Purina One Information
Purina One is a well-known player in the pet food industry and is Purina’s second-biggest pet food brand, only behind the giant that is Purina Pro Plan.
The brand was first introduced by Purina in 1986 and, at the time, was considered a ‘super-premium pet food’.
Since then, the pet food world has evolved several times, and Purina One is now considered a mid-range brand, above low-cost brands like Purina Dog Chow, but below premium and specialized brands like Purina Pro Plan.
As you might imagine, Purina One recipes are manufactured by Purina at their dedicated production facilities.
These factories are some of the most advanced in the industry and produce millions of pounds of pet food every year.
Purina One is widely available for purchase throughout the United States, Canada, and other countries.
You can typically find Purina One recipes on the shelves of large grocery stores, like Walmart, as well as pet food stores like PetSmart.
In addition, Purina One can be purchased online from almost all of the large pet food websites, including Amazon and Chewy.
Purina One Product Range
Dog Food
Given its long history and ties to Purina, Purina One’s dog food product range is substantial and includes a reliable mix of dry dog food, wet dog food, and a small range of dog treats.
Their dry dog food range is split between their standard formulas, their +Plus formulas, and their True Instinct formulas.
As we will touch on shortly, the True Instinct recipes from Purina One are the most impressive and include higher proportions of animal-based ingredients and, as a consequence, protein, and fat.
This sub-brand from Purina One is a relatively new addition to their product range and is almost certainly a response to increased demand for this type of food.
However, their other formulas are still respectable, and the +Plus range includes a variety of specialized recipes for dogs, including some for large breed dogs, for dogs attempting weight loss, and for those with sensitive stomachs and skin.
Their wet food range is typical of the industry and includes a variety of different types, including ground food, cuts in gravy, and tender cuts.
While there isn’t quite as many specialized wet dog food recipes available, there are a few which is a positive trait.
Cat Food
Purina One’s cat food range is not quite as large as their dog food range but still includes a solid mix of dry cat food and wet cat food.
Moreover, their +Plus and True Instinct sub-brands are also back for their cat food range providing specialized food and high-protein recipes.
Some examples of specialized cat food recipes sold by Purina One include those for indoor cats, one for hairball control, and another for urinary tract issues.
Given the popularity of wet cat food recipes, it is surprising that Purina One’s product range is not larger.
Nonetheless, they offer a mix of grain-free and grain-inclusive wet cat food as well as some specialized recipes such as those for mature cats and kittens.
Purina One Nutrition
Dog Food
The nutrition provided by Purina One dog food recipes is typically average to above-average when compared to other dog food brands.
In particular, their True Instinct recipes provide nutrition that is satisfactory and high in animal-based protein and fat.
You can see an example of the nutrition provided by a Purina One dry dog food recipe below.
As you can see, the protein and fat proportion of this recipe make up over 60% of its nutritional content, which is a satisfactory portion for most dogs.
Purina One’s True Instinct recipes see higher proportions of protein and fat, which can sum up to 70% of the recipe’s nutritional content.
If you would like to learn more about canine nutrition, we would highly recommend you check out our Dog Food Guide for a detailed discussion.
Cat Food
Similar to their dog food recipes, Purina One cat food recipes typically provide nutrition that is average to above-average when compared to other brands.
Often recipes from Purina One include large proportions of protein and fat, but other times the carbohydrate proportion can be substantial.
You can see an example of the nutrition provided by a Purina One dry cat food recipe below.
A high proportion of animal-based protein and fat is critical for cats as they are obligate carnivores. This means that they need a diet high in animal content with minimal plant matter.
If you would like to understand more about what it means for a cat to be an obligate carnivore, then head on over to our Cat Food Guide, where we go into much more detail on the topic.
Purina One Ingredients
High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients
- Chicken
- Chicken Meal
- Turkey
- Beef
- Venison
- Lamb
- Salmon
- Tuna
Purina One uses a moderate range of meat and fish ingredients in its recipes, including the above. This list includes many of the industry favorites, such as Chicken and Beef.
Ingredients like these are so popular among pet food brands as they are highly nutritious, relatively cost-effective, and easy to purchase in large quantities.
In addition to the above, Purina one does use some by-products in its recipes, such as Chicken By-Product Meal.
While many prefer whole meat ingredients instead of by-products, named by-products such as Chicken By-Product Meal can provide some valuable nutrition to pet food.
Other Notable Ingredients
Purina one makes extensive use of grain ingredients in its recipes, especially its dry pet food recipes.
Some examples of grain ingredients we found in their recipes include Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Corn, Whole Grain Wheat, Rice, and Oat Meal.
Grain ingredients such as these can be controversial additions to pet food recipes, with some refusing to feed their pets grain-inclusive food.
However, others are strong supporters of the use of grains, especially those who feed Purina brands such as Purina One and Purina Pro Plan.
However, some of the grains used by Purina One are more frowned upon than others. Examples would be grain flours like Rice Flour.
These processed ingredients are incredibly dense sources of carbohydrates and provide little other nutrition to dogs or cats.
