Beware of Internet recommendations: Holistic or conventional?

I just couldn’t make up my mind on what I am going to talk about today and almost decided to take a break for the day and come back tomorrow. And while I was getting ready to log off the Internet I came across a site catching my interest. You know that I am against product and competitor bashing, so I am not going to disclose where I found it. So much only: The site is not selling any other products than animal pictures and some e-cards. I guess the idea behind it is being kind of a portal for pet owners with info on pet related topics. They have a forum, which is made looking like it has hundreds of participants (unlike this blog). And it appears as if their main objective is soliciting advertising. Though it looks like they are not too successful in doing so, I haven’t located any ads on the few pages I was looking at. What really sparked my interest was the one page they have about holistic pet nutrition. Now, just for fun, see what these guys have to say, and I quote:

“Holistic Dog Nutrition
Cancer, foreign antigens, allergies, skin disorders, and other problems result from holistic dog nutrition. Holistic dog nutrition is a topic of consternation for some and wonderful to others. No one can really agree, but there are definite rights and wrongs to a dog’s nutrition schedule. Each dog requires a certain amount of amino acids for their body type, size, and genetic code. Meats have plentiful doses of amino acids that build proteins for skin, eyes, bones, neural development, and muscular maintenance. Plant food is not recommended because dogs naturally eat this to throw up. They use it as an emetic. Therefore, dogs need a lot of meat and no vegetable foodstuffs. Holistic dog nutrition also deals with nutrient supplements like treats laced with vitamins and minerals. However, these aren’t recommended because synthetic, inorganic minerals and vitamins can become instigators to cancer. The best diet is a raw or cooked meat diet. Look at hyenas, wolves, and other wild dogs for an answer to why your dog doesn’t have a lot of energy, motivation, or enterprise. Follow the natural rules of the wild with your dog’s daily diet.
You may be thinking that by adding vitamins and exercising your dog more is enough to keep them healthy. But it isn’t enough. You may have to change your dog food as well. In order to get a full evaluation of your dogs’ health, you will need to ask the vet for a full blood work up. When the results come in and you want to switch to holistic remedies, talk to your vet about holistic dog nutrition.
Your vet may not think that your dog needs the holistic dog food but you may. Do yourself a favor and listen to what your vet has to say. Holistic dog nutrition is a new trend that people are talking about, listen to what the vet says. Some dogs because of certain healthy issues or even their weight should not be on anything but regular or special dog food. Your dog’s health should be the most important thing and not what the greatest thing in the holistic field is.
Your dog may benefit from holistic dog nutrition, but if you make the switch and change the diet, they may not get to the food right away and they may get sick from you changing their diet so fast. Try to incorporate the holistic information that you have learned and see how your dog takes to it. In the meantime, read as much as you can about holistic dog nutrition before you radically change your dog’s diet.” –end of quote

So what exactly are we supposed to do? Listen to our vets only? Granted, I always recommend to consult your vet. But that does not mean that I support the idea of that you listen to the vet exclusively. Especially not since in these days our pets are suffering from diseases and illness in pandemic dimensions. Pandemic is what I call it when over 60% of all companion animals are having health problems. That just can’t be right. And the holistic movement, if you want to call it this way, is trying to change that. While the veterinarian community obviously does not show too much interest in such a change, for obvious reasons: The way it is now is much more lucrative. Therefore, to me, the comment above does not make any sense whatsoever. Contrary, I’d say it is a very good example of what I have been warning of on this blog before: Don’t take everything you read for granted.

For the site itself, there is hope though. On another page, about dog food, they say:

“The quality of dog food varies greatly. A conscientious owner should use common sense and research to find the better products. A good start would be to select a dog food with a meaty protein source and no by-products; it shouldn't contain corn or wheat. Avoid products listing grain as the first ingredient, and avoid products that use meat by-products like bones, feet, and intestines, chemical preservatives like BHA and BHT and difficult-to-digest grains like corn, wheat, gluten and soy. These grains are sometimes listed as a protein source in place of meat. If you have to feed a kibble, choose one of the holistic brands that use human-grade ingredients.
Many health problems, like allergies that cause itchy skin, are simply caused by a poor diet and improper allocations of the wrong kinds of food. It is recommended that you switch brands, and start making note of the ingredients until you notice an improvement. Many holistic dog food brands offer hypoallergenic formulas with recommended ingredients such as duck, venison, and rabbit that are easily digested.
The dog food you choose to feed your pet should meet the nutritional needs, and it will make a difference in both you and your pet's happiness, determining how often you visit a vet. Purchase only high-quality dog food types suitable for your dogs.”

I guess it is not quite as hopeless as I thought, let’s just wait until they make up their mind.

Feeding puppies adult food?

“Do I really have to feed the expensive puppy food to my 3 month old puppy or do you think I could get away with starting to switch him over to regular adult maintenance food?” I was asked the other day by a customer who just had acquired the cutest Irish Jack Russell Terrier.

Though I couldn’t believe this particular one, a not so uncommon question these days, especially since the economical situation has everybody in the world turn around every dollar twice before spending it. Besides economical reasons, puppy food is indeed is at least a good 10% pricier than adult food, other reasons may be that the owners underestimate the length of the growth period or because they were told by someone and believe that puppy food is too rich and could be harmful to the growth of the little one.

Let’s look at the economics: Now here we go, we just bought a pure bred dog. Here pet owners usually spend at least $500 on a new puppy and then they wonder how they can save a couple bucks on the food? To me that doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. But what is really the actual pricing on puppy vs. adult food and is there a material difference? I compared at our own store, which tells me to believe it is similar at other places: There are brands with puppy food at no or a very minimal price difference, and there are others, which may be up to 10% more expensive than adult food. Whether or not this is justified remains open, it could be just a marketing issue too. Fact is, puppy owners are most likely easily willing to spend a few dollars more when it comes to the new baby, so some manufacturers may take advantage of that psychological aspect.

Next, length of growth period: Anybody believing that the growth period is over after 3 months should seriously rethink the idea of having a puppy. I am sorry but where is the common sense here? I would say every pet owner by now should know that the first 8 to 12 months of a puppy are definitely to be considered as the growth period, probably 12 months would be a good bet, but keep in mind with large and giant breeds we are easy looking at up to 24 months before the growth period is over. I remember our own last puppy, Roxy, a German Shepherd girl, she was done growing in height and length after about 12 months, but then she took another 9 months to really, I call it fill in, got some meat and muscle around her bones and become a seriously grown dog.

Finally, puppy food being too rich? Too rich in what and how harmful could it be?
I think what one has to consider is there are various classifications of dog food, simply to be determined by the official AAFCO Nutritional Dog Food Profiles, which are available for puppies, adult maintenance, seniors or the “covers it all” classification “all life stages”. The ladder one would be sufficient to feed to an adult or a puppy, since it covers both needs.

Fact is, puppies do have different nutritional requirements than adults have. And that by itself justifies having a different class of food. There are different energy requirements.
During the first half of its growth, a puppy needs twice as much energy than an adult, compared to its bodyweight. This multiplier coefficient decreases progressively, but when the puppy reaches 80% of its adult bodyweight, it still consumes 20% more energy than an adult. Feeding him with a concentrated puppy food avoids overloading its digestive tract.

Keep in mind that puppies have different growth rates according to size. For example a small breed puppy reaches about 40 to 50% of its adult bodyweight within about 3 months, a large breed puppy will not get there before it is 5 months of age. Toy breeds reach their adult bodyweight within about 8 months. At that point, it has multiplied its birth weight 20 fold. A Newfoundland puppy still grows up until 18 to 24 months or until it has multiplied its birth weight about 100 fold.

Now, let’s look at protein requirements: Puppies require a great amount of protein for the synthesis of the skeleton and all other tissues. Their amino acid requirement is far more important than for an adult. Additionally, puppies do not use proteins with the same efficiency as an adult dog. To make up for this less efficient digestive capacity, a growth product must contain at least 25 to 30% more proteins than an adult food. Protein deficiencies in puppies may cause among other problems, delayed growth, immune system weakness and anemia.

