Pet food scanner
Dog and cat food ingredients we flag
Species matters: an ingredient that is unremarkable in dog food can be inappropriate in cat food. Every page below says which animal it applies to.
Short answer
Olive Detective flags 15 ingredient classes in dog and cat food. 4 are treated as genuinely toxic — xylitol, onion and garlic, propylene glycol in cat food, and ethoxyquin. The rest are quality signals: unnamed by-products, added sugar, artificial dyes, BHA/BHT and low-value fillers. None of this is veterinary advice.
High concernXylitol (dog only)Sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs — causes a rapid, dangerous drop in blood sugar and liver damage.High concernOnion / garlic (allium)Allium vegetables can damage red blood cells in dogs and cats; cats are especially sensitive. Not appropriate in pet food.High concernPropylene glycol (cat only)A humectant banned from cat food by the FDA — linked to Heinz-body anaemia in cats. (Permitted in dog food.)High concernEthoxyquinSynthetic antioxidant preservative; not permitted in human food and long controversial in pet food.Moderate concernArtificial coloursSynthetic dyes serve the owner, not the pet, and some are linked to hyperactivity/allergy concerns. No nutritional benefit.Moderate concernBHA / BHTSynthetic antioxidant preservatives; BHA is listed as a possible carcinogen. Natural preservatives (mixed tocopherols) are preferred.Moderate concernUnnamed animal by-productsVague, unnamed animal derivatives of unknown species and quality. Named muscle meat (e.g. "chicken") is a stronger sign of quality.Moderate concernAdded sugarAdded sugars have no place in a pet’s diet — empty calories linked to obesity and dental disease.Moderate concernCarrageenanThickener used in wet foods; degraded carrageenan has been linked to gut inflammation in animal studies.Moderate concernMSG (flavour enhancer)Added palatability enhancer used to mask low-quality ingredients; no nutritional value.Moderate concernSodium nitriteCuring/colour agent; can form nitrosamines. Unnecessary in a pet food.Low concernGeneric meat meal / animal fatRendered from an unnamed animal source. A named meal (e.g. "chicken meal") is fine; the generic form hides the species.Low concernLow-value fillersCheap bulking ingredients (cereals, corn/wheat gluten, cellulose) add mass and protein on paper but little nutritional value for a carnivore.No concern flaggedTaurineAn essential amino acid for cats (heart & eye health). Its presence is a good sign, especially in cat food.No concern flaggedNamed meatA specific, named animal protein — a stronger sign of quality than vague "meat and animal derivatives".
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, FDA and AAFCO positions. Rule table version 2026-07-26, mirrored from the app.
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