Our verdict
Is ZEAL Chicken & Salmon Recipe a good dog food?
We score it 60/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (31)100% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- supplement 59.1%
- meat 20.2%
- mineral 9.1%
- veg 7.4%
- other 4.2%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken | Chicken | meat · medium | - | 4.3 |
| 2 | Water | Water | other | - | 4.2 |
| 3 | Salmon | Salmon | meat · good | - | 4.1 |
| 4 | Chicken Liver | Chicken Liver | meat · good | - | 4.0 |
| 5 | Hoki | Hoki | meat · good | - | 4.0 |
| 6 | NZ Green Lipped Mussel | Green-Lipped Mussel | supplement · good | - | 3.9 |
| 7 | Peas | Peas | veg · good | - | 3.8 |
| 8 | Egg Yolk | Egg | meat · good | - | 3.8 |
| 9 | Lecithin | Lecithin | supplement · good | - | 3.7 |
| 10 | Dried Yeast | Yeast | supplement · good | - | 3.6 |
| 11 | Dried Kelp | Kelp | veg · good | - | 3.6 |
| 12 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement · medium | - | 3.5 |
| 13 | Calcium Carbonate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement · medium | - | 3.4 |
| 14 | Choline Chloride | Choline | supplement · good | - | 3.4 |
| 15 | Iron Proteinate | Iron Proteinate | mineral · good | - | 3.3 |
| 16 | Zinc Amino Acid Complex | Zinc Oxide | supplement · good | - | 3.2 |
| 17 | Manganese Proteinate | Manganese proteinate | supplement · good | - | 3.2 |
| 18 | Niacin | Niacin | supplement · good | - | 3.1 |
| 19 | alpha-Tocopherol Acetate | Vitamin E | supplement · good | - | 3.0 |
| 20 | Selenium Yeast | Selenium | mineral · good | - | 3.0 |
| 21 | Copper Amino Acid Complex | Copper | mineral · good | - | 2.9 |
| 22 | Thiamine Mononitrate | Thiamine mononitrate | supplement · good | - | 2.8 |
| 23 | Calcium Pantothenate | Calcium pantothenate | supplement · good | - | 2.7 |
| 24 | Riboflavin | Riboflavin | supplement · good | - | 2.7 |
| 25 | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Pyridoxine hydrochloride | supplement · good | - | 2.6 |
| 26 | Vitamin A Acetate | Vitamin A | supplement · good | - | 2.5 |
| 27 | Biotin | Biotin | supplement · good | - | 2.5 |
| 28 | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Vitamin B12 | supplement · good | - | 2.4 |
| 29 | Calcium Iodate | Calcium iodate | supplement · medium | - | 2.3 |
| 30 | Folic Acid | Folic acid | supplement · good | - | 2.3 |
| 31 | Cholecalciferol | Vitamin D3 supplement | supplement · good | - | 2.2 |
- 1. Chicken4.3% estimated
- 2. Water4.2% estimated
- 3. Salmon4.1% estimated
- 4. Chicken Liver4.0% estimated
- 5. Hoki4.0% estimated
- 6. NZ Green Lipped Mussel3.9% estimated
- 7. Peas3.8% estimated
- 8. Egg Yolk3.8% estimated
- 9. Lecithin3.7% estimated
- 10. Dried Yeast3.6% estimated
- 11. Dried Kelp3.6% estimated
- 12. Potassium Chloride3.5% estimated
- 13. Calcium Carbonate3.4% estimated
- 14. Choline Chloride3.4% estimated
- 15. Iron Proteinate3.3% estimated
- 16. Zinc Amino Acid Complex3.2% estimated
- 17. Manganese Proteinate3.2% estimated
- 18. Niacin3.1% estimated
- 19. alpha-Tocopherol Acetate3.0% estimated
- 20. Selenium Yeast3.0% estimated
- 21. Copper Amino Acid Complex2.9% estimated
- 22. Thiamine Mononitrate2.8% estimated
- 23. Calcium Pantothenate2.7% estimated
- 24. Riboflavin2.7% estimated
- 25. Pyridoxine Hydrochloride2.6% estimated
- 26. Vitamin A Acetate2.5% estimated
- 27. Biotin2.5% estimated
- 28. Vitamin B12 Supplement2.4% estimated
- 29. Calcium Iodate2.3% estimated
- 30. Folic Acid2.3% estimated
- 31. Cholecalciferol2.2% estimated
Nutrition and feedingProtein 11.35% · Fat 5.90%
Declared analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed | Dry matter | Directory average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 11.35% | 50.67% | - |
| Fat | 5.90% | 26.33% | - |
| Fibre | 0.45% | 2% | - |
| Ash | 1.45% | 6.47% | - |
| Moisture | 77.60% | - | - |
| Carbohydrates | 3.26% | 14.53% | - |
| Calcium | 0.41% | - | - |
| Phosphorus | 0.33% | - | - |
| Sodium | 0.16% | - | - |
Energy: 101 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
Iron Proteinate; Zinc Amino Acid Complex; Manganese Proteinate; Niacin; alpha-Tocopherol Acetate; Selenium Yeast; Copper Amino Acid Complex; Thiamine Mononitrate; Calcium Pantothenate; Riboflavin; Pyridoxine Hydrochloride; Vitamin A Acetate; Biotin; Vitamin B12 Supplement; Calcium Iodate; Folic Acid; Cholecalciferol; Choline Chloride
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-19
Brand and contact: ZEAL
- [email protected]
- Address
- 2400 E Francis St, Ontario, CA 91761-7728
- Contact page
- www.zealpetfood.com
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-19
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.zealpetfood.com
Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.
