The Plint River Ranch formula is TWICE OVEN-BAKED. The company, baking our canine product, has been baking pet food for over 30 years. The temperature is regulated and monitored, along with the mixing process, every 10 minutes with a computer printout for control and regulatory agency reporting. It is always within standards or it must be destroyed. The process indudes "twice-baking" of a "cookie" for uniformity of product before the cookie is broken into bite size pieces. Oven-baking changes hard to digest starches into easy-to-digest dextrins which are readily absorbed into your dog's system. This results in better nutrition, palatability and digestibility for your pet. The secret to good nutrition is not how many nutrients are present in a dog's food, but rather, how available they are and how efficiently they can be utilized when digested. The ultimate in premium nutrition and gourmet dining! The good value is baked-in, not sprayed on.