Pet Food Ingredients to avoid - Office Live

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What's really in pet food?
Plump whole chickens, choice cuts of beef, fresh grains, and all the wholesome nutrition your dog or cat
will ever need.
These are the images pet food manufacturers promulgate through the media and advertising. This is what
the $11 billion per year U.S. pet food industry wants consumers to believe they are buying when they
purchase their products.
This report explores the differences between what consumers think they are buying and what they are
actually getting. It focuses in very general terms on the most visible name brands -- the pet food labels that
are mass-distributed to supermarkets and discount stores -- but there are many highly respected brands that
may be guilty of the same offenses.
What most consumers don't know is that the pet food industry is an extension of the human food and
agriculture industries. Pet food provides a market for slaughterhouse offal, grains considered "unfit for
human consumption," and similar waste products to be turned into profit. This waste includes intestines,
udders, esophagi, and possibly diseased and cancerous animal parts.
Three of the five major pet food companies in the United States are subsidiaries of major multinational
companies: Nestlé (Alpo, Fancy Feast, Friskies, Mighty Dog, and Ralston Purina products such as Dog
Chow, ProPlan, and Purina One), Heinz (9 Lives, Amore, Gravy Train, Kibbles-n-Bits, Nature's Recipe),
Colgate-Palmolive (Hill's Science Diet Pet Food). Other leading companies include Procter & Gamble
(Eukanuba and Iams), Mars (Kal Kan, Mealtime, Pedigree, Sheba, Waltham's), and Nutro. From a
business standpoint, multinational companies owning pet food manufacturing companies is an ideal
relationship. The multinationals have increased bulk-purchasing power; those that make human food
products have a captive market in which to capitalize on their waste products, and pet food divisions have
a more reliable capital base and, in many cases, a convenient source of ingredients.
There are hundreds of different pet foods available in this country. And while many of the foods on the
market are similar, not all of the pet food manufacturing companies use poor quality or potentially
dangerous ingredients.
Ingredients
Although the purchase price of pet food does not always determine whether a pet food is good or bad, the
price is often a good indicator of quality. It would be impossible for a company that sells a generic brand
of dog food at $9.95 for a 40-lb. bag to use quality protein and grain in its food. The cost of purchasing
quality ingredients would be much higher than the selling price.
The protein used in pet food comes from a variety of sources. When cattle, swine, chickens, lambs, or
other animals are slaughtered, the choice cuts such as lean muscle tissue are trimmed away from the
carcass for human consumption. However, about 50% of every food-producing animal does not get used
in human foods. Whatever remains of the carcass -- bones, blood, intestines, lungs, ligaments, and almost
all the other parts not generally consumed by humans -- is used in pet food, animal feed, and other
products. These "other parts" are known as "by-products," "meat-and-bone-meal," or similar names on pet
food labels.
The Pet Food Institute -- the trade association of pet food manufacturers -- acknowledges the use of by-
products in pet foods as additional income for processors and farmers: "The growth of the pet food
industry not only provided pet owners with better foods for their pets, but also created profitable
additional markets for American farm products and for the byproducts of the meat packing, poultry, and
other food industries which prepare food for human consumption."1
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Many of these remnants provide a questionable source of nourishment for our animals. The nutritional
quality of meat and poultry by-products, meals, and digests can vary from batch to batch. James Morris
and Quinton Rogers, two professors with the Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of
California at Davis Veterinary School of Medicine, assert that, "There is virtually no information on the
bioavailability of nutrients for companion animals in many of the common dietary ingredients used in pet
foods. These ingredients are generally by-products of the meat, poultry and fishing industries, with the
potential for a wide variation in nutrient composition. Claims of nutritional adequacy of pet foods based
on the current Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutrient allowances ('profiles')
do not give assurances of nutritional adequacy and will not until ingredients are analyzed and
bioavailability values are incorporated."2
Meat and poultry meals, by-product meals, and meat-and-bone meal are common ingredients in pet foods.
The term "meal" means that these materials are not used fresh, but have been rendered. What is rendering?
Rendering, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is "to process as for industrial use: to render livestock
carcasses and to extract oil from fat, blubber, etc., by melting." Home-made chicken soup, with its thick
layer of fat that forms over the top when the soup is cooled, is a sort of mini-rendering process. Rendering
separates fat-soluble from water-soluble and solid materials, removes most of the water, and kills bacterial
contaminants, but may alter or destroy some of the natural enzymes and proteins found in the raw
ingredients. Meat and poultry by-products, while not rendered, vary widely in composition and quality.
What can the feeding of such products do to your companion animal? Some veterinarians claim that
feeding slaughterhouse wastes to animals increases their risk of getting cancer and other degenerative
diseases. The cooking methods used by pet food manufacturers -- such as rendering, extruding (a heat-
and-pressure system used to "puff" dry foods into nuggets or kibbles), and baking -- do not necessarily
destroy the hormones used to fatten livestock or increase milk production, or drugs such as antibiotics or
the barbiturates used to euthanize animals.
Animal and Poultry Fat
You may have noticed a unique, pungent odor when you open a new bag of pet food -- what is the source
of that delightful smell? It is most often rendered animal fat, restaurant grease, or other oils too rancid or
deemed inedible for humans.
Restaurant grease has become a major component of feed grade animal fat over the last fifteen years. This
grease, often held in fifty-gallon drums, may be kept outside for weeks, exposed to extreme temperatures
with no regard for its future use. "Fat blenders" or rendering companies then pick up this used grease and
mix the different types of fat together, stabilize them with powerful antioxidants to retard further spoilage,
and then sell the blended products to pet food companies and other end users.
These fats are sprayed directly onto extruded kibbles and pellets to make an otherwise bland or distasteful
product palatable. The fat also acts as a binding agent to which manufacturers add other flavor enhancers
such as digests. Pet food scientists have discovered that animals love the taste of these sprayed fats.
Manufacturers are masters at getting a dog or a cat to eat something she would normally turn up her nose
at.
Wheat, Soy, Corn, Peanut Hulls, and Other Vegetable Protein
The amount of grain products used in pet food has risen over the last decade. Once considered filler by the
pet food industry, cereal and grain products now replace a considerable proportion of the meat that was
used in the first commercial pet foods. The availability of nutrients in these products is dependent upon
the digestibility of the grain. The amount and type of carbohydrate in pet food determines the amount of
nutrient value the animal actually gets. Dogs and cats can almost completely absorb carbohydrates from

