Why Ingredient Order Is Not a Nutrition Ranking
Indian pet food regulations, governed by the Bureau of Indian Standards and aligned broadly with FSSAI guidelines for animal feed, require ingredients to be listed in descending order of weight as they arrive at the factory, before any cooking or drying. This is called pre-processing weight, and it has one significant consequence: water-rich ingredients rank high. Fresh chicken, for instance, is roughly 70 percent water. Once the moisture cooks off, its actual contribution to the finished kibble may be smaller than the rice or maize listed third or fourth. This is not fraud. It is how the regulation works. Knowing it lets you read the list accurately.
