Rating: 
Annamaet Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
Currently, the Annamaet Dog Food product line lists five kibbles. We found no AAFCO nutritional adequacy recommendations for these dog foods anywhere on the company’s website.
- Annamaet Encore
- Annamaet Option
- Annamaet Extra
- Annamaet Adult
- Annamaet Ultra
Annamaet Option was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Annamaet Option
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Catfish meal, brown rice, venison meal, pearled barley, rolled oats, canola oil, millet, dried tomato pomace, flax seed meal, lecithin, salt, calcium carbonate, dl methionine, l-lysine, potassium chloride, ascorbic acid, propionic acid, vitamin E supplement, biotin, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, citric acid, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, potassium chloride, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food lists catfish meal. Catfish are farm-raised in fresh, filtered water.
Catfish meal is a high-protein meat concentrate… containing nearly 300% more protein than fresh fish.
What’s more, unlike most fish meals, this farmed ingredient is most likely ethoxyquin-free.
The second item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The third ingredient is venison meal… a second protein-rich meat concentrate.
The fourth ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs. This is a quality grain ingredient.
The fifth ingredient lists rolled oats… whole oats that have been rolled and flattened into flakes. Since they’re minimally processed, rolled oats are exceptionally high in nutritional value.
The sixth item is canola oil. Most applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content… while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.1
The seventh ingredient is millet… gluten-free grains harvested from certain seed grasses. Millet is hypoallergenic and naturally rich in B-vitamins and dietary fiber… as well as other essential minerals.
Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient… a by-product left after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content… while others scorn it as a cheap pet food filler laden with pesticides found on the skin of the tomato before processing.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
The ninth ingredient is flaxseed meal… one of the best vegetable sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. And the seeds are naturally rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Lecithin is a waxy substance obtained from soybeans. Although it is commonly used to make fats more blendable, lecithin is believed to improve a dog’s skin and coat.
We also note this food contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Annamaet Dog Food… the Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Annamaet Dog Food has the look and feel of an above-average kibble.
But ingredient quality alone does not a good dog food make. We still need to estimate the amount of meat present in this product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 27%, a fat level of 14% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 51%.
Featuring a brand average of 29%, protein numbers range from a low of 26% for the Adult recipe to a high of 36% for the Ultra.
Fat was 16% for the group… with carbs projected at about 47%.
Moderate protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Considering its lack of any plant-based protein boosters, this is the profile of a kibble containing a respectable amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Annamaet Dog Food is primarily a grain-based dry kibble using an ample amount of chicken or catfish meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
A Final Word
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
05/27/2010 Original review
07/09/2010 Review updated (menadione deleted)
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005) ↩
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
cool you reviewed Annamaet buy why didn’t you feacture Ultra?
Option is for allergies.
Ultra is a great chow.
Hi Sal… I selected Option to use for our “example” because it was more representative of all the recipes in the overall Annamaet product line. Ultra was at the very top of the brand’s products for meat content… and that means it wouldn’t have been the most “typical” Annamaet product.
Option is a “great chow”, too… not just for allergies. If your dog is exceptionally “active”, then Ultra would be your smarter choice. In any case, this is a nice product line.
you should like this from Annamaet. Also he is putting out 3 grain free foods.
Menadione Concern?
Due to concern expressed by many of our loyal customers concerning the safety of Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfate (MDB), source of vitamin K activity, Annamaet Petfoods removed it from all of our formulas beginning July 2009. Any product with a best used by date of July, 2010 or more recent will be MDB free.
You will not notice the removal of MDB from our ingredient panel right away, because if we upgrade our products, by law we can use up existing packaging. We print bags in 60,000 production runs, because we are concerned about the environment we will use up all existing packaging and labels before you see the change on the bags.
Hi Sal… Once again, great detective work. I see this note from the company is indeed on the Annamaet website. I’ve now removed all references to menadione in the review. Thanks for the tip.
Mike,
I was able the get “Salcha” one of the new Annamaet grain-free diets through a sled dog racer that I know. The foods will be released next month.
Chicken-Turkey-Duck, looks like a winner. Will start it today.
Hi Sal… Thanks for the tip. Let me know when the new Annamaet grain-free product is released (on the website) and I’ll get to work on a review.
The new Annamaet grain free diets are amazing. I just picked up another 40lbs. It is still in limited release and being sold in plain bags.
Been raising dogs for a long time and this stuf delivers the goods.