# Nutritional Evaluation of Commercial Dog and Cat Foods Based on Key Nutrient Requirements

## TL;DR

This study assesses the nutritional quality of commercial dog and cat foods in South Korea, finding that many growth-stage diets lack essential nutrients.

## Contribution

The study provides baseline data on nutrient compliance in commercial pet foods for different life stages in South Korea.

## Key findings

- Most adult pet foods met recommended nutrient levels, but growth-stage diets showed deficiencies in key nutrients.
- Puppy foods lacked EPA + DHA, calcium, and phosphorus, while kitten diets were low in EPA + DHA and taurine.
- Label-declared nutrient values matched measured contents for 82.3% of products.

## Abstract

The nutritional quality of dog and cat foods directly influences the health of companion animals across different life stages. In this study, commercially available dog and cat foods in South Korea were analyzed to evaluate their compliance with recommended nutrient levels. While most diets formulated for adult animals met these recommendations, some diets intended for growth did not provide adequate levels of key essential nutrients. In addition, discrepancies between label-declared values and measured nutrient contents were identified in several products. These findings provide practical reference data on the nutritional quality of commercial pet foods and may support improvements in feed formulation, quality control, and nutrition-based labeling systems.

This study evaluated the nutritional adequacy of commercial dog and cat foods in South Korea by comparing analytically determined nutrient contents with recommended nutrient levels of the National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). A total of 96 pet food products for puppies (n = 50), adult dogs (n = 18), kittens (n = 17), and adult cats (n = 11) were collected. Nutrients, including crude protein, crude fat, essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, major minerals, and selected trace nutrients, were analyzed using accredited methods stipulated by the Korean Feed Control Act and compared with NIAS and AAFCO recommendations. Most adult dog and cat diets met recommended nutrient levels; however, deficiencies were identified in diets intended for growth. Puppy foods showed inadequate levels of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (EPA + DHA, 72%), calcium (22%), and phosphorus (42%), as well as imbalanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratios (12%). In kitten diets, insufficient EPA + DHA (41.2%) and taurine (11.8%) were observed. In contrast, 82.3% of products met label-declared guaranteed analysis values for seven mandatory nutrients. These results provide baseline information on the nutritional adequacy and labeling compliance of pet foods across different life stages.