Neutral · Concentrated protein fraction

Protein isolate

Also appears on labels as: chicken protein isolate, potato protein, pea protein, organic pea protein, soy protein concentrate, wheat gluten

A protein stripped out of its original food and concentrated, whether from meat, legume, potato, corn, or wheat.

Watched ingredients get highlighted on every product panel you open.

Where it comes from: Wet or dry milling and filtration.
Why it's in the product: Raises the protein percentage cheaply and, for plant isolates, adds texture. Corn gluten meal is about 60 percent protein by weight.
Safety and toxicity: Safe. The nutritional question is amino acid balance: plant proteins are typically short on methionine or lysine, which is why you often see those amino acids added separately further down the same panel.
Interactions and who should be careful: Watch for protein isolates being used to inflate a protein number in a food whose first ingredient is a grain or legume. Look at where the named meat sits relative to them.

General reference, not veterinary advice. Dose, breed, and existing conditions change the answer, so talk to your vet before changing what your pet eats. Think we got this wrong? Tell us and we log it publicly.