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some grains, such as white rice. Up to 20% of the nutritional value of other grains can escape digestion.
The availability of nutrients for wheat, beans, and oats is poor. The nutrients in potatoes and corn are far
less available than those in rice. Some ingredients, such as peanut hulls, are used for filler or fiber, and
have no significant nutritional value.
Two of the top three ingredients in pet foods, particularly dry foods, are almost always some form of grain
products. Pedigree Performance Food for Dogs lists Ground Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, and Corn
Gluten Meal as its top three ingredients. 9 Lives Crunchy Meals for cats lists Ground Yellow Corn, Corn
Gluten Meal, and Poultry By-Product Meal as its first three ingredients. Since cats are true carnivores --
they must eat meat to fulfill certain physiological needs -- one may wonder why we are feeding a corn-
based product to them. The answer is that corn is a much cheaper "energy source" than meat.
In 1995, Nature's Recipe pulled thousands of tons of dog food off the shelf after consumers complained
that their dogs were vomiting and losing their appetite. Nature's Recipe's loss amounted to $20 million.
The problem was a fungus that produced vomitoxin (an aflatoxin or "mycotoxin," a toxic substance
produced by mold) contaminating the wheat. In 1999, another fungal toxin triggered the recall of dry dog
food made by Doane Pet Care at one of its plants, including Ol' Roy (Wal-Mart's brand) and 53 other
brands. This time, the toxin killed 25 dogs.
Although it caused many dogs to vomit, stop eating, and have diarrhea, vomitoxin is a milder toxin than
most. The more dangerous mycotoxins can cause weight loss, liver damage, lameness, and even death as
in the Doane case. The Nature's Recipe incident prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to
intervene. Dina Butcher, Agriculture Policy Advisor for North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer, concluded
that the discovery of vomitoxin in Nature's Recipe wasn't much of a threat to the human population
because "the grain that would go into pet food is not a high quality grain."3
Soy is another common ingredient that is sometimes used as a protein and energy source in pet food.
Manufacturers also use it to add bulk so that when an animal eats a product containing soy he will feel
more sated. While soy has been linked to gas in some dogs, other dogs do quite well with it. Vegetarian
dog foods use soy as a protein source.
Additives and Preservatives
Many chemicals are added to commercial pet foods to improve the taste, stability, characteristics, or
appearance of the food. Additives provide no nutritional value. Additives include emulsifiers to prevent
water and fat from separating, antioxidants to prevent fat from turning rancid, and artificial colors and
flavors to make the product more attractive to consumers and more palatable to their companion animals.
Adding chemicals to food originated thousands of years ago with spices, natural preservatives, and
ripening agents. In the last 40 years, however, the number of food additives has greatly increased.
All commercial pet foods must be preserved so they stay fresh and appealing to our animal companions.
Canning is a preserving process itself, so canned foods contain less preservatives than dry foods. Some
preservatives are added to ingredients or raw materials by the suppliers, and others may be added by the
manufacturer. Because manufacturers need to ensure that dry foods have a long shelf life to remain edible
after shipping and prolonged storage, fats used in pet foods are preserved with either synthetic or "natural"
preservatives. Synthetic preservatives include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated
hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate, propylene glycol (also used as a less-toxic version of automotive
antifreeze), and ethoxyquin. For these antioxidants, there is little information documenting their toxicity,
safety, interactions, or chronic use in pet foods that may be eaten every day for the life of the animal.
Potentially cancer-causing agents such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are permitted at relatively low
levels. The use of these chemicals in pet foods has not been thoroughly studied, and long term build-up of
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these agents may ultimately be harmful. Due to questionable data in the original study on its safety,
ethoxyquin's manufacturer, Monsanto, was required to perform a new, more rigorous study. This was
completed in 1996. Even though Monsanto found no significant toxicity associated with its own product,
in July 1997, the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine requested that manufacturers voluntarily reduce
the maximum level for ethoxyquin by half, to 75 parts per million. While some pet food critics and
veterinarians believe that ethoxyquin is a major cause of disease, skin problems, and infertility in dogs,
others claim it is the safest, strongest, most stable preservative available for pet food. Ethoxyquin is
approved for use in human food for preserving spices, such as cayenne and chili powder, at a level of 100
ppm -- but it would be very difficult to consume as much chili powder every day as a dog would eat dry
food. Ethoxyquin has never been tested for safety in cats.
Some manufacturers have responded to consumer concern, and are now using "natural" preservatives such
as Vitamin C (ascorbate), Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), and oils of rosemary, clove, or other spices, to
preserve the fats in their products. Other ingredients, however, may be individually preserved. Most fish
meal, and some prepared vitamin-mineral mixtures, contain chemical preservatives. This means that your
companion animal may be eating food containing several types of preservatives. Federal law requires
preservatives to be disclosed on the label; however, pet food companies only recently started to comply
with this law.
Additives in Processed Pet Foods
Anticaking agents
Antimicrobial agents
Antioxidants
Coloring agents
Curing agents
Drying agents
Emulsifiers
Firming agents
Flavor enhancers
Flavoring agents
Flour treating agents
Formulation aids
Humectants
Leavening agents
Lubricants
Nonnutritive sweeteners
Nutritive sweeteners
Oxidizing and reducing agents
pH control agents
Processing aids
Sequestrants
Solvents, vehicles
Stabilizers, thickeners
Surface active agents
Surface finishing agents
Synergists
Texturizers

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While the law requires studies of direct toxicity of these additives and preservatives, they have not been
tested for their potential synergistic effects on each other once ingested. Some authors have suggested that
dangerous interactions occur among some of the common synthetic preservatives.4 Natural preservatives
do not provide as long a shelf life as chemical preservatives, but they are safe.
The Manufacturing Process
How Pet Food Is Made
Although feeding trials are no longer required for a food to meet the requirements for labeling a food
"complete and balanced," most manufacturers perform palatability studies when developing a new pet
food. One set of animals is fed a new food while a "control" group is fed a current formula. The total
volume eaten is used as a gauge for the palatability of the food. The larger and more reputable companies
do use feeding trials, which are considered to be a much more accurate assessment of the actual nutritional
value of the food. They keep large colonies of dogs and cats for this purpose, or use testing laboratories
that have their own animals.
Most dry food is made with a machine called an expander or extruder. First, raw materials are blended,
sometimes by hand, other times by computer, in accordance with a recipe developed by animal
nutritionists. This mixture is fed into an expander and steam or hot water is added. The mixture is
subjected to steam, pressure, and high heat as it is extruded through dies that determine the shape of the
final product and puffed like popcorn. The food is allowed to dry, and then is usually sprayed with fat,
digests, or other compounds to make it more palatable. Although the cooking process may kill bacteria in
pet food, the final product can lose its sterility during the subsequent drying, fat coating, and packaging
process. A few foods are baked at high temperatures rather than extruded. This produces a dense, crunchy
kibble that is palatable without the addition of sprayed on palatability enhancers. Animals can be fed about
25% less of a baked food, by volume (but not by weight), than an extruded food.
Ingredients are similar for wet, dry, and semi-moist foods, although the ratios of protein, fat, and fiber
may change. A typical can of ordinary cat food reportedly contains about 45-50% meat or poultry by-
products. The main difference between the types of food is the water content. It is impossible to directly
compare labels from different kinds of food without a mathematical conversion to "dry matter basis."5 Wet
or canned food begins with ground ingredients mixed with additives. If chunks are required, a special
extruder forms them. Then the mixture is cooked and canned. The sealed cans are then put into containers
resembling pressure cookers and commercial sterilization takes place. Some manufacturers cook the food
right in the can.
There are special labeling requirements for pet food, all of which are contained in the annually revised
Official Publication of AAFCO.6 The use of the terms "all" or "100%" cannot be used "if the product
contains more than one ingredient, not including water sufficient for processing, decharacterizing agents,
or trace amounts of preservatives and condiments." Products containing multiple ingredients are covered
by AAFCO Regulation PF3(b) and (c). The "95% rule" applies when the ingredient(s) derived from
animals, poultry, or fish constitutes at least 95% or more of the total weight of the product (or 70%
excluding water for processing).
Because all-meat diets are usually not nutritionally balanced, they fell out of favor for many years.
However, due to rising consumer interest in high quality meat products, several companies are now
promoting 95% and 100% canned meats as a supplemental feeding option.
The "dinner" product is defined by the 25% Rule, which applies when "an ingredient or a combination of
ingredients constitutes at least 25% of the weight of the product" (excluding water sufficient for
processing) as long as the ingredient(s) shall constitute at least 10% of the total product weight; and a

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descriptor that implies other ingredients are included in the product formula is used on the label. Such
descriptors include "recipe," "platter," "entree," and "formula." A combination of ingredients included in
the product name is permissible when each ingredient comprises at least 3% of the product weight,
excluding water for processing, and the ingredient names appear in descending order by weight.
The "with" rule allows an ingredient name to appear on the label, such as "with real chicken," as long as
each such ingredient constitutes at least 3% of the food by weight, excluding water for processing.
The "flavor" rule allows a food to be designated as a certain flavor as long as the ingredient(s) are
sufficient to "impart a distinctive characteristic" to the food. Thus, a "beef flavor" food may contain a
small quantity of digest or other extract of tissues from cattle, without containing any actual beef meat at
all.
What Happened to the Nutrients?
Dr. Randy L. Wysong is a veterinarian and produces his own line of pet foods. A long-time critic of pet
food industry practices, he said, "Processing is the wild card in nutritional value that is, by and large,
simply ignored. Heating, cooking, rendering, freezing, dehydrating, canning, extruding, pelleting, baking,
and so forth, are so commonplace that they are simply thought of as synonymous with food itself."7
Processing meat and by-products used in pet food can greatly diminish their nutritional value, but cooking
increases the digestibility of cereal grains.
To make pet food nutritious, pet food manufacturers must "fortify" it with vitamins and minerals. Why?
Because the ingredients they are using are not wholesome, their quality may be extremely variable, and
the harsh manufacturing practices destroy many of the nutrients the food had to begin with.
Contaminants
Commercially manufactured or rendered meat meals and by-product meals are frequently highly
contaminated with bacteria because their source is not always slaughtered animals. Animals that have died
because of disease, injury, or natural causes are a source of meat for meat meal. The dead animal might
not be rendered until days after its death. Therefore the carcass is often contaminated with bacteria such as
Salmonella and Escherichia coli. Dangerous E. Coli bacteria are estimated to contaminate more than 50%
of meat meals. While the cooking process may kill bacteria, it does not eliminate the endotoxins some
bacteria produce during their growth and are released when they die. These toxins can cause sickness and
disease. Pet food manufacturers do not test their products for endotoxins.
Mycotoxins -- These toxins comes from mold or fungi, such as vomitoxin in the Nature's Recipe case, and
aflatoxin in Doane's food. Poor farming practices and improper drying and storage of crops can cause
mold growth. Ingredients that are most likely to be contaminated with mycotoxins are grains such as
wheat and corn, cottonseed meal, peanut meal, and fish meal.
Labeling
The National Research Council (NRC) of the Academy of Sciences set the nutritional standards for pet
food that were used by the pet food industry until the late 1980s. The NRC standards, which still exist and
are being revised as of 2001, were based on purified diets, and required feeding trials for pet foods
claimed to be "complete" and "balanced." The pet food industry found the feeding trials too restrictive and
expensive, so AAFCO designed an alternate procedure for claiming the nutritional adequacy of pet food,
by testing the food for compliance with "Nutrient Profiles." AAFCO also created "expert committees" for
canine and feline nutrition, which developed separate canine and feline standards. While feeding trials can
still be done, a standard chemical analysis may be also be used to determine if a food meets the profiles.

