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Blue Buffalo's Stew Chicken & Beef Variety Pack Wet Dog Food,12.5-oz can, case of 6
Blue Buffalo

's Stew Chicken & Beef Variety Pack Wet Dog Food,12.5-oz can, case of 6

Evidence Fair
wet $3.75/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Blue Buffalo's Stew Chicken & Beef Variety Pack Wet Dog Food is a wet food featuring chicken as its primary protein source.

This food offers reasonable protein quality, with chicken providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes organ meat like chicken liver, which adds diverse, highly bioavailable protein to the formula.

A significant concern is the lack of an AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness is unverified. The food also contains carrageenan, a seaweed-derived thickener linked to gastrointestinal inflammation in some studies.

Good fit for owners seeking a wet food with organ meat. Less ideal for any dog due to unverified nutritional completeness and carrageenan.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken recipe: chicken anchors position 1, with one pulse (peas at position 5), plus chicken liver at position 3 (a natural taurine precursor). In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022  (FDA, 2022) .

Looking at this for adult Golden Retrievers or Golden Retrievers with diet-associated DCM concerns ? We are building dedicated pages for these combinations.

Auto-matched from this product's measurements (ingredients, life stage, calorie density) to a breed archetype. Not a substitute for vet input on your specific dog.

Research informing this analysis

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

  • FDA, 2022
    cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    diet composition· cited in 2 claims
  • NRC, 2006
    nutrient bioavailability

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Below-average grade. 44/100 (D) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+15.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken recipe: chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. What capped it: the score can't exceed 59 because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). Removing the cap alone wouldn't change the band. AAFCO compliance is the deeper issue.

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. chicken recipe: chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK
What pulled it down

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Bottom 10% for crude fiber in Blue Buffalo's lineup (5.6% DMB)
  • Top quartile for DMB protein in Blue Buffalo's lineup (44.4%)
  • Bottom 10% for overall Sniff Score in Blue Buffalo's lineup (44/100)

Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.

Similar dog foods worth considering

Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stew Hearty Beef Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stew Hearty Beef Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12

60

Scores 16 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • carrageenan
    Seaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.

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

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 44% ⓘ
Protein
8%
min (as fed)
Fat
4.5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
1%
max (as fed)
Moisture
82%
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 44%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

68 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken recipe: chicken

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    chicken broth

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

    Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.

  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.

    Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.

  4. 4
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

    Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  5. 5
    peas

    Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

    Position 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.

  6. 6
    sweet potato

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

    Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  7. 7
    guar gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →

    Position 7: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.

  8. 8
    potassium chloride

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

  9. 9
    salt

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

  10. 10
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

    Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  11. 11
    blueberries

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

    Position 11: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  12. 12
    cranberries

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

    Position 12: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  13. 13
    carrageenan Flagged

    Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →

  14. 14
    cassia gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Functional, no major concerns at typical inclusion.

  15. 15
    zinc amino acid chelate

    Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.

  16. 16
    iron amino acid chelate

    Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

  17. 17
    choline chloride

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

  18. 18
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  19. 19
    copper amino acid chelate

    Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.

  20. 20
    manganese amino acid chelate

    Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.

  21. 21
    sodium selenite Flagged

    Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →

  22. 22
    thiamine mononitrate

    B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.

  23. 23
    cobalt amino acid chelate

    Cobalt bound to amino acids for better absorption. Trace mineral needed for B12 synthesis.

  24. 24
    niacin supplement

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

  25. 25
    calcium pantothenate

    Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.

Showing first 25 of 68. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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