Dog Treat Ingredient Guide

Know What You're Really Feeding Your Dog. RAFFI COOKIES DO NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE QUESTIONABLE INGREDIENTS LISTED BELOW.

This guide helps Australian dog owners identify questionable ingredients commonly found in commercial dog treats. Use this list to check your current treats and make informed choices for your pet's health.

Vague Category Terms

These generic terms hide what's actually in the product:

Cereals - Allows manufacturers to use whatever grain is cheapest without specifying which ones, making allergy management impossible.

Meat and Animal Derivatives - Can include any part of warm-blooded animals deemed unfit for human consumption, with quality varying dramatically between batches.

Derivatives of Vegetable Origin - Waste products from human food processing with minimal nutritional value.

Various Sugars - Unspecified sugar types that dogs don't need and can contribute to dental problems and weight gain.

Oils and Fats - Generic term that could mean anything from quality oils to rancid restaurant grease.

Artificial Preservatives

Chemical preservatives with potential health concerns:

BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) - Listed by WHO as a suspicious carcinogen and linked to liver and kidney damage in laboratory studies.

BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) - Research shows it's more toxic than BHA and can cause developmental toxicity and behavioral changes.

Ethoxyquin - Originally developed as a pesticide and banned for use in Australian pet food manufacturing due to links to liver and kidney problems. However, it may still appear in imported treats or through pre preserved ingredients without clear labeling.

Preservative (unspecified) - Generic term hiding whether natural or synthetic preservatives are used.

Chemical Additives

Synthetic compounds that provide no nutritional benefit:

Sodium Tripolyphosphate - Synthetic chemical used in cleaning products that can cause digestive upset in sensitive dogs.

Humectant - Moisture-retaining agents (often glycerin or propylene glycol) that add no nutrition and create artificial texture.

Vegetable Gum - Processing aids that can cause digestive issues and don't specify which gum is used.

Emulsifier - Unnecessary additive that can disrupt natural digestion processes.

Filler Ingredients

Low quality bulking agents:

Starch - Highly processed carbohydrate extract with minimal nutritional value that can cause blood sugar spikes.

Cereal Protein - Cheaper protein substitute that lacks complete amino acid profiles dogs need.

Cellulose Fibre - Indigestible plant fiber often from wood pulp that provides no nutrition and can interfere with nutrient absorption.

Flavor Enhancers

Artificial taste improvements:

Flavours (unspecified) - Can include hundreds of different chemicals used to mask poor-quality ingredients.

Natural Flavour - Despite the name, these are chemically processed compounds used to compensate for lack of quality ingredients.

Smoke Flavour - Artificial recreation of smoking that may contain compounds not found in actual smoked products.

Synthetic Minerals

Cheap mineral supplements with poor absorption:

Minerals (unspecified) - Generic term that doesn't reveal quality or bioavailability.

Zinc Sulphate, Iron Sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Manganese Sulphate - Synthetic mineral forms that are harder for dogs to absorb than natural sources.

Excess Sodium

Unnecessary salt additions:

Salt/Sodium Chloride - Dogs need very little sodium, and excess can contribute to heart and kidney problems.

Questionable Proteins

Low-quality protein sources:

Meat By Products - Parts of animals deemed unfit for human consumption with highly variable quality.

Poultry By Product Meal - Rendered remains that could include beaks, feet, and internal organs.

Meat Meal (unspecified source) - Unknown animal sources that make allergy management impossible.

What Quality Looks Like

Look for treats with:

  • Specific, named ingredients you recognize

  • Short ingredient lists (10 or fewer items)

  • Natural preservation methods

  • No vague category terms

  • Clear protein sources

Research Appendix

Regulatory References

  • Australian Standard AS 5812:2017 - Manufacturing and Marketing of Pet Food

  • Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Consumer Protection guidelines

  • Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA) standards documentation

Scientific Evidence for Preservative Concerns

  • World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer assessments

  • European Food Safety Authority evaluations on synthetic preservatives

  • National Toxicology Program studies on BHA/BHT toxicity

  • Australian government regulatory decisions on ethoxyquin prohibition

Ingredient Analysis Sources

  • Australian government Department of Agriculture pet food safety documentation

  • Veterinary nutrition research from Australian Veterinary Association publications

  • Food safety assessments from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)

Market Research Methodology

Data compiled from ingredient lists of commercial dog treats available through major Australian retailers between 2024-2025. Analysis focused on treats manufactured for or imported into the Australian market.

This guide is for educational purposes. Always consult your veterinarian about your dog's specific dietary needs. Product formulations may change - always read current labels.