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Chemical analysis, however, does not address the palatability, digestibility, or biological availability of
nutrients in pet food. Thus it is unreliable for determining whether a food will provide an animal with
sufficient nutrients.
To compensate for the limitations of chemical analysis, AAFCO added a "safety factor," which was to
exceed the minimum amount of nutrients required to meet the complete and balanced requirements.
The digestibility and availability of nutrients is not listed on pet food labels.
The 100% Myth -- Problems Caused by Inadequate Nutrition
The idea of one pet food providing all the nutrition a companion animal will ever need for its entire life is
a myth.
Cereal grains are the primary ingredients in most commercial pet foods. Many people select one pet food
and feed it to their dogs and cats for a prolonged period of time. Therefore, companion dogs and cats eat a
primarily carbohydrate diet with little variety. Today, the diets of cats and dogs are a far cry from the
primarily protein diets with a lot of variety that their ancestors ate. The problems associated with a
commercial diet are seen every day at veterinary establishments. Chronic digestive problems, such as
chronic vomiting, diarrhea, and inflammatory bowel disease are among the most frequent illnesses treated.
These are often the result of an allergy or intolerance to pet food ingredients. The market for "limited
antigen" or "novel protein" diets is now a multi-million dollar business. These diets were formulated to
address the increasing intolerance to commercial foods that animals have developed. The newest twist is
the truly "hypoallergenic" food that has had all its proteins artificially chopped into pieces smaller than
can be recognized and reacted to by the immune system.
Dry commercial pet food is often contaminated with bacteria, which may or may not cause problems.
Improper food storage and some feeding practices may result in the multiplication of this bacteria. For
example, adding water or milk to moisten pet food and then leaving it at room temperature causes bacteria
to multiply.8 Yet this practice is suggested on the back of packages of some kitten and puppy foods.
Pet food formulas and the practice of feeding that manufacturers recommend have increased other
digestive problems. Feeding only one meal per day can cause the irritation of the esophagus by stomach
acid. Feeding two smaller meals is better.
Feeding recommendations or instructions on the packaging are sometimes inflated so that the consumer
will end up purchasing more food. However, Procter & Gamble allegedly took the opposite tack with its
Iams and Eukanuba lines, reducing the feeding amounts in order to claim that its foods were less
expensive to feed. Independent studies commissioned by a competing manufacturer suggested that these
reduced levels were inadequate to maintain health. Procter & Gamble has since sued and been countersued
by that competing manufacturer, and a consumer complaint has also been filed seeking class-action status
for harm caused to dogs by the revised feeding instructions.
Urinary tract disease is directly related to diet in both cats and dogs. Plugs, crystals, and stones in cat
bladders are often triggered or aggravated by commercial pet food formulas. One type of stone found in
cats is less common now, but another more dangerous type has become more common. Manipulation of
manufactured cat food formulas to alter the acidity of urine and the amount of some minerals has directly
affected these diseases. Dogs also form stones as a result of their diet.
History has shown that commercial pet food products can cause disease. An often-fatal heart disease in
cats and some dogs is now known to be caused by a deficiency of the amino acid taurine. Blindness is
another symptom of taurine deficiency. This deficiency was due to inadequate amounts of taurine in cat
food formulas, which itself occurred because of decreased amounts of animal proteins and increased
reliance on carbohydrates. Cat foods are now supplemented with taurine. New research suggests that
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supplementing taurine may also be helpful for dogs, but as yet few manufacturers are adding extra taurine
to dog food. Inadequate potassium in certain feline diets also caused kidney failure in young cats;
potassium is now added in greater amounts to all cat foods.
Rapid growth in large breed puppies has been shown to contribute to bone and joint disease. Excess
calories and calcium in some manufactured puppy foods promoted rapid growth. There are now special
puppy foods for large breed dogs. But this recent change will not help the countless dogs who lived and
died with hip and elbow disease.
There is also evidence that hyperthyroidism in cats may be related to excess iodine in commercial pet food
diets.9 This is a new disease that first surfaced in the 1970s, when canned food products appeared on the
market. The exact cause and effect are not yet known. This is a serious and sometimes terminal disease,
and treatment is expensive.
Many nutritional problems appeared with the popularity of cereal-based commercial pet foods. Some have
occurred because the diet was incomplete. Although several ingredients are now supplemented, we do not
know what ingredients future researchers may discover that should have been supplemented in pet foods
all along. Other problems may result from reactions to additives. Others are a result of contamination with
bacteria, mold, drugs, or other toxins. In some diseases the role of commercial pet food is understood; in
others, it is not. The bottom line is that diets composed primarily of low quality cereals and rendered meat
meals are not as nutritious or safe as you should expect for your cat or dog.
http://www.api4animals.org/79.htm

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Pet Food Ingredients to avoid
The Dog Food Project - Sabine Contereras
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients

This is not a comprehensive list of dangerous and/or poor quality ingredients, but it names most of the ones that are used
especially in lower-end foods and should be avoided. The list will change and possibly grow as research progresses.

Additives
Glyceryl A lipophilic non-ionic surfactant with HLB of 3.6 - 4.2. It has effects of emulsification, dispersion, foaming,
Monostearate defoaming, starch anti-aging and fat agglomeration control, and is widely used in foodstuffs, cosmetic,
medicine and plastic processing industries. It is an emulsifier used the most widely and in the largest
quantities in the foodstuff industry.

A thickening, emulsifying, antisticking and antistalant agent. Can contain up to 200 ppm butylated
hydroxytoluene (BHT) as a preservative (see also BHT). Depending on method of manufacture, it can also
contain glyceryl distearate (42-44%), glyceryl tristearate (20-23%), free glycerol (3-5%). Other impurities
include mono-, di-, and triesters of related fatty acids as well as unreacted fatty acids. Due to the
uncertainty of chemical additives, this ingredient should be avoided.

Phosphoric Acid A clear colorless liquid, H3PO4, used in fertilizers, detergents, food flavoring, and pharmaceuticals.

A harmless but unnecessary ingredient, used in inexpensive, poor quality dog food as flavoring, emulsifier
and discoloration inhibitor. Used for example as a flavoring for Coca Cola.

Propylene Glycol A colorless viscous hygroscopic liquid, CH3CHOHCH2OH, used in antifreeze solutions, in hydraulic fluids,
and as a solvent.

Used as humectant in semi-moist kibble to keep it from drying out. May be toxic if consumed in large
amounts, and should definitely not be an ingredient in a food an animal will eat daily for weeks, months or
even years of its life. In countries of the European Union, propylene glycol is not cleared as a general-
purpose food grade product or direct food additive.
Binders
Corn Gluten I have not been able to locate an official definition of this product, but since it is contained in only one
formulation of one manufacturer (Excel Chunks/Mini Chunks), I assume it is the same as "Corn Gluten
Meal".

An inexpensive by-product of human food processing which offers very little nutritional value and serves
mainly to bind food together. It is not a harmful ingredient but should be avoided simply for its poor
nutritional value and quality.

Wheat Gluten AAFCO: The tough, viscid nitrogenous substance remaining when wheat is washed to remove the starch.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing with almost no nutritional value left, serves mostly as
a binder.
Carbohydrate Sources
Brewers Rice Also appears in ingredient lists as ground Brewers Rice.

AAFCO: The small milled fragments of rice kernels that have been separated from the larger kernels of

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milled rice.