Mineral requirements: Large breed puppies are susceptible to growth abnormalities if they are being fed a diet too high in calcium. Therefore, feeding the correct puppy formula is important for their long term health.

Then there is the starch digestion. The production of enzymes , which digest starch reaches an optimum level only when the puppy has completely achieved its growth. Before, a puppy does not digest starch as well. A maintenance adult diet can contain up to 50% starch. In contrast, a puppy food should not contain more than 30% starch. Feeding an adult diet to a puppy can induce loose stools, diarrhea, and possibly favor coprophagic behavior, which means they start eating their own stools.

Puppy food does not equal puppy food. Especially important that the food needs to accommodate the needs of various sizes. All puppy foods seem to have some common characteristics, which include high energy density, concentration of all essential nutrients and decreased levels of starch. But the size of the breed implies specific adaptations.

Large breeds are much more likely to suffer from skeletal growth diseases. These troubles are exacerbated by an over consumption of energy. Such over consumption comes with accelerated growth and too high levels of dietary calcium. Limiting fat content and controlling the level of calcium in the food is the best way to minimize the risks. In contrast, small and medium breeds must receive a lot of energy, but in a small volume. They require a more concentrated diet.

In conclusion I would say: For those of you who believe that there is really no difference between a puppy and a regular adult maintenance food, do your home work and look at the formulas again. Simply looking at the Guaranteed Analysis immediately will tell you that there are major differences in mainly protein and fat content but also in fiber. Further analysis of the dry matter nutrient analysis will provide even more detailed insight.

Unless you are looking at a formula classified as being for “all life stages”, stick with the puppy food. Wait until the end of growth period (find out more from your breeder or on breed specific sites on the Internet) before switching a puppy to an adult product. And, finally, there is no disadvantage in feeding a puppy food longer than initially planned, provided the bodyweight of the dog is not excessive.

Hypoallergenic Dog and Cat Food: Sorting Through the Hype

This comment is a contribution by The Honest Kitchen. The reason why I am sharing it here on the blog is that I had this week a prospective customer calling me and I pretty much told this dog owner the same thing. He was referred to me by another customer, who’s allergic dogs are doing better now since we gradually changed their diets. This gentleman’s small breed also seems to suffer from allergies. According to the vet it is chicken. I asked him what he is feeding right now, all he knew was that it was something the vet had prescribed and sold him. And he made the effort to pick up the bag and read to me the name of the so typical scientific veterinarian prescription diet. While I explained to him, how I am handling cases like his, that I am going to analyze his current food and come up with a similar, but simply healthier alternative, this man was reading the ingredient listing on the bag for the very first time. And he kept reading it off with a loud voice, as he kept reading his voice became not just louder but also surprised, even shocked at times and the balance of our conversation related particular to this prescription diet led me to conclude that after we were done with our call he for sure phoned his vet pulling a Donald Trump “You are fired” kind of deal. I wonder if it was because the vet concluded if the dog is allergic to chicken (a conclusion he came up with based on no foundation whatsoever, never did any allergy tests, etc.) then the dog should be fed pure grain, which is what the ingredient listing of the prescription food told us. Are we talking dog or rabbit here? Maybe the vet just got it all mixed up, we all are entitled to a mistake once in a while, right?

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t know this vet, I am no vet, I never studied the vet business. I am just selling what I believe is good, ancestral, natural and what I believe is the best possible pet food. And I read about and study pet food a lot. So much as a matter of fact that I dream of pet food probably more than my dogs do. That tells you something. My place is not to provide veterinarian advice. Please refer to my disclaimer on the bottom of this blog. However, one point I want to stress is that what I have been doing over the last years for some strange reason is working. At least this is what 100% of our customers are telling me.

Maybe others know better. Now let’s see what the people of The Honest Kitchen have to say today:

“Hypoallergenic diets for dogs and cats are gaining popularity, and do offer some health benefits, but some marketing hype can mislead pet owners because pet food allergies are entirely specific to the individual pet. What is hypo-allergenic for one pet may still trigger reactions in others, and sometimes additional measures are needed to unearth the true cause.

What are pet food allergies?
There are lots of different theories about how and why pet food allergies occur. Most holistic practitioners agree that true allergic reactions are usually the result of an underlying health problem or system imbalance. All dogs and cats are exposed to a variety of allergens in daily life and never have a reaction of any kind. Pets don’t actually develop allergies as a result of exposure to allergens, but because they have suddenly become susceptible or vulnerable in some way.

Bad quality food in itself may deplete the immune system over time, because they are laden with toxins and other substances that place unnecessary burden on the body, or because they lack important nutrients, antioxidants, enzymes and so on. Many such nutrients may not be included in AAFCO nutrient profiles but are still vital for the long terms optimal health and vitality of a cat or dog. Vaccines, chemicals, medications like antibiotics or steroids, stress and genetics, can all predispose a pet to pet food allergies as well.

Pet food allergies are defined as immune system or inflammatory responses triggered off by certain foods. Other pets may not have true allergies but are still sensitive to certain ingredients, on a less severe level.
Some of the most common signs of pet food allergies include:

Itching and scratching
Dandruff or an excessively oily and odorous coat – pets eating good food that they can tolerate are shiny, non itchy and have virtually no odor.
Chronic ear infections and / or buildup of yeasty debris in the ears.
Chronic licking at the feed, often causing a red tinge to the fur on the paws
Gastrointestinal upset (intermittent or persistent diarrhea, vomiting, gas, bloating)
General lethargy and lack of interest in life – or, hyperactivity.

Allergies can also be inhalant (pollen etc) or environmental. For food allergies, many pet owners turn to so-called hypoallergenic pet food diets – with mixed results, because of several factors.

What is hypoallergenic pet food?There is no such thing as ‘hypoallergenic pet food’ in the strictest sense of the term and using the phrase in marketing and product names can be confusing and misleading. The reason is that an allergy is entirely specific to the individual animal and a food that is ‘non allergenic’ for one pet may cause sever reactions for another. Just as a cake may be labeled ‘hypoallergenic’ for most human beings because it’s made without nuts, dairy and gluten, it could cause a severe and even fatal reaction for a person with a strawberry allergy, if it is made with strawberries.

It’s true that certain ingredients have a much higher incidence of causing allergic reactions than others but the key is to uncover what your own pet can and cannot tolerate. For many pets, the most common culprits are wheat, corn, soy, rice and sugar beet pulp – as well as various preservatives.

Steps to take for pets with pet food allergies
For many lucky pets, eliminating the high-risk ingredients of wheat, corn, soy, rice and beet pulp and usually identifying single proteins that they are able to tolerates, are the only steps needed to manage pet food allergies, and they go on to be free of allergies for the rest of their lives. A hypoallergenic pet food per se, is never actually required.

For others, the problem is more complex. They may be started on various new diets made with fish or exotic meats to no avail – because their body is continuing to react to one or more ingredients that their guardian is continuing serve up.

In other cases, feeding a food that’s very minimally processed with a single protein source, can make a vast difference. Many pets seem sensitive to beef in the form of a beef flavored kibble but can actually tolerate lightly cooked hamburger or a piece of raw steak very well. High heat processing used to make kibble, can alter the amino acid structure of proteins, making them unrecognizable to the body and triggering off a pet food allergy that vanishes when the human food equivalent is fed.

Sometimes, an elimination diet or ‘feeding trial’ is needed to uncover the cause of pet food allergies. This involves feeding an extremely simplified diet for about weeks – say, fish and sweet potatoes or bison and millet - until allergies subside – and then gradually adding in one new ingredient each week thereafter, to observe for any sign of intolerance such as itching or diarrhea. Laboratory based allergy testing is another option but can be costly – and occasionally the results are inconclusive or inaccurate.
In many chronic cases, real commitment is necessary to uncover what is causing a pet food allergy. Scrutiny of the label for everything that passes your pet’s lips, including snacks and treats, is crucial. Patterns often emerge where for example, diarrhea occurs every week after a dog returns from daycare and the cause is the cookies he receives there.

In addition to determining what foods the pet cannot tolerate – and committing to avoid them long-term, detoxification and support of the immune system with herbs can be immensely helpful. Supplementation with digestive enzymes and probiotics can help get the body back on track and ensure proper absorption of the foods being fed.

