BLUE Buffalo FREEDOM Canned DOG FOOD Review

With a score of 6.8, this is considered a moderate risk dog food. This is the highest score in the Blue Buffalo lines. This is a grain-free canned food with 8 recipes that average 38% protein and 21.8% carbohydrates as calculated on a dry matter basis (for comparison with dry foods).  

These recipes lose ingredient quality points for high carbohydrate levels. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrates but they’re added to dog foods for energy, texture and taste. Excessive carbohydrate is an indicator of food quality as it can be used to reduce manufacturing cost. Foods that are high in carbohydrates can raise insulin and cause obesity. Some studies also show that dogs fed a high carbohydrate content have changes to their gut bacteria. Blue Buffalo states that they don’t include corn, wheat or soy, and even offer grain-free options. However, they do include other starchy ingredients like pea and potato products and sweet potatoes in these recipes so they aren’t starch- or carb-free. 

These recipes include added vitamins and minerals. It’s preferred that vitamins and minerals come from whole food sources that include the full spectrum of cofactors, which makes them safe and bioavailable. While a couple of added vitamins and minerals are acceptable, five or more implies the food is of poor nutritional value. 

Another quality concern is the use of an unnamed fish oil. Unnamed protein sources are of much lower quality, especially meals, which are typically from rendered waste. You want to see beef, salmon or chicken, not animal, fish or poultry.

Canned dog foods are highly processed so they lose points for safety. There are several stages of heating in the processing of canned foods. This causes major losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients.  

Additional safety concerns are for the use of ingredients like pea products and potato starch which are known to contain higher pesticide/herbicide residues. Peas are often found in the top 5 ingredients, making them a greater concern. Potatoes are a known GMO ingredient. 

Natural flavor is also used. This is often animal digest or MSG, both low quality ingredients with limited safety studies. Carrageenan is included as a thickener. It’s been linked to intestinal inflammation and other negative health effects.  

These recipes also include glam ingredients like fruit that are listed after salt, which means they’re included in minimal amounts that don’t provide any nutritional benefit. 

There is also ingredient splitting in these recipes. This is the practice of splitting  ingredients into subcategories to make them appear lower on the list, which can move protein higher. 

It’s also worth noting that this line contains sodium selenite as a source of selenium. Dogs need selenium, and it’s usually added in very small amounts. However some research suggests that sodium selenite may be associated with potential toxicity, so selenium yeast is the preferred form of this mineral.

It’s not stated for the Blue Freedom whether the fish oil is from farmed or wild caught fish. Wild caught fish is more nutritious and has a better fatty acid balance providing healthy omega-3s. 

Finally, Blue Buffalo doesn’t provide the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. This is important to know since diets rich in omega-6 fats can cause chronic inflammation and disease, and AAFCO allows a very high ratio of 30:1.