Get the real facts of what's really in
pet food, things the pet food industry doesn't want you to know.
Article courtesy
www.api4animals.org
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 $15 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 convenient way for
slaughterhouse offal, grains considered “unfit for human
consumption,” and similar waste products to be turned into profit.
This waste includes intestines, udders, heads, hooves, and possibly
diseased and cancerous animal parts.
The Players
The pet food market has been
dominated in the last few years by the acquisition of big companies
by even bigger companies. With $15 billion a year at stake in the
U.S. and rapidly expanding foreign markets, it’s no wonder that some
are greedy for a larger piece of the pie.
- Nestlé’s bought Purina to form
Nestlé Purina Petcare Company (Fancy Feast, Alpo, Friskies,
Mighty Dog, Dog Chow, Cat Chow, Puppy Chow, Kitten Chow, Beneful,
One, ProPlan, DeliCat, HiPro, Kit’n’Kaboodle, Tender Vittles,
Purina Veterinary Diets).
- Del Monte gobbled up Heinz (MeowMix,
Gravy Train, Kibbles ’n Bits, Wagwells, 9Lives, Cycle, Skippy,
Nature’s Recipe, and pet treats Milk Bone, Pup-Peroni, Snausages,
Pounce).
- MasterFoods owns Mars, Inc.,
which consumed Royal Canin (Pedigree, Waltham’s, Cesar, Sheba,
Temptations, Goodlife Recipe, Sensible Choice, Excel).
Other major pet food makers are not
best known for pet care, although many of their household and
personal care products do use ingredients derived from animal
by-products:
- Procter and Gamble (P&G)
purchased The Iams Company (Iams, Eukanuba) in 1999. P&G shortly
thereafter introduced Iams into grocery stores, where it did
very well.
- Colgate-Palmolive bought
Hill’s Science Diet (founded in 1939) in 1976 (Hill’s Science
Diet, Prescription Diets, Nature’s Best).
Private labelers (who make food for
“house” brands like Kroger and Wal-Mart) and co-packers (who produce
food for other pet food makers) are also major players. Three major
companies are Doane Pet Care, Diamond, and Menu Foods; they produce
food for dozens of private label and brand names. Interestingly, all
3 of these companies have been involved in pet food recalls that
sickened or killed many pets.
Many major pet food companies in
the United States are subsidiaries of gigantic multinational
corporations. From a business standpoint, pet food fits very well
with companies making human products. 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.
The Pet Food Institute — the trade
association of pet food manufacturers —has acknowledged 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
Label Basics
There are special labeling
requirements for pet food, all of which are contained in the
annually revised Official Publication of AAFCO.2
While AAFCO does not regulate pet food, it does provide model
regulations and standards that are followed by U.S. pet food makers.
The name of the food
provides the first indication of the food’s content. 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.”
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 not
nutritionally balanced and cause severe deficiencies if fed
exclusively, 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)”, or at least 10% of the
dry matter weight; and a descriptor such as “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, or even an artificial flavor,
without containing any actual beef meat at all.
The ingredient list
is the other major key to what’s really in that bag or can.
Ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight. The
ingredient names are legally defined. For instance, “meat” refers to
only cows, pigs, goats and sheep, and only includes specified muscle
tissues. Detailed definitions are published in AAFCO’s Official
Publication, revised annually, but can also be found in many
places online.
The guaranteed analysis
provides a very general guide to the composition of the food. Crude
protein, fat, and fiber, and total moisture are required to be
listed. Some companies also voluntarily list taurine, Omega fatty
acids, magnesium, and other items that they deem important — by
marketing standards.
Pet Food Standards and
Regulations
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 original NRC standards 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 are sometimes
still done, they are expensive and time-consuming. A standard
chemical analysis may be also be used to make sure that a food meets
the profiles. In either case, there will be a statement on the label
stating which method was used. However, because of the “family rule”
in the AAFCO book, a label can say that feeding tests were done if
it is “similar” to a food that was actually tested on live animals.
There is no way to distinguish the lead product from its “family
members.” The label will also state whether the product is
nutritionally adequate (complete and balanced), and what life stage
(adult or growth) the food is for. A food that says “all life
stages” meets the growth standards and can be fed to all ages.
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.
