Rating: 
Black Gold Signature Series dog food earns the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of 3 stars.
The Black Gold Signature Series includes three dry dog foods, each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
- Black Gold Ultimate Adult
- Black Gold Ultimate Puppy
- Black Gold Ultimate Performance
In addition, the company also markets ten other products sold under its standard Black Gold Dog Food label.
Black Gold Ultimate Performance dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Black Gold Ultimate Performance
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, corn meal, fish meal, poultry fat preserved with mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E), brewers rice, corn gluten meal, ground whole grain barley, dried beet pulp, vegetable oil, natural poultry flavor, potassium chloride, dried egg product, brewers dried yeast, salt, inulin, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, zinc oxide, zinc proteinate, copper sulfate, vitamin B12 supplement, niacin, biotin, vitamin A acetate, manganese proteinate, taurine, copper proteinate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), calcium iodate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), vitamin D3 supplement, cobalt carbonate, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The second ingredient includes corn meal, a coarsely ground flour made from dried corn. Corn is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
For this reason, we do not consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
Fish meal is another protein-rich meat concentrate.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. The term “fish” does little to properly describe this ingredient.
Fish meal is commonly made from the by-products of commercial fish operations.
What’s more, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative in fish meals.
But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, the chemical does not have to be reported to consumers.
We find no public assurances from the company this product is ethoxyquin-free.
Without knowing more, and based upon this fish meal’s location on the list of ingredients, we would expect to find some ethoxyquin in this product.
The fourth ingredient lists poultry fat. Poultry fat is obtained from rendering… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Poultry fat is high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. However, we consider poultry fat lower in quality than a more specifically named item (such as chicken or turkey fat).
The fifth ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice.
This is an inexpensive cereal grain by-product and not considered a quality ingredient.
The sixth item is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate (the good stuff) washed out of it.
Compared to meat, glutens are inferior grain-based proteins low in many of the essential amino acids dogs need for life.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.
The seventh 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.
The eighth ingredient lists beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
The ninth item is vegetable oil… a generic oil of unknown origin. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in any oil is nutritionally critical… and can vary significantly (depending on the source).
Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of any item vaguely described as simply “vegetable oil”.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Next, this food does contain 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.
And lastly, Black Gold Signature Series also contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
Black Gold Signature Series Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients, Black Gold Signature Series appears to be an average dry dog food.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 34%, a fat level of 23% and estimated carbohydrates of about 34%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 33% and a mean fat level of 21%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 39% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Yet when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal, this looks like the profile of a dry dog food containing a moderate amount of meat.
Just the same, it’s unfortunate the company chose to incorporate menadione in all its recipes. Without this controversial supplement and no corn gluten, we would have been obliged to award this product line a higher rating.
Bottom line?
Black Gold Signature Series is a plant-based dry dog food using a moderate amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.
Recommended.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in a specific health benefit for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
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… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
03/05/2010 Original review
08/24/2010 Review updated
10/06/2010 Review updated
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.