A processed rice product that is missing many of the nutrients contained in whole ground rice and brown
rice. Contrary to what many pet food companies want to make you believe, this is not a high quality
ingredient, just much cheaper than whole grain rice.

Cereal Food Fines AAFCO: Particles of breakfast cereals obtained as a byproduct of their processing.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing of unknown source, quality, possible chemical
residue, sweeteners or other additives.

Feeding Oat Meal AAFCO: Feeding oat meal is obtained in the manufacture of rolled oat groats or rolled oats and consists of
broken oat groats, oat groat chips, and floury portions of the oat groats, with only such quantity of finely
ground oat hulls as is unavoidable in the usual process of commericial milling.

A food-grade fractionated grain, byproduct from human food processing, that is not as nutritionally valuable
as the product obtained from whole oats.

Grain Fermentation AAFCO: The dried material resulting from drying the water soluble materials after separation of suspended
Solubles solids from grain fermentation.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food and beverage production which adds little or no nutritional value
to pet foods.

Maltodextrins & There is no official definition for this product so far.
Fermentation
Solubles A brewery byproduct much like "grain fermentation solubles", with some maltodextrin from malted barley.
Better suited for use in short term feeding like e.g. livestock than as an ingredient in pet food.

Potato Product AAFCO: Potato pieces, peeling, culls, etc., obtained from the manufacture of processed potato products for
human consumption.

A cheap byproduct of human food processing that has been stripped of much of the nutritional benefits that
whole, fresh potatos offer.

Soy Flour AAFCO: The finely powdered material resulting from the screened and graded product after removal of
most of the oil from selected, sound, cleaned and dehulled soybeans by a mechanical or solvent extraction
process.

Much of the nutritional value is lost already during processing of the grain to flour. May contain particles of
hull, germ, and the offal from the tail of the mill.
Coloring Agents
Blue 2 (artificial The color additive FD&C Blue No. 2 is principally the disodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-5-sulfo-2H-
color) indol-2-ylidene)- 2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid with smaller amounts of the disodium salt of
2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-7-sulfo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid and the
sodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid.
Additionally, FD&C Blue No. 2 is obtained by heating indigo (or indigo paste) in the presence of sulfuric

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acid. The color additive is isolated and subjected to purification procedures. The indigo (or indigo paste)
used above is manufactured by the fusion of N-phenylglycine (prepared from aniline and formaldehyde) in
a molten mixture of sodamide and sodium and potassium hydroxides under ammonia pressure. The indigo
is isolated and subjected to purification procedures prior to sulfonation.

The largest study suggested, but did not prove, that this dye caused brain tumors in male mice. The FDA
concluded that there is "reasonable certainty of no harm", but personally I'd rather avoid this ingredient and
err on the side of caution.

Red 40 (artificial The color additive FD&C Red No. 40 is principally the disodium salt of 6-hydroxy-5-[(2-methoxy-5-methyl-4-
color) sulfophenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid.

The most widely used food dye. While this is one of the most-tested food dyes, the key mouse tests were
flawed and inconclusive. An FDA review committee acknowledged problems, but said evidence of harm
was not "consistent" or "substantial." Like other dyes, Red 40 is used mainly in junk foods. Personally I'd
rather avoid this ingredient and err on the side of caution.

Titanium Dioxide A white powder, TiO2, used as an exceptionally opaque white pigment and dough conditioner.

Non toxic but an unnecessary ingredient that could just as well be left out.

Yellow 5 (artificial The color additive FD&C Yellow No. 5 is principally the trisodium salt of 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1-(4-
color) sulfophenyl)-4- [4-sulfophenyl-azo]-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (CAS Reg. No. 1934-21- 0). To
manufacture the additive, 4-amino-benzenesulfonic acid is diazotized using hydrochloric acid and sodium
nitrite. The diazo compound is coupled with 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1-(4-sulfophenyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic
acid or with the methyl ester, the ethyl ester, or a salt of this carboxylic acid. The resulting dye is purified
and isolated as the sodium salt.

The second most widely used coloring can cause mild allergic reactions, primarily in aspirin-sensitive
persons.

Yellow 6 (artificial The color additive FD&C Yellow No. 6 is principally the disodium salt of 6-hydroxy-5-[(4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2-
color) naphthalenesulfonic acid (CAS Reg. No. 2783-94-0). The trisodium salt of 3-hydroxy-4-[(4-
sulfophenyl)azo]-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid may be added in small amounts. The color additive is
manufactured by diazotizing 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid using hydrochloric acid and sodium nitrite or
sulfuric acid and sodium nitrite. The diazo compound is coupled with 6-hydroxy-2-naphthalene-sulfonic
acid. The dye is isolated as the sodium salt and dried. The trisodium salt of 3-hydroxy-4-[(4-
sulfophenyl)azo]-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid which may be blended with the principal color is prepared
in the same manner except the diazo benzenesulfonic acid is coupled with 3-hydroxy-2,7-
naphthalenedisulfonic acid.

Industry-sponsored animal tests indicated that this dye, the third most widely used, causes tumors of the
adrenal gland and kidney. In addition, small amounts of several carcinogens contaminate Yellow 6.
However, the FDA reviewed those data and found reasons to conclude that Yellow 6 does not pose a
significant cancer risk to humans. Yellow 6 may also cause occasional allergic reactions. Another
ingredient I would rather avoid and err on the side of caution rather than risking my pet's health.
Fat Sources
Animal Fat AAFCO: Obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or
extracting. It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty
acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words
"used as a preservative".

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Note that the animal source is not specified and is not required to originate from "slaughtered" animals. The
rendered animals can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination.
Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter),
goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters, restaurant and supermarket refuse
and so on.

Beef Tallow AAFCO: Fat with titer above 40 degrees Celsius, obtained from the tissue of cattle in the commercial
process of rendering. Also called Beef Fat.

Dogs and cats like the taste of this fat, so it is often used to make low-quality food more palatable. Beef
tallow is very low in linoleic acid and much cheaper for the pet food industry to use than a good quality
vegetable oil or nutritionally rich chicken fat.

Lard AAFCO: The rendered fat of swine.

Very low in linoleic acid but very attractive to pets, used to make poor quality food more appealing. Few
nutritional benefits.

Poultry Fat AAFCO: Obtained from the tissue of poultry in the commercial process of rendering or extracting. It shall
contain only the fatty matter natural to the product produced under good manufacturing practices and shall
contain no added free fatty acids or other materials obtained from fat. It must contain not less than 90
percent total fatty acids and not more than 3 percent of unsaponifiables and impurities. It shall have a
minimum titer of 33 degrees Celsius. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be
indicated, followed by the word "preservative(s)".

Note how in this product the source is not defined as "slaughtered poultry". The rendered fowl can be
obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be
included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), turkey, chicken, geese,
buzzard, seagulls, misc. roadkill, birds euthanized at shelters and so on.

Vegetable Oil AAFCO: The product of vegetable origin obtained by extracting the oil from seeds or fruits which are
processed for edible purposes.

The source vegetables for this oil (and therefore the nutrient properties or lack thereof) are unknown.
Wouldn't you like to know just what exactly you are feeding your pet?
Fiber Sources
Cellulose AAFCO: Purified, mechanically disintegrated cellulose prepared by processing alpha cellulose obtained as
a pulp from fibrous plant materials.

Dried wood is the most common source for cellulose (I'm not kidding.). It is cleaned, processed into a fine
powder and used to add bulk and consistency to cheap pet foods. I would consider this ingredient
appropriate for termites, but certainly not for dogs or cats.

Corn Bran AAFCO: The outer coating of the corn kernel.

An inexpensive source of fiber that serves as a filler ingredient to add bulk to poor quality pet food.

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Corn Cellulose AAFCO: A product obtained from the cell walls of corn.

Obtained by use of a chemical process, it is used to add bulk and consistency to cheap pet foods and has
no nutritional value.

Oat Hulls I have not been able to locate an official definition for this product so far.

Most likely what is left over from dehulling the whole oat kernels after harvesting, comparable to peanut
hulls. It is not the same as oat bran (the hull that protects the grain itself), which is a quality source of
dietary fiber and removed prior to rolling and/or flaking. Thumbs down for this filler ingredient.

Peanut Hulls AAFCO: The outer hull of the peanut shell.

No nutritional value whatsoever, and are used exclusively as a cheap filler ingredient. Possibility of
pesticide residues being present.

Rice Hulls AAFCO: The outer covering of rice.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing, serving as a source of fiber that is considered a filler
ingredient.