Brand and retailer reviews
External platform ratings are not scores for this individual recipe.
Trustpilot: 3.7/5 · 1 reviews
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
The overall score is 60 out of 100. Undeclared ingredient shares, meaning ingredients without printed percentages, contributed -10.6 points against the score. Overall ingredient quality, referring to the overall quality of the ingredient list, contributed +7.7 points. Complete recipe, being labelled nutritionally complete, contributed +2.3 points, and printed percentages, meaning printing percentages for most of the recipe, contributed +1 points.
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.69 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 5.2% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 75.0% | -0.012 | -0.92 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 33.786 | +33.79 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | yes | -0.672 | -0.67 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.69 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.115 | +0.00 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.092 | +0.00 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 5.2% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 75.0% | -0.012 | -0.92 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 0.0% | -0.065 | +0.00 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 0 | -0.876 | +0.00 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 0.0% | 0.060 | +0.00 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | 0.707 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.180 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 11.084 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 33.786 | +33.79 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 6.629 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 6.331 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.174 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.146 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | yes | -0.672 | -0.67 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- -0.08
- Additives declared on label
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 60.3
- Final score
- 60/100
Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for adult dogs. The label prints as-fed values; we convert to a dry-matter basis before scoring, and the bands are dry-matter ranges. Scores rise to 100 at the band midpoint: the reference is adequacy, not maximisation. Nutrients with a published upper limit taper again above it; fat is policed through calorie density rather than a direct penalty.
Guaranteed-analysis FEDIAF score: crude minimums and maximums are bounds, not typical values; moisture (a maximum) uses the processing median where available; experimental US score.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 11.35 | 50.7 (band 20.290178571428566 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 5.9 | 26.3 (band 6.199776785714284 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 0.45 | 2 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 90.1 |
| Calcium | 0.41 | 1.8 (band 0.5636160714285713 to 2.5%) | 100 |
| Phosphorus | 0.33 | 1.5 (band 0.45089285714285704 to 1.6%) | 100 |
| Sodium | 0.16 | 0.7 (band 0.11272321428571426+%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.2 | 1.2 (band 1 to 2%) | 84.5 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 101 | 450.9 | 100 |
Scored over 8 declared nutrients (combined weight 95); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
Declared fortification: 18 nutritional additives on the label
- Iron Proteinate
- Zinc Amino Acid Complex
- Manganese Proteinate
- Niacin
- alpha-Tocopherol Acetate
- Selenium Yeast
- Copper Amino Acid Complex
- Thiamine Mononitrate
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Riboflavin
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
- Vitamin A Acetate
- Biotin
- Vitamin B12 Supplement
- Calcium Iodate
- Folic Acid
- Cholecalciferol
- Choline Chloride
Medium confidence: the full five-part analysis is on file; where moisture was not declared it was estimated from the food type.
This measures agreement with published reference ranges, not suitability for an individual dog. For medical conditions, follow veterinary guidance.
Transparency: what the label discloses
How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) | 5/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Feeding guidance given, Batch and date labelling).
Safety: recall history
Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.
No recalls recorded in our database.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The claims made on the pack and product page, checked against the declared label. We record claims as stated; "consistent" means our stored label data supports the claim, "contradicted" means it conflicts with it. Functional claims are recorded but never scored.
100/100 · moderate — 2 checkable claims: 2 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "No fillers, grains, gums, artificial flavors, or colors" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "0% No fillers, grains, artificial preservatives, or by-products" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
7 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Responsibly sourced in New Zealand from grass-fed, free-range farms (on page) | provenance | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Superfood Blend – Green-lipped mussels, salmon oil & kelp promote joint, coat & digestion health (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Hydration & Versatility – Moisture-rich, ideal as a full meal or topper to entice appetite (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 77% High moisture content keeps your dog properly hydrated and supports healthy urinary tract function (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Loaded with Superfoods to boost joint, coat, and immunity support (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 94% Chicken & Salmon – High-quality protein from chicken & salmon, supporting lean muscle & vitality (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No fillers, grains, gums, artificial flavors, or colors (on page) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| 94% Real Meat and Organs (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 0% No fillers, grains, artificial preservatives, or by-products (on page) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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