Does your cat need fish?

Most people strongly associate feeding domestic cats with fish. The picture of the cat as a true fish lover is common, if you think about fishing in the goldfish bowl, the tuna addict and back alley cats snatching fish scraps from trash cans. The majority of feline products cater to this image with a wide variety of fish based flavored food and treats.

The truth is that nearly all domestic cats do indeed fancy fish, and care givers around the world eagerly accommodate this desire of their feline friends. Question is: Are we doing our cats a favor with this?

Is fish a component of the cat's natural diet?

The most up to date science of species classification based on molecular genetics as well as morphological schemes indicate, that the domestic cat is one of four sub species of the species felis silvestris. Because domestication has largely influenced and grossly altered the domestic cat's food preference, to explore the truly natural diet of felis catus we should look to the diet of its ancestors: The European wildcat or forest cat, the Asian steppe cat and the African wildcat or tawny cat [Wild Cats, Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan, IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group, Kristine Nowell and Peter Jackson, 1996, pages xxiii and 32].

When examining the diet of these three subspecies, none include fish. If we further expand our investigation to include all species of the genus felis, we come to the realization that only one of its members - the jungle cat (felis chaus) - includes fish in its diet, although still hunts predominantly rodent prey [Wild Cats, Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan, page 83] but none of the others do, including the black-footed cat (felis nigripes), the sand cat (felis margarita), and Chinese mountain cat (felis bleti) [Wild Cats, Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan, pages 8, 47, and 96]

Although a diet including or consisting of fish is not natural for the domestic cat, could a diet of fish nonetheless meet the nutritional needs of the cat?

Canned Tuna is among the most popular food stuff to feed to companion cats, because cats are very fond of it. It is not uncommon for cats, that regularly receive tuna, to refuse all other foods. Cats displaying this addiction-like behavior are often referred to by Veterinarians as "tuna junkies".

Feeding a mainstay of canned tuna is long known to cause diseases of dietary origin. One of the most prevailing diseases afflicting "tuna junkies" is Steatitis or Yellow Fat Disease - an inflammation of the fat tissue in the body due to a deficiency of vitamin E. A vitamin E deficiency is usually the result of feeding tuna, or any canned fish, packed in vegetable oil. These products are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids which oxidate vitamin E, besides being a poor source of vitamin E to begin with. Currently, a diet consisting of large amount of any type of fish is considered the most common cause of this syndrome, [The Cornell Book of Cats, by the Faculty, Staff, and Associates of the Cornell Feline Health Centre, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, second edition 1997, page 93]
Canned fish - tuna or other, packed in water or oil - is not a complete diet for cats. Although it is high in protein, it does not supply the cat with sufficient amounts of certain amino acids, mainly taurine, to maintain health. The Calcium to Phosphorus ratio in canned tuna is 1:14.8 [USDA Nutritional database for standard Reference, release 13] - providing the cat with too little Calcium to balance Phosphorus, resulting in bone disease caused by a loss of Calcium in the bone due to a deficiency of this mineral in the diet. [The Cornell Book of Cats, page 79] The only canned fish providing sufficient Calcium is salmon with bones.

Also, many essential vitamins are not provided in sufficient amounts through a diet of canned fish, such as vitamin A and most B vitamins, like Thiamin, Riboflavin. Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B-12 [USDA Nutritional database] Last but not least, canned fish is high in sodium, possibly providing the cat with too much of this mineral.

Raw, whole fish: Much of the nutritional deficient nature of canned fish can be contributed to the way it was processed. Many nutrients are sensitive to heat, and cooking or canning reduces levels of or even eliminates some nutrients in foods. Also, many nutrients are concentrated in various organs and body parts - like vitamin A in liver and Calcium in bone - and carnivores are provided with a complete diet by consuming the entire prey. Therefore, would a diet consisting of whole, raw fish be adequate for cats? Many feral cats in the Mediterranean do indeed supplement their diet considerably with whole, raw fish, but unfortunately, no statistics are available about their health status. The population appear to be thriving, which may be contributed to the fact that these cats mainly hunt rodents despite the generous availability of fish. [Cats in the Sun, Hans Silvester, 1995]

It seems that the idea of raw, whole fish is not entirely without problems. An enzyme found in all raw fish, called thiaminase, can destroy vitamin B-1 (Thiamin), leading to neurological disorders accompanied by a general physical wasting due to loss of appetite. [The Cornell Book of Cats, page 93] This enzyme can be destroyed by cooking the food, which however reduces overall nutritional density of the food itself as well.

Fish, cooked or raw, as part of a supplemented diet: Initially, when evaluating fish meat as a base for a feline diet, species like saltwater halibut and freshwater rainbow trout appear to be nutritionally adequate in all the essential amino acids and fatty acids - when raw or cooked [USDA Nutritional data Base]. Supplementation could provide for correct amounts of Calcium within the right ratio with Phosphorus, and could bring levels of vitamins - such as vitamin A, D, E, and complex B, to optimal levels. However, fish meat seems to contain insufficient amounts of the trace minerals iron, zinc, copper, and manganese, making fish meat in the end an unsuitable choice as a base for a staple feline diet, because it would require unreasonable supplementation [Nutrient requirement of Cats, National Research Council, revised edition].

Summary:
Although our feline companions seem have a real taste for all things fishy, fish is in fact not a natural food for the species. Obviously it is the scent that makes these foods so appealing to felines, perhaps triggering some instinctive craving, not unlike a human's craving for greasy, baked goods. However, it could just as well be a learned taste preference. Many domestic cats raised in close contact with humans have exposure to fish from early on, predominantly through commercial foods containing fish meal as a protein source, as well as treats and table scraps (a large percentage of domestic shorthair cats raise by Feline Future without previous contact to fish as food, will not eat fish when presented with it experimentally). Also, the stereotype teaches people that cats like fish, who then feed their cats fish, and the cats in turn prove their care giver right by developing a taste for it. That cats don't only eat what is good for them, but also posses the ability to learn taste preferences is indisputable. Every day in households all over the world the true carnivore cat behaves very much like an omnivore, stealing muffins and bread, or indulges in fruit and vegetables, often even ingesting things outright harmful like chocolate or tomatoes.

Care givers have to accept that no favor is done for the cat by feeding fish as a main staple. Fish, no matter if whole, dressed, raw, cooked, or canned will cause nutritional deficiency of some kind, which in turn will eventually lead to serious disease.

If fish is to be included in the meal plan of the domestic cat, one may only do so sparingly as treats, or to entice a sick cat to eat. Other than that, the story of fish and cats shall remain a fairytale.

Source: Natascha Wille, Owner and founder of Feline Future, the maker of Feline Instincts, a great pre-mix for cats, which the company unfortunately does not allow us to sell in our on-line store. We wonder why even in the year 2009 on-line stores are still being viewed as something bad and something certain manufacturers do not want to be associated with. Based on our experience, it cannot be customer service and product knowledge, 2 factors why 99% of our customers come shopping at our store, which is truly unique in that regard. But maybe these people don’t know that yet. I wonder if that all will change when even these companies realize that on-line stores are just an important part of everybody’s life, are here to stay and as a matter of fact will sell more product than all brick & mortar stores combined.

Pet Food Ingredients de-mystified: Sweet potato still a questionable novel (?) protein source

The sweet potato has become an increasingly popular ingredient in specialty petfoods. However, according to Dr. Greg Aldrich, PhD and President of Pet Food & Ingredient Technology Inc., which facilitates innovations in foods and ingredients for pet, it’s use in pet foods has not been ewll researched yet. In an article for the PetFoodIndustry.com, an on-line magazine for pet food professionals, he writes:

“In the ever widening search for novel pet food ingredients, one candidate was literally right under our feet. That is, until the last couple of years, when sweet potatoes became the "darling carb" of new products and increasingly popular in specialty pet foods. For example, sweet potatoes can now be found in:
Elimination diets for the treatment of food hypersensitivities/allergies (e.g., salmon & sweet potato);
As an option for pet owners wanting to provide variety (e.g., sweet potato vs. corn or rice);
As an ingredient in the new no-grain and raw formulas; and
As a novelty in boutique and ultrapremium petfoods.

