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Ingredient file // Starch

Potatoes

Useful starch, but fresh weight flatters the label

Potatoes are starchy tubers that cook into kibble to supply energy and help it hold together. Fresh potatoes carry mostly water, so a high place on the ingredient list can exaggerate how much potato remains in the finished food.

Potatoes
What it is
Fresh potato tubers added to a recipe as a source of starch for cooked kibble.
Made from
Harvested white potato tubers
Main job
Cooked starch for energy
Typical amount
Not published
Watch for
Green or sprouted tubers
Not the same as
Potato starch

Straight answer

Is Potatoes safe for dogs?

Count every potato line before judging the food

Potatoes near the top mean a substantial wet ingredient went into the mixer, not necessarily a large share of finished solids. Look for potato starch and potato protein elsewhere on the list, then check the food's full nutrient profile and primary protein sources. Choose the recipe, not the grain-free badge.

Why it is in the food
Cooked starch for energy

Our read // In our catalog

In 1 of every 6 foods we track

Share of foods that list it

16%

518 of the 3,204 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 58 brands. 343 dry dog food, 150 wet dog food, 22 dog food topper.

Each square is 1% of the catalog

Where it sits on the label

Median position 5. In the top five of 295 foods, so it is usually a main ingredient.

Top five List position, heaviest first

Above the salt

95%

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

Price per lb

Foods with it $3.41
All foods $3.25

Median of the cheapest bag price across 297 priced foods, 5% above the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.

Who leans on it

25%

of the foods that list it are from Blue. 58 brands use it in total.

What it is

How it is made

Potatoes are the world's fourth largest food crop, at 381 million tonnes of fresh tubers in 2014. Raw tubers are wet, bulky and perishable, and their protein needs cooking to digest well.4

  1. 01 // Source Harvested tubers Fresh potatoes average 20.6% dry matter, so most of what goes on the scale is water.
  2. 02 // Process Cured and stored After a short curing period, food potatoes are kept at 5 to 10 C to slow starch turning into sugar.
  3. 03 // Process Shipped wet High moisture and bulk make tubers costly to transport and store compared with dry ingredients.
  4. 04 // Output Raw potatoes Raw potato protein carries a protease inhibitor that cooking destroys, so the tubers must be cooked before dogs eat them.

What is in it

Composition, dry matter

72

% starch

About 72% of raw potato dry matter is starch. Cooking makes that starch useful for energy and for forming kibble.

Starch 56.2-82.3%4
Crude protein 9.2-13%4
Crude fiber 1.5-3.9%4
Ash 4.4-15.8%4
Crude fat 0.2-1.3%4
Potassium 23-24.1 g/kg4

The starch range comes from only 5 samples, and potassium from 2. Storage turns some starch into sugar. These dry matter figures also leave out the water that dominates fresh potatoes.4

Why it is in the bag

What the manufacturer gets

  1. 01

    Supplies cooked starch

    In a dog trial, starch in each of 6 extruded flour diets, including potato flour, was more than 99% digested. That is the tuber's main nutritional job.1

  2. 02

    Holds kibble together

    During extrusion, heat and moisture swell starch granules. The cooked starch helps the dough expand and bind into a piece that survives handling.3

  3. 03

    Replaces cereal starch

    Potatoes give grain-free recipes a starch source without wheat, corn or rice. Removing grain does not remove starch or demonstrate a health advantage.3

How much A brand-authored 18-month trial fed 16.4% or 26.4% potatoes alongside equal percentages of potato starch in complete recipes.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

    Cooked potatoes give dogs usable energy

    Evidence

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

    In a comparison of 6 extruded flour diets, dogs digested more than 99% of the starch in every diet, including potato flour. That supports cooked potato starch as energy, but shows no advantage over grains.1

  2. Brands say

    Potatoes are easier to digest than grains

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

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

    Across 6 extruded flour diets, the potato diet had the lowest small intestine organic matter and protein digestibility, at 74% and 64%. Starch digestion exceeded 99% in every diet, so a digestive edge is unsupported.1

