Written By: Dr. Sarah J. Wooten, DVM: Renowned Veterinarian

Diamond Pet foods is one of the leading pet food manufacturers in the company, making pet food for many brands in 4 facilities in the United States, including Taste of the Wild, Nutra, Bright Bites, Professional, and Premium Edge, all of which are listed on their website. The company used to manufacturer for many more labels, but the many recalls associated with this company may have led a loss of business for the company (author’s personal opinion). Diamond dog foods are manufactured by Schell & Kampeter, Inc., headquartered in Meta, Missouri. The company has four plants located in Gaston, South Carolina,  Meta, Missouri, Lathrop, California, and a new plant in Ripon, California.

Diamond has three private label brands: Diamond, Diamond Naturals, and Diamond grain free. Diamond has been involved in numerous recalls that affect not only their own brands but some of the products they make for other companies. Because of these recalls, Diamond has has garnered quite a negative reputation that the company is still trying to correct. Diamond just settled a lawsuit due to a large 2012 recall, which was in regards to Salmonella and sickened both pets and people. The company was also involved in a widespread 2007 recall due to melamine contamination that caused liver and kidney failure in many pets. Before that, the company was involved in an aflatoxin recall in 2005, a liver damaging toxin that occurs secondary to mold.

I cannot figure out if Diamond has such a high incidence of recalls due to the sheer volume of food they produce, or if there are issues with the manufacturing practices. Regardless, I recommend caution to anyone feeding foods produced in Diamond plants.  There are so many other quality foods out there, some of which have never been recalled, that the consumer has no shortage of good food from which to choose.

An ingredient review of Diamond pet foods is difficult, as there are so many formulations and brands. Couple that with the long history of recalls, we have a hard time recommending feeding any Diamond products. According to their website, the company now employs several safety measures, including:

  • On-Site Product Testing
  • Mycotoxin Control
  • Microbial Testing
  • Water Purification
  • Air Quality Control
  • Test and Hold

It is unknown if these are new safety measures, however, the company has not had a recall since 2012.

The ingredients of the Diamond maintenance diet

Chicken by-product meal, wheat flour, whole grain ground corn, rice bran, dried beet pulp, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), millet, brewers rice, fish meal, egg product, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

This diet does contain wheat and corn as carb and protein sources.