In Australia, we have a lot of kangaroo meat sold as pet food. We also have many pet minces and meals in the cold section of supermarkets. I choose not to feed these products because they could kill my cats.
The next time you're in the cold aisle, take a look at the use-by dates on those polony types of foods. Would YOU eat 'fresh meat' that was going to 'stay fresh' for a year or more? I even read a disturbing account of someone asking whether the roo mince they were feeding had sulphites in it: the answer was 'no' - but the test revealed there was! The terrible part was someone else's comment, that roo meat designated for the pet food industry was automatically treated with sulphites, before the meat even reached the food manufacturers.
Sulphite preservatives are the problem, because sulphites 'kill' thiamine. The sulphites will also act on other food in a cat's system, and cats die from thaimine deficiency. Here's more detail from the RSPCA: http://kb.rspca.org.au/Are-preservatives-in-pet-food-products-a-concern_312.html
The sneaky thing is, sulphite preservatives are often not listed in pet food ingredient labelling - by law, pet food manufacturers DON'T HAVE TO LIST them.
Unfortunately, this issue is well-known and has not been dealt with. In 2009 the New Australian Standard (for) Manufacturing and Marketing of pet food was released. It doesn't cover sulphite preservatives, which worried these vets in comments on the Australian Veterinary Association's announcement of the New Standard:
'Specifically, I would like to ask why there is no referrence to sulphur dioxide (220) in the PFIAA's "Reference List of Contaminants and Residues in Pet Food and Ingredients with Safety Risks". It appears we have ANOTHER case of thiaminase poisoning in WA linked to the SAME Pet Food manufacturer.' Dr Paul Davey on 25 May 2011
'Further inhouse testing for sulphites, in January-February 2012, in pet meats sold to pet owners in N.S.W. reveal toxic undeclared,unregulated levels of this generic preservative.' Dr Robert Steel on 02 March 2012.
And here's what Choice had to report when they investigated:
CHOICE contacted a number of fresh pet meat manufacturers to ask about this issue. We asked if they use sulphites in their products? If they did, we asked if they test for adequate thiamine as per the AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) thiamine guidelines to ensure adequate thiamine throughout the shelf-life of their products. We received quite a mixed bag of responses.
VIP pet foods, which also manufacture under the brand names of Paws Fresh, Platinum and Prota, responded saying that some of its fresh pet meat range does include sulphites, but conducts regular testing to ensure the adequate levels of thiamine are met. Country Cuisine Pet food, confirmed that it does not use any preservatives nor does it source meat that has been treated with preservatives. Paringa Pet Foods produces a range of preservative-free and fresh foods, however, it says that it tests to ensure it is exceeding the guidelines.
Woolworths and Coles also produce fresh pet food under their private labels. After contacting Coles several times a spokesperson confirmed that their product was subjected to regular testing for adequate thiamine levels. Woolworths however, despite CHOICE contacting the company several times, did not provide a response.
Last year, Queensland newspaper The Courier-Mail bought a selection of fresh pet meat brands from supermarkets and had them independently tested. Despite claims from manufacturers about the levels in their particular products, the testing revealed many products had far higher levels than what had been claimed. One product was found to have 435 times the sulphur dioxide levels than what was claimed on the packet.
So, what to do? For me, it's easy. I don't feed pet-grade roo meat. I don't feed pet-grade 'not for human consumption' anything meat. Fresh human grade meat is good and safe.
The next time you're in the cold aisle, take a look at the use-by dates on those polony types of foods. Would YOU eat 'fresh meat' that was going to 'stay fresh' for a year or more? I even read a disturbing account of someone asking whether the roo mince they were feeding had sulphites in it: the answer was 'no' - but the test revealed there was! The terrible part was someone else's comment, that roo meat designated for the pet food industry was automatically treated with sulphites, before the meat even reached the food manufacturers.
Sulphite preservatives are the problem, because sulphites 'kill' thiamine. The sulphites will also act on other food in a cat's system, and cats die from thaimine deficiency. Here's more detail from the RSPCA: http://kb.rspca.org.au/Are-preservatives-in-pet-food-products-a-concern_312.html
The sneaky thing is, sulphite preservatives are often not listed in pet food ingredient labelling - by law, pet food manufacturers DON'T HAVE TO LIST them.
Unfortunately, this issue is well-known and has not been dealt with. In 2009 the New Australian Standard (for) Manufacturing and Marketing of pet food was released. It doesn't cover sulphite preservatives, which worried these vets in comments on the Australian Veterinary Association's announcement of the New Standard:
'Specifically, I would like to ask why there is no referrence to sulphur dioxide (220) in the PFIAA's "Reference List of Contaminants and Residues in Pet Food and Ingredients with Safety Risks". It appears we have ANOTHER case of thiaminase poisoning in WA linked to the SAME Pet Food manufacturer.' Dr Paul Davey on 25 May 2011
'Further inhouse testing for sulphites, in January-February 2012, in pet meats sold to pet owners in N.S.W. reveal toxic undeclared,unregulated levels of this generic preservative.' Dr Robert Steel on 02 March 2012.
And here's what Choice had to report when they investigated:
CHOICE contacted a number of fresh pet meat manufacturers to ask about this issue. We asked if they use sulphites in their products? If they did, we asked if they test for adequate thiamine as per the AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) thiamine guidelines to ensure adequate thiamine throughout the shelf-life of their products. We received quite a mixed bag of responses.
VIP pet foods, which also manufacture under the brand names of Paws Fresh, Platinum and Prota, responded saying that some of its fresh pet meat range does include sulphites, but conducts regular testing to ensure the adequate levels of thiamine are met. Country Cuisine Pet food, confirmed that it does not use any preservatives nor does it source meat that has been treated with preservatives. Paringa Pet Foods produces a range of preservative-free and fresh foods, however, it says that it tests to ensure it is exceeding the guidelines.
Woolworths and Coles also produce fresh pet food under their private labels. After contacting Coles several times a spokesperson confirmed that their product was subjected to regular testing for adequate thiamine levels. Woolworths however, despite CHOICE contacting the company several times, did not provide a response.
Last year, Queensland newspaper The Courier-Mail bought a selection of fresh pet meat brands from supermarkets and had them independently tested. Despite claims from manufacturers about the levels in their particular products, the testing revealed many products had far higher levels than what had been claimed. One product was found to have 435 times the sulphur dioxide levels than what was claimed on the packet.
So, what to do? For me, it's easy. I don't feed pet-grade roo meat. I don't feed pet-grade 'not for human consumption' anything meat. Fresh human grade meat is good and safe.