Skip to main content
Sniff
Lotus

Chicken Loaf Grain-Free Canned Dog Food

Evidence Fair
wet $59.88

Lotus Chicken Loaf Grain-Free Canned Dog Food earns a Sniff Score of 59/100 (C) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • sodium selenite
    Synthetic selenium source. Selenium is essential, but sodium selenite has a narrower safety margin than organic alternatives like selenium yeast. Better-formulated foods use the organic form.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 36%
Protein
8%
min (as fed)
Fat
5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
1%
max (as fed)
Moisture
78%
max

Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 36%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

39 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

  2. 2
    chicken broth

    Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.

  3. 3
    chicken liver

    Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.

  4. 4
    pea flour

    Powdered peas, usually used as a binder or filler. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA flagged.

  5. 5
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

  6. 6
    tricalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.

  7. 7
    ground flaxseed

    Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.

  8. 8
    coconut oil

    Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.

  9. 9
    green mussel

    Mussel from New Zealand. Natural source of glucosamine and omega-3s. Common in joint-support formulas.

  10. 10
    agar-agar

    Seaweed-derived gel used as a thickener. Functional alternative to carrageenan, generally well-tolerated.

  11. 11
    chopped asparagus
  12. 12
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  13. 13
    pumpkin flakes
  14. 14
    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

  15. 15
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  16. 16
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  17. 17
    calcium sulfate

    Source of calcium. Functional, required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  18. 18
    salmon oil

    Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.

  19. 19
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  20. 20
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  21. 21
    betaine
  22. 22
    zinc proteinate

    Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.

  23. 23
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  24. 24
    iron proteinate

    Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

  25. 25
    niacin supplement

    B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.

Showing first 25 of 39. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.