However, almost nothing has been published regarding sweet potato nutrition or usage in companion animal diets. Given we are starting from scratch, what information is available?

Not even a potato?
Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) originated in the equatorial forests of the Americas (Peru and Ecuador) and have been cultivated for 5,000 years. They made their way to Europe following the explorations of Columbus and then on to Asia in the 16th century. Today, global sweet potato production is ranked fifth by weight, with more than 95% produced by developing countries. This is in part because sweet potatoes are well suited for cultivation on small free holding farms in tropical climates.

Partially due to agronomic and visual similarities between sweet potatoes and yams, there's confusion about the names, but the two are not actually related. The yam (Dioscorea spp) is a monocot tuber that originates from Africa and Asia, whereas the sweet potato is a dicot storage root from the Convolvulaceae (morning glory) family.

In fact, despite its name, the sweet potato is not even related to the potato (Solanum tuberosum). The "Irish" potato is a member of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, which includes tomatoes, red peppers and eggplants and originates in the Andean mountain chain of South America. While the yam, potato and sweet potato are all root crops, the yam and potato taste bland and starchy and contain insignificant amounts of carotenoids. The sweet potato, as the name implies, is sweet to the taste, and the orange varieties are high in beta carotene.

That sweet taste
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 21, raw sweet potato (edible portion only) is mostly water (>77%) and carbohydrate (20%). On a moisture-free basis, the carbohydrate fraction is mostly starch (55%) and dietary fiber (13%), with the remainder soluble sugars. The protein level is comparable to other tubers and grains (~7%), fat is insignificant (< 0.5%) and ash (~4.4%) is a tad higher than other starch sources. The sweet potato represents a decent source of potassium (~1.5%) and is enriched with beta carotene (375 ppm) to a level nearly 60% that of carrots.
The sweet taste of sweet potatoes is developed by the enzymatic production of maltose from starch. Maltose is a disaccharide-reducing sugar composed of two glucose units in a 1-4 linkage and has a mildly sweet taste. Maltose content in the fresh, raw sweet potato is negligible; however, during storage and, more importantly, cooking, carbohydrate hydrolysis occurs. As cooking temperatures exceed the gelatinization temperature (~75˚C), starch is hydrolyzed to amylose by β-amylase; then β-amylase converts the amylose to maltose.

These enzymes are stable long enough during normal cooking processes for the hydrolysis to occur before inactivation at around 95˚C. The variety of sweet potato, storage conditions and cooking practices all influence the production of maltose. Baking is more effective at increasing the maltose concentration than is boiling (canning). The degree to which maltose would evolve during extrusion was not found in the literature. However, one could surmise that the brief residence time in conditioning and extrusion during kibble production would limit maltose development.

Sweet potatoes in pet food are well liked by dogs and are neutral on palatability for cats. Although the sweet potato, like any other plant ingredient, contains some anti nutritional components (e.g., trypsin inhibitors), these are not identified as an issue. Further, there are no case studies available on dogs or cats in which toxicity, intolerances or sensitivities are an issue.

Processing and sourcing
Unlike other root crops that store well, sweet potatoes have a limited shelf life. For this reason, their cultivation is timed so they can be sold fresh, or they are harvested in a "campaign" and frozen, canned or dried to chips or flour.

In canned pet foods, raw sweet potatoes can be chopped to incorporate into the batter. Upon canning, sweet potatoes will retain most of their shape but become soft in texture. In dry pet food applications, fresh sweet potatoes can be a bit more of a handling issue as they must be ground and managed with the slurry, similar to other fresh ingredients like meats, fruits and vegetables.

The other option is sourcing dry sweet potato as a chip, flake or flour. At present, sourcing chips or flakes seems more common, although sweet potato flour is reportedly used as a wheat flour extender during times of scarcity.

Sweet potato as an ingredient is not currently defined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, so the name likely follows the nomenclature of the common name or USDA standards. Cost is a substantial challenge: Sweet potatoes can run five to 10 times the cost of common grains.

Like other novel ingredients used in pet foods, sweet potato will likely have a long term fit. But this will be limited by the availability of animal specific nutritional information and a more pet food friendly supply infrastructure.

Names and stories
In North America, the sweet potato is often (mistakenly) called a yam. There are several stories as to why. In one, slaves of the US's antebellum South mistook sweet potatoes for the yams of their native Africa and called them nyami. Another story goes that over eager marketers in the 1930s, attempting to differentiate their sweet potatoes from another, incorrectly labeled theirs as yams and the name stuck.

Enough confusion still exists that today the USDA requires products sold as yams (which are actually sweet potatoes) to carry the extra "sweet potato" identification. But, by whichever name they are labeled, sweet potatoes, not yams, are the more commonly available ingredient for pet food applications.”

Browsing today’s pet column in the local news paper: Drugs or nutrition to fight disease? Cushing’s Disease & Diabetes

Chipping away on my pile of pet column articles in my daily Palm Beach Post today I would like to address some advice given by Dr. Michael Fox and others I followed in the paper. Today let’s get started with how to fight diseases like Cushing’s disease and, since it came up in this particular incident, diabetes. Let’s dive right into it:
This reader’s dog, a 9 year old Manchester Terrier recently was diagnosed with Cushing’s Syndrome. This woman reports that her vet initially diagnosed the dog with having diabetes. It was only later, when on one day she visited her daughter and went to her daughter’s vet to follow up with the dog’s insulin dosages that another opinion alerted her to the fact that the dog was actually suffering not from diabetes but from Cushing’s. That vet started the dog out on Anipryl and in less than a month all the symptoms such as excessive appetite, potbelly, heavy panting and listlessness disappeared. Apparently following her vets’ advice she continues to give insulin as well as the first vet will not admit that he possibly came up with a wrong diagnosis and insists that the dog has diabetes. The second vet agrees by saying that could be part of the Cushing’s. Further blood tests revealed a significant drop of alkaline phosphatase (from 1183 down to 596). After a few months of treatment that level rose back up to 780. An increased Anipryl dosage to 20 mg finally got it back up to 1100. However now the owner is concerned about overdosing. She also is confused by the vet’s statement , who says one has to go by the disease symptoms and not by the blood chemistry.
This once again is a typical example how some vets make a pet owner’s life difficult by confusing them instead of explaining in simple terms what the problem is and how it will be treated. This poor woman now even has it worst by being caught between 2 vets at the same time. Maybe she should just go, look a third time and hopefully end up finally finding one reliable one. Instead, the woman decided to write to Dr. Michael Fox, D.V.M., let’s see what he has to say:
“Diabetes, hyper- or hypothyroidism and hyper-adrenalism (Cushing’s disease) are all too common endocrine diseases.”
Got that? I have to be honest, I only did because I am dealing with all of this on a more regular basis than Joe, no, not the plumber, but the average pet owner. We just cannot assume everybody knows what diabetes is about. So here we go, a little search on the Internet had me end up at the website of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) from where I got directed to “Pet Diabetes Month” website. Kind of providing a quick crash course on the subject matter, according to these guys:
“Diabetes mellitus, the clinical name for “sugar diabetes,” is a disease that affects the level of glucose (a simple sugar that is the major source of energy for many organisms) in your dog’s blood. Diabetes results when the dog’s body makes too little insulin (a hormone secreted by the pancreas that helps cells absorb glucose from the bloodstream) or doesn’t process insulin properly. Insulin affects how your dog’s body uses food. When your dog eats, food is broken down into very small components its body can use. One component, carbohydrate, is converted into several types of simple sugars, including glucose. Glucose is absorbed from the intestines into the blood, then travels to cells throughout the body. Inside cells, insulin helps turn glucose into fuel. If there’s too little insulin available, glucose can’t enter cells and can build up to poisonous levels in the bloodstream. As a result, a diabetic dog may want to eat constantly, but will be malnourished because its cells can’t absorb glucose.
Canine diabetes is quite common, about one dog in 500 develops diabetes and that number is increasing.
Any dog could develop diabetes, but certain breeds are more likely to develop the condition. These breeds appear to be at greater risk for developing canine diabetes: Cocker spaniels, Dachshunds, Doberman pinschers, German shepherds, Golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, Pomeranians, Terriers and Toy poodles. Diabetes typically occurs when dogs are between 4 to 14 years old. Unspayed female dogs are twice as likely as males to suffer from diabetes.
Explanation of some common terms pet owners are likely to encounter: Polyuria is the production of large amounts of urine in a given period, such as per day. Polydipsia is the medical term for excessive thirst, usually noticed when a pet seems to be drinking excessive amounts of water. Polyphagia refers to eating more food than usual per day or eating more frequently.
Dogs with diabetes mellitus drink more water and urinate more than normal. They usually have good or increased appetites but may nonetheless be losing weight. Other common diseases with these signs include Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism) and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). To diagnose diabetes,the veterinarian will measure your dog’s blood glucose level and test the dog’s urine for glucose and ketones (acids that appear in urine when there is an insulin shortage and the body is using fat instead of glucose for energy. High ketone levels in the blood can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, which can cause coma and even death. )
Aggressive treatment of diabetes in dogs is relatively new. Not many years ago, diabetic dogs would have gone undiagnosed and would have died at a young age, either from the disease or euthanasia. Consequently, a very short life span for known diabetic dogs is usually quoted in textbooks (two to five years after diagnosis). Also, keep in mind that many dogs are diagnosed with diabetes later in life, so a two- to five-year life expectancy may be near their natural life span. If a diabetic dog has well-managed blood glucose levels and it doesn’t develop other health problems, it should have a normal life expectancy.
Similarities between human and canine diabetese: The two conditions are very similar. In fact, your veterinarian will be using medication, equipment and monitoring systems that are similar to those used for diabetic people.
Diabetes is one of many diseases that can affect your dog and can cause visible changes in behavior and other signs. That’s why it is important that your dog be thoroughly examined by a veterinarian at least once a year or more frequently as your veterinarian advises. “

