egg
Eggs are the protein other proteins are measured against. What "egg" means on a label, and how the engine treats it as a named animal protein.
Also appears on labels as: eggs · whole egg · whole eggs · fresh eggs · cage-free eggs
What it is
On a label, "egg" or "whole eggs" means shell-free whole egg, fresh or frozen. Eggs are the classic reference protein — their amino acid profile is so complete that other proteins are historically graded against them — with the fat, choline, and biotin of the yolk included.
Why it's in pet food
Digestible, complete protein in a small package. Eggs usually appear mid-list — a supporting protein alongside a named meat, or a binder in baked treats. Marketing likes "cage-free eggs"; nutritionally the egg inside is the same ingredient, and the engine reads it identically.
How Bowlmark scores it
Scores are deterministic math over the printed label — the rules below apply to every product identically, and nothing estimates or fills in a blank.
Egg is on the named-animal-protein list: a label whose FIRST ingredient is egg earns the 15-point named-fresh-protein bonus, exactly like chicken or beef. That first slot is the only place the bonus exists — egg further down the list neither adds nor costs points. There is no "egg meal," so the named-meal bonuses don't apply to this family.
For dogs
The raw-egg-white worry (avidin binding biotin) applies to routinely feeding raw whites; cooked or dried egg — which is what pet food contains — is a non-issue.
Common questions
Answers come from this entry and the scoring rules above — reviewed before publish, like everything else on this page. For anything about your own pet, your vet knows best.
Are raw egg whites bad for dogs?
The raw-egg-white worry (avidin binding biotin) applies to routinely feeding raw whites. Cooked or dried egg — which is what pet food contains — is a non-issue.
Why are eggs called a reference protein?
Their amino acid profile is so complete that other proteins are historically graded against them — with the fat, choline, and biotin of the yolk included. On a label, "egg" or "whole eggs" means shell-free whole egg, fresh or frozen.
How does egg move a Bowlmark score?
Egg is on the named-animal-protein list: a label whose FIRST ingredient is egg earns the 15-point named-fresh-protein bonus, exactly like chicken or beef. That first slot is the only place the bonus exists — egg further down the list neither adds nor costs points.
Foods that list egg
Ranked by score where scores exist. Placement here is never sold.
- Barrowfield Raw Frozen Raw Beef Recipe Patties91
- ORIJEN Amazing Grains, Original88
- ORIJEN Fit & Trim88
- ORIJEN Kitten Formula88
- ORIJEN Large Breed Adult Recipe88
- ORIJEN Original Cat88
- ORIJEN Original Entrée Wet Cat Food88
- ORIJEN Puppy88
Compare foods that list egg
Same species, same form, both scored — closest scores first, so the comparison is a real one.
Sources
Related ingredients
Further reading
Cite this page
Bowlmark. "Egg in pet food — what it is and how it scores." https://www.bowlmark.com/ingredient/egg
- Engine
- Methodology engine v1.1.0 · config 13c99e2f
- Verified
- Last verified August 21, 2026
No stored score to stamp yet — the engine and config above are the ones a scan runs today.