Home Blue Buffalo Blue Life Protection Formula Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food

Overall Score

The overall score is an average of the ingredient quality and ingredient safety concerns. For more information, see our evaluation criteria.

2.5
4 color scale
Blue Buffalo Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food
Home Blue Buffalo Blue Life Protection Formula Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food
2.5
4 color scale

Overall Score

The overall score is an average of the ingredient quality and ingredient safety concerns. For more information, see our evaluation criteria.

Ingredient Quality

4 out of 10

  • Product is calculated to contain 42% carbohydrate Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate but they are used for energy, texture and taste. Starch is also required for extrusion in dry foods. Excessive carbohydrate is an indicator of food quality as it can be used to reduce manufacturing cost. Foods that are high in carbohydrate can raise insulin and cause obesity. Some studies also show that dogs fed a high carbohydrate content have changes to their gut bacteria. Learn more
  • Contains plant protein Plant-based protein sources are the least expensive substitute for quality animal protein. Whenever possible, animal sources of protein are preferred because they contain a wider array of amino acids than plant based protein sources and are more digestible. Learn more
  • Product contains two or more added amino acids Multiple amino acids are typically only found in lower quality foods that rely on less complete plant sources of protein. Learn more
  • Is fortified with excessive minerals Five or more added minerals indicate a lower quality food that’s lacking naturally occurring minerals from whole food sources.
  • Is fortified with excessive vitamins When vitamins come from whole food sources, they include the full spectrum of cofactors, which makes them safe and bioavailable. While a couple of added vitamins are acceptable, five or more implies the food is of poor nutritional value. Learn more

Ingredient Safety

1 out of 10

  • Product is ultra processed Extruded foods are heated four separate times during production, which will cause major losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Studies shows that ultra processed foods are linked to a higher rate of all-cause mortality in humans. Learn more
  • Contains rice Arsenic contamination is a significant concern with rice since it naturally absorbs arsenic and the water it's grown in can be contaminated with arsenic. Arsenic is linked to chronic health issues. Learn more
  • Contains ingredients known to contain higher pesticide/herbicide residues in the top 5 ingredients including oatmeal and barley Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose a significant health risk to plants, animals and soils. Foods with the largest reported amount of residue will be penalized, including crops that are known to be spray-dried with glyphosate. Learn more
  • Contains natural flavor Natural flavors are often animal digest or MSG, which are low quality ingredients with limited safety studies. Learn more
  • Contains known GMO ingredients including alfalfa, potatoes and dried tomato pomace There are limited safetey studies on geneticaly modified and Roundup Ready crops although they are lacking in nutrients compared to non-GMO foods. GMO crops also strip nutrients from soils, require increased pesticide risk and may be involved in bee die-off. Learn more

Other Concerns

Notable product facts

  • Ingredient splitting Splitting is a technique of manipulating the ingredient list to move certain ingredients higher or lower on the ingredient list. This is often used to diguise the amount of lower quality ingredients in the food, such as corn or peas. Learn more
  • Glam ingredients Expensive or desirable ingredients like blueberries, kale or apples are often added to appeal to consumers but may be in miniscule amounts. If these foods are below salt or other low concentration ingredients, they contribute little or no nutritional value for your dog. Learn more
  • Product doesn't specify whether the fish is farmed or wild caught Farmed fish is less nutritious than wild caught fish and does not contain the same healthy fatty acid balance. Fish farming also threatens wild fish species. Learn more

Ingredients On Package

Deboned Lamb, Menhaden Fish Meal (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Brown Rice, Oatmeal,Barley, Pea Starch, Peas, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavour, Flaxseed (source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Dried Tomato Pomace, Lamb Meal, Pea Protein, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Potatoes, Dried Chicory Root, Pea Fibre, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, DL-Methionine, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Garlic, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Vegetable Juice for Colour, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate,  Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Turmeric, L-Carnitine, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), L-Lysine, Copper Sulfate, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Sulfate, Taurine, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Sodium Selenite,Oil of Rosemary

Guaranteed Analysis





Crude Protein (min) 22%
Crude Fat (min) 14%
Crude Fiber (max) 5%
Moisture (max) 10%

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