Rating: 
Newman’s Own Organics Canned Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The Newman’s Own Organics standard product line includes four canned dog foods… each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for “complete and balanced”.
- Newman’s Own Organics Chicken Formula
- Newman’s Own Organics Turkey and Chicken Formula1
- Newman’s Own Organics Turkey and Brown Rice Formula
- Newman’s Own Organics Chicken and Brown Rice Formula
Due to its notably different formula, Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free Dog Food is presented in a special review.
Newman’s Own Organics Chicken and Brown Rice Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Newman's Own Organics Chicken and Brown Rice
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Organic chicken, sufficient water for processing, ocean whitefish, organic brown rice, carrots, oat bran, flaxseed, dried kelp, guar gum, carrageenan, sea salt, minerals (iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, cobalt amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, potassium iodide), vitamins (vitamin E, A, B12, D3 supplements, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, riboflavin supplement), potassium chloride
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is organic chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.2
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life. Especially considering its organic nature, this is a notably high quality ingredient.
The second ingredient is water… which (of course) adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The third ingredient lists ocean whitefish… a protein-rich species native to the California coast of the United States.
The fourth ingredient includes organic brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The fifth item lists carrots. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The sixth ingredient is oat bran… a nutritious by-product obtained by milling whole grain oats. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain containing starch, protein, vitamins and minerals.
The seventh ingredient is flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
The eighth 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.
The ninth ingredient is guar gum… another thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.
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.
Newman’s Own Organics Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Newman’s Own Organics looks like an above-average canned dog food.
Since all Newman’s Own canned dog foods are organic by design, the brand must be given special consideration.
That’s because organic ingredients are by law produced under strict government standards… standards which greatly restrict the use of any pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones or antibiotics.
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 27% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 28%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 36% and a mean fat level of 30%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 26% for the overall product line.
Below-average protein. Above-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
With no sign of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet food containing only a moderate amount of meat.
In addition, its hard to ignore the human-grade nature of the ingredients and the absence of any critical Red Flag ingredients. And for this reason, we feel compelled to upgrade this line’s overall rating.
Bottom line?
Newman’s Own Organics is a meat-based canned dog food using a moderate amount of poultry as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a grain-free wet food from the company may wish to visit our review of Newman’s Own Organics Grain Free 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.
Notes and Updates
03/19/2010 Original review
07/04/2010 Review updated
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.