If youve ever looked closely at the ingredients on pet food labels, youve almost certainly seen “chicken meal” listed as a main ingredient in many commercial pet foods. In fact, according to a 2020 report, pet food manufacturers use about 1. 5 million metric tons of rendered proteins (including meat meal) each year.
Specifically, chicken meal refers to any combination of chicken flesh, skin, and bone — ground down, melted, and then dried at high temperatures to make a powder. The result is a protein-rich meal that can be incorporated into kibble for dogs and cats.
But what parts of the animal does chicken meal contain, why is it such a common pet food ingredient, and is it any good for your beloved pet?.
Chicken meal is a very common ingredient found in many commercial pet foods, especially dog food. But what exactly is chicken meal made of? Is it a high-quality source of nutrition for pets or something you should avoid?
This article will go into great detail about what chicken meal is, what it’s made of, how it stacks up against other chicken ingredients, and whether it’s really a good choice for your pet.
Defining Chicken Meal
First. let’s start with a clear definition of what chicken meal is
Chicken meal is made by rendering chicken flesh and skin that is left over from chicken production for human consumption This can include meat from whole chicken carcasses or just certain parts,
The chicken goes through a cooking process that removes most of the water and fat, leaving a dry, concentrated protein source. The cooked chicken is then ground up into a powder/meal.
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Chicken meal starts with chicken flesh and skin. Bones may also be included.
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It goes through a cooking/rendering process to remove moisture and fat.
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The final product is dried, ground chicken powder that is high in protein.
Chicken meal is different from plain chicken or fresh chicken meat because it has been processed and sped up. The processing keeps it fresh and makes it easier to add to kibble recipes.
What Parts of the Chicken Are Used?
Since chicken meal can come from whole carcasses or certain parts, the exact composition can vary. But in general, here are the main components:
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Chicken meat/muscle: This is the lean, protein-rich meat from chicken breasts, thighs, legs, wings, etc.
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Chicken skin: Skin contains a high amount of protein and fat. It adds nutritional value.
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Chicken fat: The fat rendered from the skin and meat adds flavor and calories.
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Bones: Some brands may include crushed bone for calcium content.
The parts of the chicken used in meals can come from any part of the bird that is safe for animals to eat. This includes organs like the heart, liver, etc.
Some low-quality meals may have parts that aren’t as healthy or desirable, like feet, beaks, and eggs that aren’t fully developed. Higher-end brands use meatier portions.
How Chicken Meal is Made
Now that we know what goes into chicken meal, let’s look at how it is processed and made:
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The raw chicken parts are first ground up into smaller pieces.
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The ground chicken then goes through a cooking process called rendering. This involves boiling, simmering, or applying heat until a large portion of the moisture evaporates away.
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As the chicken cooks, the fat and water separate out while the protein becomes concentrated.
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Once fully cooked and rendered, manufacturers press out any extra fat until only around 10% remains.
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Finally, the cooked chicken is dried out completely until it reaches under 10% moisture. At this point, it can be ground into a powder or left in small chunks.
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The final rendered, dried, protein-packed product is chicken meal! It can be bagged and shipped out.
This multi-step rendering and cooking process helps naturally preserve the chicken meal while also making it easy to incorporate into kibble. The high protein concentration means brands can use less volume to add high nutritional value.
Nutritional Value of Chicken Meal
Now that we understand how it’s made, what are the nutritional perks of chicken meal? Here are some of the reasons it’s so widely used:
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High protein: Chicken meal contains around 65% protein, compared to only 18% in whole chicken. This concentrated protein is easy for dogs to digest and utilize.
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Low moisture: With under 10% moisture, chicken meal avoids spoilage without needing refrigeration or added preservatives.
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Natural fats: The cooking process retains the natural chicken fat, which provides fatty acids and enhances flavor.
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Added nutrients: Some brands supplement chicken meal with vitamins and minerals during processing for added nutritional value.
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Bioavailability: The rendering makes protein and nutrients from chicken meal easy for dogs to absorb.
Compared to plain chicken, chicken meal packs around 3-4 times as much protein pound-for-pound. This makes it an efficient way to deliver high-quality animal protein in dog food.