Soybean Mill Run AAFCO: Composed of soybean hulls and such bean meats that adhere to the hulls which results from
normal milling operations in the production of dehulled soybean meal.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing, commonly referred to as 'floor sweepings'. An
inexpensive filler with no real nutritional value.

Wheat Mill Run May also appear as "Wheat Middlings".

AAFCO: Coarse and fine particles of wheat bran and fine particles of wheat shorts, wheat germ, wheat
flour and offal from the "tail of the mill".

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing, commonly referred to as 'floor sweepings'. An
inexpensive filler with no real nutritional value.
Flavoring Agents
Animal Digest AAFCO: A material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and undecomposed
animal tissue. The animal tissues used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers, except
in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice and shall be suitable for animal
feed. If it bears a name descriptive of its kind or flavor(s), it must correspond thereto.

A cooked-down broth made from unspecified parts of unspecified animals. The animals used can be
obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be
included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats,
misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters, restaurant and supermarket refuse and so on.

Digest May also appear as dried, or spray dried. Sometimes the type and part of animals used is specified, such

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as in "Chicken Digest", "Lamb Digest" or "Poultry Liver Digest"

AAFCO: Material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and undecomposed
animal tissue. The animal tissues used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers, except
in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice and shall be suitable for animal
feed. .

A cooked-down broth made from specified, or worse, unspecified parts of specified or unspecified animals
(depending on the type of digest used). If the source is unspecified (e.g. "Animal" or "Poultry", the animals
used can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of
animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs,
horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters, restaurant and supermarket refuse and so on.

Flavor A substance, such as an extract or spice, that add flavor to a product.

The manufacturer may or may not give more detailed information about what is used for flavoring and
whether it is made from a natural or chemical substance.

Glandular Meal I have not been able to locate an official definition for this product so far.

Since it is used as a "source of liver flavor" in poor quality foods, it is safe to assume that it is a meal
obtained from the livers and other glands of various, unspecified animals. As with all generic, unspecified
ingredients, it is wise to avoid.
Fruits & Vegetables
Apple Pomace AAFCO: The mixture of apple skins, pulp, and crushed seeds.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing. Does not contain the whole complement of nutrients
as whole fresh or dried apples.

Citrus Pulp Citrus Pulp is the dried residue of peel, pulp and seeds of oranges, grapefruit and other citrus fruit.

This inexpensive byproduct is mainly used as a bulk carbohydrate concentrate in cattle feed but also
added as a source of fiber in dog food. Since the peel and some twigs and leaves are also included, there
is a possibility of residues from pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

Grape Pomace AAFCO: The mixture of grape skins, pulp, and crushed seeds.

An inexpensive byproduct left over from pressing grapes for juice or wine. The product contributes some
fiber but otherwise has little to no nutritinal value. Grapes have also shown to contain a substance that is
toxic to dogs, so they should not be fed at all.

Preservatives
BHA Butylated Hydroxysanisole - a white, waxy phenolic antioxidant, C11H16O2, used to preserve fats and oils,
especially in foods.

Banned from human use in many countries but still permitted in the US. Possible human carcinogen,
apparently carcinogenic in animal experiments. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA

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and BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity.

BHT Butylated Hydroxytoluene - a crystalline phenolic antioxidant, C15H24O, used to preserve fats and oils,
especially in foods.

Ethoxyquin 6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydro-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline. Antioxidant; also a post-harvest dip to prevent scald on
apples and pears.

Originally developed by Monsanto as a stabilizer for rubber, Ethoxyquin has also been used as a pesticide
for fruit and a color preservative for spices, and later for animal feed. The original FDA permit for use as
stabilizer in animal feed limited use to two years and did not include pet food, but it falls under the same
legal category. It has never been proven to be safe for the lifespan of a companion animal.It has been
linked to thyroid, kidney, reproductive and immune related illnesses as well as cancer, but so far no
conclusive, reliable research results either for the safety of this product or against it have not been
obtained. Monsanto conducted research years ago, but results were so inconclusive due to unprofessional
conduct and documentation that the FDA demanded another study. There are currently several studies
underway to determine whether Ethoxyquin is safe or not, and until those studies are completed, pet food
suppliers may continue to use Ethoxyquin. This is how things stand after about 6 years, and no new details
have emerged so far.

Propyl Gallate Also known as Gallic Acid or Propyl Ester. It is made from natural Gallic Acid, which is obtained by the
hydrolysis of tannins from Tara Pods.

Used as an antioxidant to stabilize cosmetics, food packaging materials, and foods containing fats. I have
not found conclusive evidence either for or against the safety of this product, but it is suspected of causing
liver diseases and cancer, so once again personally I prefer to err on the side of caution. Mixed
tocopherols, citric acid and rosemary extract are effective, all-natural alternatives - just more expensive.
Protein Sources
Beef & Bone Meal AAFCO: The rendered product from beef tissues, including bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof,
horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents, except in such amounts as may occur
unavoidably in good processing practices.

A byproduct made from beef parts which are not suitable for human consumption. It can incorporate the
entire cow, including the bones, but the quality cuts of meat are always removed. This is an inexpensive,
low quality ingredient used to boost the protein percentage.

Blood Meal AAFCO: Blood Meal is produced from clean, fresh animal blood, exclusive of all extraneous material such
as hair, stomach belchings and urine except as might occur unavoidably in good manufacturing process. A
large portion of the moisture is usually removed by a mechanical dewatering process or by condensing by
cooking to a semi-solid state. The semi-solid blood mass is then transferred to a rapid drying facility where
the more tightly bound water is rapidly removed. The minimum biological activity of lysine shall be 80%.

An inexpensive protein booster. You have no way of knowing what type of animal the blood came from or
what residues of hormones, medications or other substances are in this product. It has a better use as
fertilizer than as a dog food ingredient.

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Chicken Byproduct AAFCO: Consists of the dry, ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as
Meal necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines -- exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might
occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

Chicken byproducts are much less expensive and less digestible than the chicken muscle meat.The
ingredients of each batch can vary drastically in ingredients (heads, feet, bones etc.) as well as quality,
thus the nutritional value is also not consistent. Don't forget that byproducts consist of any parts of the
animal OTHER than meat. If there is any use for any part of the animal that brings more profit than selling it
as "byproduct", rest assured it will appear in such a product rather than in the "byproduct" dumpster.

Corn Distillers Dried Distillers Dried Grains with solubles (DDGS) is the product obtained by condensing and drying the stillage
Grains With that remains after fermenting the starch in corn or milo in the production of ethyl alcohol.
Solubles
An inexpensive byproduct used as protein filler in cheap dog foods. Its amino acids are poorly balanced,
not very digestible, have a high fiber content and nutritional value can vary greatly from batch to batch.
Better suited as cattle feed.

Corn Germ Meal AAFCO: Ground corn germ which consists of corn germ with other parts of the corn kernel from which part
of the oil has been removed and is obtained from either a wet or dry milling manufacturing process of corn
meal, corn grits, hominy feed, or other corn products.

An inexpensive by-product of human food processing, rich in protein but sadly often used as a booster in
poor quality foods. It is not a harmful ingredient but should not rank high in the ingredient list of a quality
product.

Corn Gluten Meal AAFCO: The dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the
separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or
by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm.

An inexpensive by-product of human food processing which contains some protein but serves mainly to
bind food together. It is not a harmful ingredient but should not rank high in the ingredient list of a quality
product.

Fish Meal AAFCO: The clean, rendered, dried ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish or fish cuttings, either or
both, with or without the extraction of part of the oil.

Like with all other animal sources, if a type isn't specified, you never know what type or quality of fish is
used.
According to US Coast Guard regulations, all fish meal not destined for human consumption must be
conserved with Ethoxyquin (unless the manufacturer has a special permit). This preservative is banned
from use in foods for human consumption except for the use of very small quantities as a color
preservative for spices. So unless the manufacturer either presents a permit or states "human grade" fish
or fish meal is used, you can be pretty sure Ethoxyquin is present in the food even if it is not listed.

Liver Meal AAFCO: The dried product of ground hepatic glands of mammals.

Whenever the word 'meat' or the name of an organ appear by themselves (without a species) on a pet food
label, there is no way to know which kind of animal it came from. It could be horse liver, goat, duck, pig, or
even skunk or other animals of questionable origin.

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Meat & Bone Meal AAFCO: The rendered product from mammal tissues, with or without bone, exclusive of any added blood,
hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may
occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

The animal parts used can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or
contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior
to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters and so on. It can also
include pus, cancerous tissue, and decomposed (spoiled) tissue.

