Corn Gluten Meal is a common ingredient used in MANY pet foods, it’s been included in cat and dog foods for decades. Corn Gluten Meal is used as a source of protein in pet foods. The Pet Nutrition Alliance (a pet food nutrition organization with close ties to the pet feed industry) states that this ingredient could provide more protein in a pet food than meat; (bold added) “Ingredients high in water content (i.e. fresh meats, vegetables) may appear higher on the ingredient list than dry ingredients due to the weight contributed by water, even though that ingredient may contribute fewer nutrients to the overall diet. For example, corn gluten meal could contribute more protein to the complete formulation of a food than beef, even if beef is listed as the first ingredient.”
Even though the ingredient has remained the same for decades, there has been a recent attempt to change the name of Corn Gluten Meal to Corn Protein Meal. There will be no changes to the definition of the ingredient or the legal requirements of the ingredient – the only change proposed was the name. Why?
During the AAFCO web meeting where this was discussed – on March 22, 2022 – there were four ingredients suggested to change the name of. But only one was discussed, almost approved at this first discussion – and that was Corn Gluten Meal to be renamed as Corn Protein Meal. The AAFCO representatives stated the name change was necessary because “the ingredient contains no gluten.”
Is that true or is something else behind this common pet food ingredient name change?
The possible something else:
Corn Gluten Meal – the very same ingredient used in many pet foods – is found in Lowe’s and Home Depot in the garden department, being sold as a weed killer.
Also, the term ‘gluten’ is on the radar of many pet owners, especially those that have suffered health consequences to gluten intolerance in their own diets.
Could it be that pet food manufacturers asked AAFCO for a name change because they didn’t want their pet foods to include an ingredient that is also used as a herbicide? And/or could it be that pet food manufacturers asked AAFCO to change the name of Corn Gluten Meal to something without the word ‘gluten’ in it because of health issues related to gluten?
Does Corn Gluten Meal contain gluten?
In the US Code of Federal Regulations, under “Substances added directly to human food affirmed as generally recognized as safe (GRAS)” it states: “Corn gluten (CAS Reg. No. 66071-96-3), also known as corn gluten meal, is the principal protein component of corn endosperm. It consists mainly of zein and glutelin. Corn gluten is a byproduct of the wet milling of corn for starch. The gluten fraction is washed to remove residual water soluble proteins. Corn gluten is also produced as a byproduct during the conversion of the starch in whole or various fractions of dry milled corn to corn syrups.”
Corn Gluten Meal is a registered bio-pesticide with the Environmental Protection Agency, the agency states: “The technical grade active ingredient (TGAI) glutens (corn), also known as corn gluten meal, consists mainly of zein and gluten (mixture of water-insoluble proteins that occurs in most cereal grains); and to a lessor degree, fat, and fiber. The active ingredient is a by-product of the wet milling of corn for starch or as a by-product during the conversion of the starch in whole or various fractions of dry milled corn to corn syrups.”
Should this ingredient even be used in pet food?
Independent pet store owner Chelsea Kent has some serious concerns about Corn Gluten Meal, so much so that she filed a Citizen Petition with FDA asking the agency to develop a specific regulation on the ingredient for pet food use. Her petition to FDA included this concern:
“The ingredients sulfur dioxide and anhydrous ammonia, required for the production of ‘corn gluten meal’, are registered as a toxic chemical substance with EPA, and continues to be regulated under the 1990 toxic substances control act (TSCA), Inventory Update Rule (IUR). There are also antibiotics used in the production of corn gluten meal, which are specifically forbidden for use in animals. They include virginiamycin and erythromycin.”
The FDA has not provided a response to her petition, it could take them years to respond.
