Hill's Science Diet responds to criticism regarding top petfood claim

Hill's Science Diet has released a statement responding to the negative criticism aimed at a GoodGuide.com study that dubbed Science Diet as the number one dog and cat food brand.
The primary consumer concern revolves around the belief that grain-based petfoods, of which Science Diet is one, are bad for animals. "Corn and other grains used in Hill's products, rather than serve as filler, are carefully selected by our veterinary nutritionists," said Hill's statement. "They help deliver the precise balance of nutrients in each product that our research shows provides the optimal level for wellness." Corn, the statement continues, provides highly digestible carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, beta-carotene, vitamin E, lutein and quality proteins, all of which are important for animal health.
Another concern addressed by Hill's statement questions the quality of the company's ingredients. "We only use high-quality ingredients in the production of our petfood, and we carefully source all ingredients to ensure they meet that standard of quality," said Hill's. "Our ingredients include by-products, which are common ingredients found in both human [food] and petfood. Chicken by-product meal is a high quality, very palatable, concentrated source of protein. The chickens are sourced from human grade processing plants. Meat by-products consist of the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat from slaughtered mammals."
The company ended its statement by defending its integrity, which also came under question. "Reckless statements online about our use of ingredients are false and suggest behavior at Hill's that is contrary to our values as an organization of people dedicated to enhancing and lengthening the bond between people and their pets, and who also love our own pets," said Hill's.