In 2006, new NRC standards were
published; but it will take several years for AAFCO’s profiles to be
updated and adopted, let alone accepted by the states.
The pet food industry loves to say
that it’s more highly regulated than human food, but that’s just not
true. Pet food exists in a bit of a regulatory vacuum; laws are on
the books, but enforcement is another story. The FDA has nominal
authority over pet foods shipped across state lines. But the real
“enforcers” are the feed control officials in each state. They are
the ones who actually look at the food and, in many instances, run
basic tests to make sure the food meets its Guaranteed Analysis, the
chart on the label telling how much protein, fat, moisture, and
fiber are present. But regulation and enforcement vary tremendously
from state to state. Some, like Texas, Minnesota, and Kentucky, run
extensive tests and strictly enforce their laws; others, like
California, do neither.
The Manufacturing Process: How Pet
Food Is Made
Dry Food
The vast majority of dry food is
made with a machine called an extruder. First, materials are blended
in accordance with a recipe created with the help of computer
programs that provide the nutrient content of each proposed
ingredient. For instance, corn gluten meal has more protein than
wheat flour. Because the extruder needs a consistent amount of
starch and low moisture to work properly, dry ingredients — such as
rendered meat-and-bone-meal, poultry by-product meal, grains, and
flours — predominate.
The dough is fed into the screws of
an extruder. It is subjected to steam and high pressure as it is
pushed through dies that determine the shape of the final product,
much like the nozzles used in cake decorating. As the hot,
pressurized dough exits the extruder, it is cut by a set of rapidly
whirling knives into tiny pieces. As the dough reaches normal air
pressure, it expands or “puffs” into its final shape. The food is
allowed to dry, and then is usually sprayed with fat, digests, or
other compounds to make it more palatable. When it is cooled, it can
be bagged.
Although the cooking process kills
bacteria in the ingredients, the final product can pick up more
bacteria during the subsequent drying, coating, and packaging
process. Some experts warn that getting dry food wet can allow the
bacteria on the surface to multiply and make pets sick. Do
not mix dry food with water, milk, canned food, or other liquids.
A few dog foods are baked at high
temperatures (over 500°F) rather than extruded. This produces a
sheet of dense, crunchy material that is then broken into irregular
chunks, much like crumbling crackers into soup. It is relatively
palatable without the sprayed-on fats and other enhancers needed on
extruded dry food.
Semi-moist foods and many pet
treats are also made with an extruder. To be appealing to consumers
and to keep their texture, they contain many additives, colorings,
and preservatives; they are not a good choice for a pet’s primary
diet.
Wet Food
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.
Wet foods are quite different in
content from dry or semi-moist foods. While many canned foods
contain by-products of various sorts, they are “fresh” and not
rendered or processed (although they are often frozen for transport
and storage). Wet foods usually contain much more protein, and it’s
often a little higher quality, than dry foods. They also have more
moisture, which is better for cats. They are packaged in cans or
pouches.
Comparing Food Types
Because of the variation in water
content, it is impossible to directly compare labels from different
kinds of food without a mathematical conversion to “dry matter
basis.” The numbers can be very deceiving. For instance, a canned
food containing 10% protein actually has much more protein than a
dry food with 30% protein.
To put the foods on a level playing
field, first calculate the dry matter content by subtracting the
moisture content given on the label from 100%. Then divide the
ingredient by the dry matter content. For example, a typical bag of
dry cat food contains 30% protein on the label, but 32% on a
dry-matter basis (30% divided by its dry matter content, 100-6%
moisture = 94%). A can of cat food might contain 12% protein on the
label, but almost 43% on a dry-matter basis (12% divided by its dry
matter content, 100-72% moisture = 28%). Dry food typically contains
less than 10% water, while canned food contains 78% or more water.
Pet Food Ingredients
Animal Protein
Dogs and cats are carnivores, and
do best on a meat-based diet. The protein used in pet food comes
from a variety of sources. When cattle, swine, chickens, lambs, or
other animals are slaughtered, lean muscle tissue is trimmed away
from the carcass for human consumption, along with the few organs
that people like to eat, such as tongues and tripe.
However, about 50% of every food
animal does not get used in human foods. Whatever remains of the
carcass — heads, feet, bones, blood, intestines, lungs, spleens,
livers, ligaments, fat trimmings, unborn babies, and other parts not
generally consumed by humans — is used in pet food, animal feed,
fertilizer, industrial lubricants, soap, rubber, and other products.