(If a pet owner would like to learn more about Corn Gluten Meal – see Chelsea Kent’s post HERE. To read more on how the ingredient is made, Feedipedia.org – an industry resource website – provides some explanation. )
So…
Is the pet food industry using AAFCO to change the name of this ingredient to protect themselves from herbicide or gluten concerns? And/or is the pet food industry using AAFCO to change the name of Corn Gluten Meal to Corn Protein Meal to keep any legal petitions filed with FDA regarding potential risks of this ingredient silent?
We don’t know.
But we do know that if AAFCO does change the name of Corn Gluten Meal to Corn Protein Meal, the new pet food/animal feed ingredient would be different ONLY in name – the ingredient itself will not change.
Personal opinion: The AAFCO discussion on the name change felt like AAFCO was allowing itself to be used by industry (knowingly or not). The only one to benefit from the name change will be industry – no more questions about gluten, no more questions about herbicides, and no worries of a connection to risks filed with FDA.
The worst part of this AAFCO meeting discussion was that the potential risks of this ingredient weren’t even discussed, their ONLY concern was changing the name.
We will continue to follow this issue and if the name is changed it will be reported to pet owners.
Wishing you and your pet the best –
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
Become a member of our pet food consumer Association. Association for Truth in Pet Food is a a stakeholder organization representing the voice of pet food consumers at AAFCO and with FDA. Your membership helps representatives attend meetings and voice consumer concerns with regulatory authorities. Click Here to learn more.
What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients? Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 5,000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Click Here to preview Petsumer Report. www.PetsumerReport.com
Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here
The 2022 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here to learn more.
Pet Owner
March 31, 2022 at 11:35 am
I’m a person sensitive to gluten so I don’t have many (affordable) alternative starch options. But notice that when I eat “cheap” corn products (like Lays corn chips) and even too much mexican food, that my joints won’t stop feeling achy and swollen. I’ve heard that organic white corn has different properties and it does seem easier to digest so I eat that version of popcorn. I’ve also heard that yellow corn is heavily GMO’d, meaning genetically modified to resist pest infestation in the field (as in, herbicides are built into the seed itself) and that at one time farmers were required (by Monsanto) who insisted they use only this seed) or they were blacklisted. Of course I can take it or leave it, but I wonder about the poor dogs who’ve been fed a lifetime of GMO’d corn ingredients, especially when they appear first in the ingredient list of five. I do see it in RC’s puppy kibble, which I wonder if it leads to digestive issues down the line as the dog matures. Corn has a history of being a troublesome product regarding mold and mildew too. Glad this article was posted.
Amy
March 31, 2022 at 1:58 pm
I think renaming corn gluten meal is a great idea. And, while the manufacturers are at work, let’s rename high fructose corn syrup. I think “average healthy sugar-like waste product causing diabetes and obesity” is a great idea. The manufacturers could call it ASWPDO for short; then the public would forget what it is. Let alone what is smells like when driving by the factories that make all of this S&^%. Glad the name change didn’t get pushed through! Thank you for representing all pet owners!
Karin Yates
March 31, 2022 at 10:13 pm
Just for clarification, corn gluten is not used in weed killers. It is a natural pre-emergent that is hard to find. Preen made the natural version of their toxic pre-emergent for a short time but it seems to be unavailable now.
Harry
April 1, 2022 at 2:15 pm
It is a really good natural pre-emergent that coats the soil in a protein film so crabgrass won’t sprout, and then degrades into nitrogen to feed the established grass. It is hard to find.
Corn wet milling also uses sulfur dioxide, or sodium sulphate, to steep the corn at the first step, but rarely if ever ammonia. They don’t use any antibiotics to make corn products though. I don’t see why they would.
I think this one has some valid reasons though, since it doesn’t contain any of the human food allergen gluten. That’s only on wheat, barely, rye, etc. It is confusing to see gluten on pet food that doesn’t mean gluten, but on a human food it has to mean the allergen and would be a recall if it didn’t.
Karin Yates
March 31, 2022 at 10:16 pm
Whatever it is called, any pet food with corn of any sort is garbage.
Sharon
April 1, 2022 at 8:42 am
Amen!