Now let’s see if we can get the same on the others:
According to PetEducation.com, the Dr’s. Foster and Smith Research website: “ Hypothyroidism is a common problem in dogs. The thyroid gland has a number of different functions, but it is most known for its role in regulating metabolism. Hypothyroidism is the condition that occurs when not enough thyroid hormone is produced. Hypothyroidism causes a wide variety of symptoms, but is often suspected in dogs that have trouble with weight gain or obesity and suffer from hair loss and skin problems. Hypothyroidism is easy to diagnose with a blood test that checks the level of various thyroid hormones including T3 and T4. Many dogs suffer from a low thyroid hormone level for years without treatment. If your dog has chronic recurrent skin problems, she may be suffering from hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism results from the impaired production and secretion of thyroid hormone. The production of thyroid hormone is influenced by the pituitary gland, the hypothalamus, and the thyroid gland. Although dysfunction anywhere in the complicated hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid pathway can result in hypothyroidism, more than 95% of all cases occur as a result of destruction of the thyroid gland. About half of the causes of thyroid gland destruction are suspected to be caused by the dog's own immune system killing the cells of the thyroid gland. The other half is caused by atrophy of the thyroid tissue and resultant infiltration of the tissue by fat. The cause for this form of the disease is unknown.
Although the onset of clinical signs is variable, hypothyroidism most commonly develops in middle-aged dogs between the ages of 4 to 10 years. The disorder usually affects mid to large size breeds of dogs, and is rare in toy and miniature breeds of dogs. Breeds that appear to be predisposed to developing the condition include the Golden Retriever, Doberman Pinscher, Irish Setter, Miniature Schnauzer, Dachshund, Cocker Spaniel, and Airedale Terrier. German Shepherds and mixed breeds appear to be at a reduced risk of contracting the disease. There does not appear to be a sex predilection but spayed females appear to develop it more often than intact females.”

The College of Veterinary Medicine at the Washington State University explains Cushing’s disease as follows: “The overproduction of the hormone cortisol by the adrenal glands that are located in the belly near the kidneys. Cushing's disease occurs commonly in dogs… Most dogs with Cushing’s disease are about 6 years old or older but sometimes Cushing's disease occurs in younger dogs. Cortisol affects the function of many organs in the body, so the signs of Cushing’s disease may be varied. Some of the more common signs of Cushing’s disease include hair loss, pot-bellied appearance, increased appetite, and increased drinking and urination called polydipsia and polyuria (PU/PD). Hair loss caused by Cushing’s disease occurs primarily on the body, sparing the head and legs. The skin is not usually itchy as it is with other skin diseases. If you pick up a fold of skin on a dog with Cushing’s disease, you may notice that the skin is thinner than normal. The pet may have fragile blood vessels and may bruise easily.
Less common signs of Cushing’s disease are weakness, panting, and an abnormal way of walking (stiff or standing or walking with the paws knuckled over). Some dogs with Cushing’s disease develop a blood clot to the lungs and show a rapid onset of difficulty breathing.
Dogs that are given prednisone or similar drugs can develop signs that look like Cushing’s disease (called iatrogenic Cushing’s).
There are two types of Cushing’s disease that are treated differently. The most common form of Cushing’s disease is caused by the overproduction of a hormone by the pituitary gland in the brain that in turn controls the amount of cortisol produced by the adrenal glands. This is called pituitary-dependent Cushing’s. A small percentage of dogs with Cushing’s disease have a tumor of one of the adrenal glands which is called adrenal-dependent Cushing’s.There is no single test to diagnose Cushing’s disease. The history, physical exam, and results of initial blood and urine tests often provide a strong suspicion for the presence of Cushing’s disease. Laboratory tests that are most commonly altered by Cushing’s disease are an increase in white blood cell count, increase in the liver enzyme ALP (also called SAP or serum alkaline phosphatase), increased blood sugar (although not as high as the blood sugar levels of diabetic patients), increased cholesterol and dilute urine. …..The large amount of cortisol in the body suppresses the immune system and allows the pet with Cushing’s disease to get bacterial infections. The most common location for infection is the bladder. Pets with Cushing’s disease may have a silent bladder infection meaning they don’t show signs of having the infection such as straining to urinate. A culture of the urine may be necessary to diagnose the infection.
X-rays of the belly often show a large liver. Occasionally the x-ray will show calcium in the area of one of the adrenal glands that is suggestive of an adrenal tumor. Ultrasound of the belly may show enlargement of both adrenal glands in pets with pituitary-dependent Cushing’s or enlargement of just one of the adrenal glands in pets with an adrenal tumor. The adrenal glands are NOT always seen during an ultrasound exam in pets with Cushing’s. In some pets with an adrenal tumor, the tumor can be seen growing into large blood vessels close to the adrenal gland or spread from the tumor may be seen in the liver.
….. The treatment of the most common type of Cushing’s disease (pituitary-dependent) is lifelong oral medication. ….. The prognosis for pituitary-dependent Cushing’s disease with treatment is usually good. Some signs will disappear quickly and others gradually. Appetite and water consumption usually return to normal in a few weeks where as full return of the fur may take several months.”

Now, after we got all that straight, I guess these explanations make it little more understandable why the vets in the case of our Terrier came up with confusing diagnostic results, it looks like all the disease have a lot of symptoms in common and one may even be the cause of another one. So let’s get back to Dr. Fox, who, with what he said had it all right. He continues: “There are multiple causes that can be difficult to avoid with the wide spread incidence of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the environment and in food and water.”