Meat Meal AAFCO: The rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide
trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in
good processing practices.

Pork & Bone Meal AAFCO: The rendered product from pork tissues, including bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof,
skin, manure, stomach and rumen contents, except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good
processing practices.

A byproduct made from pork parts which are not suitable for human consumption. It can incorporate the
entire pig, including the bones, but the quality cuts of meat are always removed. This is an inexpensive,
low quality ingredient used to boost the protein percentage.

Poultry Byproduct AAFCO: Consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcasses of slaughtered poultry, such as
Meal necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines, exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might
occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

The parts used can be obtained from any slaughtered fowl, so there is no control over the quality and
consistency of individual batches. Poultry byproducts are much less expensive and less digestible than
chicken meat.The ingredients of each batch can vary drastically in ingredients (heads, feet, bones, organs
etc.) as well as quality, thus the nutritional value is also not consistent. Don't forget that byproducts consist
of any parts of the animal OTHER than meat. If there is any use for any part of the animal that brings more
profit than selling it as "byproduct", rest assured it will appear in such a product rather than in the
"byproduct" dumpster.

Poultry Meal AAFCO: The clean combination of poultry flesh and skin with or without bone. Does not contain feathers,
heads, feet or entrails. If from a particular source it may state so (i.e. chicken, turkey etc).

Note how in this product the source is not defined as "slaughtered poultry".The manufacturer does not
disclose the species (or the mix of species) of the poultry used. The fowl can be obtained from any source,
so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals"
(dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), turkey, chicken, geese, buzzard, seagulls, misc.
roadkill, birds euthanized at shelters and so on.

Soybean Meal AAFCO: The product obtained by grinding the flakes which remain after removal of most of the oil from
soybeans by a solvent or mechanical extraction process.

A poor quality protein filler used to boost the protein content of low quality pet foods. Has a biologic value

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lof ess than 50% of chicken meal.
Supplements
Bone Phosphate Bone Phosphate is the residue of bones that have been treated first in a caustic solution then in a
hydrochloric acid solution, and thereafter precipitated with lime and dried.

A highly processed feed-grade supplement to balance the calcium and phosphorus content of a product.

Salt Also listed as Sodium Chloride. A colorless or white crystalline solid, chiefly sodium chloride, used
extensively in ground or granulated form as a food seasoning and preservative. May also appear in
ingredient list as "Iodized Salt" (iodine supplement added), "Sea Salt" (as opposed to salt mined from
underground deposits) or "Sodium Chloride" (chemical expression).

While salt is a necessary mineral, it is also generally present in sufficient quantities in the ingredients pet
foods include. Just like for humans, too much sodium intake is unhealthy for animals. In poor quality foods
it is often used in large amounts to add flavor and make the food more interesting.

Mineral Oil Any of various light hydrocarbon oils, especially a distillate of petroleum.

Mineral oil functions as a laxative and stool softener. I have not found any evidence of any other health
benefits. Tells a lot about the product it is used in, doesn't it?

Yeast Culture AAFCO: The dried product composed of yeast and the media on which it is grown, dried in such a manner
as to preserve the fermenting activity of the yeast.

An unnecessary, feed-grade ingredient in pet foods, added mainly as a flavoring to make inexpensive food
more attractive. Lacks the nutritional value of higher quality yeast supplements. The media on which the
yeast was grown is not identified. Also a potential allergen for some dogs.

Yeast Fermentation AAFCO: The soluble portion of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and the media in which is produced.
Solubles
A feed-grade ingredient in pet foods, added as a vitamin B supplement. It is harmless, but lacks the
nutrients of higher quality yeast supplements. The media on which the yeast was grown is not identified.
Also a potential allergen for some dogs.

Sweeteners
Cane Molasses AAFCO: A by-product of the manufacture of sucrose from sugar cane. It must contain not less than 43%
total sugars expressed as invert.

Sugar or sweetener is an absolutely unnecessary ingredient in pet foods, added to make the product more
attractive. Continuous intake can promote hypoglycemia, obesity, nervousness, cataracts, tooth decay,
arthritis and allergies. Pets also get addicted to foods that contain sugars, so it can be a tough piece of
work to make them eat something healthier.

Corn Syrup A syrup prepared from cornstarch, used in industry and in numerous food products as a sweetener.

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arthritis and allergies. Pets also get addicted to foods that contain sugars, so it can be a tough piece of
work to make them eat something healthier.

Fructose A very sweet sugar, C6H12O6, occurring in many fruits and honey and used as a preservative for food and
as an intravenous nutrient.

A monosaccharide found naturally in fresh fruit and honey. It is obtained by the inversion of sucrose by
means of the enzyme invertase. Used in small quantities it serves as a nutrient for probiotics, specifically
bifidobacteria, which ferment it and produce beneficial enzymes.

Sorbitol A white, sweetish, crystalline alcohol, C6H8(OH)6, found in various berries and fruits or prepared
synthetically and used as a flavoring agent, a sugar substitute for people with diabetes, and a moisturizer
in cosmetics and other products.

Sugar Can include sucrose, cane sugar, caramel, corn syrup and others.

Dl-Alpha Synthetic vitamin E, also listed as Dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate
Tocopherol Acetate
Only about half as effective as natural vitamin E and not as readily available to the body.
Vitamins
Menadione Sodium Vitamin K3, synthetic vitamin K.
Bisulfate
Feed grade. Also listed as Menadione Dimethyl-Pyrimidinol Bisulfate, Menadione Dimethyl-Pyrimidinol
Bisulfite, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate Complex, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite and Menadione Sodium
Bisulfite Complex.

Unnecessary ingredient in dog food. This synthetic version of vitamin K has not been specifically approved
for long term use, such as in pet food. It has been linked to many serious health issues. More Details


SUSAN THIXTON

You walk into the pet store, stroll towards the dog food section or cat food section; the confusion begins. Hundreds of
different varieties; your heart starts to race, you begin to feel light headed; how are you going to choose? Your mind is
screaming ‘I don’t know how to decide! Someone Help Me!’ Fear no more, weary pet owner. Welcome to
Understanding Pet Food Label Ingredients 101.

The first rule of pet food selection is to ignore the front of the bag or can. The quality of nutrition a pet food can

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provide to your dog or cat, can ONLY be as quality as the ingredients IN the pet food. Bypass all the pictures of
ingredients on the front of the food label, and look for the ingredient list on the back or side of the pet food.
Understanding just a few things about this ingredient list can help you find a healthier food for your pet.

Ingredients are listed on a pet food label in order of pre-cooking weight; heaviest to lightest. The first five or so
ingredients – by weight – make up the majority of the pet food. Some pet food ingredients can be considered a red
flag; a potential health risk to your pet. Other ingredients are not ‘red flag’; however, they provide the pet with little to
no quality nutrition. Learning to spot these ingredients is easier than you think.

Here is an example list of ingredients in a dry cat food:
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Corn, Animal Fat (preserved with Mixed
Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Beet Pulp, Dried Egg Product, Canola Oil, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E
Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2 Polyphosphate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamin Mononitrate, D-Calcium
Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12
Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium
Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Dicalcium Phosphate, Taurine.

In a bold type, are the first six ingredients. Chicken and Chicken Meal are meat ingredients providing a cat with
essential meat protein. Chicken is obviously chicken meat; Chicken Meal is chicken meat with the moisture removed.
Any meat contains a high amount of moisture, up to 70% moisture. Chicken Meal is chicken with the moisture
removed and thus provides the dog or cat with more protein nutrition by weight. These are both quality ingredients.

The next three ingredients, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Corn, are grains that provide little to no nutrition
to a cat (or dog if this was a dog food). None are ‘bad’ pet food ingredients, that is, unless the corn gluten meal came
from China. Seeing this ingredient means you need to call the manufacturer to learn the Country of Origin of the pet
food ingredients. You should also be aware that any grain ingredient in pet food is at risk to contain a deadly mold,
aflatoxin. Pet owners that feed their dog or cat a food that includes grains must trust that the manufacturer did proper
testing for aflatoxin contamination of grains. Pet food regulations do not require this testing, it is only recommended.

The next ingredient is Animal Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols). The pet food ingredient animal fat was
determined by the FDA to be one of several ingredients that are commonly known to contain a diseased euthanized
animal, AND the drug used to kill the animal. When you see Animal Fat listed in the ingredients of a dog food or cat
food, unless you want to take the chance of feeding your pet a sick, euthanized animal, AND lethal drugs, look for
another pet food.

