Without a doubt – this is the biggest difference in pet foods. Food or feed. And I believe this is our best tool to help teach others about the difference in pet foods.
We all have our stories of trying to help another pet food consumer learn the differences of quality of pet foods. One of the best I’ve heard was a consumer in a wholesale club (either Sam’s or Costco I believe) – shopper A noticed a huge bag of pet food in another shoppers cart that was…of questionable quality. This educated pet food consumer reached into her wallet – pulled out a $5 bill and walked over to the other shopper. Shopper A said to shopper B: “I’ll give you $5.00 if you don’t buy that pet food.” And it worked – shopper B listened to shopper A and in turn put back on the shelf the questionable pet food.
But as all of our experiences to share our own ‘truth’ tell us – we aren’t always successful in trying to educate other pet food consumers. Many times, said shopper B is leery of our unsolicited advice. It’s hard to share a wealth of pet food education into a brief few seconds that you have someone’s attention.
Recently, my Mom was trying to help a friend learn a bit more about pet food. My Mom is a bit more informed than many pet food consumers (she is forced to listen to me drag on about pet food), but overall she is the typical educated pet food consumer. She knows why she gives her little dog a food grade (not feed grade) pet food, but can’t quite explain it well to someone else. So she asked me what she could share with her friend to help sway them.
I quickly told Mom “explain to them the difference between food and feed”. Presto! Mom was empowered with an easy to explain and easy to understand difference of pet food. And then my own Presto! happened – if my Mom understood this so quickly and felt so good about explaining this difference to her friend…so could everyone else that wants to help others ‘get’ the differences in pet foods.
I plan on adding more tools in the future for consumers to share the Food, Not Feed explanation to quality of pet foods – but to start…
Food meat must be USDA inspected and approved for human consumption (human edible). On the other hand feed can include…
“No regulatory action will be considered for animal feed ingredients resulting from the ordinary rendering process of industry, including those using animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, provided they are not otherwise in violation of the law.”
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm074717.htm
“Pet food consisting of material from diseased animals or animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, which is in violation of 402(a)(5) will not ordinarily be actionable, if it is not otherwise in violation of the law. It will be considered fit for animal consumption.”
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm074710.htm
Food ingredients must meet food safety requirements – they cannot be contaminated by filth or drugs or pesticides. Feed on the other hand can include…
“FDA does not object to the diversion to animal feed of human food adulterated with rodent, roach, or bird excreta.”
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm074693.htm
“The *Center* will consider the requests for diversion of food considered adulterated for human use in all situations where the diverted food will be acceptable for its intended animal food use. Such situations may include:
a. Pesticide contamination in excess of the permitted tolerance or action level.
b. Pesticide contamination where the pesticide involved is unapproved for use on a food or feed commodity.
c. Contamination by industrial chemicals.
d. Contamination by natural toxicants.
e. Contamination by filth.
f. Microbiological contamination.
g. Over tolerance or unpermitted drug residues.”
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm074694.htm
And unfortunately for consumers – there is no way (almost) by looking at the label to determine if a pet food is feed or food. Existing pet food regulations do not allow companies to disclose to the consumer if ingredients are feed or food quality. The exception is pet foods made in a human food manufacturing facility. The best for consumers is to call or email the manufacturer and ask if meat and vegetable ingredients are human edible. If they cannot or do not assure you ingredients are human edible – you can safely assume they are feed grade (those that use food are proud of it and more than willing to explain the quality). Do not assume your pet’s food is food grade. Ask.
Our pets deserve food, not feed. Tell a friend.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
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 2500 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com
The 2015 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here
Have you read Buyer Beware? Click Here
Cooking for pets made easy, Dinner PAWsible
Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here
Michele L Tremblay
February 2, 2015 at 11:29 am
Food safety regulation in general has never been led by human or animal health but by profit and whose lobbyists or friends in Congress are the most powerful. Excellent insights are in this article in this week’s New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/02/bug-system. It’s clear that citizen legal action is virtually our only tool.
Dianne
February 2, 2015 at 7:17 pm
that is a very interesting read. I wonder if he would be interested in pet food lawsuits.
