When looking for a better store-purchased pet food, deciphering ingredient lists can be difficult. One of the most dangerous parts of commercial pet food are the ingredients used to preserve the food. On big name brands found in grocery stores and convenience stores, some of the most common preservatives are harmful chemicals like BHA (Butylated Hydroxysanisole), BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene), and Ethoxyquin. These are also common ingredients found in pet treats.
In holistic and natural food lines, one of the most popular forms of preservatives are mixed tocopherols. Mixed tocopherols are also used in some commercial lines as well, so it can be deceiving if you’re looking for a good pet food, since there are many other ingredients that need to be evaluated.
What are mixed tocopherols? They are a source of Vitamin E, and an antioxidant that protects cells from cancer causing agents (free radicals). Mixed tocopherols are widely known as simply being a source of Vitamin E. Mixed tocopherols are often used in conjunction with other natural preservatives, like sage or rosemary, but not always.
Here are some ways where mixed tocopherols might be seen on a pet food label, one of which could be toxic:
Animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols
Chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols
Sunflower Oil preserved with mixed tocopherols
Fish Oil preserved with mixed tocopherols
Which one of these is the dangerous ingredient?
Animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols
Why?
“Animal fat”, according to Susan Thitxton from The Truth About Pet Food, is:
The pet food ingredient animal fat was determined by the FDA to be one of several ingredients that are commonly known to contain a diseased euthanized animal, AND the drug used to kill the animal. When you see Animal Fat listed in the ingredients of a dog food or cat food, unless you want to take the chance of feeding your pet a sick, euthanized animal, AND lethal drugs, look for another pet food.
The reason for this ingredient being harmful is because it is not an identified animal and it could be a mixture of several types. To put it simply, “animal fat” ingredients are the leftovers from slaughterhouses, factory farms, and other places where animal waste is produced.
In short, mixed tocopherols are a healthy preservative for pets. You may notice that with mixed tocopherols, food and treats have a shorter shelf life than other foods; this is because mixed tocopherols are a natural preservative.