  3. Critics say

    Potatoes are just filler

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

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

    Raw potato dry matter averaged about 72% starch, and dogs digested more than 99% of starch across 6 tested extruded flour diets. Potato starch also supports kibble structure. Potatoes do a real job, though not as the main protein.1,3,4

  4. Brands say

    Potatoes make grain-free food healthier

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

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

    Potatoes replace cereal starch, but grain-free recipes may carry as much starch as grain recipes. A 60-dog, 18-month trial measured cardiac function across complete diets; it did not demonstrate a potato-specific health benefit.2,3

Straight answers

What owners ask

  1. Q01

    Is it just filler?

    No

    Cooked potato starch supplies energy and helps kibble hold its shape. It is a practical starch ingredient, not an empty addition. Judge how much starch the whole recipe carries and what supplies its protein.1,3,4

  2. Q02

    Does potato first mean mostly potato?

    Not necessarily

    Ingredients are ordered by weight before cooking, and fresh potatoes average only about 21% dry matter. Much of their weight is water. A high position does not tell you the finished share of potato solids.4,7

  3. Q03

    What if potato starch appears too?

    Read both

    Potatoes and extracted potato starch get separate places on the ingredient list. Read them together when judging how much the recipe relies on potato, and watch for potato protein as another separate line.2,7

  4. Q04

    Should I avoid it over DCM?

    No blanket ban

    FDA has not identified potatoes as a cause of DCM. Its later update emphasizes pulse ingredients high on reported diets. If your dog has DCM, review the complete diet with the treating veterinarian.5,6

Who uses it

Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps

Top brands, by foods that list it

  1. Blue 131 / 186
  2. Merrick 52 / 107
  3. Fromm 44 / 67
  4. Now Fresh 27 / 35
  5. Open Farm 20 / 42
  6. Natural Balance 15 / 48
  7. Halo 15 / 41
  8. Wellness 13 / 118
  9. The Honest Kitchen 13 / 36
  10. Hill's 12 / 116

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

Plus 48 more brands.

Amazon best sellers that list it

  1. #1 Blue Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  2. #5 Blue Life Protection Formula Adult Small Breed Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  3. #8 Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat Formula All Life Stages Salmon & Potato Formula Dry Dog Food
  4. #27 Blue Life Protection Formula Senior Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  5. #32 Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Dry Dog Food
  6. #35 Blue Life Protection Formula Small Breed Senior Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  7. #46 The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Beef Recipe Whole Food Clusters Dry Dog Food
  8. #51 Blue Wilderness Adult Chicken plus Grains Recipe 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. Peas 61%
  2. Natural Flavor 42%
  3. Chicken 41%
  4. Mixed Tocopherols 36%
  5. Flaxseed 36%
  6. Chicken Fat 28%
  7. Sweet Potatoes 28%
  8. Chicken Meal 28%
  9. Carrots 26%
  10. Pea Protein 24%
  11. Beef 19%
  12. Salmon 18%

On the shelf

Foods that list Potatoes

518 foods in our catalog list it. These 60 list it highest on the label.