These “other parts” are known as “by-products.” By-products are used
in feed for poultry and livestock as well as in pet food.
The nutritional quality of
by-products, meals, and digests can vary from batch to batch. James
Morris and Quinton Rogers, of the University of California at Davis
Veterinary School, assert that, “[pet food] 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.”3
Meat or poultry “by-products” are
very common in wet pet foods. Remember that “meat” refers to only
cows, swine, sheep, and goats. Since sheep and goats are rare
compared to the 37 million cows and 100 million hogs slaughtered for
food every year, nearly all meat by-products come from cattle and
pigs.
The better brands of pet food, such
as many “super-premium,” “natural,” and “organic” varieties, do not
use by-products. On the label, you’ll see one or more named meats
among the first few ingredients, such as “turkey” or “lamb.” These
meats are still mainly leftover scraps; in the case of poultry,
bones are allowed, so “chicken” consists mainly of backs and
frames—the spine and ribs, minus their expensive breast meat. The
small amount of meat left on the bones is the meat in the pet food.
Even with this less-attractive source, pet food marketers are very
tricky when talking about meat, so this is explained further in the
section on “Marketing Magic” below.
Meat meals, poultry meals,
by-product meals, and meat-and-bone meal are common ingredients in
dry pet foods. The term “meal” means that these materials are not
used fresh, but have been rendered. While there are chicken, turkey,
and poultry by-product meals there is no equivalent term for mammal
“meat by-product meal” — it is called “meat-and-bone-meal.” It may
also be referred to by species, such as “beef-and-bone-meal” or
“pork-and-bone-meal.”
What is rendering? As defined by
Webster’s Dictionary, to render is “to process as for
industrial use: to render livestock carcasses and to extract oil
from fat, blubber, etc., by melting.” In other words, raw materials
are dumped into large vat and boiled for several hours. Rendering
separates fat, removes water, and kills bacteria, viruses,
parasites, and other organisms. However, the high temperatures used
(270°F/130°C) can alter or destroy natural enzymes and proteins
found in the raw ingredients.
Because of persistent rumors that
rendered by-products contain dead dogs and cats, the FDA conducted a
study looking for pentobarbital, the most common euthanasia drug, in
pet foods. They found it. Ingredients that were most commonly
associated with the presence of pentobarbital were
meat-and-bone-meal and animal fat. However, they also used very
sensitive tests to look for canine and feline DNA, which were
not found. Industry insiders admit that rendered pets and
roadkill were used in pet food some years ago. Although there are
still no laws or regulations against it, the practice is uncommon
today, and pet food companies universally deny that their products
contain any such materials. However, so-called “4D” animals (dead,
dying, diseased, disabled) were only recently banned for human
consumption and are still legitimate ingredients for pet food.
Vegetable Protein
The amount of grain and vegetable
products used in pet food has risen dramatically over time. Plant
products now replace a considerable proportion of the meat that was
used in the earliest commercial pet foods. This has led to severe
nutritional deficiencies that have been corrected along the way,
although many animals died before science caught up.
Most dry foods contain a large
amount of cereal grain or starchy vegetables to provide texture.
These high-carbohydrate plant products also provide a cheap source
of “energy” — the rest of us call it “calories.” Gluten meals are
high-protein extracts from which most of the carbohydrate has been
removed. They are often used to boost protein percentages without
expensive animal-source ingredients. Corn gluten meal is the most
commonly used for this purpose. Wheat gluten is also used to create
shapes like cuts, bites, chunks, shreds, flakes, and slices, and as
a thickener for gravy. In most cases, foods containing vegetable
proteins are among the poorer quality foods.
A recent fad, “low-carb” pet food,
has some companies steering away from grains, and using potatoes,
green peas, and other starchy vegetables as a substitute. Except for
animals that are allergic to grains, dry low-carb diets offer no
particular advantage to pets. They also tend to be very high in fat
and, if fed free-choice, will result in weight gain. Canned versions
are suitable for prevention and treatment of feline diabetes, and as
part of a weight loss program, as well as for maintenance.
