Poultry meal

Controversies and what to watch for

Poultry meal is the rendered dried product of whole poultry carcasses. Unlike 'chicken meal' or 'turkey meal' which identify the species, 'poultry meal' is deliberately vague: it can be any combination of chicken, turkey, duck, goose, or any other domesticated bird, and the mix changes based on market pricing. The protein concentration is high (around 60 percent) but the amino acid profile shifts unpredictably. Brands using 'poultry meal' instead of a named species are making a cost-driven choice that PetFoodRate penalises on the transparency sub-score. The rendering process itself is fine, it is the lack of species commitment that is the problem.