Listing
Foods were NOT ranked based on a simple checklist system. That is, there is no single set of criteria that determined whether a food was considered High-Grade or Low-Grade Instead, we analyzed the overall pros and cons for each food on an individual basis. What this means is that two very different foods could end up on the same list for very different reasons.
Higgins Sunburst, for example, is included on the High-Grade list primarily for its high variety. Natural Balance Muesli by Pets At Home is also included on the High-Grade list, despite having much less variety than Higgins Sunburst. However, the NBM food has very good nutrition, which is why it is considered high grade.
High-Grade Commercial Foods - These are the higher-quality foods, and the ones that are recommended by Hamster Hideout Forum. A food's inclusion on this list does not mean that it can or should be fed as a sole diet!
Low-Grade Commercial Foods – These are the lower-quality foods on the market. They may not be completely unsuitable, but these foods should never be fed as the sole diet or even the majority of the diet. Many of these foods are either very poor in some analysis criteria, or mediocre to poor in all three. Generally speaking, these foods should be avoided unless there are absolutely no High-Grade Foods available.
Unsuitable Foods – These foods should be considered completely unsuitable, and should not be fed. This list is subdivided into two categories. One is foods that are unsuitable due to dangerous ingredients (leeks, onions, kidney beans, ethoxyquin, etc.). The other is for foods that are just so globally poor in nutrition, variety, and quality that there’s no point to feeding them.
Coding
Unique, whole ingredients are underlined
Questionable or problematic ingredients are bold and in blue
Dangerous or risky ingredients are bold and in red
Probiotics (beneficial bacteria that aid in digestion) and prebiotics (substances that nourish beneficial bacteria in the gut) are in green
The following figure is a guide to reading and interpreting the different sections of each food’s review:
Labeling Laws
Different countries have different labeling laws regarding pet foods. In some areas (particularly Europe), certain additives such as vitamins, minerals, and dyes are not legally required to be included on the ingredients list. Also, ingredients can be broadly lumped together without listing specifics (for example, listing “cereals” instead of the specific grains used).
This made it difficult to analyze some foods. It would be unfair to assume that these foods did not contain certain undesirable ingredients just because they were not listed. There are several foods that clearly contain colored pieces, but have no dyes listed in the ingredients. As such, many of these foods have a note in the quality section that they do not appear to contain certain ingredient, but we cannot know for sure.
Another issue with labeling laws is the guaranteed analysis. In the US, the percentages of protein and fat are listed as minimum values, and fiber is listed as a maximum. For example, if a food is labeled as being 15% protein, it is guaranteed that it has at least 15% protein. It may have more than 15% protein, but it legally cannot have less than 15% protein. For fiber, if a food has 10% fiber, it may actually have less, but will absolutely not have more.
In Europe, the laws are different. Percentages do not have to be minimum or maximum values - they can represent a typical or average value. For example, a food labeled as 19% protein may have anywhere from 16% to 21% protein.
Unsuitable Foods (foods that should never be fed for any reason)
Edited by Taxonomist, 27 February 2019 - 12:23 AM.