Animal and Poultry Fat
There’s a unique, pungent odor to a
new bag of dry pet food — what is the source of that smell? It is
most often rendered animal fat, or vegetable fats and oils deemed
inedible for humans. For example, used restaurant grease was
rendered and routed to pet foods for several years, but a more
lucrative market is now in biodiesel fuel production.
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 “animal
digests” made from processed by-products. 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.
What Happened to the
Nutrients?
Cooking and other processing of
meat and by-products used in pet food can greatly diminish their
nutritional value, although cooking increases the digestibility of
cereal grains and starchy vegetables.
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.
Proteins are especially vulnerable
to heat, and become damaged, or “denatured,” when cooked. Because
dry foods ingredients are cooked twice — first during rendering and
again in the extruder — problems are much more common than with
canned or homemade foods. Altered proteins may contribute to food
intolerances, food allergies, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Additives in Processed Pet
Foods
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.
A wide variety of additives are
allowed in animal feed and pet food, not counting vitamins and
minerals. Not all of them are actually used in pet food. Additives
can be specifically approved, or they can fall into the category of
“Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS).
Anticaking agents
Antigelling agents
Antimicrobial agents
Antioxidants
Color additives
Condiments
Curing agents
Drying agents
Emulsifiers
Essential oils
Flavor enhancers
Flavoring agents
Grinding agents
Humectants
Leavening agents
Lubricants
Palatants
Pelleting agents and binders
Petroleum derivatives
pH control agents
Preservatives
Seasonings
Spices
Stabilizers
Sweeteners
Texturizers
Thickeners
Chemical vs. Natural
Preservatives
All commercial pet foods must be
preserved so they stay fresh and appealing to our animal companions.
Canning is itself a preserving process, so canned foods need little
or no additional help. Some preservatives are added to ingredients
or raw materials by the suppliers, and others may be added by the
manufacturer. The U.S. Coast Guard, for instance, requires fish meal
to be heavily preserved with ethoxyquin or equivalent antioxidant.
Evidently, spoiling fish meal creates such intense heat that ship
explosions and fires resulted.
Because manufacturers need to
ensure that dry foods have a long shelf life (typically 12 months)
to remain edible through shipping and 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. Propylene glycol was banned in cat
food because it causes anemia in cats, but it is still allowed in
dog food.
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 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
for even the most hard-core spice lover to consume as much chili
powder every day as a dog would eat dry food. Ethoxyquin has never
been tested for safety in cats. Despite this, it is commonly used in
veterinary diets for both cats and dogs.
Many pet food makers 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. The shelf life is shorter, however — only about 6 months.
Individual ingredients, such as
fish meal, may have preservatives added before they reach the pet
food manufacturer. Federal law requires fat preservatives to be
disclosed on the label; however, pet food companies do not always
comply with this law.
Danger Ahead
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
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 95 brands including Iams, Eukanuba, Hill’s
Science Diet, Purina Mighty Dog, and many store brands including
Wal-Mart’s — 60 million individual cans and pouches. Thousands
of pets became sick 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, but the investigation is ongoing.
Nutrition-Related Diseases
The idea that one pet food provides
all the nutrition a companion animal will ever need for its entire
life is a dangerous myth.
Today, the diets of cats and dogs
are a far cry from the variable meat-based diets that their
ancestors ate. The unpleasant results of grain-based, processed,
year-in and year-out diets are common. Health problems associated
with diet include:
- Urinary tract disease.
Plugs, crystals, and stones are more common in cats eating dry
diets, due to the chronic dehydration and highly concentrated
urine they cause. “Struvite” stones used to be the most common
type in cats, but another more dangerous type, calcium oxalate,
has increased and is now tied with struvite. Manipulation of
manufactured cat food formulas to increase the acidity of urine
has caused the switch. Dogs can also form stones as a result of
their diet.
- Kidney disease.
Chronic dehydration associated with dry diets may also be a
contributing factor in the development of kidney disease and
chronic renal failure in older cats. Cats have a low thirst
drive; in the wild they would get most of their water from their
prey. Cats eating dry food do not drink enough water to make up
for the lack of moisture in the food. Cats on dry food diets
drink more water, but the total water intake of a
cat eating canned food is twice as great.7
- Dental disease.
Contrary to the myth propagated by pet food companies, dry food
is not good for teeth.8 Given that the vast majority
of pets eat dry food, yet the most common health problem in pets
is dental disease, this should be obvious. Humans do not floss
with crackers, and dry food does not clean the teeth.
