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Ingredient file // Animal protein

Pork By-Products

Useful pork protein with an undisclosed mix

Pork by-products are parts from slaughtered pigs outside the main meat cuts, including organs and sometimes blood or bone. They add animal protein and minerals to dog food. The label identifies the species but leaves the parts and their proportions undisclosed.

Role in the food Main nutrition
Pork By-Products
What it is
Suitable, non-rendered pork parts outside the main meat cuts, potentially including organs, blood and bone.
Made from
Parts of slaughtered pigs
Main job
Animal protein
Typical amount
Not published
Watch for
The parts and proportions are undisclosed
Not the same as
Pork by-product meal

Straight answer

Is Pork By-Products safe for dogs?

Judge the food and ask about the parts

Near the top of a can's ingredient list, pork by-products signal a substantial weight of wet animal material, but not its protein contribution. Check the nutritional adequacy statement and compare protein on a dry matter basis. If the organs or bone content matter to you, ask the maker what goes into the mix.

Why it is in the food
Animal protein

Our read // In our catalog

In 1 of every 71 foods we track

Share of foods that list it

1%

45 of the 3,204 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 4 brands. 43 wet dog food, 2 dog food topper.

Each square is 1% of the catalog

Where it sits on the label

Median position 3. In the top five of 38 foods, so it is usually a main ingredient.

Top five List position, heaviest first

Above the salt

100%

Almost always listed before the salt, so there is more of it than a pinch.

Price per lb

Foods with it $3.12
All foods $3.25

Median of the cheapest bag price across 2 priced foods, 4% below the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.

Who leans on it

58%

of the foods that list it are from Royal Canin. 4 brands use it in total.

What it is

How it is made

Pig slaughter and meat cutting leave organs and other parts outside the main meat cuts. Some have separate markets; suitable parts also go into animal food. Pork by-products enter recipes without first being rendered into meal.4,5,6

  1. 01 // Source Slaughtered pigs Organs and other parts are separated as pigs are prepared for meat production.
  2. 02 // Process Parts selected Suitable material may include liver, lung, kidney, blood or bone; the ingredient name does not specify the mix.
  3. 03 // Process Kept unrendered The selected parts enter food manufacturing without the cooking and drying used to make a meal.
  4. 04 // Output Pork by-products The material enters a recipe; canned food is heat-treated during manufacturing and packaging.

What is in it

Composition, dry matter

36-93

% protein

Measured raw pork parts span this protein range. The figure describes separate parts, not the undisclosed blend in a dog food.

Crude protein 36-93.3%3
Iron 79.4-1,822 mg/kg3
Phosphorus 2,794-13,850 mg/kg3
Zinc 19.9-232.9 mg/kg3

These ranges come from separate raw pork parts, including blood, not a commercial by-product blend. Both the choice of parts and variation between batches change the result; bone could change it further.3,5

Why it is in the bag

A main source of animal protein in wet food

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

Makers use pork by-products because slaughter leaves organs and blood with real protein and minerals outside the meat cuts. Labels list ingredients by weight, so when pork by-products sit near the top of a wet food or topper, they are likely a main source of its animal protein. They go in unrendered and carry their own water, so a high rank by weight overstates their dry share.3,4,6,7

  1. 01

    Supplies animal protein

    Organs and blood contribute protein to a complete recipe. The amount depends heavily on which parts are used: measured raw pork esophagus and blood differed sharply on a dry basis.3,5

  2. 02

    Uses slaughter output

    USDA puts all hog by-products at about 30% of live weight. Suitable parts sold for animal food give processors another market for material outside the meat cuts.4,5

  3. 03

    Adds minerals

    Pork organs and blood supply iron, phosphorus and zinc in differing amounts. The maker must balance the finished food because the ingredient name does not reveal its mineral contribution.3,5