Grandma Lucy’s Meal Prep Taco Tuesday Dog Food TopperGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s Meal Prep Taco Tuesday Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 1 on the labelGrandma Lucy’s Artisan Pre-Mix Grain-Free Dog Food TopperGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s Artisan Pre-Mix Grain-Free Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 1 on the labelDiamond>Care Diamond Care Sensitive Stomach Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDiamond CareDiamond>Care Diamond Care Sensitive Stomach Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein PW Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein PW Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein PR Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein PR Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelHill’s Prescription Diet d/d Skin/Food Sensitivities Potato & Salmon Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodHill'sHill’s Prescription Diet d/d Skin/Food Sensitivities Potato & Salmon Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelHill’s Prescription Diet d/d Skin/Food Sensitivities Potato & Venison Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodHill'sHill’s Prescription Diet d/d Skin/Food Sensitivities Potato & Venison Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelDiamond Care Sensitive Stomach Formula for Adult Dogs Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDiamondDiamond Care Sensitive Stomach Formula for Adult Dogs Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelGentle Giants Wild Caught Salmon - Gentle Giants ‘Quality of Life’ Feast for Seafood Lovers - Dog and Puppy Food Natural, Non GMO Ingredients Dry Dog FoodGentle GiantsGentle Giants Wild Caught Salmon - Gentle Giants ‘Quality of Life’ Feast for Seafood Lovers - Dog and Puppy Food Natural, Non GMO Ingredients Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelPortland Pet Food Company Meals & Mixers Hopkins’ Pork N’ Potato Dog Food TopperPortland Pet Food CompanyPortland Pet Food Company Meals & Mixers Hopkins’ Pork N’ Potato Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 2 on the labelDave’s Pet Food Dave’s Stewlicious Chicken Pot Pie Dinner for Dogs / Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodDave's Pet FoodDave’s Pet Food Dave’s Stewlicious Chicken Pot Pie Dinner for Dogs / Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelBlue Natural Veterinary Diet WM Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Natural Veterinary Diet WM Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the label
Show 48 more
Royal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein PD Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein PD Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein PW Moderate Calorie Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein PW Moderate Calorie Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein Adult PV Dry Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein Adult PV Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Hydrolyzed Protein PS Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Hydrolyzed Protein PS Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein PW Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Veterinary Selected Protein PW Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 1 on the labelGrandma Lucy’s - Artisan Pork Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog FoodGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s - Artisan Pork Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 2 on the labelGrandma Lucy’s - Artisan Chicken Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog FoodGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s - Artisan Chicken Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 2 on the labelNow Fresh Turkey, Salmon & Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodNow FreshNow Fresh Turkey, Salmon & Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelEvanger’s Complements Grain Free All Fresh Vegetarian Dinner Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Complements Grain Free All Fresh Vegetarian Dinner Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelAuthority Homestyle Adult Wet Dog FoodAuthorityAuthority Homestyle Adult Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelBlue Natural Veterinary Diet GI Low Fat Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Natural Veterinary Diet GI Low Fat Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 2 on the labelHealth Extension Ancestry Look Out! Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodHealth ExtensionHealth Extension Ancestry Look Out! Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Small Breed Recipe with Chicken & Turkey Dry Dog FoodWhole Earth FarmsWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Small Breed Recipe with Chicken & Turkey Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe Healthy Weight Dry Dog FoodWhole Earth FarmsWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe Healthy Weight Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Small Breed Recipe with Salmon & Whitefish Dry Dog FoodWhole Earth FarmsWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Small Breed Recipe with Salmon & Whitefish Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Small Breed Recipe with Pork, Beef & Lamb Poultry-Free Dry Dog FoodWhole Earth FarmsWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Small Breed Recipe with Pork, Beef & Lamb Poultry-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe with Turkey & Duck Dry Dog FoodWhole Earth FarmsWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe with Turkey & Duck Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe with Salmon & Whitefish Dry Dog FoodWhole Earth FarmsWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe with Salmon & Whitefish Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe with Pork, Beef & Lamb Poultry-Free Dry Dog FoodWhole Earth FarmsWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe with Pork, Beef & Lamb Poultry-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe Healthy Puppy Dry Dog FoodWhole Earth