- Obesity.
Feeding recommendations or instructions on the packaging are
sometimes inflated so that the consumer will end up feeding —
and purchasing — more food. One of the most common health
problems in pets, obesity, may also be related to high-carb,
high-calorie dry foods. Both dogs and cats respond to low-carb
wet food diets. Overweight pets are more prone to arthritis,
heart disease, and diabetes. Dry cat food is now considered the
cause of feline diabetes; prevention and treatment include
switching to a high protein, high moisture, low-carb diet.
- Chronic digestive
problems. Chronic vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, 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 pets have developed. Even
so, an animal that tends to develop allergies can develop
allergies to the new ingredients, too. One 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. Yet there are documented cases of
animals becoming allergic to this food, too. It is important to
change brands, flavors, and protein sources every few months to
prevent problems.
- Bloat.
Feeding only one meal per day can cause the irritation of the
esophagus by stomach acid, and appears to be associated with
gastric dilitation and volvulus (canine bloat). Feeding two or
more smaller meals is better.
- Heart 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 in turn had occurred due to decreased amounts of
animal proteins and increased reliance on carbohydrates. Cat
foods are now supplemented with taurine. New research suggests
that some dog breeds are susceptible to the same condition.
Supplementing taurine may also be helpful for dogs, but as yet
few manufacturers are adding extra taurine to dog food.
- Hyperthyroidism.
There is also evidence that hyperthyroidism in cats may be
related to diet. This is a relatively new disease that first
surfaced in the 1970s. Some experts theorize that excess iodine
in commercial cat food is a factor. New research also points to
a link between the disease and pop-top cans, and flavors
including fish or “giblets.” This is a serious 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 occur 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 meals
are not as nutritious or safe as you should expect for your cat or
dog.
Pet Food Industry Secrets
Co-Packing
The 2007 Menu Foods recall brought
to light some of the pet food industry’s dirtiest secrets.
Most people were surprised — and
appalled — to learn that all Iams/Eukanuba canned foods are not made
by The Iams Company at all. In fact, in 2003 Iams signed an
exclusive 10-year contract for the production of 100% of its canned
foods by Menu.
This type of deal is called
“co-packing.” One company makes the food, but puts someone else’s
label on it. This is a very common arrangement in the pet food
industry. It was first illustrated by the Doane’s and Diamond
recalls, when dozens of private labels were involved. But none were
as large or as “reputable” as Iams, Eukanuba, Hill’s, Purina, Nutro,
and other high-end, so-called “premium” foods.
The big question raised by this
arrangement is whether or not there is any real difference between
the expensive premium brands and the lowliest generics. The recalled
products all contained the suspect ingredient, wheat gluten, but
they also all contained by-products of some kind, including
specified by-products such as liver or giblets.
It’s true that a pet food company
that contracts with a co-packer can provide its own ingredients, or
it can require the contractor to buy particular ingredients to use
in its recipes. But part of the attraction of using a co-packer is
that it can buy ingredients in larger bulk than any one pet food
maker could on its own, making the process cheaper and the profits
larger. It’s likely that with many of the ingredients that cross all
types of pet foods, those ingredients are the same.
Are one company’s products — made
in the same plant on the same equipment with ingredients called
the same name — really “better” than another’s? That’s what the
makers of expensive brands want you to think. The recalled premium
brands claim that Menu makes their foods “according to proprietary
recipes using specified ingredients,” and that “contract
manufacturers must follow strict quality standards.” Indeed, the
contracts undoubtedly include those points. But out in the real
world, things may not go according to plan. How well are machines
cleaned between batches, how carefully are ingredients mixed, and
just how particular are minimum-wage workers in a dirty smelly job
going to be about getting everything just perfect?
Whatever the differences are
between cheap and high-end food, one thing is clear. The purchase
price of pet food does not always determine whether a pet food is
good or bad or even safe. However, the very cheapest foods can be
counted on to have the very cheapest ingredients. For example, Ol’
Roy, Wal-Mart’s store brand, has now been involved in 3 serious
recalls.
