rice. A separate 24-dog flour trial found a smaller glucose response. Neither showed a health benefit for healthy dogs.^1,2

3. Brands say

   Pea flour improves gut health

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   In a 24-dog trial, more dehulled pea flour increased some fecal fermentation products, but fecal score did not improve and energy digestibility fell. Those measurements do not show improved gut health.²

4. Owners say

   Pea flour causes heart disease in dogs

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   An 8-dog trial found subtle heart changes after 28 days on lab-made diets with 58% wrinkled pea flour, which the authors say may not represent most commercial diets. The study disclosed funding or in-kind support from a federal pulse research cluster, a pulse company and a pet food company. FDA has not identified pea flour as a cause of DCM.^3,4,6

5. Critics say

   Pea flour is just filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   Dry peas average about 51% starch and 24% protein on a dry basis. In a 24-dog trial, replacing rice with dehulled pea flour changed kibble structure, digestion and glucose response. It has clear recipe jobs.^2,5