[Dogrunner]

Ethoxyquin is an oxidizer and is not heat stable. It starts to break down at 82 degrees (farinheit) and at 182 degrees, 60% is gone. My best guess is that in normal processing, there isn't any left but in those brands that advertise their special "low temp" cooking, I would want to see a statement that their food and their product sources were ethoxyquin free. They are only required to add it to the label if they add it to the food--if it's already been added to their product sources prior to their purchasing them, they don't have to declare it.

More interesting, although a lot of site state that eq is prohibited in our food, that's simply untrue. Permitted levels are 5 ppm from use in forage crops - In uncooked fat of meat from animals except poultry - 3.0 ppm - In or on uncooked liver & fat of poultry; 0.5 ppm - In or on uncooked muscle meat of animals; 0.5 ppm In poultry eggs .05 ppm - In animal feed, fish food, and canned pet food - 150 ppm.
In chili powder, ground chili, cayenne and paprika - 100 ppm. Fish is also allowed to have it (another reason not to eat bait (oops, some people call it "sushi"). There is also some allowable as pesticide residue. You can find the allowable limits on fish and residue on the FDA website too. (This is where the above allowable parts per million came from).

<span style="color: #FF0000">This means, if you're feeding raw, your animals may still be getting some ethoxyquin.</span> And if you eat a lot of spicy food, you may be getting as much as your dogs. Comforting thought, hmmmm?

 

[LisaT]

There have been frequent discussions on boards regarding fish meal transported at sea being required to add ethoxyquin:

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/fishmeal.html (scroll to the bottom of the page to see where its addition is required)

http://www.newlife.ipbhost.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=337

BUT, some dog food companies have said that that doesn't apply to the fish meal in their dog food.

Some fish meal *might* be preserved with something new called "Naturox" (Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Silicon Dioxide, Citric Acid, Vegetable Oil, Rosemary Extract.), but it's really not clear to me.

 

[Dogrunner]

I got interested in this because of the posts on Taste of the Wild, then I saw (while researching something else for work) a small blurp from the FDA about not having to list certain ingredients if you aren't the one that adds them. One thread leads to another....

Unless you raise your own food, additives are in there. Companies are responsive to trends and the organic/green movement is definitely growing. Does this make companies more "green"? Maybe. But it also opens the "fudge" door. No one wants to hear about chemicals in their pets' food. So the answer to eq is "we positively do not use eq". True as it goes, but that doesn't mean they purchase eq-free ingredients.

So what are "Natural Mixed Tocopherols"? Sounds good. Would sound better if it said "Mixed Natural Tocopherols". See what I mean?

And why am I policing my dog's food so closely when I eat Cheetos ? (now that's a natural and healthy cheese substance.....

)

 

[LisaT]

Mixed Tocopherols are the different versions of vitamin E. They can be synthetic or natural. With the most popular form of vit E (alpha-tocopherol), it's well known that the synthetic form isn't as effective as the natural form. I haven't seen anything about the others, but I would suspect the same.

Citric acid can be deceptive -- sounds like it should be very healthy, but a lot of the citric acid nowadays is a corn product.

 

[Dogrunner]

While I was researching the eq, I saw something about synthetic tocoopherols. I have the website scrawled on my calender at work because I want to go back and look at that (in my spare time

).

One thing I've found out is that the companies that produce these products are the ones who have done most of the research...you really have to dig to find independent studies. Many of the research results you see posted on sites don't mention that the actual study they're quoting came from the product's own manufacturer.

I didn't know that about citric acid...What I do know is that I should have paid a lot more attention in science class when I was in school....

 

[LisaT]

I know that I should have taken more science, particularly chemistry and biology!!

You're right about the independent research -- I don't think a lot is done. I heard on a report the other day that the companies are "renting" the names of scientists (paying them $$$) so that they can use their names to submit their company studies to journals and make it look like an academic produced the study. AAAAAaaaaargh.

 

[BowWowMeow]

They're paying them big bucks!!!!!! The companies are writing scientific reports on their drugs and paying MDs to put their names on the pre-written reports. Reminded me of all the b.s. that goes on between the bigger pet food companies and vet schools and also the vacinnation scams.

Here is the story from "On the Media: http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2008/04/18/03

and the article from The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041502086_pf.html

 

[LisaT]

Don't make me read it, I don't want to know anymore than I already do!!