Wait a second: Endocrine disrupting chemicals?
The endocrine system is a system of small organs that involve the release of extracellular signaling molecules known as hormones. The endocrine system is instrumental in regulating metabolism, … and tissue function …. Endocrine disruptors (sometimes also referred to as hormonally active agents) are exogenous substances that act like hormones in the endocrine system and disrupt the physiologic function of endogenous hormones. Studies have linked endocrine disruptors to adverse biological effects in animals… … there has been concern that chemicals in the environment might exert profound and deleterious effects on wildlife populations, and that human health is inextricably linked to the health of the environment.
Although researchers had studied the endocrine effects of chemicals in the past, the term endocrine disruptor was coined in 1991 …. stated that environmental chemicals disrupt the development of the endocrine system, and that effects of exposure during development are permanent.
Endocrine disrupting compounds encompass a variety of chemical classes, including hormones, plant constituents, pesticides, compounds used in the plastics industry and in consumer products, and other industrial by-products and pollutants. Some are pervasive and widely dispersed in the environment. Some are persistent organic pollutants (POP's), and can be transported long distances across national boundaries and have been found in virtually all regions of the world. … All communication within the body is facilitated by the either the nervous system or the endocrine system. The nervous system transmits sensory messages to the brain and enables quick responses to sudden environmental events. Typically, these responses involve physical adjustments to avoid something harmful, such as intense heat. The endocrine system regulates adjustments through slower internal processes, using hormones as messengers. The endocrine system secretes hormones in response to environmental stimuli and to orchestrate developmental and reproductive changes. The adjustments brought on by the endocrine system are biochemical, changing the cell's internal and external chemistry to bring about a long term change in the body. These systems work together to maintain the proper functioning of the body through its entire life cycle.
The theory of endocrine disruption posits that low-dose exposure to chemicals that interact with hormone receptors can interfere with reproduction, development, and other hormonally mediated processes. Furthermore, since endogenous hormones are typically present in the body relatively tiny concentrations, the theory holds that exposure to relatively small amounts of exogenous hormonally active substances can disrupt the proper functioning of the body's endocrine system. Thus, an endocrine disruptor might be able to elicit adverse effects at a much lower doses than a toxicant acting through a different mechanism.” (Source: Wikipedia “Endocrine System”, Wikipedia “Endocrine disruptor” )

Dr. Fox concludes: “Cushing’s disease often develops after dogs have been treated with long term prednisone for allergies. These are usually to food, often with an underlying “leaky gut” syndrome that could be brought on by the harm done to the intestinal wall by such food ingredients as corn, wheat and soy gluten. Non specific changes in organ function (such as liver enzyme readings) indicate that various organ systems are being affected and the heart and digestive system are often affected by endocrine disease.
Discuss changing your dog’s diet with your veterinarian and giving the following beneficial and protective supplements: Probiotics, prebiotics, Vitamin B-complex, COQ10, hemp or flax seed oil, milk thistle, Vitamin E and methionine.”

Here we go: Another incident clearly showing that some of the feeds available to pet owners these days may cause one or another disease. Now let’s see, the Dr. says “discuss with your veterinarian”. What is he going to recommend? Most likely a prescription diet. Which one remains to be seen, I guess it depends on the vet’s preference and with which manufacturer he is set up. As Arnold would have said: “Hear me now, believe me later”, I would say take that kind of vet advice with a large grain of salt, chances are there are not too many changes to be expected (which, after all, I cannot help it to believe, is what they want). Make sure to analyze the prescription food very closely, often pet owners are surprised by the results of an independent food review. To prove my point here, just for fun I picked to prescription diet formulas. No names here, two different products, 2 manufacturers, both formulas supposed to be designed to help with diabetes. Here are the first 10 ingredients for the products I picked:
Product A: Ground Whole Grain Corn, Powdered Cellulose 17.1% (source of fiber), Chicken by-product Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Soybean Mill Run, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Oil, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Meal, Iron Oxide
Product B: Rice, ground corn, chicken meal, powdered cellulose, corn gluten meal, wheat, natural flavors, chicken fat, rice hulls, monocalcium phosphate. What did Dr. Fox just talk about? “…harm done to the intestinal wall by such food ingredients as corn, wheat and soy gluten.”? Do you believe me now? Do you know what I like the most: Dr. Michael Fox is a veterinarian. Awesome, after all some of them still seem to be on the right side of the fence…, that is, where the healthy animals are.

Dry food storage affecting your dog’s health?

Keeping an open bag of dry dog food for weeks in your kitchen or garage will cause changes in the food that may lead to serious health problems. Learn how to properly store dry dog foods to help your dogs and cats live longer.
Would you keep a loaf of bread in your kitchen for 39 days?
We hope not. That’s how long the typical opened bag of dog food lasts. This lengthy storage time and often poor storage conditions lead to nutrient degradation, oxidation of fats, and infestation by molds, mites and other food spoilers. One in three dogs dies of cancer, and we think improper storage at home is a major contributing factor.
Dry dog foods usually have a one-year “shelf life.” That means the food is “good” for up to one year after the manufacturing date. Many dry foods stamp a “best if used by” date on the package. This applies only to unopened bags.
High-quality dog food companies use bags that provide protection from oxygen and moisture. If the bag is intact, not enough oxygen and moisture can migrate into the food in one year to cause significant oxidation or microbial growth problems. Though there are problems which can occur between the manufacture of food and the customer opening the bag, it’s what happens after the bag is opened that we are most concerned with in this article.
What happens after you open the bag of dog food
As soon as you open a bag of food, oxygen, moisture, light, mold spores, storage mites, and other potential spoilers enter the bag.
Oxidation of fats
Oxydized fats may cause cancer and contribute to many chronic health problems in humans. The same is true for dogs.
Dog food companies use antioxidants (sometimes vitamin E and other natural sources) to forestall oxidation. Every time the bag is opened, oxygen enters. Eventually the antioxidants are all oxidized (used up) and some of the fats are damaged, starting with the more fragile omega –3 fatty acids, which the better pet food companies now add to their foods.
Degradation of all micronutrients
Vitamins particularly susceptible to oxidation and damage due to long term room temperature storage include vitamin A, thiamin, most forms of folate, some forms of vitamin B6 (pyridoxal),vitamin C, and pantothenic acid. The nutrition in the food at the bottom of a bag left open 39 days will be considerably less than the nutrition in the top of the bag. The fresher the better.
Molds and mycotoxins
Storing open bags of dry dog food for 39 days in warm, humid areas (most kitchens) promotes the growth of molds. Some of the waste products of these molds (mycotoxins) are increasingly being implicated as long-term causes of cancer and other health problems in humans, poultry, pigs and other animals. Dogs are particularly susceptible to these toxins (1).
When dry dog foods absorb moisture from the surrounding air, the antimicrobials used by most manufacturers to delay mold growth can be overwhelmed(2), and mold can grow. The molds that consume dry pet foods include the aspergillus flavus mold, which produces aflatoxin B 1, the most potent naturally occurring carcinogenic substance known (3).
You can’t see low levels of mold, and most dogs can’t taste it.(4) While many dogs have died shortly after eating mycotoxin-contaminated foods (5), mycotoxins kill most dogs slowly by suppressing the immune system and creating long-term health problems in all organs of the body(6) .
Infestation
Bugs, storage mites, mice, and other unpleasant invaders thrive on dry dog food. Recent research has shown that allergic dogs are frequently allergic to the carcasses of storage mites, which may infest grains, especially those grains used in low cost dry dog foods.
Here are our recommendations:
Keep food in its original bag, even if you use a container. Plastics can leach vitamin C out of the food. The components of the plastics themselves may leach into the food. Rancid fat which lodges in the pores of plastics that are not food-grade will contaminate new batches of food.
Buy small, fresh bags of food; only enough to last 7 days. Look for manufacturing or “best if used by” dates on the bag. If you don’t see one, or can’t understand the code, write the manufacturer and ask where it is or how to interpret their codes.
Keep food dry . If the food looks moist, throw it away.
Keep larger bags in the freezer. This is the only way we think large quantities of food may be kept safely.
If the food has off color, throw it away.
If the food smells rancid or like paint, throw the food away.
If your dog says no, do not force her to eat.
Don’t buy bags that are torn.
Follow these simple recommendations and you will radically reduce the deadly toxins your dog or cat encounters. May your Spot live a long, healthy life.
Notes:
1. Bingham, Phillips, and Bauer. “Potential for dietary protection against the effects of aflatoxins in animals” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 222, No. 5. March 1, 2003. 593.
2. The data we’ve seen from manufacturers of antimicrobials shows that after four days at above 12% moisture mold growth starts.
3. From Science News, Vol 155, No 4, January 23, 1999 p 63.
4. Hughes, Graham & Grieb “Overt Signs of Toxicity to Dogs and Cats of Dietary Deoxynivalenol”, Journal of Animal Sciences, 1999. 77: 699-700.
5. Chafee and Himes, “Aflatoxicosis in Dogs,” American Journal of Veterinary Research, Vol 30, No 10, October 1969, p 1748.
6. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa, USA Mycotoxins: Risks in Plant, Animal, and Human Systems January 2003 32.

