Whole Earth Farm Grain Free Canned Dog Food Review

With a score of 6/10, Whole Earth Farm Grain Free wet dog food is considered a moderate risk dog food and it’s the highest scoring line for this brand. There are 2 recipes in the line. 

These 2 recipes average 36% protein and average carbohydrates of 23%, as calculated on a dry matter basis, which is higher than we expect to see in a wet dog food. Excessive carbohydrate is an indicator of lower food quality as it can be used to reduce manufacturing cost. Foods that are rich in carbohydrates can increase insulin levels, increase the risk of obesity and cause unwanted changes to the gut microbiome. 

There are excessive added vitamins and minerals to fulfill the nutrient needs of these recipes. This usually reflects poor quality or overly processed ingredients. Vitamin and mineral excesses, especially vitamin D and copper, can also result from added vitamin premixes, so it’s preferable that most or all vitamins and minerals come from real foods. These recipes lack fruits and vegetables, which are whole food ingredients that would provide many essential nutrients including vitamins and minerals. 

It’s also worth noting that the 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. 

The Red Meat Recipe contains sunflower seed oil, which is a highly processed and inflammatory oil (and, on the safety side, it’s known for high pesticide/herbicide residues). It’s an inexpensive alternative to higher quality animal fats and oils.

On the ingredient safety side, canned foods are highly processed, which destroys nutrients. Canned foods are heated before and during canning, which will cause significant losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Processed foods are also linked to higher mortality rates in many species. 

The line includes apples, which are known for high pesticide/herbicide residues (as well as sunflower oil in one recipe as mentioned earlier). Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose a significant health risk to plants, animals and soils. Foods with the largest reported amount of residue are  penalized, including crops that are known to be spray-dried with glyphosate, which leaves them with higher herbicide residues. 

The Chicken & Turkey recipe uses sodium tripolyphosphate as a synthetic preservative. Natural antioxidants like mixed tocopherols are preferred as preservatives as artificial antioxidants have limited toxicity studies and may be linked to cancer. 

These recipes contain natural flavor, which is added to make processed food more palatable. Natural flavor is often either MSG or animal digest, both low quality ingredients with limited safety studies. 

Lastly, Whole Earth Farm doesn’t provide the omega-6:omega-3 ratio, which is a concern since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1.