Several of Purina One’s recipes include small portions of Beef Fat as a minor ingredient. While Beef Fat does see widespread use, it is far less popular than Chicken Fat which features far more often in other brands’ recipes.
Despite Chicken Fat often being easier to source and more cost-effective, Purina One must have other motivations for using Beef Fat, such as improved palatability.
Egg Product is found in select Purina One recipes as a minor ingredient. For those of you unfamiliar with Egg Product, it is a highly processed ingredient that is created by extracting the remaining Egg material from Egg Shells after they are processed.
While the nutrition provided by this Egg Product is beneficial and includes protein and fat, the fact it is highly processed and only used due to its low cost makes some frown upon its use.
To learn more about Egg Product, including more details on how it is produced, check out our article Egg Product In Pet Food.
Dried Beet Pulp is an extremely popular ingredient in grain-free dog food and is used in a few of Purina One’s recipes.
Dried Beet Pulp is a by-product of Sugar Beet processing and is an extremely dense source of dietary fiber.
For this reason, it is added to many pet food recipes to boost fiber levels and to improve the digestion and stools of pets.
However, beyond its fiber content, Dried Beet Pulp provides very little other nutrition. If you’d like to read more about Dried Beet Pulp, head on over to our article Dried Beet Pulp In Dog Food.
Canola Meal is another plant-based by-product found in pet food recipes, but it is far less popular than Dried Beet Pulp.
Canola Meal is the remaining plant matter after Canola plants are processed for their vegetable oil.
Canola Meal is often fed to livestock animals like dairy cows and pigs as it is very cost-effective and high in plant-based protein.
To learn more about Canola Meal and which pet food brands utilize it, read our article Canola Meal In Pet Food.
Lastly, select Purina One recipes, including 6/6 of their True Instinct dry dog food recipes, contain small portions of Glycerin which is an extremely controversial ingredient for some.
This is due to the fact that Glycerin is an ‘unnatural’ ingredient and is artificially created rather than extracted from animals or plants.
Its purpose in pet food recipes is as a humectant compound, which means it helps to keep food moist without spoiling.
To learn more about the controversy surrounding Glycerin, check out our article Glycerin In Pet Food.
Purina One Animal Testing
While we do not have any specific information for Purina One, we know that Purina as a whole participates and carries out a significant amount of research and testing of its products, far more than other pet food brands.
In particular, Purina carries out a large number of feeding trials to test which recipes and formulations are the most palatable and beneficial to pets’ health.
This is a controversial topic, with some being strongly against these feeding trials, while others support them and believe they are crucial to producing a high-quality product.
Regardless of this controversy, the fact that Purina is somewhat open about some of this research and testing is a positive, and many smaller brands do not share any information at all.
We strongly believe that invasive or laboratory-style testing of animals in the pet food industry is a cruel and outdated practice and one which we hope will decline.
Purina One Recalls
Based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), Purina One has issued several recalls in its past, which means that it is not a recall-free pet food brand.
In August 2013, Purina One issued a small recall of one of its dry dog food recipes due to the potential risk of Salmonella contamination.
Salmonella contamination, or the risk of it, is one of the most common causes of recalls among pet food products and has affected dozens of brands over the last decade.
The specific recipe and batch in question for this recall are listed below.
Purina One Beyond Our White Meat Chicken & Whole Barley Recipe – 3.5 lb. bags with BOTH a “Best by” date of October 2014 and Production Code #31071083.
In July 2011, Purina One issued another small recall, this time for a dry cat food recipe. This recall was also due to possible Salmonella contamination.
The fact that Purina One already had a possible Salmonella contamination recall in 2011, before the later recall in 2013, is somewhat concerning and may show that they failed to address issues found at that time.
The dry cat food recipe that was affected by this recall is shown below.
Purina One Vibrant Maturity 7+ – 3.5 lb. and 7 lb. bags, with a “Best by” date of May 2012 and Production Code #03341084 or #03351084.
While many will look down upon Purina One’s recall record due to the above, it is noteworthy that Purina and its sub-brands produce huge volumes of pet food, far more than almost any other brand.
This can mean that they are more susceptible to recalls despite the fact that they only make up a tiny percentage of their overall production volume.
If you’d like to learn more about some of the other recalls that have been issued by other Purina brands, we recommend you check out the below links where we go into further detail.
Regardless, we will always recommend that you be cautious of any other further recalls issued by Purina One or any other pet food brand to ensure your pets remain healthy and safe.
Best of Purina One
Dog Food
True Instinct High Protein Beef & Salmon Recipe Review
As we mentioned earlier, Purina One’s True Instinct recipes are some of their most impressive and contain impressive proportions of protein and fat.
The above Beef & Salmon recipe is a prime example of this and includes large portions of Beef and Chicken Meal along with a small portion of Salmon.
Thanks to these ingredients, this recipe contains a minimum of 32% protein and 17% fat which is far above-average for a dry dog food recipe.
Outside of these animal-based ingredients, Purina One includes a mix of Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, and other plant-based ingredients to provide a mix of carbohydrates, plant-based protein, and fiber.