FarmsWhole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe Healthy Puppy Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelWellness Complete Health Grain-Free Whitefish & Menhaden Fish Meal Dry Dog FoodWellnessWellness Complete Health Grain-Free Whitefish & Menhaden Fish Meal Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelVerus Advanced Opticoat Menhaden Fish Meal and Potato Formula Dry Dog FoodVerusVerus Advanced Opticoat Menhaden Fish Meal and Potato Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelNow Fresh Grain-Free Large Breed Senior Recipe Dry Dog FoodNow FreshNow Fresh Grain-Free Large Breed Senior Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelNow Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Senior Recipe Dry Dog FoodNow FreshNow Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Senior Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelNow Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Red Meat Adult Recipe Dry Dog FoodNow FreshNow Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Red Meat Adult Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelNow Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Fish Adult Recipe Dry Dog FoodNow FreshNow Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Fish Adult Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelNow Fresh Grain-Free Adult Dog Food Recipe Dry Dog FoodNow FreshNow Fresh Grain-Free Adult Dog Food Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelHolistic Select Weight Management Grain-Free Chicken Meal & Peas Recipe Dry Dog FoodHolistic SelectHolistic Select Weight Management Grain-Free Chicken Meal & Peas Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelHolistic Select Adult Large & Giant Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodHolistic SelectHolistic Select Adult Large & Giant Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelHolistic Select Adult & Puppy Health Grain-Free Salmon Anchovy & Sardine Meal Recipe Dry Dog FoodHolistic SelectHolistic Select Adult & Puppy Health Grain-Free Salmon Anchovy & Sardine Meal Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelBlue Freedom Senior Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog FoodBlueBlue Freedom Senior Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelBlue Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Large Breed Adult Grain-Free Lamb and Potato Dry Dog FoodBlueBlue Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Large Breed Adult Grain-Free Lamb and Potato Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelBlue Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Adult Dog Grain-Free Turkey & Potato Recipe Dry Dog FoodBlueBlue Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Adult Dog Grain-Free Turkey & Potato Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelBlue Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Adult Grain-Free Lamb and Potato Recipe Dry Dog FoodBlueBlue Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Adult Grain-Free Lamb and Potato Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelBlue Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Adult Grain-Free Duck and Potato Recipe Dry Dog FoodBlueBlue Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Adult Grain-Free Duck and Potato Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 2 on the labelDiamond Naturals Skin & Coat Formula All Life Stages Salmon & Potato Formula Dry Dog FoodDiamondDiamond Naturals Skin & Coat Formula All Life Stages Salmon & Potato Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 3 on the labelThe Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Beef Recipe Whole Food Clusters Dry Dog FoodThe Honest KitchenThe Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Beef Recipe Whole Food Clusters Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 3 on the labelTruDog Garden of Vegan Plant-Based Recipe Adult Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodTruDogTruDog Garden of Vegan Plant-Based Recipe Adult Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the labelHill’s Prescription Diet d/d Salmon Skin Care Wet Dog FoodHill'sHill’s Prescription Diet d/d Salmon Skin Care Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 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. 3 on the labelThe Honest Kitchen Whole Food Clusters Grain Free Chicken Protein Plus Clusters Dry Dog FoodThe Honest KitchenThe Honest Kitchen Whole Food Clusters Grain Free Chicken Protein Plus Clusters Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 3 on the labelDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat All Life Stages Dog Salmon & Potato Formula Dry Dog FoodDiamond NaturalsDiamond>Naturals Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat All Life Stages Dog Salmon & Potato Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 3 on the labelEvanger’s Organic Turkey with Potato & Carrots Dinner for Dogs Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Organic Turkey with Potato & Carrots Dinner for Dogs Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 3 on the label4health with Wholesome Grains Adult Salmon and Potato Formula at Tractor Supply Co Dry Dog Food4health4health with Wholesome Grains Adult Salmon and Potato Formula at Tractor Supply Co Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 3 on the labelNow Fresh Good Gravy Beef Coated in Bone Broth Dry Dog FoodNow FreshNow Fresh Good Gravy Beef Coated in Bone Broth Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 3 on the labelHalo Holistic Grain Free Cage-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Small Bree Dry Dog FoodHaloHalo Holistic Grain Free Cage-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Small Bree Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 3 on the labelNow Fresh Large Breed Turkey, Salmon & Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodNow FreshNow Fresh Large Breed Turkey, Salmon & Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 3 on the labelNow Fresh Lamb & Pork Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodNow FreshNow Fresh Lamb & Pork Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 3 on the label

