In this article…
- Preservatives (used in pet food) that are seriously detrimental to your dog’s, cats health - negatively impacting your animals quality of life, and shortening life-span;
- Uses and dangerous side effects of these chemical-based preservatives.
1.0 Six Chemical-Based Preservatives You
Need to Get Out of Your Dogs Diet
- BHA;
- BHT;
- Ethoxyquin;
- Sodium Metabisulfite;
- Propyl Gallate;
- TBHQ
If you are feeding your dog or cat food or treats that include these preservatives – I recommend that you throw the product out and replace it ASAP with a product that is free of these chemicals…
The properties that make these six chemicals ‘good’ preservatives are also responsible for serious health issues in dogs and cats (other animals and humans!)
The seven preservatives noted above are chemical-based preservatives that can be found in many of the dog and cat foods and treats sold in…
- Veterinarian Offices;
- Pet Food Stores;
- Grocery Stores, and;
- Large Retail Stores such as Walmart.
These preservatives are added to ‘edible’ fats and fat-containing foods to prevent oxidative rancidity of fats and preserve odour, colour and flavour of a product.
These preservatives are very popular with Dog and Cat Food Companies as these chemical preservatives are: - Inexpensive, and;
- Readily available and thereby enable and support high profit margins.
Do pet food manufacturers have to use these chemical based preservatives?
No.
No.
But non-organic chemical-based preservatives are considerably cheaper than safe, healthy natural preservatives such as herbs (i.e. rosemary and sage), vitamins (i.e. vitamin E and C). Dehydration is also a way of naturally preserving food (i.e. pure, natural dehydrated chicken jerky), but dehydration reduces the volume of the product – so the manufacturer must either accept a lower profit margin or charge more for the product.
Chemical-based preservatives are of particular importance for companies that use rancid fats - for example pet food companies that purchase previously used fats from restaurants;
- These fats are cheap and readily available and although not allowed in human grade foods are allowed in pet food;
- This is also true for rancid meats etc. that cannot be used in human grade food, but are allowable in pet food;
- When the manufacturer adds chemical–based preservatives such as BHA, BHT etc.:
- The well-meaning, uninformed loving pet owner won’t smell how rotten the ingredients in the food really are, and;
- The loving pet owner has no idea that they are exposing their loved pet to a whole host of ailments and an early death.
In the mid 20th century (1950’s) the life-span of companion animals was twice what it is today…before the popularization of processed foods and associated food additives.
2.0 Uses and Dangerous Side Effects
BHA (Butylated Hydoxyanisole)
BHA is used as a preservative/stabilizer in:
BHA is used as a preservative/stabilizer in:
- Human and Pet Food;
- Packaging preservative, and;
- As a yeast de-foaming agent during food manufacturing.
Examples of Health Issues Caused/Triggered by BHA
- Adversely effects brain function;
- Adversely effects behaviour;
- Allergies;
- Cancer – Liver and Stomach
- Cell abnormality;
- Increased liver weight;
- As a toxin stored in fat BHA can definitely contribute to the formation of Fatty Tumors;
BHA is a bioaccumulative substance (absorbed by the body at a faster rate than it can be eliminated by the body) - as a result it contributes to ongoing toxic loading of the body.
BHT (Butylated Hydoxytoluene)
BHT is used as a preservative/stabilizer in:
- Human and Pet Food;
- Cosmetics;
- Electronic Transformers;
- Embalming Fluid;
- Packaging;
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