Pork Meat and Bone Meal

Meat processing leaves pork tissue and bones that do not enter the human food supply. Renderers cook those materials to remove water and separate fat, then grind the remaining solids for use in feed.^6,9

1. 01 // Source Pork tissue and bone Pork tissue and bone left after meat processing are collected for rendering.
2. 02 // Process Sized and cooked The material is ground for even cooking; heat removes water and inactivates microbes.
3. 03 // Process Fat pressed out A screw press separates melted fat from the cooked protein and bone solids.
4. 04 // Process Dried and ground The solids lose more moisture and are ground into a meal for storage and shipment.
5. 05 // Output Pork meat and bone meal A dry pork ingredient containing protein, residual fat and minerals from bone.

1. 01

   Adds animal protein

   Rendering removes most water and some fat, leaving a dry ingredient that raises the recipe's animal protein content. Dog trials show that protein is digestible, though results vary between samples.^1,9

2. 02

   Supplies bone minerals

   Bone brings calcium and phosphorus along with the protein. A formulator must count both when balancing the finished food, especially because the bone share varies.^3,5

3. 03

   Uses meat processing leftovers

   Rendering turns tissue and bone outside the human food supply into a storable feed ingredient. Industry figures show meat and bone meal is used at scale, though they do not isolate pork.^9,10

4. 04

   Names the animal source

   A pork designation tells the buyer which species supplied the meal. That matters when excluding an animal protein, but it gives no measure of digestibility.^6,7

How much An 18 dog digestibility study tested general meat and bone meal at 30% of a diet; it did not test a pork specific meal.¹

1. Brands say

   The pork name identifies the animal source

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   AAFCO says a named species must match the ingredient. Its meat and bone meal standard also requires at least 4% phosphorus. The pork name identifies the source, but neither rule states the bone share.^6,7

2. Brands say

   The bone supplies calcium and phosphorus

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Feedipedia's high fat meat and bone meal samples averaged 101.1 g/kg calcium and 48.7 g/kg phosphorus on a dry basis. Those minerals are real; the ingredient name alone cannot tell you the balance of the finished food.^3,5

3. Brands say

   Pork meat and bone meal provides useful protein

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   In an 18 dog study, 8 general meat and bone meal samples had protein digestibility from 72.6 to 79.4%. That supports a protein role, but the study did not test a pork specific meal.¹

4. Owners say

   Pork meal is safe for food allergic dogs

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   A double blind challenge of 11 dogs with proven food reactions recorded 5 reactions to pork protein. The trial tested protein powders rather than this meal, but a dog known to react to pork should avoid it.²

5. Critics say

   Rendered meat and bone meal is just filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   The 8 meals in the dog digestibility study supplied protein that dogs digested, while composition data show substantial calcium and phosphorus. Calling it filler ignores those nutrients; their proportions and protein digestibility still vary.^1,3