Menu manufactures canned foods for
many companies that weren’t affected by the recall, including
Nature's Variety, Wellness, Castor & Pollux, Newman's Own Organics,
Wysong, Innova, and EaglePack. It’s easy to see from their
ingredient lists that those products are made from completely
different ingredients and proportions. Again, the issue of cleaning
the machinery out between batches comes up, but hopefully nothing so
lethal will pass from one food to another.
Animal Testing
Another unpleasant practice exposed
by this recall is pet food testing on live animals. Menu's own lab
animals, who were deliberately fed the tainted food, were the first
known victims. Tests began on February 27 (already a week after the
first reports); animals started to die painfully from kidney failure
a few days later. After the first media reports, Menu quickly
changed its story to call these experiments “taste tests.” But Menu
has done live animal feeding, metabolic energy, palatability, and
other tests for Iams and other companies for years. Videotapes
reveal the animals’ lives in barren metal cages; callous treatment;
invasive experiments; and careless cruelty.
Although feeding trials are not
required for a food to meet the requirements for labeling a food
“complete and balanced,” many manufacturers use live animals to
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. Some companies 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.
There is a new movement toward
using companion animals in their homes for palatability and other
studies. In 2006, The Iams Company announced that it was cutting the
use of canine and feline lab animals by 70%. While it proclaims this
moral victory, the real reasons for this switch are likely
financial. Whatever the reasons, it is a very positive step for the
animals.
Finally, it is important to
remember that the contamination that occurred in the Menu Foods
recall could have happened anywhere at any time. It was not Menu’s
fault; the toxin was unusual and unexpected. All companies have
quality control standards and they do test ingredients for common
toxins before using them. They also test the final products.
However, there is a baseline risk inherent in using the raw
materials that go into pet foods. When there are 11 recalls in 12
years, it’s clear that “freak occurrences” are the rule, not the
exception.
Marketing Magic
A trip down the pet food aisle will
boggle the mind with all the wonderful claims made by pet food
makers for their repertoire of products. Knowing the nature of the
ingredients helps sort out some of the more outrageous claims, but
what’s the truth behind all this hype?
- Niche claims.
Indoor cat, canine athlete, Persian, 7-year old, Bloodhound, or
a pet with a tender tummy, too much flab, arthritis, or itchy
feet — no matter what, there’s a food “designed” just for that
pet’s personal needs. Niche marketing has arrived in a big way
in the pet food industry. People like to feel special, and a
product with specific appeal is bound to sell better than a
general product like “puppy food.” The reality is that there are
only two basic standards against which all pet foods are
measured: adult and growth, which includes gestation and
lactation. Everything else is marketing.
- “Natural” and
“Organic” claims. The definition of “natural” adopted
by AAFCO is very broad, and allows for artificially processed
ingredients that most of us would consider very unnatural
indeed. The term “organic”, on the other hand, has a very strict
legal definition under the USDA National Organic Program.
However, some companies are adept at evading the intent of both
of these rules. For instance, the name of the company or product
may be intentionally misleading. Some companies use terms such
as “Nature” or “Natural” or even “Organic” in the brand name,
whether or not their products fit the definitions. Consumers
should also be aware that the term “organic” does not imply
anything at all about animal welfare; products from cows and
chickens can be organic, yet the animals themselves are still
just “production units” in enormous factory farms.
- Ingredient quality
claims. A lot of pet foods claim they contain “human
grade” ingredients. This is a completely meaningless term —
which is why the pet food companies get away with using it. The
same applies to “USDA inspected” or similar phrases. The
implication is that the food is made using ingredients that are
passed by the USDA for human consumption, but there are many
ways around this. For instance, a facility might be
USDA-inspected during the day, but the pet food is made at night
after the inspector goes home. The use of such terms should be
viewed as a “Hype Alert.”
- “Meat is the first
ingredient” claim. A claim that a named meat (chicken,
lamb, etc.) is the #1 ingredient is generally seen for dry food.
Ingredients are listed on the label by weight, and raw chicken
weighs a lot, since contains a lot of water. If you look further
down the list, you’re likely to see ingredients such as chicken
or poultry by-product meal, meat-and-bone meal, corn gluten
meal, soybean meal, or other high-protein meal. Meals have had
the fat and water removed, and basically consist of a dry,
lightweight protein powder. It doesn’t take much raw chicken to
weigh more than a great big pile of this powder, so in reality
the food is based on the protein meal, with very little
“chicken” to be found. This has become a very popular marketing
gimmick, even in premium and “health food” type brands. Since
just about everybody is now using it, any meaning it may have
had is so watered-down that you may just as well ignore it.
