Whole Grain Corn

Field corn is a widely available, low-cost feed grain. Dried kernels are ground while their bran, germ and starchy center remain together. The meal enters kibble production, where heat and moisture cook its starch.^3,5,7

1. 01 // Source Field corn Mature kernels are harvested and dried for storage before they are used as feed grain.
2. 02 // Process Kernels ground Milling breaks the dried kernels into smaller particles while retaining their bran, germ and endosperm.
3. 03 // Output Whole corn meal The ground grain arrives at the kibble plant ready to be mixed with other ingredients and cooked.

1. 01

   Supplies cooked starch

   Heat and moisture make corn starch easier to digest. In a small feeding comparison, the whole corn diet had about 93% dry matter digestibility.^1,2

2. 02

   Helps form kibble

   Starch expands and binds the food during extrusion. Ground corn gives manufacturers that function along with a source of calories.^3,8

3. 03

   Keeps costs manageable

   Corn is widely distributed and inexpensive to buy. That dependable supply lets manufacturers use it across large batches of dry food.^3,5

How much A controlled 12-dog trial fed a recipe containing 56% corn on a dry matter basis.¹

1. Brands say

   Dogs digest cooked corn well

   Evidence

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

   An 8-dog comparison found about 93% dry matter digestibility for a steamed corn diet. A separate 12-dog trial found extruded corn food more digestible than the same recipe baked or pelleted. Both figures describe complete diets, not corn alone.^1,2

2. Brands say

   Whole grain corn improves gut health

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   A 12-dog trial measured stool, fermentation products and gut bacteria across corn foods made in different ways. Extrusion gave the best stool scores, but the short trial did not show a lasting gut health benefit from whole grain corn.¹

3. Critics say

   Corn is just filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   Corn grain averaged about 73% starch on a dry matter basis, and an 8-dog study found the cooked corn diet highly digestible. It supplies usable energy and helps form kibble. Other ingredients must balance its limited protein.^2,5,8

4. Owners say

   Corn commonly causes food allergies in dogs

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

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

   A review found corn reactions in 13 of 297 dogs with identified food reactions. Corn allergy is real, but that selected group cannot show how common it is among all dogs, and corn trailed several other foods.⁴