Merrick Pet Care Grain Free Limited Ingredient Diet Real Lamb Recipe
Fresh Chilled complete
Is Merrick Pet Care Grain Free Limited Ingredient Diet Real Lamb Recipe a good dog food?
We score it 54/100 (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 54 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +4.2 points, while the additives in the recipe added +5.4 points. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6 points, and the additive load further adjusted the total by -6.9 points.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- Recipe54
- Nutritionallow97
- Transparency60
- Safety100
- Evidencestrong100
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.
Why you might choose it
- Single named animal protein: lamb.
- Doesn't list grain ingredients.
- Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
Why you might not
- Meat makes up an estimated 8% of the dry matter (21% as fed); carbohydrates dominate.
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
- Its additive load costs about 7 points in the rating.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 7%
- Fat
- 9%
- Fibre
- 1.40%
- Moisture
- 78%
Energy: 135 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin E Supplement; Niacin; Thiamine Mononitrate; Calcium Pantothenate; Pyridoxine Hydrochloride; Vitamin B-12 Supplement; Riboflavin Supplement; Vitamin A Supplement; Folic Acid; Vitamin D-3 Supplement; Biotin; Taurine; Magnesium Sulfate; Zinc Sulfate; Ferrous Sulfate; Copper Sulfate; Manganese Sulfate; Potassium Iodide; Sodium Selenite; Choline Chloride; Calcium Carbonate
Technological additives
Guar Gum; Locust Bean Gum
Storage
Cover and refrigerate unused portions. Keep fresh water available at all times.
Feeding guide
For dogs over 100 lbs., add 1/4 can for each additional 10 lbs. Adjust feeding level to your dog's individual needs. Cover and refrigerate unused portions. Keep fresh water available at all times. If feeding with dry food, reduce wet amount by 6 oz. for every 1/2 cup of dry food.
Reviews
Trustpilot: 0.0/5 · 0 reviews
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Single named protein: lamb
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, fish, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
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 (12)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deboned Lamb | Deboned Lamb | meat | good | - | 10.8 |
| 2 | Water Sufficient for Processing | Water | other | - | - | 10.4 |
| 3 | Lamb Liver | Lambs Liver | meat | good | - | 9.9 |
| 4 | Natural Flavor | Flavor | additive | poor | - | 9.5 |
| 5 | Salt | Salt | additive | medium | - | 9.0 |
| 6 | Sunflower Oil | Sunflower oil | oil | good | - | 8.6 |
| 7 | Locust Bean Gum | Carob Flour | fibre | medium | - | 8.1 |
| 8 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement | medium | - | 7.7 |
| 9 | Guar Gum | Guar gum | additive | medium | - | 7.2 |
| 10 | Minerals (Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite) | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 6.8 |
| 11 | Choline Chloride | Choline | supplement | good | - | 6.3 |
| 12 | Calcium Carbonate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement | medium | - | 5.9 |
Brand
- Phone
- 1-800-664-7387
- Address
- Office of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 340, Neenah, WI 54957
- Contact page
- www.merrickpetcare.com
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-12
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.merrickpetcare.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 v3 on 2026-09-26. 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 | 0.5 | 9.191 | +4.23 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 12.3% | -0.092 | -1.13 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 33.4% | 0.163 | +5.44 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 35.4% | -0.012 | -0.43 |
| Recipe graded poor | 9.5% | -0.065 | -0.61 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 9.5% | 0.060 | +0.57 |
| 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 |
| Additive penalty | -30.99 | 0.222 | -6.88 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.07 | 33.786 | +36.15 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | yes | -2.354 | -2.35 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.5 | 9.191 | +4.23 |
| 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 | 12.3% | -0.092 | -1.13 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.005 | +0.00 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 33.4% | 0.163 | +5.44 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 35.4% | -0.012 | -0.43 |
| 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 | 9.5% | -0.065 | -0.61 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 9.5% | 0.060 | +0.57 |
| 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 | -30.99 | 0.222 | -6.88 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.07 | 33.786 | +36.15 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | yes | -2.354 | -2.35 |
| 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 | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- -1.74
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 53.9
- Final score
- 54/100
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 | 7 | 25.9 (band 18 to 40%) | 91.6 |
| Fat | 9 | 33.3 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1.4 | 5.2 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 135 | 500 | 100 |
Scored over 4 declared nutrients (combined weight 60); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 73% from the food type.
Low confidence: partial analysis or moisture 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) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) | 5/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) | 5/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared).
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 · strong — 5 checkable claims: 5 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "Grain Free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "Poultry free" — supported by the declared chicken data.
- "Free of peas, grain, potato, corn and soy" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "Gluten free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "Single source of animal protein" — supported by the declared single protein data.
7 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Strong: at least three checkable claims, all consistent with the declared label, and no compliance cap.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete and balanced nutrition for your adult dog (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Specially crafted for adult dogs with food sensitivities or sensitive stomachs (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Can be served as a standalone meal or as a topper to add moisture for dry kibble (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Grain Free (on pack) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Poultry free (on pack) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Natural with added vitamins, minerals and nutrients (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives (on pack) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Real deboned lamb is the first ingredient (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Free of peas, grain, potato, corn and soy (on pack) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Potato free (on pack) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Gluten free (on pack) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Single source of animal protein (on pack) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
Other products from Merrick Pet Care
See all products from Merrick Pet Care
Alternatives to Grain Free Limited Ingredient Diet Real Lamb Recipe
Foods in our database that are similar on ingredients, protein, format or price. Scores and figures are from the same deterministic model used everywhere on the site.
Community
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share how this went down with your dog.