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Herb Neu
February 2, 2015 at 7:03 pm
Here is my problem. In the past, we were rescuers of dogs and cats, either providing foster care or permanent homes. Today, in our 70th years, we now have 3 dogs, 30-50 lbs., and 2 cats. We do our very best to buy human grade food for them. But, living on a small, fixed income, and with no butcher shops nearby, or anywhere within a hundred or so miles, we generally provide raw store-bought beef liver, beef intestines, turkey hearts/gizzards/livers, and marrow bones (2 of our dogs for some reason are allergic to chicken). Marrow bones (which used to cost nothing, but now cost $2 a lb.), are used for making bone broth in our crockpot, to which we add some vegetables and coconut oil. Since even the organ meats are highly expensive, we supplement them with kibble (Fromm or Grandma Mae’s) which cost $55-$65 for 25 lbs each month even though 35% to 45% is pure starch. The commercially sold “raw foods” at the pet stores cost as much or more than human food. The pet food industry is incredibly profitable for the manufacturers and it seems they cater to emotions and not budgets when it comes to genuine pet nutrition. Just wondering if you might have some suggestions for po folks like us.
Kelley
February 3, 2015 at 2:48 am
There are virtually 100 comments responding to the article “FDA’s Warning to Purina Plant” and so many people reference sick pets. I have 2 dogs. Together they weigh 30lbs (one third of your’s). Here’s my problem. I’ve been chasing ‘round the PF Dilemma Tree for 8 years, and have tried every format of diet possible. One dog is very old, had pancreatitis twice (a diet mistake), both can’t eat fat, chicken or fish. Of the two commercial PFs I depended upon (which backed up home cooking at the time), one company stopped making a baked kibble, and the other (a base) reformulated creating a new problem. In general I spend my food budget $ on human grade for the dogs and limit mine (at least I can eat peanut butter and can give up meat, wink!). Unfortunately as the food allowance dwindles I need the most efficient diet possible. Then I read (tho I already knew) what’s in this article. https://truthaboutpetfood.com/toxic-ignored/
“And then we have the concern of multiple mycotoxins present in a pet food. The cumulative effect – as described by science – magnifies the risk (as compared to the single mycotoxin risk)… .” “One of the deadliest concerns of pet food is the risk of mycotoxin contamination. It was alarming to learn that the agency has no maximum level established for numerous mycotoxins as well as the cumulative or synergistic effect of multiple mycotoxins in pet food.” “Veterinarians, furthermore, often overlooked mycotoxins as the cause of chronic diseases such as liver and kidney fibrosis, infections resulting from immunosuppression and cancer. These findings suggest that mycotoxin contamination in pet food poses a serious health threat to pet species.”
The people I know call me an alarmist! They say owners have fed PF for decades!! They raise generations of our breed on some of the worst. But you know what? My dogs aren’t sick. One is outliving all his generational counterparts. So if I go out of my way to avoid chronic illnesses for myself (and granted peanut butter isn’t helping) then why shouldn’t I do the same thing for my dogs? Otherwise I’m just as guilty as the PFI! Thinking that pets (animals) should be eating something less. Especially knowing what we all do at this point! So instead I have to do what I can. Or maybe I shouldn’t have the responsibility of their care in the first place. I didn’t know 15 years ago what a predicament this horrible PF issue would become. And most pet owners don’t either, in the beginning. But the more we read, the more we learn. And the more responsibility exists!
The next milestone in PF advocacy must be to change the fundamental concept of what pet food should be from FEED (the short term diet of livestock) to FOOD. Yes the concept really IS that simple. Just get rid of the toxins and contamination and we might get somewhere. We ONLY want to keep our pets healthy. It isn’t Rocket Science. What I’ve paid for in safe food, I haven’t paid in Vet bills, or prescription diets, or medications, or treating allergies and ear problems, and on down the line.
The best solution I’ve come up with at this stage is raw (HPP treated). The most cost effective for the level of nutrition delivered, without all the other worries, and because mine can only eat beef. About $22 a month, augmented with a little human food filler. The product has ground up bone too. I just can’t home cook for that price anymore or feed in any other way.
Dianne
February 3, 2015 at 2:47 pm
I feel like I am in the same predicament. Pet ownership is becoming out of reach for anyone who wants to give the best care they can.