Here’s another example pet food label ingredient list, this is a dry dog food:
Chicken meal, ground rice, pearled barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), lamb digest, salt,
potassium chloride, yeast culture, minerals (zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, iron proteinate, manganese
proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E
supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, inositol, niacin supplement, vitamin A supplement, d-calcium pantothenate,
thiamine mononitrate, beta carotene, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, menadione sodium bisulfite
complex, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), choline chloride, yucca schidigera
extract, rosemary extract.

Ground rice is not a bad ingredient, however, brown rice would be better. ‘Rice’ listed on a pet food label would be
white rice unless it specifies brown rice; white rice is processed and provides little nutrition. Pearled barley is an
ingredient that provides protein and vitamins. Barley can be an allergen to some pets. Chicken fat (preserved with
mixed tocopherols) is a good ingredient, preserved naturally. Lamb digest is a rendered ingredient that can contain
diseased, euthanized animals per a FDA report (as well as any other animal digest ingredient); this is another
suggested ingredient to avoid.

Zinc Proteinate is a mineral that has been altered to enable the body to absorb the mineral easier. Chelated or
proteinated minerals in a dog food or cat food is considered optimal.

Later in the ingredient listing is menadione sodium bisulfite; this is a synthetic vitamin K linked to serious disease.
Another suggested ingredient to avoid.

Here is another example pet food label ingredient list, a dry cat food:

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Ground yellow corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, meat and bone meal, animal fat preserved with
mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soybean meal, turkey by-product meal, brewers dried yeast, phosphoric acid,
animal digest, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, potassium chloride, salt, dried chicken liver, added color (Red 40,
Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 2 and other color), choline chloride, taurine, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin E
supplement, niacin, manganese sulfate, calcium carbonate, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine
mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine
hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite
complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.

Ingredients to take note of in this pet food, which have not been previously discussed, are chicken by-product meal.
By-products are NOT meat; according to the ingredient definition, they are left-over pieces of an animal not used for
human consumption. Meat ingredients are optimal for your pet, left-over animal parts are not; this is another
suggested ingredient to avoid. Meat and bone meal is another ingredient on the FDA list that can contain a euthanized
diseased animal and the lethal drug used to kill the animal; an ingredient to avoid. Red 40, Yellow 6, and so on are
added dyes in this pet food; pet food dyes are scientifically linked to serious disease.

There are three other red flag ingredients in this pet food ingredient list, can you spot them? They were mentioned
earlier.

Answer: Animal fat, animal digest and menadione sodium bisulfite.

What else in the above example pet food ingredient list is less than optimal?

Answer: Corn gluten meal, could be a dangerous Chinese imported ingredient; minerals are not chelated or
proteinated for better absorption. This pet food contains NO meat (none, zero, zippo). According to pet food ingredient
definitions set by AAFCO, a by-product meal and meat and bone meal are NOT meat.

One more thing that makes this example pet food ingredient list, and all of the previous example pet food ingredient
lists above, less than optimal is that none of these pet foods contain probiotics. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that
science has proven to benefit the immune system of humans and animals. Here is a list of some probiotics that are
used in pet food (what to look for on the label): Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Lactobacillus Casei
Fermentation Product, Bifido Bacterium Fermentation Product, Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Aspergillus
Oryzae Fermentation Product.

Here is another pet food ingredient list, a dry dog food:
Ground Whole Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with BHA/BHT), Ground Wheat,
Natural Poultry Flavor, Wheat Flour, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Carmel Color, Vegetable Oil (Source of Linoleic Acid),
Rice, Wheat Gluten, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source of Vitamin E], L-Ascorbyl-2-
Polyphosphate [Source of Vitamin C*], Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Biotin, d-Calcium
Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc
Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), menadione bisulfite, Added FD&C and Lake Colors (Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red
40, Yellow 5).

Your turn; can you spot the red flag ingredients in this dog food?

Answer: Meat and bone meal, animal fat – plus this ingredient is preserved with BHA/BHT, a chemical linked to
tumors and cancer; and menadione bisulfite.

What other less than optimal ingredients are in this dog food?

Answer: There is NO meat in the dog food, minerals are not chelated or proteinated for better absorption, no
probiotics, and it contains added dyes.

See? You can do this. It’s not difficult; it just takes a little understanding of ingredients.

Now, let’s look at some canned foods. Some pet food experts firmly believe that every dog and cat should be eating
canned foods only; one reason is that canned foods provide the pet with lots of moisture. Cats especially can benefit
from the moisture. Most of the ingredients in canned dog foods and cat foods are similar; however canned foods do

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not contain probiotics.

Here is an example list of ingredients from a canned cat food:
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Tricalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride,
Choline Chloride, Taurine, Iron Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin B1
Supplement, Vitamin B2 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Every canned food contains a broth or water ingredient; typically it makes up 75% to 85% of the contents of the can.
Guar Gum is not a bad ingredient, it is used as a thickening ingredient, however, provides little to no nutrition.
Minerals in this canned cat food are not chelated or proteinated. As typical in canned foods, it does not contain
probiotics.

Here is another example list of ingredients from a canned dog food:
Turkey, Chicken, Chicken Broth, Brown Rice, Potatoes, Carrots, Herring, Natural Flavors, Whole Eggs, Apples, Alfalfa
Sprouts, Cottage Cheese, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Sunflower Oil, Seaweed Extract, Sodium Phosphate, Garlic,
Vitamin C, Inulin, Sea Salt, Choline Chloride, Beta Carotene, Vitamins/Minerals.

Can you spot the differences in this canned food compared to the above canned food? Do you see any potential risk
ingredients?

Answer: The difference in this canned food and the above canned food (other than being a dog food, above is a cat
food) is the number of meat proteins included in this food. This second canned pet food lists four meat protein
sources; turkey, chicken, herring, and egg. Variety of protein is a bonus for your pet. This second canned food also
contains two health promoting ingredients; alfalfa and seaweed. The potential risk ingredient is garlic; some pets have
health problems associated with garlic.

Ok, think you’re ready to judge a few pet food ingredient lists? Here’s your test…look at the ingredients of both foods,
take note of any risk ingredients and any health promoting ingredients (before you look at the answer!).

Two example dry cat food ingredient lists;
Number 1:
Ground Yellow Corn, Chicken By-product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with BHA/BHT), Rice, Brewers
Dried Yeast, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Shrimp Meal, Tuna Meal, Salmon Meal, Calcium Carbonate, dl-
Methionine, Taurine, Whitefish Meal, Trace Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium
Iodide), Vitamins (dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source of Vitamin E], Folic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin, Vitamin
B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Vitamin D3 Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine
Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6]), Red 3.

Number 2:
Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Chicken Fat, (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Eggs, Flax Seed Meal, Fish Meal, Sun
Cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Chicken, Lecithin, Linoleic Acid, Amaranth, DL Methionine, Taurine, Kelp,
Cranberries, Apples, Monocalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Sage Extract, Yucca Schidigera
Extract, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid
Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin
C), Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (source of B2), Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate,
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, D-Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Papaya, Vitamin B12
Supplement.

What is your review of these two cat food ingredient lists?

Cat Food Number 1 contains several risk ingredients; chicken by product meal, animal fat and BHA/BHT chemical
preservatives, and a food dye. The minerals are not chelated, it contains no probiotics.

Cat food Number 2 contains no risk ingredients, the minerals are chelated, however, it does not contain probiotics.
This food does contain several health promoting ingredients; flax seed, alfalfa, and kelp. Furthermore it contains
several meat proteins; chicken, egg, and fish meal.

Ok, that was fairly easy. Here are two more pet food ingredient lists, this time two dry dog foods. Which one would

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you prefer for your pet?

Number 1:
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Rye, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (preserved with
Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Potato Flour, Tomato Pomace, Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Ground Flax Seed,
Alfalfa, Barley Grass, Sunflower Oil (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Calcium Phosphate, L-Carnitine, Dried
Kelp, Whole Garlic Cloves, Glucosamine, Spirulina, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Lactobacillus
Acidophilus, Bacillus Subtilis, Bifidobacterium Thermophilum, Bifidobacterium Longum, Enterococcus Faecium, Zinc
Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Zinc), Choline Chloride, Iron Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Iron),
Turmeric, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Manganese), Beta Carotene,
Copper Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Copper), Potassium Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated
Potassium), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin,
Calcium Pentothenate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Potassium Iodide,
Biotin, Cobalt Proteinate (source of Chelated Cobalt), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Sodium Selenite.

