Corn in pet foods...this ingredient is often found in many of the commercial pet foods that can be purchased at the local grocery outlet or superstore.  Why all this corn?  Why do some pet foods containing corn promote it and others do not?  The following is some information and facts on this grain. 

An excerpt from Animal Protection Institute (who is not in the business of manufacturing pet foods) states:

"Dogs and cats can almost completely absorb carbohydrates from some grains, such as white rice. Up to 20% of the nutritional value of other grains can escape digestion. The availability of nutrients for wheat, beans, and oats is poor. The nutrients in potatoes and corn are far less available than those in rice."  

The Whole Dog Journal (also not in the business manufacturing pet foods) writes this about the additive of corn:  

"Corn meal: Not bad... but there are better quality proteins."

"Corn/Ground Yellow Corn/Corn Meal: The main corn product used in dog food may be listed as any of these terms. There is nothing wrong with corn per se as an ingredient as long as it's free from mold contamination (major manufacturers routinely test incoming batches for the most common fungal toxins). Corn tastes good, and provides bulk, calories, nutrients, and texture to dry dog food. However, there are at least three potential problems with corn and corn products in dog food." 

1. Because corn does contain protein (mainly in the gluten), dogs can develop allergies to it; however, this is relatively rare. 

2. The presence of corn products (particularly if they're high on the list of ingredients) may indicate that corn has been used instead of a more expensive alternative. For example, corn gluten meal is a concentrated source of protein that can be substituted for costlier animal protein. It is low in some essential amino acids such as cystine and methionine, but these are then added in a purified form to make up the difference. 

3. About one-quarter of the corn produced in the United States today is GM (genetically modified)."

Here is an excerpt taken from a major pet food manufacturer's (Iams) website on 5/18/04:

"The claim that the corn used in our products is the same as "corn on the cob" and is "indigestible" is nothing but a myth!  It is more appropriate to associate the corn used in our products with "corn bread" rather than "corn on the cob." The difference is cooked corn versus raw corn. Only high-quality corn is used in our products.  The corn is finely ground to a meal, which breaks up the outside covering of each kernel, and then it is cooked, which increases its digestibility.  Corn grits and corn meal are used in our foods as high-quality sources of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy."

Are you confused?  Listed above are three different sources stating three different opinions ranging from bad to ok to good.  But what should you believe?  When trying to summarize this data, we follow these guidelines; 

· Small amounts of corn in dog food can be a source of carbohydrates, but the corn really has no place within the first few ingredients listed.

 · Corn should be listed once in the ingredients list and preferably as meal.  Corn gluten can indicate its use as a protein source.  Other corn listings (anything other than gluten) indicate its use as a bulking agent or filler product.

 · Corn is cheap - less expensive than rice and much less costly than any animal protein source.  If Food “A” ingredient list first reads Chicken, Chicken meal, Rice... and Food “B” ingredient list first reads Chicken, Corn meal..., you can imagine which brand is taking more of your money - especially if Food "B" is touting itself as premium and is pricing itself as such.

· Legally, ingredients must be listed in the descending order of weight.  So beware if you find corn ingredients listed several times!  Corn, Corn Bran and Corn Meal could all be listed separately giving the impression corn is not the main ingredient.  To see the many ways that corn can be listed, please see our page Food Ingredients Defined.