Guide
Reading the label on a pouch of freeze-dried salmon
Updated
The freeze dried salmon guaranteed analysis on our label lists crude protein min 66%, crude fat min 9%, crude fiber max 10% and moisture max 11%, plus an energy figure of 3,020 kcal ME/kg, approximately 85.6 kcal per ounce. Min means at least, max means at most. Here is each line in plain words.
What does the guaranteed analysis on freeze-dried salmon say?
Five lines, all printed on the package label. Four are the analysis proper, and the fifth is the energy statement that sits beside it.
| Label line | Printed figure | In plain words |
|---|---|---|
| Crude protein | min 66% | At least 66 percent of the pouch contents, by the label's measure |
| Crude fat | min 9% | At least 9 percent |
| Crude fiber | max 10% | No more than 10 percent |
| Moisture | max 11% | No more than 11 percent is water |
| Metabolizable energy | 3,020 kcal ME/kg, approximately 85.6 kcal/oz | The energy figure the label prints, per kilogram and per ounce |
That is the whole list. We are reading it, not grading it. A number on a label tells you what the maker guarantees, and it does not tell you what any of it does for a dog.
What do min and max mean on a treat label?
Min means the pouch holds at least that much. Max means it holds no more than that. A label that says protein min 66% is promising a floor, so a lab result at or above 66 does not break the promise.
Fiber and moisture work the other way around. They carry a ceiling, so a result at or under the printed number is fine. Same logic, opposite direction.
The word crude shows up in front of protein, fat and fiber. It names the lab method used to measure them, and it does not mean rough or low quality. That is standard wording on pet food and treat labels.
Why is the moisture number so low?
Freeze-dried means most of the water was taken out, and the label caps what is left at 11 percent. For how drying works in general, the guide on salmon treat types lays it out with a cited source.
We keep the process itself out of this page, because the label does not describe it and we would rather say less than guess. What the label does say is the ceiling, and that is the part you can check against the pouch in your hand.
The listing calls the pouch shelf stable, and the bag still says: "Reseal the pouch once it is open and store it cool and dry." A dry piece stays dry only while the pouch stays shut.
How does 3,020 kcal ME/kg become 85.6 kcal per ounce?
ME stands for metabolizable energy, the label's term for the energy figure. Both numbers on the pouch are printed, and they describe the same thing at two scales. The ounce figure is the per kilogram figure scaled down to an ounce, which is the easier unit for a 1.5 oz pouch.
You do not need to convert anything yourself. Use 85.6 when you are working with ounces and the 3,020 figure when you are reading the label against another one.
If you want to turn the number into a daily amount for your own dog, the product page has a treat budget calculator that starts from the vet or food bag calories you type in.
What does the label leave out?
Plenty, and it helps to know before you go looking. The pouch does not state how many pieces are inside, or what a piece weighs, so there is no calories per piece to quote. Shelf life sits outside the analysis lines: the pouch is printed with a best-by date one year from production, and we suggest using an open pouch within 30 days.
It also does not tell you how much to give. The bag says: "Feed as a treat or meal topper. Not intended as a complete diet." Everything about your dog's amount is a question for your vet and your dog's regular food.
Because the salmon is freeze-dried raw, wash your hands after handling it. For more reading, browse our guides.
Questions
How many calories are in one ounce of freeze-dried salmon?
The label prints approximately 85.6 kcal per ounce, based on 3,020 kcal ME per kilogram. The pouch does not print calories per piece, since it does not state a piece count. Weigh by the ounce and use 85.6 as your figure.
What does crude protein mean?
Crude protein is the label's standard term for protein as measured by a lab method. Crude does not mean low grade. On our pouch it reads min 66%, so the protein is at least that share by the label's measure.
Where is the guaranteed analysis printed?
On the package label, and the same figures appear on the product page. The numbers on this page are the printed ones: protein, fat, fiber, moisture and the energy statement. If you have a pouch, the label on it is the place to check.
Is the label the same on every pouch?
The figures here are the ones printed on our package label. We do not have batch by batch results to share, so we will not claim they are identical every time. Because the analysis uses min and max, the label describes a floor or a ceiling, not an exact result.
Does a high protein number make it a meal?
No. A big protein figure describes the contents and does not change the pouch's stated job, which is treat or meal topper. A food meant to be the whole diet says so on its own label, and this one does not.
What is the only ingredient?
Wild-caught salmon, and nothing else is listed on our pouch. Some bags hold imported wild-caught salmon. The pieces are freeze-dried raw, made up in small batches in Malvern, Pennsylvania, so wash your hands after handling them.