Contributed and © Steve Brown and Beth Taylor Authors of See Spot Live Longer

Looking for a nutritional consultant for your dog?

Should you set up blind taste tests for your dog? Ask your vet what to feed your dog? Go with what your dog walker, groomer, trainer, friend or neighbor suggests? Choose whichever product some magazine or Internet blog says to feed?
Only if you have answered all of these questions with a clear “No”, you got it right. Nancy Kerns in her article “How to Choose Dog Food” for the Whole Dog Journal (WDJ) says:
“No one is in a better position than you are to decide which dog food you should feed your dog. You are uniquely well qualified to select the best food for your dog. That may not be what you wanted to hear. You may have been hoping that someone would reveal to you the name of the world’s healthiest food, so you could just buy that and have it done with.”
That is just where the problem starts: We constantly are looking for an easy way out, the most convenient way with the smallest amount of effort required on our part. This is why there is dry and canned food. Because it is convenient. Pet food manufacturers marketing their products to mass merchandising and grocery markets are taking advantage of our desire for convenience. It has become such a big money maker for them that they got greedy and decided not just to sell it in high volume, but also in low cost, low quality versions with to say the least, sometimes very questionable ingredients. Resulting in the fact that this kind of pet food now has become the largest contributor to pandemic diseases in our companion animals. Sorry for the interruption but I couldn’t help it.
Nancy continues: “However, dogs, just like people, are individuals. What works for this dog will not work for that one. A Pointer who goes jogging with his marathon-running owner every day needs a lot more calories than the Golden Retriever who watches TV all day. The diet that contains enough fat to keep that sled dog warm through an Alaskan winter would kill that Miniature Poodle who suffers from pancreatitis. The commercial kibble that stopped my Border Collie’s itching and scratching in its tracks may cause your Bedlington Terrier to develop copper storage disease.
Every dog food on the market contains different ingredients, and each one has the potential to cause symptoms of allergy or intolerance in some dogs. Every dog food contains a different ratio of macronutrients protein, fat, and carbohydrates and you have to learn by trial and error which ratio works best for your dog. Each product contains varying amounts of vitamins and minerals, and though most fall within the ranges considered acceptable by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), some may be in excess of, or deficient to your dog’s needs.
So how do you choose?
The starting placeWell, you have to start somewhere, and you undoubtedly have. Your dog is eating something already. We hope it is a food that meets WDJ’s selection criteria outlined annually in the February issue. We highlight a number of dog foods on our “approved” list, but consider any food that meets our selection criteria to be as good as the ones on our list. Our goal is to help you identify the dog foods with the best-quality ingredients whole meats, vegetables, fruits, and grains, and high-quality sources of dietary fat to get you into the right “ballpark” in terms of quality. Then you have to start individualized feeding trials on your dog.
Start by assessing your dog’s health. Take a sheet of paper and make a list with two columns: One for health problems, and one for health assets. Any conditions for which the dog receives veterinary care or medications go in the “problems” column. Other conditions that should be listed here include bad breath, teeth that are prone to tartar buildup, chronically goopy eyes, infection-prone or stinky ear, a smelly, greasy, flaky, or thinning coat, itchy paws, excessive gas, recurrent diarrhea, constipation, or incontinence, repeated infestations of worms or fleas, low or excessive energy; and a sudden onset of antisocial or aggressive dog behavior.
In the health assets column, list all the health characteristics that your dog has in her favor, such as fresh breath, clean teeth, bright eyes, clean ears, a lack of itching, a glossy coat, problem-free elimination, a normal appetite and energy level, and a good attitude.
If there are a lot more assets on your list than problems and the problems are minor, you may have already found a diet that works well for your dog. However, if your list reveals a lot more problems than assets, your dog is a good candidate for a change of diet in addition to an examination and some guidance from a good holistic veterinarian!
Now look at the food you are currently feeding your dog. Note the food’s ingredients, as well as its protein and fat levels, and its caloric content. Write all of this down, so you can make logical adjustments if need be.
Nutritional management of diseaseJust two decades ago, it was considered fairly radical to propose that canine diseases could be treated, at least in part, by manipulating the patients’ diets. Today, the increasing availability of “prescription” diets is the big story in the pet food industry. As stated by the editors in the preface of the fourth edition (2000) of Small Animal Clinical Nutrition (the nutrition bible for most veterinarians):
“This is truly an exciting time for those involved in the discipline of clinical nutrition because of the veterinary profession’s increased understanding of the role of nutrition in health and disease management, pet owners’ continued interest in receiving the best nutritional information for their pets and the recent proliferation of commercially available therapeutic foods. Our ability to improve the quality of life for pets and their
If your dog has any sort of disease or an inherited propensity for disease, ask your veterinarian about the benefits of nutritional therapy to help treat or prevent the disease. Do not settle for the suggestion of a commercial “prescription” diet; most of them are formulated with lower-quality ingredients. Instead, ask what specifically in the diet has been manipulated to be beneficial for your dog. Then, see if you can find a product that offers the same benefits and better-quality ingredients. The best example is a “kidney” diet for dogs with kidney failure. The goal is to feed these patients a diet with a moderate level of very high-quality protein and low amounts of phosphorus (see “When to Say No to Low-Protein,” WDJ, May 2005). An intelligently formulated home-prepared diet can do a far better job of accomplishing these goals than the commercial diets on the market.
You should also do some research on your own to determine what dietary changes might help your dog. A good starting place is Donald R. Strombeck’s Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: The Healthful Alternative Dr. Strombeck details strategies for changing the dog’s diet to treat and/or prevent gastrointestinal, skin, skeletal and joint, renal, urinary, endocrine, heart, pancreatic, and hepatic disease.
Other diseases that can be improved with dietary management include:
Allergy or intolerance. There are a number of breeds that are particularly susceptible to food allergies, including Cocker Spaniels, Dalmatians, English Springer Spaniels, Labrador Retrievers, Lhasa Apsos, Miniature Schnauzers, and more. Again, it is important to keep a record of what foods you feed your dog, what they contain, and how your dog looks and feels. If your records indicate that one or more ingredients trigger bad reactions in your dog, seek out foods that do not contain those ingredients in any amount. (See “Walking the Allergy Maze,” WDJ August 2004 and “Diet Makes the Difference,” WDJ May 2001.)
Cancer. High fat, low-carbohydrate (or carb-free) diets are ideal for cancer patients. Cancer cells use carbs for energy, and do not easily utilize fat, so you can effectively “starve” the cancer cells while providing extra energy to your dog with a diet rich in a high-quality fat sources. (See “Feed the Dog, Starve the Cancer,” WDJ November 2003.)
Inherited metabolism disorders. Some breeds are prone to diseases with a strong dietary influence. For example, the West Highland White Terrier and the Cocker Spaniel have an inherited tendency to suffer from copper buildup in the liver; these dogs should eat a diet formulated with low levels of copper. Malamutes and Siberian Huskies can inherit a zinc metabolism disorder, and require a high-zinc diet (or zinc supplements).
Ask your veterinarian (and reliable breeders) about your dog’s breed-related nutritional requirements. In addition, contact the manufacturer of your dog’s food for the expanded version of the food’s nutrient levels. Pet food makers are not required to print the levels of every nutrient on their labels, but should make this information available to you upon request.
Caloric considerationsAnother thing you have to consider is the caloric content of the food you choose. If the food you select for your dog is energy-dense, and your dog is a couch potato, you may have to cut her daily ration considerably to prevent her from getting fat. Some dogs respond to forced dieting with begging, counter-surfing, and garbage raiding. If your dog is one of these, you may have to seek out a high-fiber, low-calorie food one that may not necessarily contain the highest-quality protein or fat sources on the market to keep your dog feeling contentedly full without getting fat.
Dogs exhibit a wide range of energy requirements. You may have to seek out a higher- or lower-calorie food based on the following attributes that can affect your dog’s energy needs:
Activity level. The more a dog exercises the more energy he needs to consume to maintain his condition; it is that simple.
Growth. Growing puppies have higher energy requirements than adult dogs. A food with a higher protein level, but a moderate (not high) fat level is ideal. Obese puppies are far more prone to degenerative joint disease especially in large and giant breeds than puppies with a normal or slim physique.
Age. The age at which a dog becomes a senior citizen varies from breed to breed, with larger dogs considered geriatric at earlier ages. Older dogs typically require fewer calories to maintain their body weight and condition, partly because they tend to be less active than younger dogs.
Environmental conditions. Dogs living or spending much of their time outside in severe cold temperatures need from 10 percent to as much as 90 percent more energy than dogs who enjoy a temperate climate. The thickness and quality of the dog’s coat, the amount of body fat he has, and the quality of his shelter have direct effects on the dog’s energy needs.
Illness. Sick dogs have increased energy needs; it takes energy to mount an immune response or repair tissues. However, dogs who do not feel well also tend to be inactive, which lowers their energy needs.
Reproduction. A pregnant female’s energy requirement does not increase significantly until the final third of her pregnancy, when it may increase by a factor of three.
Lactation. A nursing female may require to eight times the energy as a normal female of the same age and condition.
Neutering. It is generally accepted that neutered and spayed dogs have reduced energy needs. However, there are actually no studies that conclusively prove that neutered dogs require fewer calories simply because of lower hormone levels. It has been suggested that these dogs gain weight due to increased appetites and/or decreased activity levels.
Other individual factors. Other factors that can affect a dog’s energy requirement include its temperament (nervous or placid?) and skin, fat, and coat quality (how well he is insulated against weather conditions).
Human factorsFinally, there are the human factors that may influence your dog-food purchasing decision, such as cost and local availability. Understand that there is a connection between the quality of an animal’s food and his health, and do the best you can do.
It is also worth considering the reliability, responsiveness, and availability of the manufacturer’s customer service people. It can be frustrating and costly if a company makes terrific food, but you can never reach them, your direct-ship order is regularly late, or the customer service people are either rude or unhelpful. Today, there are too many companies doing a good job and making good food to put up with this.”
Not a bad article. Certainly provides a lot of ideas and valuable feedback. Though at times Nancy contradicts herself. Like she starts out with saying “asking the vet for nutritional advise” should be answered with “No”, but then she recommends asking the vet. I think her article also calls upon us using common sense as most of her input is simply nothing but that. I like a lot the editors’ comment in the preface of the fourth edition (2000) of Small Animal Clinical Nutrition: “...nutritional therapy to help treat or prevent the disease. Do not settle for the suggestion of a commercial “prescription” diet; most of them are formulated with lower-quality ingredients. Instead, ask what specifically in the diet has been manipulated to be beneficial for your dog. Then, see if you can find a product that offers the same benefits and better-quality ingredients.” Why do I like it? Because that reflects exactly what I advise our customers to do. And we have been pretty successful with that.