- Special ingredient
claims. Many of the high-end pet foods today rely on
the marketing appeal of people-food ingredients such as fruits,
herbs, and vegetables. However, the amounts of these items
actually present in the food are small; and the items themselves
may be scraps and rejects from processors of human foods — not
the whole, fresh ingredients they want you to picture. Such
ingredients don’t provide a significant health benefit and are
really a marketing gimmick.
Pet food marketing and advertising
has become extremely sophisticated over the last few years. It’s
important to know what is hype and what is real to make informed
decisions about what to feed your pets.
What Consumers Can Do
- Write or call pet food
companies and the Pet Food Institute and express your concerns
about commercial pet foods. Demand that manufacturers improve
the quality of ingredients in their products.
- Print out a copy of this
report for your veterinarian to further his or her knowledge
about commercial pet food.
- Direct your family and friends
with companion animals to this website, to alert them of the
dangers of commercial pet food. Print out copies of our Fact
Sheet on
Selecting a Good Commercial Food.
(You may also
download this fact sheet as a
pdf.)
- Stop buying commercial pet
food; or at least stop buying dry food. Dry foods have been the
subject of many more recalls, and have many adverse health
effects. If that is not possible, reduce the quantity of
commercial pet food and supplement with fresh, organic foods,
especially meat. Purchase one or more of the many books
available on pet nutrition and make your own food. Be sure that
a veterinarian or a nutritionist has checked the recipes to
ensure that they are balanced for long-term use.
- If you would like to learn
about how to make healthy food for your companion animal, read
up on "Sample
Diets," which contains
simple recipes and important nutritional information.
- Please be aware that API is
not a veterinary hospital, clinic, or service. API does not and
will not offer any medical advice. If you have concerns about
your companion animal’s health or nutritional requirements,
please consult your veterinarian.
Because pet food manufacturers
frequently change the formulations of their products and API would
not have conducted the necessary testing, we are unable to offer
endorsements for particular brands of pet food. Many of our staff
choose to make their own pet food or to purchase natural or organic
products found in most feed and specialist stores but we cannot
recommend brands that would be right for your companion animal or
animals.
For Further Reading about Animal
Nutrition
The Animal Protection Institute
recommends the following books (listed in alphabetical order by
author), many of which include recipes for home-prepared diets:
- Michelle Bernard. 2003.
Raising Cats Naturally — How to Care for Your Cat the Way Nature
Intended. Available at
www.raisingcatsnaturally.com.
- Chiclet T. Dog and Jan
Rasmusen. 2006. Scared Poopless: The Straight Scoop on Dog
Care. Available at
www.dogs4dogs.com.
ISBN-10: 0977126501, ISBN-13: 978-0977126507.
- Rudi Edalati. 2001.
Barker’s Grub: Easy, Wholesome Home-Cooking for Dogs.
ISBN-10: 0609804421, ISBN-13: 978-0609804421.
- Jean Hofve, DVM. 2007.
What Cats Should Eat. Available at
www.littlebigcat.com.
- Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, and
Susan Hubble Pitcairn. 2005. Dr. Pitcairn’s New Complete
Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats. Rodale Press,
Inc. ISBN-10: 157954973X, ISBN-13: 978-1579549732. Note: The
recipes for cats were not revised in this new edition and date
back to 2000; they may contain too much grain, according to
recent research.
- Kate Solisti. 2004. The
Holistic Animal Handbook: A Guidebook to Nutrition, Health, and
Communication. Council Oaks Books. ISBN-10: 1571781536,
ISBN-13: 978-1571781536.
- Donald R. Strombeck. 1999.
Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: The Healthful Alternative.
Iowa State University Press. ISBN-10: 0813821495, ISBN-13:
978-0813821498. Note: Veterinary nutritionists have suggested
that the taurine and calcium are too low in some of these
recipes. Clam juice and sardines are poor sources of taurine;
use taurine capsules instead.
- Celeste Yarnall. 2000,
Natural Cat Care: A Complete Guide to Holistic Health Care for
Cats; and 1998, Natural Dog Care: A Complete Guide to
Holistic Health Care for Dogs. Available at
www.celestialpets.com.
