Pet Food Fillers
Animal Fat – AAFCO – Animal Fat is obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial process of rendering or extracting.
” This is a byproduct of meat meal processing. The origin of the contributing animals is
never known, and the resulting oil is very low in linoleic acid — an essential fatty acid
that is important for skin and coat health. It is also, of course, cooked – which by its
very nature renders the fat less usable.
! Beet Pulp (Sugar) – CONTROVERSIAL – AAFCO – Beet Pulp is the dried residue from sugar beets which has been cleaned and extracted in the process of manufacturing sugar.
” Many pet foods use it because – “it as a good source of fiber and a stool hardener”.
” Others do not because they believe it is: “Added to pet food to slow down the
transition of rancid animal fats (think toxic waste). This holds the waste in. Kidneys
and liver work overtime. Dogs may chew their lower backs. Feet may swell, so the
dogs lick their feet. Sugar is a contributing factor to ear infections and cataracts”.
” Beet pulp is rather controversial, many think that it is an excellent additive and
source of fiber and that all sugar has been completely extracted before being added
as a pet food ingredients. If this is the only “problem” ingredient in a kibble, other
factors will have to help you decide.missing many of the nutrients found in Ground Rice and Ground Brown Rice.”
” Also know as ‘the sweepings from the floor of the mill’.
” Although this is a very palatable source of fat, it is low in linoleic acid, which is
necessary for skin and coat health”
” Wendy Volhard in “The Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog” also shows that beef tallow
is a saturated fat whose main purpose is flavoring and palatability of food. Linoleic
acid is a polyunsaturated fat and the acid should constitute about 1% of diet.
” Better foods will not use it because they state it is a “lower quality rice product.
” An inconsistent ingredient because of the multiple organs used and their constantly
changing proportions. Chicken By-Products are much less expensive and less
digestible than Chicken Meal.
! Poultry By Product Meal – AAFCO – Poultry By-Product Meal consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered poultry, such as necks, beaks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines — exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices.
” Most better foods that it is an “Inconsistent ingredient because of the multiple organs
used and their constantly changing proportions. The origin is from any fowl (turkeys,
ducks, geese, buzzards, etc.) instead of a single source, like chicken. Poultry
By-Product Meal is much less expensive and less digestible than Chicken Meal.”
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.
” A fractionated product – one of the reasons for pet allergies is the petroleum residue
left in corn after the separation of corn oil from the seed.
” Some foods use it because “Corn Gluten Meal is a plant protein source that is low in
ash. It is used in Natura cat foods to balance the natural ash in chicken.”
” Many good foods do not use ground corn since: “Although Ground Corn is a good
quality source of carbohydrates, it is thought to be the #3 common cause of food
allergies in pets.
” Corn is not actually the allergen. Petroleum residue (see corn gluten meal) and
aflatoxins due to molds are. The great majority of corn used in pet foods is from
grain not acceptable for human use.
” Tested chemical and mold free corn is an excellent source of protein and amino acids
and is used to balance the ash in chicken.
” Better foods reject it because it is “an inexpensive source of fiber that is considered a
filler ingredient”, i.e. devoid of nutrient value.
” Not used by better foods because it is a highly pre-processed ingredient. All of the
naturally occurring vitamins have been leeched out by the processing. Ground Rice
with its natural nutrients intact is preferable.”
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 rice starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm.
food labels is only a measurement of the amount of nitrogen in a food — not the
quality of the protein. Because of this, pet food companies can use the cheaper
by-products of human food production, such as Rice Gluten Meal. Meat is always the
best source of quality protein. Meat protein is better absorbed and retained and is
higher in essential amino acids like methionine, arginine, and taurine. Rice Gluten
Meal has a biologic value less than 50% of Chicken Meal.
” Solid Gold states that any gluten is “Added to pet food to slow down the transition of
rancid animal fats (think toxic waste). This holds the waste in. Kidneys and liver work
overtime. Dogs may chew their lower backs. Feet may swell, so the dogs lick their
feet.
” Although sorghum is good source of carbohydrates, it is low in digestibility. Think
bulkier, cheaper foods. Feed more, get less.
! Soybean Meal – AAFCO – Soybean Meal is 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.
” Poor quality protein filler. The ‘Crude Protein’ analysis on pet food labels is only a
measurement of the amount of nitrogen in a food — not the quality of the protein.
Because of this, pet food companies can use the cheaper by-products of human food
production, such as Soybean Meal. Meat is always the best source of quality protein.
Meat protein is better absorbed and retained and is higher in essential amino acids
like methionine, arginine, and taurine. Soybean Meal has a biologic value less than
50% of Chicken Meal.
” Some allege that soybeans are the #1 allergy of dogs.” This goes back to the fact
that soybean oil is separated from the meal by petroleum distillation. The meal is
very high in petroleum residue which toxifies the liver and kidneys – leading to
allergies.
LL said
YUK! I was feeding my pooch this? All those nice sounding dog foods! Glad I found this site!