Belcando Adult GF Beef
Dry Extruded complete High meat Clear label
Is Belcando Adult GF Beef a good dog food?
We score it 62/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
This recipe achieves an overall score of 62 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list adds +7 points, and the meat content contributes +3.8 points to the total. However, the processing format detracts -7 points, and the carbohydrate content deducts -3.9 points from the final score.
- Recipe62
- Nutritionalmedium96
- Transparency60
- Safety100
- Evidencelimited33
The Recipe score measures how attractive and transparent the declared ingredient list is. It is not, by itself, proof that the food is nutritionally appropriate for long-term feeding. The Nutritional and Evidence scores measure what we can verify towards that stronger claim.
Complete extruded dry food for adult dogs, with beef, amaranth and potato starch as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- Meat makes up an estimated 35% of the dry matter (58% as fed).
- Prints ingredient percentages on the label.
- Doesn't list grain ingredients.
Why you might not
We found no significant drawbacks in the data we hold for this product.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 23.50%
- Fat
- 13%
- Fibre
- 3.50%
- Ash
- 7%
- Moisture
- 10%
- Calcium
- 1.30%
- Phosphorus
- 1%
- Sodium
- 0.35%
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 13,000 IU/kg; Vitamin D3 1,300 IU/kg; Vitamin E 130 mg/kg; Taurine 500 mg/kg; Copper (as copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate) 12.5 mg/kg; Iron (as iron(II) sulphate monohydrate) 200 mg/kg; Manganese (as manganese (II) oxide) 40 mg/kg; Zinc (as zinc oxide) 125 mg/kg; Iodine (as calcium iodate anhydrous) 2 mg/kg; Selenium (as sodium selenite) 0.05 mg/kg
Technological additives
Tocopherol extracts from vegetable oils 48 mg/kg
Storage
Simply feed dry. Fresh drinking water should be available at all times.
Feeding guide
Simply feed dry. Fresh drinking water should be available at all times.
Reviews
17 reviews on this product · 5.0/5
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list chicken, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids beef: the label lists beef
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish meal
- 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. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (29)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresh beef meat (40%) | Beef | meat | medium | 40 | 40.0 |
| 2 | Amaranth (18%) | Amaranth | carb | good | 18 | 18.0 |
| 3 | Potato starch | Potato starch | carb | poor | - | 2.1 |
| 4 | Beef protein (12.5%) | Beef | meat | medium | 12.5 | 12.5 |
| 5 | Pea flour | Pea flour | carb | medium | - | 2.0 |
| 6 | Fish meal from sea fish (2.5%) | Fish Meal | meat | medium | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 7 | Marine zooplankton (Krill) (2.5%) | Krill | meat | good | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 8 | Brewers’ yeast | Brewer's Yeast | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 9 | inactivated | Inactivated Lactobacillus helveticus | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
| 10 | Kibbled carob | Carob | fibre | medium | - | 1.8 |
| 11 | Grape pips expeller | Grape Seed Expeller | other | medium | - | 1.8 |
| 12 | Dicalcium phosphate | Dicalcium phosphate | supplement | medium | - | 1.7 |
| 13 | Dried beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre | medium | - | 1.6 |
| 14 | Salmon oil | Salmon Oil | oil | good | - | 1.6 |
| 15 | Safflower oil | Safflower Oil | oil | good | - | 1.5 |
| 16 | Yeasts | Yeast | supplement | good | - | 1.4 |
| 17 | Chia seed | Chia Seeds | veg | good | - | 1.3 |
| 18 | Sodium chloride | Salt | additive | poor | - | 1.3 |
| 19 | Potassium chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement | medium | - | 1.2 |
| 20 | 0.02% Nettle leaves | Nettles | veg | good | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| 21 | 0.02% Gentian root | Dried Gentian Root | veg | good | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| 22 | 0.02% Centaury | Dried Centaury | veg | good | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| 23 | 0.02% Chamomile | Chamomile | veg | good | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| 24 | 0.02% Fennel | Fennel | veg | good | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| 25 | 0.02% Caraway | Caraway | veg | good | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| 26 | 0.02% Mistletoe | Mistletoe | veg | medium | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| 27 | 0.02% Yarrow | Yarrow | veg | good | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| 28 | 0.02% Blackberry leaves | Blackberries | veg | good | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| 29 | Yucca schidigera | Yucca Schidigera | supplement | good | - | 1.1 |
Brand
- Website
- https://www.belcando.com/
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-09
- Scored with
- Model v2 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.belcando.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.
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Scored with model v2 on 2026-09-22. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.915 | +6.96 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 33.0% | 0.116 | +3.82 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 34.2% | -0.113 | -3.85 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 6.1% | -0.088 | -0.54 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 2.3% | 0.177 | +0.41 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 13.7% | -0.009 | -0.12 |
| Other share of dry matter | 1.8% | -0.371 | -0.67 |
| Recipe graded poor | 3.6% | -0.045 | -0.16 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.868 | -1.74 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.3% | 0.056 | +0.13 |
| Undeclared quantities | 24.3% | -0.131 | -3.18 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | yes | 3.194 | +3.19 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | -0.506 | -0.51 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 33.0 | -0.073 | -2.42 |
| Additive penalty | -1.68 | 0.236 | -0.39 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.915 | +6.96 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 33.0% | 0.116 | +3.82 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 34.2% | -0.113 | -3.85 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 6.1% | -0.088 | -0.54 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 2.5% | -0.002 | -0.00 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 2.3% | 0.177 | +0.41 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 13.7% | -0.009 | -0.12 |
| Other share of dry matter | 1.8% | -0.371 | -0.67 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.022 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 3.6% | -0.045 | -0.16 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.182 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.868 | -1.74 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.3% | 0.056 | +0.13 |
| Undeclared quantities | 24.3% | -0.131 | -3.18 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | yes | 3.194 | +3.19 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 11.440 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | -0.506 | -0.51 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | no | -1.988 | +0.00 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.250 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 33.0 | -0.073 | -2.42 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | -0.339 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 16.475 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -1.68 | 0.236 | -0.39 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Raw | no | 13.322 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | 7.712 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | 6.583 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 4.857 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | 0.072 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 11.127 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 9.320 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | 4.569 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -2.321 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.833 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.711 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | 2.935 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | 2.292 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- -0.01
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 62.3
- Final score
- 62/100
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.
Score history across model versions
The score shown above is always computed with the latest published model. Earlier scores are kept for the record and are never edited or deleted; a scoring change ships as a new model version with a public write-up on the methodology page.
| Model | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| v2 | 62/100 | current |
| v1 | 62/100 | |
| v1.9 | 63/100 |
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.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 23.5 | 26.1 (band 18 to 40%) | 92.1 |
| Fat | 13 | 14.4 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 3.5 | 3.9 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.3 | 1.4 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 98.3 |
| Phosphorus | 1 | 1.1 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.3 | 1.3 (band 1 to 2%) | 88 |
Scored over 6 declared nutrients (combined weight 80); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
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 (75.7% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 15.1/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (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.
See all current recalls we track.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The marketing claims made on the pack and product page, and how much evidence sits behind them. We record the claims as stated; we do not assess whether they are true.
| Claim | Type | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|
| Made without Animal testing, Soy protein, Artificial colorings, flavors, and preservatives (on pack) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made without SOYA CEREALS (on page) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
| No-grain Formulas (on page) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
| Without poultry protein (on page) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
Limited: at least one claim rests on manufacturer assertion alone.
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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