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Our Verdict
Nutro Pate Dog Food product range is made up of two recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 4.5 stars.
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Nutro Pate Slow Cooked Chicken Recipe Grain Free | 4.5 | U |
| Nutro Pate Tender Beef Recipe Grain Free | 4.5 | U |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Nutro Pate Tender Beef Recipe Grain Free was selected to represent both products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Nutro Pate Tender Beef Recipe Grain Free
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Beef, tomatoes, chicken broth, water, chicken, beef liver, pork plasma, basil, tapioca starch, dried egg product, pea fiber, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, salt, dried pork broth, choline chloride, dried tomatoes, xanthan gum, sodium acid pyrophosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, magnesium proteinate, sodium hexametaphosphate, manganese sulfate, zinc sulfate, vitamin E supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, biotin, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, potassium iodide, vitamin A supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 8% | 4% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 44% | 19% | 28% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 37% | 39% | 24% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Beef is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is tomato, a nutrient rich vegetable consisting of about 72% carbohydrates.
The third ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many canned products.
The fourth ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most wet cat foods.
The fifth ingredient is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.2
Chicken is also naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by canines to sustain life.
The sixth ingredient is beef liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The seventh ingredient is pork plasma. Plasma is what remains of blood after the blood cells themselves have been removed. Plasma can be considered a nutritious 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 affect the overall rating of this Nutro product.
With one notable exception…
Sodium hexametaphosphate, a man-made industrial polymer with no known nutritive value.
HMP is used in making soap, detergents, water treatment, metal finishing and most likely here to decrease tartar build-up on the teeth.
Although some might disagree, we’re of the opinion that food is not the place for tartar control chemicals or any other non-nutritive substances.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Nutro Pate Dog Food looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 43.2%, a fat level of 20.5% and estimated carbohydrates of about 22.7%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 43.7% and a mean fat level of 25.6%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 19.1% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 58%.
Which means this Nutro product line contains…
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Nutro Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Nutro through May 2025.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Nutro Pate Dog Food
Nutro Pate in cups is a grain-free moisture-rich dog food using a significant amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.
Compare Nutro Pate Dog Food
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A Final Word
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