Leaving it out

Foods without potato

For owners who skip potato: popular dry foods priced like the ones that list it ($2.33 to $4.67 per lb), with no potato on the label.

Hill’s Science Diet Light Small & Mini Chicken Recipe Dry Dog FoodHill'sHill’s Science Diet Light Small & Mini Chicken Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // $3.93 per lbHill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Chicken Recipe Dry Dog FoodHill'sHill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Chicken Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // $2.92 per lbPurina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog FoodPurinaPurina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // $2.37 per lbPurina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Small Breed Formula Dry Dog FoodPurinaPurina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Small Breed Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // $3.41 per lbNature’s Recipe Grain-Free Easy to Digest Salmon, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog FoodNature's RecipeNature’s Recipe Grain-Free Easy to Digest Salmon, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // $2.45 per lbRoyal Canin Small Adult Dry Dog FoodRoyal CaninRoyal Canin Small Adult Dry Dog FoodDry // $3.33 per lbOpen Farm Wild Caught Salmon with Ancient Grains Dry Dog FoodOpen FarmOpen Farm Wild Caught Salmon with Ancient Grains Dry Dog FoodDry // $4.05 per lbOrijen Original Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodOrijenOrijen Original Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // $4.32 per lb

Checked against the ingredient list we store for each food. Labels change, so read the bag before you buy.

On labels as

Fresh, organic and whole potatoes compared

One page covers every name. Here is what each label word adds, and whether it changes anything for your dog.

Fresh potatoes

Matters for your dog No

Fresh Potatoes

What it means AAFCO's feed term for fresh covers an ingredient that has not been frozen, cooked, dried, rendered or hydrolyzed, has no salt, curing agents or preservatives added, and is kept only by refrigeration. It says nothing about variety, farming method or harvest date.

For your dog The word describes the potato before it enters the recipe. The food is then cooked, dried or frozen in production, so any difference likely ends there. Like plain potatoes, fresh tubers are about 79% water, and that water counts in the weight that sets their list position.4,7,9

Organic potatoes

Matters for your dog A little

Organic Potatoes

What it means The USDA National Organic Program sets the rules, and pet foods claiming organic must meet its human food regulations. Organic crops are grown without synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation or genetic engineering. USDA does not treat organic food as necessarily safer or more nutritious.

For your dog A meta-analysis of 343 publications found pesticide residues 4 times more often in conventional crops, plus more cadmium and fewer antioxidants. It pooled many crops, not potatoes alone, and no dog study shows a health effect from organic potatoes in a finished food.10,11

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

Whole potatoes

Matters for your dog No

Whole Potatoes

What it means AAFCO's feed terms list whole as a physical form meaning the complete, entire item. On this label it points to the full tuber rather than an extracted part such as potato starch or potato protein. It promises nothing about quality or farming.

For your dog Little changes from plain potatoes, which also name the tuber rather than a fraction. The useful contrast is with potato starch: the whole tuber brings its starch, protein and fiber together, while the starch line is starch alone.4,9

Other wording

Matters for your dog No

Potato

What it means Singular or plural is a wording choice for the same ingredient. Either way it names the tuber, and it must sit in descending order by weight on the ingredient list like every other ingredient.

For your dog Nothing changes for the dog. Judge it the same way as plain potatoes: by where it sits on the list and whether potato starch or potato protein also appear as separate lines.7

Sources

What we read

Checked October 1, 2026.

  1. 1 Evaluation of selected high-starch flours as ingredients in canine diets Journal of Animal Science, 1999 // Journal
  2. 2 Different carbohydrate sources in dog foods supported overall health and cardiac function: an 18-mo prospective study in healthy adult dogs Journal of Animal Science, 2025 // Journal
  3. 3 The role of carbohydrates in canine and feline nutrition Animal Frontiers, 2024 // Journal
  4. 4 Potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers Feedipedia (INRAE, CIRAD, AFZ, FAO), 2018 // Database
  5. 5 FDA Investigation into Potential Link between Certain Diets and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2022 // Government
  6. 6 Questions & Answers: FDA’s Work on Potential Causes of Non-Hereditary DCM in Dogs U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d. // Government
  7. 7 What’s in the Ingredients List? AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
  8. 8 Glycoalkaloids in Foods Health Canada, 2017 // Government
  9. 9 2022 Official Publication, Chapter Six: Official Feed Terms AAFCO (hosted by FASS), 2022 // Regulator
  10. 10 Organic AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
  11. 11 Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses British Journal of Nutrition, 2014 // 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

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