The books listed above are a
fraction of all the titles currently available, and the omission of
a title does not necessarily mean it is not useful for further
reading about animal nutrition.
Please note: The
Animal Protection Institute is not a bookseller, and cannot sell or
send these books to you. Please contact your local book retailer or
an online bookstore, who can supply these books based on the ISBN
provided for each title.
Who to Write
AAFCO Pet Food
Committee
David Syverson, Chair
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Dairy and Food Inspection Division
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55155-2538
www.aafco.org
FDA — Center for
Veterinary Medicine
Sharon Benz
7500 Standish Place
Rockville, MD 20855
301-594-1728
www.fda.gov/cvm
Pet Food Institute
2025 M Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
202-367-1120
202-367-2120 fax
References
Association of American Feed
Control Officials Incorporated. Official Publication 2007.
Atlanta: AAFCO, 2007.
Case LP, Carey DP, Hirakawa DA.
Canine and Feline Nutrition: A Resource for Companion Animal
Professionals. St. Louis: Mosby, 1995.
FDA Enforcement Reports, 1998-2007.
www.fda.gov.
Hand MS, Thatcher CD, Remillard RL,
et al., eds. Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 4th Edition.
2002. Topeka, KS: Mark Morris Institute.
Logan, et al., Dental Disease, in:
Hand et al., ibid.
Mahmoud AL. Toxigenic fungi and
mycotoxin content in poultry feedstuff ingredients. J Basic
Microbiol, 1993; 33(2): 101–4.
Morris JG, and Rogers QR.
Assessment of the Nutritional Adequacy of Pet Foods Through the Life
Cycle. Journal of Nutrition, 1994; 124: 2520S–2533S.
Mottram DS, Wedzicha BL, Dodson AT.
Acrylamide is formed in the Maillard reaction. Nature, 2002
Oct 3; 419(6906): 448–9.
Pet Food Institute. Fact Sheet
1994. Washington: Pet Food Institute, 1994.
Phillips T. Rendered Products
Guide. Petfood Industry, January/February 1994, 12–17, 21.
Roudebush P. Pet food additives.
J Amer Vet Med Assoc, 203 (1993): 1667–1670.
Seefelt SL, Chapman TE. Body water
content and turnover in cats fed dry and canned rations. Am J
Vet Res, 1979 Feb; 40(2): 183–5.
Strombeck, DR. Home-Prepared
Dog and Cat Foods: The Healthful Alternative. Ames: Iowa State
University Press, 1999.
Tareke E, Rydberg P, Karlsson P, et
al. Analysis of acrylamide, a carcinogen formed in heated
foodstuffs. J Agric Food Chem, 2002 Aug 14; 50(17):
4998–5006.
Zoran D. The carnivore connection
to nutrition in cats. J Amer Vet Med Assoc, 2002 Dec 1;
221(11): 1559–67.
Notes
- Pet Food Institute. Fact
Sheet 1994. Washington: Pet Food Institute, 1994.
- Association of American Feed
Control Officials. Official Publication, 2007.
Regulation PE3, 120–121.
- Morris, James G., and Quinton
R. Rogers. Assessment of the Nutritional Adequacy of Pet Foods
Through the Life Cycle. Journal of Nutrition, 124
(1994): 2520S–2533S.
- Tareke E, Rydberg P, Karlsson
P, et al. Analysis of acrylamide, a carcinogen formed in heated
foodstuffs. J Agric Food Chem, 2002 Aug 14; 50(17):
4998–5006.
- Mottram DS, Wedzicha BL,
Dodson AT. Acrylamide is formed in the Maillard reaction.
Nature, 2002 Oct 3; 419(6906): 448–9.
- Hand MS, Thatcher CD,
Remillard RL, et al., eds. Small Animal Clinical Nutrition,
4th Edition. 2002. Topeka, KS: Mark Morris Institute.
- Seefelt SL, Chapman TE. Body
water content and turnover in cats fed dry and canned rations.
Am J Vet Res, 1979 Feb; 40(2): 183–5.
- Logan, et al., Dental Disease,
in: Hand et al., eds., Small Animal Clinical Nutrition,
Fourth Edition. Topeka, KS: Mark Morris Institute, 2000.
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