Rating: 
Deli Fresh Slice and Serve dog food rolls gets the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
The Deli Fresh Slice and Serve product line includes three moist dog foods… two designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and one for growth (Puppy).
- Deli Fresh Adult Turkey, Vegetables and Rice Formula
- Deli Fresh Adult Chicken, Vegetables and Rice Formula
- Deli Fresh Puppy Chicken, Vegetables and Rice Formula
Deli Fresh Adult Chicken, Vegetables and Rice Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Deli Fresh Adult Chicken, Vegetables and Rice
Rolled Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Fresh chicken, eggs, chicken liver, chicken broth, carrots, brown rice, peas, rice bran, dried kelp, carrageenan, natural flavors, salt, inulin, flaxseed oil, green tea extract, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, biotin, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine, hydrochloride, folic acid, calcium carbonate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 9% | 6% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 38% | 25% | 30% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 29% | 48% | 23% |
The first ingredient in this dog food includes chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient includes eggs… a desirable addition. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The third ingredient is chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, chicken liver is a beneficial component.
The fourth ingredient lists chicken broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The fifth item lists carrots. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The sixth item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The seventh ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
The eighth ingredient lists rice bran… a healthy by-product of rice milling. Though not as nutritionally complete as whole grain rice, brans are still unusually rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.
The ninth ingredient is dried kelp… a dehydrated form of seaweed also known as alginate. Kelp is most likely used here as a thickening or gelling agent.
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 affect the overall rating of this product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, we note the inclusion of inulin… a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
Next, we find flaxseed oil… one of the best non-fish sources of omega-3 fatty acids… essential to a dog’s life.
And lastly, this food also 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.
Deli Fresh Slice and Serve Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Deli Fresh Dog Food appears to be an above-average product.
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 38%, a fat level of 25% and estimated carbohydrates of about 30%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 37% and a mean fat level of 28%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 27% for the overall product line.
Near-average protein. Above-average fat. And average carbs when this rolled product is compared to a typical canned dog food.
However, although these statistics suggest a moderate protein content, we note the company assures consumers all its Slice and Serve recipes contain a minimum of 70% meat.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a fresh refrigerated food containing an abundance of meat.
Bottom line?
Deli Fresh Slice and Serve is a meat-based rolled dog food using an abundance of fresh chicken or turkey as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically 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 specific health benefits 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
11/16/2010 Original review
11/16/2010 Last Update
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.