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OPEN FARM RUSTIC STEW

Average Score

6.6
4 color scale

Food scores are based on ingredient quality and safety. For more information, view our  evaluation criteria.

Open Farm Homestead Turkey Rustic Stew Recipe Wet Dog Food

With an average score of 6.6, Open Farm’s Rustic Stew line is considered a moderate risk wet dog food. This line loses food quality points for its high carbohydrate content, which averages over 33% on a dry matter basis (meaning with the moisture removed, for comparison with dry foods). Excessive carbohydrate is in indicator of low quality foods as they are used to keep costs down. Large amounts of starch can increase insulin levels, cause obesity and negatively impact gut balance.

The food is manufactured by a family-owned and operated company in Minnesota named Barrett Ag Service, with two facilities making 150 different pet and animal foods.

This line also loses significant ingredient quality points for excessive vitamin and mineral premix. Ideally, these nutrients should come from whole food sources and their inclusion on a label is usually due to poor quality or overly processed raw ingredients. Vitamin and mineral excesses, especially vitamin D and copper, can also result from vitamin premixes.

Ingredient quality is also lower because the foods all contain sunflower oil. Seed oils provide calories and taste, but they are rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which can cause systemic and gut inflammation. 

The food safety score is lower because cooked foods are highly processed using heat that causes significant losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. 

Safety points in this food are also affected because it contains ingredients known to contain higher pesticide or herbicide residues, including spinach, red lentils and chickpeas. While the company states these ingredients are non-GMO, the non-GMO status doesn’t guarantee that foods are grown without pesticides or herbicides. Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose a significant health risk to plants, animals and soils. 

The fish in the Salmon and the Ocean Herring & Mackerel recipes is wild-caught. However the salmon is Pacific salmon, and some Pacific fish has been contaminated with radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

There’s a concern about coconut oil in this line of foods. Coconut oil may be harmful to gut health and has been shown to change undesirable changes in the gut lining. 

The label does not provide the omega-6:omega-3 ratio, which is a concern since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1.

The inclusion of “glam”  ingredients like cinnamon and turmeric is another concern. These ingredients are added to make consumers think the food sound healthier. But they’re listed below the salt, which means they’re present in tiny amounts and likely won’t benefit your dog.  

The company emphasizes several factors that suggest better food quality, using terms like humanely raised, ethical sourcing, ingredient tracing, sustainability. While these goals are commendable,  these are marketing descriptions with no legal meaning under pet  food regulatory standards.  

Rustic Stew Benefits

Rustic Stew Concerns

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