Ingredient file // Fiber
Dried Apple Pomace
A real fiber, with modest dog evidence
Dried apple pomace is the peel, pulp and other solids left after apples are pressed for juice or cider. It adds fiber and stool bulk. Dog studies show fermentation changes, but they do not show that it firms loose stools.
- What it is
- Apple solids left after juice pressing, dried and usually ground for use in animal food.
- Made from
- Pressed apples, including peel and pulp
- Main job
- Fiber for stool bulk
- Typical amount
- Not published; a dog study tested 7%
- Watch for
- Large amounts lower nutrient digestibility
- Not the same as
- Dried whole apples
Our read // In our catalog
In 1 of every 173 foods we track
Share of foods that list it
1%
15 of the 2,595 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 5 brands. 14 dry dog food, 1 wet dog food.
Each square is 1% of the catalog
Where it sits on the label
Median position 23. In the top five of 0 foods, so it is usually a minor ingredient.
Above the salt
Usually listed after the salt, which caps it at roughly 1% of the recipe in 64% of foods.
Price per lb
Median of the cheapest bag price across 14 priced foods, 37% above the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.
Who leans on it
53%
of the foods that list it are from Orijen. 5 brands use it in total.
What it is
How it is made
Juice and cider makers press apples for liquid. The remaining peel, pulp, cores and seeds account for about a quarter of the fruit processed. Drying preserves this moist, perishable material for use in feed.5
- 01 // Source Whole apples Apples enter a juice or cider line, where the liquid is the main product.
- 02 // Process Milled and pressed Pressing removes juice and leaves a wet mix of peel, pulp, cores and seeds.
- 03 // Process Drained and dried Excess water drains away before the solids are dried with circulating hot air.
- 04 // Output Dried pomace The dry solids are ground for storage and shipment to animal food makers.
What is in it
Composition, dry matter
36
% crude fiber
The average in Feedipedia's dried pomace samples. This is chiefly a fiber ingredient, with little protein to contribute to a recipe.
Why it is in the bag
What the manufacturer gets
-
01
Adds stool bulk
Fiber increases the material reaching the colon. Dogs fed fresh apple pomace passed more stool more often, although their stool consistency did not improve.1
-
02
Supplies fermentable fiber
Dog fecal bacteria ferment apple pomace in lab tests. A feeding study also found lower fecal pH, a sign of fermentation, without a measured improvement in health.1,3
-
03
Uses pressing leftovers
Juice and cider pressing leaves a large, wet pomace stream that spoils quickly. Drying gives manufacturers a storable fiber source and juice makers another outlet for the residue.5
How much A dog study tested fresh apple pomace at 7% of dietary dry matter; a usual commercial inclusion amount is not published.1
Our read // The claims
What the evidence supports
Strong: controlled studies in dogs agree. Some: small or mixed dog data. Thin: mechanism or lab work only. None: nothing, or the evidence points the other way.
-
Brands say
Adds bulk to dogs' stools
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
A 6-dog study fed 7% fresh pomace on a dry matter basis. Fecal output and defecation frequency rose, while consistency stayed the same. The study supports bulk, not treatment of loose stools.1
-
Brands say
Prebiotic fiber improves gut health
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
Fresh pomace increased fermentation in a 6-dog study, but the bacterial groups measured did not change. A 16-dog dried-apple trial raised fecal butyrate; its ingredient was ground whole apples, not pressed pomace. Neither trial showed a health benefit.1,2,3
-
Brands say
Firms loose stools
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
In the 6-dog pomace trial, stool consistency did not change. A dried whole-apple trial also found unchanged stool scores. Both studied healthy dogs, so neither shows that pomace treats diarrhea.1,2
-
Brands say
Apple antioxidants protect dogs
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
A lab study measured antioxidant activity in apple pomace with 3 chemical assays. That shows activity in a test sample, not protection inside a dog. No feeding trial here measured an antioxidant health effect.6
-
Critics say
Apple pomace is just filler
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
Feedipedia reports an average of 36% crude fiber in dried pomace. In a 6-dog feeding study, added pomace increased stool output. It has a fiber job, though the study did not show firmer stool.1,4
Straight answers
What owners ask
-
Q01
Is it just filler?
NoIt supplies fiber, and dogs fed it produced more stool. That is a real recipe job. Its low protein content means it cannot stand in for meat, and more of it is not automatically better.1,4
-
Q02
Will it fix loose stools?
Not provenThe controlled pomace study found no change in stool consistency. Dogs with diarrhea were not tested. Treat it as an ordinary fiber ingredient, not a reason to choose a food for a dog with ongoing loose stools.1
-
Q03
Is it the same as dried apples?
NoPomace remains after juice is pressed out. One study titled as dried apple pomace used ground whole apples that had been rejected for human sale. Its gut findings are relevant background, but they do not directly test this ingredient.2,5
-
Q04
Does low placement matter?
Often normalIngredients appear by weight, and a small amount of pomace still adds fiber. Look at the meat, fat and other fiber sources around it. Its position alone cannot tell you whether the finished food suits your dog.4,7
Who uses it
Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps
Top brands, by foods that list it
Amazon best sellers that list it
Rank on Amazon's dog food best seller list, checked October 2026.
Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it
- Chicken 53%
- Salmon 47%
- Turkey 40%
- Whole Herring 33%
- Dehydrated Chicken 33%
- Chicken Fat 33%
- Dried Beet Pulp 33%
- Dehydrated Turkey 27%
- Dried Egg Product 27%
- Natural Flavor 27%
- Herring Meal 20%
- Chicken Liver 20%
Our read // On the bag
Read it as fiber, then assess the food
Look at where pomace sits beside the meat, fat and other fibers. Low on the list, it is a modest fiber addition. High on the list, it takes more room in the recipe. Judge the complete food and your dog's stool; skip promises that apple pomace cures diarrhea or provides antioxidant protection.
Sources
What we read
Checked October 1, 2026.
- 1 Addition of citrus pulp and apple pomace in diets for dogs: influence on fermentation kinetics, digestion, faecal characteristics and bacterial populations
- 2 Effect of dietary inclusion of dried apple pomace on faecal butyrate concentration and modulation of gut microbiota in dogs
- 3 Fruit and vegetable fiber fermentation by gut microflora from canines
- 4 Apple pomace, dehydrated
- 5 Apple pomace and culled apples
- 6 Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Status of Cookies Supplemented with Apple Pomace
- 7 What’s in the Ingredients List?