{"topic_id":"nutrient_basis_dm_calorie_conversion","category":"nutrient-matrix","context":"---\ntopic_id: nutrient_basis_dm_calorie_conversion\ncategory: nutrient-matrix\ntitle: \"Nutrient basis conversion: dry-matter % ↔ per-1000-kcal ME (AAFCO 2026 reference, ×2.5 rule)\"\nlang: en\nsource: \"pdf-parsed/cross_standard_nutrient_index.json (aafco_us_2026.dog_adult_maintenance: DM block + calorie_basis_g_per_1000kcal_me block; basis note '4000 kcal ME/kg DM')\"\ndate_parsed: 2026-08-18\ntokens_estimated: 540\nverification:\n  method: derived_from_dataset\n  claims: 9\n  passed: 9\n  date: 2026-08-18\nderived_from_dataset: true\nsource_documents:\n  - \"pdf-parsed/cross_standard_nutrient_index.json (aafco_us_2026.dog_adult_maintenance: crude_protein_min_pct_dm / crude_protein_min_g_per_1000kcal_me, calcium_min_pct_dm / calcium_min_g_per_1000kcal_me, phosphorus_min_pct_dm / phosphorus_min_g_per_1000kcal_me, vitamin_a_min_iu_per_kg_dm / vitamin_a_min_iu_per_1000kcal_me; description 'Dry-matter basis assumes 4000 kcal ME/kg DM')\"\nsource_document: \"Parsed cross-standard nutrient index (AAFCO 2026) — dry-matter % vs per-1000-kcal ME nutrient basis\"\ncitation:\n  authority: \"Derived compilation (AAFCO 2026 nutrient profiles)\"\n  title: \"Nutrient basis conversion: dry-matter % ↔ per-1000-kcal ME\"\n  url: \"\"\n  retrieved: \"2026-08-18\"\n  ref: \"pdf-parsed/cross_standard_nutrient_index.json\"\n  doc_type: \"derived dataset\"\n  needs_review: false\n---\n\n# Nutrient basis conversion: dry-matter % ↔ per-1000-kcal ME\n\nPet-food nutrient minimums are published in two bases. **Dry-matter % (DM %)** expresses a\nnutrient as a percentage of the diet's dry matter (removes moisture distortion). **Per 1000 kcal\nmetabolisable energy (per-1000-kcal ME)** expresses the amount per 1000 kcal of the diet's\nenergy, which is the more robust basis when comparing diets of different energy density.\n\n## The 4000 kcal/kg DM assumption\n\nAAFCO 2026 nutrient profiles state the dry-matter basis \"assumes 4000 kcal ME/kg DM\" (verbatim\nfrom the parsed index). Under this assumption the two bases are linked by a fixed factor.\n\n## The conversion rule (derived arithmetic)\n\nA nutrient at **X % DM** = X g per 100 g DM = 10X g per kg DM. At 4000 kcal ME per kg DM, each\n1000 kcal of diet contains 0.25 kg DM, so:\n\n> **nutrient per 1000 kcal ME (g) = X % DM × 2.5**\n\n(General form: per-1000-kcal = DM-value × 1000 / 4000 = ×0.25 on a per-kg basis; for % DM the\nper-kg figure is 10X, giving 10X × 0.25 = 2.5X. For IU/kg DM the factor is ÷4, since per-1000-kcal\n= (IU/kg DM) × 0.25.)\n\n## Worked examples (AAFCO 2026 dog adult maintenance, verbatim paired values)\n\n| Nutrient | DM basis | per-1000-kcal ME basis | Check |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Crude protein (min) | 18.0 % DM | 45.0 g | 18.0 × 2.5 = 45.0 ✓ |\n| Calcium (min) | 0.5 % DM | 1.25 g | 0.5 × 2.5 = 1.25 ✓ |\n| Phosphorus (min) | 0.4 % DM | 1.0 g | 0.4 × 2.5 = 1.0 ✓ |\n| Vitamin A (min) | 5000 IU/kg DM | 1250 IU | 5000 ÷ 4 = 1250 ✓ |\n\nAll paired values are verbatim from `pdf-parsed/cross_standard_nutrient_index.json`\n(`aafco_us_2026.dog_adult_maintenance` DM block and its `calorie_basis_g_per_1000kcal_me`\nblock); the ×2.5 / ÷4 relationship is arithmetic derived from the stated 4000 kcal/kg DM basis,\nnot a separate source claim.\n\n## Caveat\n\nThe 4000 kcal/kg DM figure is AAFCO/FEDIAF's reference assumption for the DM↔per-1000-kcal\nconversion. Energy-dense or low-energy diets deviate from it, so per-1000-kcal ME is the\npreferred basis whenever judging \"is this food enough\" across products of different energy\ndensity.\n\n## Cross-references\n\n- `life_stage_nutrient_matrix` — AAFCO-vs-FEDIAF protein / fat / calcium / phosphorus matrix (DM %)\n- `life_stage_nutrient_matrix_vitamins` — AAFCO / FEDIAF / NIAS vitamin matrix (IU/kg DM)\n- `/api/v1/cross_compare` — programmatic comparison with a `basis` parameter (DM / cal)\n","sources":["nutrient-matrix — Nutrient basis conversion: dry-matter % ↔ per-1000-kcal ME (retrieved 2026-08-18)"],"source":{"authority":"nutrient-matrix","title":"Nutrient basis conversion: dry-matter % ↔ per-1000-kcal ME","url":"","retrieved":"2026-08-18","ref":"","doc_type":"official PDF","source_document":"Parsed cross-standard nutrient index (AAFCO 2026) — dry-matter % vs per-1000-kcal ME nutrient basis","verification_file":"pdf-parsed/cross_standard_nutrient_index.json (aafco_us_2026.dog_adult_maintenance: DM block + calorie_basis_g_per_1000kcal_me block; basis note '4000 kcal ME/kg DM')"},"source_document":"Parsed cross-standard nutrient index (AAFCO 2026) — dry-matter % vs per-1000-kcal ME nutrient basis","source_file":"pdf-parsed/cross_standard_nutrient_index.json (aafco_us_2026.dog_adult_maintenance: DM block + calorie_basis_g_per_1000kcal_me block; basis note '4000 kcal ME/kg DM')","trust":{"authority_tier":"ungraded","fidelity":"verbatim","license":null,"display_grade":"pending"},"tokens_estimated":540,"generated_at":null,"tip":"Use /api/v1/topics to discover more topics. /api/v1/nutrient for precise single-point queries. /api/v1/cross_compare for 2-3 standard comparisons."}