Chicken Meal vs. Chicken By-Product Meal
Chicken meal is sometimes confused with chicken by-product meal. While they sound similar, there are some important differences:
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Parts used: Chicken meal comes from meat/muscle while by-product meal can contain organs, feet, and less nutritious portions.
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Quality: Chicken meal is made from human-grade, USDA-inspected chicken. By-product meal may include lower-quality cuts.
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Nutrition: Chicken meal contains more protein and meat-based nutrition. By-product meal is less consistent.
That said, not all by-product meals are equal. High-quality ones can still provide balanced nutrition. But overall, chicken meal tends to be the preferred choice.
Is Chicken Meal Good for Dogs?
Based on what chicken meal is made of and how nutritious it is, it can be a healthy, high-quality addition to commercial dog food.
Some key benefits of chicken meal for dogs include:
- Excellent source of bioavailable animal protein
- Natural flavor dogs love
- Added vitamins and minerals
- Energy-dense and easy to digest
- Cost-effective protein boost
Of course, any ingredient depends on the brand’s processing standards. Higher-end brands make chicken meal from humanely raised poultry under strict quality control. This results in maximal nutrition.
Chicken meal has gotten a bad reputation from some low-cost brands using rendered parts of questionable nutritional value. But when sourced from reputable manufacturers, it can be one of the most nutritious additions to your dog’s diet.
The Verdict on Chicken Meal
Focus on high-quality brands using human-grade ingredients, and chicken meal can be an excellent addition to provide natural flavor and high protein nutrition your dog will thrive on. Hopefully this breakdown gives you a better understanding of what chicken meal is made of and why it’s so common in dog foods!
Why Is Chicken Meal Commonly Included in Pet Food?
There are a few reasons why chicken meal is such a common ingredient in major pet food brands. For starters, the rendering process used to create chicken meal (and other types of meat meal) results in a finished product high in protein. Because AAFCO feeding guidelines recommend protein as the most abundant ingredient in pet food, chicken meal is a convenient way to meet these requirements.
Also, chicken meal is easy to store, ship, and mix into both dry and wet foods because it is made into a powder. It can sit for days or weeks without spoiling before being used in pet food, making it a more stable ingredient than fresh chicken. And when it comes to cost-effective protein sources for pets, meat meal is cheap and readily available.
Is Chicken Meal Good for Pets?
Ultimately, chicken meal and other meat meals serve the functional purpose of providing an affordable and convenient protein source for pets. If youre trying to create a pet food formula that is nutritionally dense, chicken meal makes this easy with its widespread availability and low cost.
There are some things to keep in mind, though, even though meat meals might not always be bad for pets. Consider, for example, what happens to nutrients in foods when they are heated to extremely high temperatures. Much of the nutritional quality is lost in this cooking process, which is no different in highly processed chicken meal.
When you buy pet food with real, human-grade chicken as the first ingredient, your pet gets the same high protein content as you do, plus a fuller nutritional profile that hasn’t been changed.
Chicken MEAL vs Chicken BYPRODUCT | What is the difference? | 5Strands FAQ
FAQ
Is chicken meal good for my dog?
Is Chicken Meal Good for Dogs? Yes! There are plenty of nutritional benefits of chicken meal, which is why you’ll often find it in dog food. To begin, chicken meal is full of protein, an important nutrient that helps with everything from building muscle to keeping the immune system healthy.
What is included in chicken meal?
Chicken meal is the dry rendered product from a combination of clean chicken flesh and skin with or without accompanying bone, derived from whole carcasses of chicken, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet and entrails.
Is chicken meal a good ingredient in cat food?
Named meat meals, such as “Chicken Meal” or “Lamb Meal,” are used in pet food because they provide a concentrated and high-quality source of meat protein in dry foods.
What does meal mean in dog food ingredients?
Unlike fresh alternatives, meat meal is made from parts of animals that aren’t allowed to be sold for human consumption; things like residual meat, offal, connective tissues and, in some cases, bones. These ingredients are cooked at extremely high temperatures and essentially dehydrated down to a dry, brown powder.