September 2026

An Update on Our Recent Ingredient Change to Food-Grade Choline Chloride

In late June 2026, we changed the source of choline in our Chef’s Canine Complete supplement from choline bitartrate to food-grade choline chloride. We made this change in response to newly published veterinary research concerning a rare type of canine bladder stone called calcium tartrate tetrahydrate, or CTT.

Making an evidence-based change does not mean our work ends the moment a new formula is released. A product can be nutritionally ideal and check every box in the lab, but still need fine-tuning in how it smells, looks, and performs in a home kitchen. Safety, nutritional adequacy, stability, palatability, and your daily experience using the product all matter to us.

Over the last two months since the new formula was released, our customers have provided invaluable feedback regarding odor, clumping, and palatability. We take these observations seriously and have already begun actively evaluating ways to improve each of these areas.

While we continue to believe that choosing a non-tartrate form of choline was the correct, proactive choice based on the latest veterinary evidence, we do not expect pet parents to choose between a product that keeps their dogs safe and one their dogs are happy to eat. Our commitment is to achieve both.

Why We Changed the Ingredient

Choline is an important nutrient for dogs. It supports normal liver function, fat metabolism, cell membranes, and nervous-system function. The change was not about removing choline; it was about choosing a different form of choline.

Choline bitartrate contains both choline and tartrate. Choline chloride provides choline without introducing tartrate.

A 2025 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine examined 63 dogs whose bladder stones contained calcium tartrate tetrahydrate. These stones were rare — identified in approximately 0.02% of the canine stones submitted to the laboratory — but the dietary pattern was meaningful:

• Detailed survey information was available for 33 dogs.
• A source of tartrate was identified in 25 of those dogs.
• In 24 of those 25 cases, the identified source was choline bitartrate.
• Several affected dogs were eating fresh or home-cooked diets balanced with supplements containing choline bitartrate.

The study does not prove that choline bitartrate will cause bladder stones in every dog. It also does not tell us the dose, duration of use, or individual susceptibility necessary for a stone to form. However, the authors recommended eliminating dietary tartrate in dogs that have formed CTT stones and encouraged food and supplement manufacturers to consider choline sources that do not contain tartaric acid.

Because a well-established, food-grade, non-tartrate source of choline was available, we did not believe it was appropriate to ignore an avoidable potential risk simply because the condition is rare. That is why we selected food-grade choline chloride.

You can read the published study here.

How Choline Chloride Behaves Differently

Choline chloride is considerably more hygroscopic than choline bitartrate, meaning it attracts and absorbs moisture from the surrounding air more readily.

When a hygroscopic ingredient is used in a dry powdered supplement, exposure to humidity can cause the powder to:

• Form soft or firm clumps.
• Feel less free-flowing.
• Stick to the inside of the pouch.
• Release a more noticeable odor.

Choline chloride can naturally have a mild amine-like aroma. As choline chloride breaks down (whether that is due to moisture, heat, or even gut bacteria after it has been ingested), it converts to trimethylamine (TMA), which can produce a fishy smell.

Moisture can make volatile aromas even more apparent. An example of this in action would be adding the supplement into fresh, home-cooked food, which has higher moisture content (one of the reasons many of us feed our pets this way in the first place). We have also observed that the bulk (though not all) of the reports we have received about a “fishy” odor are from humid environments.

While a mild odor, some color variation, or a soft clump that easily breaks apart does not mean the supplement has lost its safety or nutritional value, we know it affects how easy it is to use and how much your dog enjoys it.

What We’ve Heard from You

Since the new formula was introduced, some customers have reported:

• A stronger or less pleasant odor.
• A fishy smell.
• More clumping in the pouch.
• A change in smell and color after the supplement is mixed into moist, fresh food.
• Dogs showing less interest in food containing the supplement.

These reports matter deeply to us. Our goal is to ensure that dogs receive the vital nutrition they need, that they thoroughly enjoy their meals — and that their people are happy and comfortable handling the supplement every day.

What We Are Evaluating

We are currently considering several possible improvements:

Herbs and Natural Flavor Ingredients

We are exploring whether carefully selected herbs or other natural flavor ingredients could help balance the aroma and improve palatability.

All ingredients we are considering are appropriate for dogs, compatible with the nutritional purpose of the supplement, and effective at the amount used. We will never use an ingredient that does not meet these requirements, or use flavoring to conceal an abnormal odor, contamination, or a product that does not meet rigorous quality specifications.

A Possible Split-Source Approach

We are working with a team of board-certified veterinary nutritionists to determine whether there is a scientifically supportable way to use a carefully controlled combination of choline chloride and choline bitartrate.

Because this is a complex scientific balance, our team is treating this as a careful evaluation, rather than a final decision. A split-source approach might improve powder handling and minimize odor, but it would also reintroduce some tartrate. Since the current research has not established a clear tartrate threshold for susceptible dogs, we will only pursue this path if our veterinary nutrition team determines that it can be appropriately supported without compromising our commitment to your pet’s safety.

Moisture Absorbers

We are considering the addition of food-safe desiccant packets to the pouches.

If desiccants are added, the packet will be clearly identified. As with all freshness packets, it must be kept away from pets and should never be consumed.

Packaging

Our current pouch is made from a non-toxic, food-safe 4-mil laminate designed specifically to protect sensitive nutrients from oxygen and moisture.

ALOX PET (Outer Layer)

This is a specialized, lightweight film coated with a microscopic layer of aluminum oxide. It acts as a shield against oxygen and water vapor and provides the same robust protection that a much thicker, heavier material would, without creating additional packaging waste.

CLEAR PE (Inner Lining)

This is a thick, ultra-pure polyethylene layer that forms the interior of the pouch. It is 100% food-safe, inert, and free of BPA, phthalates, and chlorine. It also provides the heat-sealable food-contact surface which allows the pouch to be securely closed.

We chose this combination of materials to provide an effective, protective, high-barrier structure for your pet’s supplement. Once opened, however, all flexible food packaging naturally lets in air and humidity, and a standard zipper closure cannot perfectly replicate an untouched factory seal. Because choline chloride is uniquely eager to absorb moisture, dry handling, prompt resealing, and proper storage are important steps after opening.

Handling and Storage

You can help protect your supplement and extend its shelf life by:

• Using only a completely dry scoop.
• Keeping the pouch away from steam, sinks, dishwashers, and other humid areas.
• Pressing out excess air when practical.
• Closing the zipper completely immediately after every use.
• Storing the pouch in a cool, dry location out of direct light.
• Mixing the supplement into food right before serving time.
  
  

What to Do If You Are Concerned

To help you distinguish between the expected, harmless characteristics of choline chloride and an actual product defect, please stop use and reach out to us if you observe any of the following extreme changes:

• A sharp or harsh chemical smell.
• A rotten, sulfur-like, musty, or moldy odor.
• Wet or gummy powder.
• Hard caking that prevents accurate measuring or mixing.
• Condensation inside the pouch.
• Visible mold, unusual spots, foreign material, or insect activity.
• A swollen, leaking, punctured, or improperly sealed pouch.
• Pronounced or rapidly worsening discoloration.

To be clear, we have not received any reports of the above nature.

When contacting us, please keep the pouch and provide the lot number, best-by date, photographs if relevant, how the product was stored, and whether the odor or color change appeared when the pouch was opened or only after the supplement was mixed with food. Those details help us investigate patterns much more effectively.

Reach Out to Us!

We will continue listening, evaluating the evidence with veterinary nutrition experts, and refining the product as we learn more. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share detailed feedback with us. As a small team, we cannot emphasize enough our appreciation for our customers and your collaboration with us to bring home cooking to more pets.

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