Number 2:
Turkey, Brewers Rice, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Potato, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Chicken Meal, Fish Meal,
Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg
Product, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Potassium Chloride, Brewers Dried Yeast,
Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin,
Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of
vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Sodium
Hexametaphosphate, Choline Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese
Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), DL-Methionine, Rosemary Extract.

Pet food Number 1 has no risk ingredients, minerals are chelated, it contains probiotics and several health promoting
ingredients. However, it contains garlic. Pet food Number 2 does not contain any risk ingredients, however the
minerals are not chelated, it does not contain probiotics, and it contains no health promoting ingredients. Number 2
does contain a variety of meat protein sources, Number 1 did not.

Choosing between these two foods, more plus’s are with Pet Food Number 1; Number 2 had only one advantage with
variety of meat protein. If your pet has sensitivity issues with garlic however, you could not feed pet food number 1.

Once you examine pet food ingredients, and decide which one looks best to you, the next information you should
discover is the grade or quality of meat ingredients AND the country of origin of all ingredients. When a dog food or cat
food contains several plus’s (such as variety of meat proteins, chelated minerals, probiotics, health promoting
ingredients), more than likely the pet food manufacturer is using a high quality grade of meat. By-products of any
kind, by ingredient definition, are NOT a human grade of meat (not the same quality of meat you would purchase in
your grocery). Despite the deadly pet food recall of 2007, and the on-going problems with Chinese imports of any kind,
many pet food companies are still importing pet food ingredients from China. Call the pet food manufacturer and ask if
any ingredients are sourced from outside the U.S.; if so, where? Every pet owner will have to decide if the risk is worth
it; however, every pet owner doesn’t always bother to get this information. Without it, you have no clue of what risks
your pet is taking.

Also take note of the ‘Best by’ date on the bag or can. Expired foods can be risky, the fresher the pet food, the better
nutrition provided to your pet.

There is much more to comparing dog foods or cat foods than the above; it is only a beginning. Unfortunately, there
are many pet food regulation obstacles that stand in the way. One example, pet food regulations allow nasty things
like diseased animals and diseased animal parts to be camouflaged under the ingredient name by-product meal. Pet
foods that contain even the tiniest piece of a diseased and/or euthanized animal are a violation of Federal law and
should be prohibited. The Food and Drug Administration does NOT enforce these Federal laws that were developed to
protect people and our pets; in fact, they illegally provide their permission to pet food to violate them. When you
consider lax regulations and non enforcement of Federal law, pet owners are left almost defenseless; the best you can
do is understand a few pet food ingredients, discover as much information as you can from the pet food manufacturer
(that the label doesn’t tell you) and keep complaining to law makers.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

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Susan Thixton
Truth about Pet Food
Petsumer Report
www.TruthaboutPetFood.com

Harmful ingredients in pet food
Potential Contaminants

Given the types of things manufacturers put in pet food, it is not surprising that bad things sometimes happen.
Ingredients used in pet food are often highly contaminated with a wide variety of toxic substances. Some of these
are destroyed by processing, but others are not.

 Bacteria. Slaughtered animals, as well as those that have died because of disease, injury, or natural
causes, are sources of meat, by-products, and rendered meals. An animal that died on the farm might not
reach a rendering plant until days after its death. Therefore the carcass is often contaminated with
bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. Dangerous E. Coli bacteria are estimated to contaminate more
than 50% of meat meals. While the cooking process may kill bacteria, it does not eliminate the endotoxins
some bacteria produce during their growth. These toxins can survive processing, and can cause sickness
and disease. Pet food manufacturers do not test their products for bacterial endotoxins. Because sick or
dead animals can be processed as pet foods, the drugs that were used to treat or euthanize them may still
be present in the end product. Penicillin and pentobarbital are just two examples of drugs that can pass
through processing unchanged. Antibiotics used in livestock production are also thought to contribute to
antibiotic resistance in humans.

 Mycotoxins. Toxins from mold or fungi are called mycotoxins. Modern farming practices, adverse weather
conditions, and improper drying and storage of crops can contribute to mold growth. Pet food ingredients
that are most likely to be contaminated with mycotoxins are grains such as wheat and corn, and fish meal.

 Chemical Residue. Pesticides and fertilizers may leave residue on plant products. Grains that are
condemned for human consumption by the USDA due to residue may legally be used, without limitation,
in pet food.

 GMOs. Genetically modified plant products are also of concern. By 2006, 89% of the planted area of
soybeans, 83% of cotton, and 61% of maize (corn) in the U.S. were genetically modified varieties.
Cottonseed meal is a common ingredient of cattle feed; soy and corn are used directly in many pet foods.

 Acrylamide. This is a carcinogenic compound formed at cooking temperatures of about 250°F in foods
containing certain sugars and the amino acid asparagine (found in large amounts in potatoes and cereal
grains). It is formed in a chemical process called the Maillard reaction.4, 5 Most dry pet foods contain cereal
grains or potatoes, and they are processed at high temperatures (200–300°F at high pressure during
extrusion; baked foods are cooked at well over 500°F); these are perfect conditions for the Maillard
reaction. In fact, the Maillard reaction is considered desirable in the production of pet food because it
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imparts a palatable taste, even though it reduces the bioavailability of some amino acids, including taurine
and lysine.6 The content and potential effects of acrylamide formation in pet foods are unknown.

Pet Food Recalls

When things go really wrong and serious problems are discovered in pet food, the company usually works with the
FDA to coordinate a recall of the affected products. While many recalls have been widely publicized, quite a few
have not.

 In 1995, Nature’s Recipe recalled almost a million pounds of dry dog and cat food after consumers
complained that their pets were vomiting and losing their appetite. The problem was a fungus that
produced vomitoxin contaminating the wheat.

 In 1999, Doane Pet Care recalled more than a million bags of corn-based dry dog food contaminated with
aflatoxin. Products included Ol’ Roy (Wal-Mart’s brand) and 53 other brands. This time, the toxin killed 25
dogs.

 In 2000, Iams recalled 248,000 pounds of dry dog food distributed in 7 states due to excess DL-Methionine
Amino Acid, a urinary acidifier.

 In 2003, a recall was made by Petcurean “Go! Natural” pet food due to circumstantial association with
some dogs suffering from liver disease; no cause was ever found.

 In late 2005, a similar recall by Diamond Foods was announced; this time the moldy corn contained a
particularly nasty fungal product called aflatoxin; 100 dogs died.

 Also in 2005, 123,000 pounds of cat and dog treats were recalled due to Salmonella contamination.

 In 2006, more than 5 million cans of Ol’ Roy, American Fare, and other dog foods distributed in the
southeast were recalled by the manufacturer, Simmons Pet Food, because the cans’ enamel lining was
flaking off into the food.

 Also in 2006, Merrick Pet Care recalled almost 200,000 cans of “Wingalings” dog food when metal tags
were found in some samples.

 In the most deadly recall of 2006, 4 prescription canned dog and cat foods were recalled by Royal Canin
(owned by Mars). The culprit was a serious overdose of Vitamin D that caused calcium deficiency and
kidney disease.

 In February 2007, the FDA issued a warning to consumers not to buy “Wild Kitty,” a frozen food containing
raw meat. Routine testing by FDA had revealed Salmonella in the food. FDA specifically warned about the
potential for illness in humans, not pets. There were no reports of illness or death of any pets, and the
food was not recalled.

 In March 2007, the most lethal pet food in history was the subject of the largest recall ever. Menu Foods
recalled more than 100 brands including Iams, Eukanuba, Hill’s Science Diet, Purina Mighty Dog, and many
store brands including Wal-Mart’s. Thousands of pets were sickened (the FDA received more than 17,000
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reports) and an estimated 20% died from acute renal failure caused by the food. Cats were more
frequently and more severely affected than dogs. The toxin was initially believed to be a pesticide, the rat
poison “aminopterin” in one of the ingredients. In April, scientists discovered high levels of melamine, a
chemical used in plastics and fertilizers, in wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate imported from
China. The melamine had been purposefully added to the ingredients to falsely boost their protein
content. Subsequent tests revealed that the melamine-tainted ingredients had also been used in feed for
cows, pigs, and chickens and thousands of animals were quarantined and destroyed. In early May,
scientists identified the cause of the rapid onset kidney disease that had appeared in dogs and cats as a
reaction caused by the combination of melamine and cyanuric acid, both unauthorized chemicals. The
fallout from this recall is ongoing as of May 2007 so please be sure to check the FDA website for the most
recent updates.