How much A 90-day dog study fed canned food listing pork by-products after water, but published no percentage for the ingredient.2

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. Brands say

    Pork by-products provide usable animal protein

    Evidence

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

    A four-batch analysis found substantial protein in the pork parts tested. A 90-day dog study fed food containing pork by-products, but did not isolate their digestibility or measure their individual contribution.2,3

  2. Owners say

    Pork by-products cause food allergies

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

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

    Pork triggered reactions in 7 of 297 dogs with identified food reactions across reviewed studies. The challenges did not test this particular mix, and the count cannot predict an individual dog's risk.1

  3. Brands say

    Organ parts give dogs an iron boost

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

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

    Measured iron ranged from 79.4 mg/kg dry matter in tongue to 1,822 mg/kg in blood. The label does not identify the parts used, and the composition study measured no health benefit in dogs.3

  4. Critics say

    Pork by-products are worthless filler

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

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

    The tested pork parts supplied protein and minerals. The fair criticism is disclosure: the ingredient line does not reveal which parts are present or their proportions, so it cannot show the blend's precise nutritional value.3,5

  5. Critics say

    Pork by-products are unsafe slaughter waste

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

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

    AAFCO describes meat by-products as suitable parts from slaughtered animals and says canned pet food is heat-treated. Raw animal material needs careful handling, but the ingredient name alone does not show a safety failure.5,6

Straight answers

What owners ask

  1. Q01

    Is it just filler?

    No

    It supplies animal protein and minerals. The useful criticism is that “pork by-products” names neither the parts nor their proportions, so you cannot judge the ingredient's precise nutrient profile from that line.3,5

  2. Q02

    Is it pork by-product meal?

    No

    Pork by-products enter the recipe without first being rendered. By-product meal has been cooked and dried, so the ingredients carry different amounts of water when weighed for the label.5,6

  3. Q03

    Does this mean liver is included?

    Not necessarily

    Liver is allowed in the category, alongside other parts. A separate “pork liver” line tells you liver was added, but the “pork by-products” line does not disclose what is inside its own mix.5

  4. Q04

    How much is in the food?

    Not disclosed

    Ingredients appear in order by weight, but the list gives no percentage. One studied canned food placed pork by-products after water, yet its published ingredient list did not state the amount.2,7

Who uses it

Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps

Top brands, by foods that list it

  1. Royal Canin 26 / 160
  2. Cesar 16 / 45
  3. Eukanuba 2 / 35
  4. Hill's 1 / 116

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

Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it

  1. Chicken Liver 71%
  2. Powdered Cellulose 62%
  3. Water Sufficient for Processing 58%
  4. Chicken 53%
  5. Pork Liver 47%
  6. Calcium Carbonate 40%
  7. Water 38%
  8. Beef Lung 36%
  9. Chicken Broth 36%
  10. Chicken Heart 36%
  11. Chicken By-Product 36%
  12. Brewers Rice 33%

On the shelf

Foods that list Pork By-Products

45 foods in our catalog list it, highest on the label first.

