Rating: 
Infinia Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.
The Infinia product line includes four dry dog foods, two claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance and two for all life stages (Turkey and Chicken).
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.
- Infinia Bison and Potato
- Infinia Chicken and Brown Rice
- Infinia Turkey and Sweet Potato
- Infinia Zenfood Salmon and Sweet Potato (4 stars)
Infinia Turkey and Sweet Potato dog food was chosen to represent the others in the line for this review.
Infinia Turkey and Sweet Potato
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Turkey, chicken, turkey meal (natural source of glucosamine & chondroitin), chicken meal (natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin), sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, egg product, canola oil, tomato pomace, natural flavor, salmon oil (a source of DHA), salt, methionine, choline chloride, mixed tocopherols (a natural preservative and source of vitamin E), dried chicory root, taurine, glucosamine hydrochloride, Yucca schidigera extract, kelp, carrots, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flakes, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), l-carnitine, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, 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 | 32% | 16% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 36% | 18% | 39% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 30% | 37% | 33% |
The first two ingredients in this dog food are turkey and chicken. Although they’re both quality items, raw poultry 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, these items would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
Which brings us to turkey and chicken meals… the second, third and (more likely) the dominant meat ingredients in this dog food.
The next two ingredients are turkey and chicken meals. Poultry meals are both considered meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh poultry.
The fifth ingredient includes sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.
The sixth item includes potato. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The seventh ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The eighth ingredient includes egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries — from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The ninth ingredient includes canola oil. Many applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Much of the objection regarding canola oil appears to be related to the use of genetically modified rapeseed as its raw material source.
Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.1
In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.
Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
After the natural flavor, we find salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.
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, 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.
Next, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
And lastly, this dog 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.
Infinia Dog Food… the Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Infinia appears to be an above-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 36%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 39%.
With its modest protein and fat numbers implying a reduced meat content, we’ve placed Zenfood Salmon in a lower category.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 32% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 43% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs 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 notable amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Infinia is a vegetable-based dry dog food using a notable amount of assorted meat meals as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Special Alert
Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.
A Final Word
The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.
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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 analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.
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Notes and Updates
08/30/2010 Original review
06/02/2012 Last Update
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005) ↩
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