‘Meat and animal derivatives' are the parts of an animal not classed as ‘flesh’ or ‘meat’ (striated muscle) and include organs such as the liver, kidneys and the heart. Petfood that is complete and balanced must provide all the essential nutrients needed by your dog, which in nature they obtain from eating the whole animal. These parts of the animal contain high levels of essential nutrients including various vitamins and minerals. They are often rich sources of amino acids. For example, liver contains a sulphur amino acid called taurine, which helps to keep your dog's eyes and heart healthy The use of Meat & Animal Derivatives is highly regulated and we only use materials that meet specific quality standards. All the meat & animal derivatives we use in PEDIGREE comes from animals that have been passed fit for human consumption. The meat and animal derivatives available to us to use depends on the season, and also on our supply chain, since we use those materials not required for the human food chain.  This means that we vary some of the meat and animal derivatives in our recipes depending on what's available on the day, to help us ensure that your pet gets the right nutrition and the best quality food every time. On the label, we always state the variety that is guaranteed, but in addition to this, recipes can also contain other meat and animal derivatives, such as chicken, turkey, lamb or tripe.