Royal Canin Weight Care Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Weight Care Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelRoyal Canin Shih Tzu Loaf In Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Shih Tzu Loaf In Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelEukanuba Adult Chicken, Rice & Vegetables Dinner Wet Dog FoodEukanubaEukanuba Adult Chicken, Rice & Vegetables Dinner Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelEukanuba Puppy with Lamb & Rice Wet Dog FoodEukanubaEukanuba Puppy with Lamb & Rice Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Labrador Retriever Adult Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Labrador Retriever Adult Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Adult Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Adult Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelRoyal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Mature Adult in Gel Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Mature Adult in Gel Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Grilled Steak & Eggs Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Grilled Steak & Eggs Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Top Sirloin Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Top Sirloin Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelHill’s Science Diet Adult Light Wet Dog FoodHill'sHill’s Science Diet Adult Light Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Beauty Adult Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Beauty Adult Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the label
Show 34 more
Royal Canin Veterinary Health Nutrition Canine Renal Support Early Consult loaf in sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Health Nutrition Canine Renal Support Early Consult loaf in sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelRoyal Canin Size Health Nutrition Mature 8+ Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Size Health Nutrition Mature 8+ Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition French Bulldog Loaf In Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition French Bulldog Loaf In Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition German Shepherd Adult Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition German Shepherd Adult Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Filet Mignon Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Filet Mignon Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Beef Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Beef Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Porterhouse Steak Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Porterhouse Steak Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelRoyal Canin Comfort Care Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Comfort Care Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Large Puppy Thin Slices in Gravy Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Large Puppy Thin Slices in Gravy Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Starter Mother & Babydog Ultra Soft Mousse In Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Starter Mother & Babydog Ultra Soft Mousse In Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Health Nutrition Canine Advanced Mobility Support loaf in sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Health Nutrition Canine Advanced Mobility Support loaf in sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Yorkshire Terrier Adult Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Yorkshire Terrier Adult Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Boxer Adult Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Boxer Adult Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Size Health Nutrition Puppy Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Size Health Nutrition Puppy Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Size Health Nutrition X-Small Puppy Thin Slices In Gravy Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Size Health Nutrition X-Small Puppy Thin Slices In Gravy Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Canine Renal Support E loaf Dog Food TopperRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Canine Renal Support E loaf Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Size Health Nutrition Medium Puppy Thin Slices in Gravy Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Size Health Nutrition Medium Puppy Thin Slices in Gravy Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Digestive Care Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Digestive Care Loaf in Sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Health Nutrition Canine Urinary SO Loaf Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Health Nutrition Canine Urinary SO Loaf Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 4 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Canine Weight Control loaf in sauce Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Canine Weight Control loaf in sauce Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 4 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Canine Urinary SO thin slices in gravy Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Canine Urinary SO thin slices in gravy Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 4 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Canine Hepatic Loaf Dog Food TopperRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Canine Hepatic Loaf Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 5 on the labelRoyal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Adult In Gel Wet Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Adult In Gel Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 5 on the labelCesar Loaf & Topper in Sauce Rotisserie Chicken with Bacon & Cheese Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Loaf & Topper in Sauce Rotisserie Chicken with Bacon & Cheese Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 5 on the labelCesar Loaf & Topper in Sauce Ham & Egg with Potato & Cheese Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Loaf & Topper in Sauce Ham & Egg with Potato & Cheese Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 5 on the labelCesar Loaf & Topper in Sauce Angus Beef with Bacon & Cheese Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Loaf & Topper in Sauce Angus Beef with Bacon & Cheese Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 5 on the labelCesar Loaf Topper Sauce Filet Mignon Flavor With Bacon & Potato Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Loaf Topper Sauce Filet Mignon Flavor With Bacon & Potato Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 5 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Chicken & Liver Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Chicken & Liver Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Grilled Chicken Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Grilled Chicken Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Turkey Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Turkey Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Smoked Bacon & Egg Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Smoked Bacon & Egg Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Lamb Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Lamb Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Duck Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Duck Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Chicken & Veal Wet Dog FoodCesarCesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Chicken & Veal Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the label

Sources

What we read

Checked October 1, 2026.

  1. 1 Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (2): common food allergen sources in dogs and cats BMC Veterinary Research, 2016 // Journal
  2. 2 Identification of Canine Markers Related to Obesity and the Effects of Weight Loss on the Markers of Interest International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine, 2006 // Journal
  3. 3 Batch-to-batch differences in nutritional quality of selected raw and cooked pork offal LWT - Food Science and Technology, 2024 // Journal
  4. 4 Where's the (Not) Meat? Byproducts From Beef and Pork Production USDA Economic Research Service, 2011 // Government
  5. 5 Frequently Asked Questions AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
  6. 6 Byproducts AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
  7. 7 Reading Labels AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
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

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