Rendering

Rendering is the industrial process that converts raw animal byproducts (organs, frames, fat, sometimes whole animals) into shelf-stable meal and fat ingredients used in pet food and animal feed. The byproducts are cooked at high temperatures, the water and fat are separated out, and the solids are ground into meal. Rendering is the source of chicken meal, chicken by-product meal, lamb meal, and most named animal fats in dog food. Rendering quality varies widely by facility. Premium brands work with single-species rendering operations that handle only one animal type. Budget brands often pull from multi-species rendering operations with less consistency.