Cat Food
Instinct High Protein Whitefish Recipe Review
The True Instinct range is mirrored for cats with several options available, and given its competitive pricing, it’s a great option for those on a budget to still offer their cats a dry cat food high in animal-based nutrition.
This particular recipe from the True Instinct range utilzies a mix of Ocean Whitefish and Chicken Meal as its primary ingredients, which are both reliable sources of protein and fat.
Whitefish is often given to pets with easily upset stomachs or digestive issues and is seen as more calming than other choices.
On the plant-based side of things, Purina One True Instinct uses several ingredients, including Pea Starch, Tapioca Flour, and Soybeans, to provide the recipe with a mix of plant-based protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.
Purina One Featured Articles
Best Purina Dog Food – In this article, Purina One, along with others like Purina Pro Plan, make the cut of our favorite dog foods from Purina.
Best Purina Cat Food – Similar to the above, we did a follow-up review of the best Purina cat foods, and Purina One featured once again.
Best Cat Food At Walmart – Millions of cat owners buy their food at Walmart, and many wonder what the best brands and food are.
In this article, we dig into several brands that are sold at Walmart and recommend several, including Purina One.
Full Purina One Product Range
Dog Food
Dry Dog Food
Chicken & Rice Formula
Lamb & Rice Formula
+Plus Digestive Health Formula
+Plus Healthy Puppy Formula
+Plus Healthy Weight High Protein Formula
+Plus Joint Health Formula
+Plus Large Breed Adult Formula
+Plus Large Breed Puppy Formula
+Plus Skin & Coat Formula
+Plus Small Breed Adult Formula
+Plus Vibrant Maturity Adult 7+ Formula
Small Bites Beef & Rice Formula
True Instinct High Protein With Real Beef & Salmon
True Instinct Formula With Real Beef & Bison
True Instinct Formula With Real Salmon & Tuna
True Instinct Grain Free Formula With Real Beef
True Instinct High Protein With Real Chicken & Duck
True Instinct With A Blend of Real Turkey & Vension
Wet Dog Food
SmartBlend True Instinct Tender Cuts In Gravy Formula With Real Beef & Bison
SmartBlend True Instinct Classic Ground Grain-Free Formula With Real Beef & Bison
SmartBlend Beef & Brown Rice Entree Classic Ground
SmartBlend Beef & Barley Entree Tender Cuts In Gravy
SmartBlend Chicken & Brown Rice Entree Classic Ground
SmartBlend Chicken & Brown Rice Entree Tender Cuts In Gravy
SmartBlend Classic Ground Healthy Puppy Lamb & Long Grain Rice Entree
SmartBlend Classic Ground Vibrant Maturity Adult 7+ Turkey & Barley Entree Senior
SmartBlend Tender Cuts In Gravy Healthy Weight Lamb & Brown Rice Entree
SmartBlend True Instinct Classic Ground Grain-Free Formula With Real Turkey & Venison
SmartBlend True Instinct Beef & Salmon Tender Cuts In Gravy
SmartBlend True Instinct Tender Cuts In Gravy With Real Chicken & Duck
SmartBlend True Instinct Classic Ground Grain-Free Formula With Real Chicken & Duck
SmartBlend True Instinct Tender Cuts In Gravy With Real Turkey & Venison
SmartBlend True Instinct Classic Ground Grain-Free Formula With Real Beef & Wild Caught Salmon
Dog Treats
True Instinct Bites With Venison
True Instinct Trios Chicken, Turkey & Duck
True Instinct Trios Chicken, Beef & Lamb
True Instinct Bites With Farm Raised Chicken
Cat Food
Dry Cat Food
Ideal Weight High Protein
+Plus Hairball Formula
+Plus Healthy Kitten
+Plus Indoor Advantage Senior 7+
+Plus Indoor Advantage Real Salmon #1 Ingredient
+Plus Indoor Advantage
+Plus Sensitive Skin & Stomach
+Plus Urinary Tract Health
Tender Selects Blend With Real Chicken
Tender Selects Blend With Real Salmon
True Instinct Grain Free With Real Chicken
True Instinct Grain Free With Real Ocean Whitefish
Wet Cat Food
Grain Free Classic Turkey Recipe
Grain Free Classic Chicken Recipe
Grain Free Classic Beef Recipe
Grain Free Ocean Whitefish Recipe
Healthy Kitten Chicken and Salmon Recipe
Ideal Weight Tender Salmon Recipe In Sauce
Ideal Weight White Meat Chicken Recipe In Sauce
Indoor Advantage Senior 7+ Chicken & Ocean Fish Recipe Pate
Indoor + Hairball Ocean Whitefish & Rice Recipe
True Instinct Chicken & Salmon Recipe In Sauce
True Instinct Chicken Recipe In Gravy
True Instinct Chicken & Turkey Recipe In Gravy
True Instinct Salmon & Trout Recipe In Sauce
True Instinct Tuna Recipe In Sauce
True Instinct Turkey Recipe In Gravy
Urinary Tract Healthy Beef & Liver Recipe