BUYER BEWARE! COMMON COMMERCIAL PET FOOD INGREDIENTS
COMMON INGREDIENTS FOUND IN COMMERCIAL PET FOODS THAT YOU WILL NOT FIND IN MARKET FRESH PET FOODS:
THESE INGREDIENTS WERE TAKEN OFF THE INGREDIENTS LIST OF IAMS AND PURINA PET FOODS.
CHICKEN MEAL =The clean combination of flesh and skin with or without accompanying bone, derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken or a combination thereof, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet and entrails. Nowhere does it consist of ACTUAL CHICKEN BREAST!
BREWERS RICE =The dried extracted residue of rice resulting from the manufacture of wort (liquid portion of malted grain) or beer and may contain pulverized dried spent hops in an amount not to exceed 3 percent. More of a filler than anything else.
CORN GLUTEN MEAL =The remaining residue after the starch and germ have been extracted from the corn.The residue provides absolutely no nutritional value.
POULTRY BY-PRODUCT MEAL =The non-rendered clean parts of slaughtered poultry such as heads feet & viscera. Nowhere does it consist of ACTUAL CHICKEN BREAST!
SOY FLAKES =obtained by grinding the flakes remaining after removal of most of the oil from dehulled soybeans by a solvent extraction process.
SOYBEAN MEAL =obtained by grinding the cake or chips which remain after removal of most of the oil from the soybeans by a mechanical extraction process.
CARMEL COLOR =Color added to make product look clean, healthy and pretty.
FISH MEAL =Rendered fish heads, tails, innards and blood Nowhere does it consist of ACTUAL FISH MEAT!
DRIED BEET PULP =Dried sugar beet residue - added for fiber and sugar content. Filler contributer and unnessisary sugar content
CHICKEN FLAVOR =The word "flavor" makes all the difference here. According to the AAFCO regulations, there must only be enough "chicken" to add an actual flavor to the dog food. It could be chicken fat, or chicken broth, or chicken by-products, and it could be a very small amount.
SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE =Sodium Hexametaphosphate is a white powder used as sequestering agent. It is used in the industry of soap, detergents, water treatment, metal finishing and plating, pulp and paper manufacture, synthesis of polymers, photographic products, textiles, scale removal and agriculture. IT IS A TOXIN!
COPPER SULFATE =Copper is necessary for converting iron into hemoglobin, however, an excessive amount of copper can result in liver disease.
HOW COMMERCIAL 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 degrees 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. Source: www.bornfreeusa.org
LINKS
Fur Dogs Only - A New Pet Salon in Fort Pierce
City Lickers, Inc - Suite style boarding and lifetime caregiver home for dogs
Pet Portrait Artist Ann-Marie Watkoskey Website