Rating: 
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals dry dog food receives the Advisor’s above-average rating of 4 stars.
The Fromm Four Star Nutritionals product line includes 5 dry dog foods… each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
- Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Salmon a La Veg
- Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Chicken a La Veg
- Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Pork and Applesauce
- Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Whitefish and Potato
- Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Duck and Sweet Potato
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Duck and Sweet Potato dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Duck and Sweet Potato
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Duck, duck meal, pearled barley, sweet potato, brown rice, oatmeal, white rice, whole dried egg, millet, dried tomato pomace, safflower oil, cheese, flaxseed, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, apples, green beans, lecithin, chicken cartilage, potassium chloride, cranberries, blueberries, salt, chicory root extract, alfalfa sprouts, Yucca schidigera extract, folic acid, parsley, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcous faecium, vitamin A, D3, E, B12 supplements, choline bitartrate, niacin, pantothenic acid, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, biotin, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganous sulfate, copper sulfate, cobalt carbonate, calcium iodate, sorbic acid, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 24% | 15% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 27% | 17% | 49% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 23% | 35% | 42% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is duck. Although it is a quality item, raw duck contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably occupy a lower position on the list.
Which brings us to duck meal… the second and (more likely) the dominant meat ingredient in this dog food.
Duck meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh duck.
The third item is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients to this food. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.
The fourth ingredient mentions sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in fiber, beta carotene and other healthy nutrients.
The fifth ingredient includes brown rice. Like barley, brown rice is another quality grain that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The sixth item is oatmeal… a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, fiber and is also (unlike many other grains) gluten-free.
The seventh ingredient lists white rice… a less nutritious form of brown rice in which the grain’s healthier outer layer has been removed.
The eighth item includes whole dried egg… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The ninth ingredient mentions millet. Millets are gluten-free grains harvested from certain seed grasses. They are inherently high in B-vitamins and fiber as well as a number of 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.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of tomato pomace in reasonable amounts (as it probably is in this food) is entirely acceptable.
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 two notable exceptions…
First, the manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
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.
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Fromm Four Star Nutritionals appears to be a quality 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 27%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 49%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 50% for the overall product line.
Near-average protein. Average fat. And above-average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
Although supplementary marketing information does not influence our ultimate ratings, we note the company claims its kibbles are all manufactured using USDA-inspected meat “ordered as needed depending on what recipe is being made that particular day”.1
The materials used by Fromm appear to be top-quality. So, we’re tempted to award this food our best rating. But our admitted bias for high meat content prevents the product line from qualifying for our top category.
Bottom line?
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals is a vegetable-based dry dog food using a moderate amount of named meat meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand 4 stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a wet food from the same company may wish to visit our review of Fromm Four Star Nutritionals canned dog food.
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.
Other spellings: Fromms
Notes and Updates
02/27/2010 Original review
09/30/2010 Review updated
09/30/2010 Last Update
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.