Chemicals in pet food Part 3: Colorful, yet not so pretty after all

Today’s comment is a further installment on my thoughts about unhealthy pet food ingredients, which I started with Chemicals in pet food can lead to bad behavior, says top vet in part 1 and continued with Chemicals in pet food Part 2: Marketing campaign indicates: Unhealthy, chemically enhanced pet nutrition is here to stay

There are many chemicals added to commercial pet foods to improve taste, stability, characteristics or appearance of the food. Typically they don’t provide any nutritional value at all. They include emulsifiers to prevent water and fat from separating, antioxidants to prevent fat from turning rancid, and artificial colors and flavors to make the product more attractive to consumers and more palatable to their companion animals. Notice that I said “make the food more attractive to consumers”. Reminds me of when I see these great pictures advertising kibble in all kinds of beautiful colors. You know which ones I mean. Just yesterday, while grocery shopping I noticed them again. Kibble in a rainbow mix of yellow, blue, red, green. It’s awesome. And for 22 bucks, can’t beat that, that’s less than half of what the 30 lbs bag runs at our store. Eye catching and attractive too. In addition 50% less in price also comes with only less than 10% of the value compared to the good quality bag. What a bargain! Now if just my dogs and cats would care more about the colors, wouldn’t this be great? However, unfortunately science has already determined: Cats have the ability to distinguish between blues and greens. Their ability to see shades of red is limited. Dogs are able to differentiate between blue and violet. Between reds, yellows, and greens? Forget it. Bottom line is, there is no scientific evidence to prove that dogs or cats prefer a food or treat of any particular color. (See also: TruthAboutPetFood.com “Pets can’t see colors, why dye their foods?” by Susan Thixton). By the way, neither do our pets care too much about whether their kibble is star, bone or heart shaped. Though they are by now a little spoiled: They will refuse any kind of what they perecive as harmful food. So why are dyes being added? To make us people believe we are buying healthy pet food rich in content. To make pet owners believe they are spending there money for something great for their animals. Looking at color enhanced food just will entice us to buy the bag. After all, that is how manufacturers of mass marketed pet food would like to have it (and do have it still at too high of a rate). It works, many consumers don’t know better and fall for the simple trick.
Now, these manufacturers may tell you that their decision is based on research. I can’t help it but the only research I can think of they would be talking about is marketing research and research on how to trick people into making wrong decisions and adding to the profits Wallstreet is expecting. Although, there are indications that even their marketing research may not be up to date: According to the Feingold Association, an organization dedicated to promote old fashioned nutrition combined with modern convenience but without the dangers of chemical ingredients, claims on its website:
“It is likely that in a very short time, there will be few, if any, "certified" petroleum derived food dyes left. Fortunately, products such as Dannon Yogurt ("No artificial anything"), General Foods' Cheerios (no Yellow 5 as in the past), and many other foods without artificial colors have shown, by their extraordinary success, that we can all do very well without these dyes.”
Scientifc research on dyes clearly tells a not so great story about these dyes being used in food: Many common food dyes are related to behavior problems in children. I could not locate any documented scientific research helping to link food dyes used in many mass marketed pet foods to behavioral problems in pets. However, I would assume that once the results of such research become available they will be not too much different than the ones from 3 decades worth of research on humans and children. Don’t believe me? Just see what The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) says on it’s home page:
“Important new research has shown that commonly used food dyes, such as Yellow 5, Red 40, and six others, are linked to hyperactivity, impulsivity, learning difficulties, and Attention Deficity Hyperactivity Disorder in many children. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of these dyes, many of which are already being phased out in Europe.
These dyes, petrochemicals mostly, are often used to simulate the presence of healthy, colorful fruits and vegetables. But considering the adverse impact of these chemicals on children, and considering how easily they can be replaced with colorings derived from real food ingredients, it’s time to get rid of them altogether.”
The Feingold Association asks: “What do strawberry Jello, orange Koolaid, raspberry soda, grape popsicles, much candy and baked goods, most brands of ice cream, maraschino cherries, many snack foods, and most pet food have in common? They are laced with millions of pounds of artificial coal-tar based dyes with names such as Red 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40. Each year, Americans eat (as food dyes), swallow (as pill coatings or medicinal syrups) or rub on themselves (as cosmetics) 6.4 million pounds of these 7 dyes, mostly in food. (That was in 1985. In 2005, Americans consumed more than 17.8 million pounds of these dyes.) Four of these food dyes (Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 2) which make up over half of the food dyes used each year have been shown to cause cancer as have other dyes which are not used in food but are used in drugs or cosmetics.”
In a press release CSPI also shows that a little governmental pressure could change things, like it did in Europe. Just take a look at this:

Picture: http://www.cspinet.org

In its related article, CSPI writes:
“Brits Get Treats, Americans Get Tricks From Food Companies, Says Nutrition Action HealthletterPumpkin, Annatto, & Strawberry Color Foods There, Synthetic Petrochemicals Fill In Here
WASHINGTON—British consumers enjoy products made by General Mills, Kellogg, Kraft and McDonald's that are free of synthetic food dyes, but American customers lack such royal treatment, according to the October issue of Nutrition Action Healthletter. Despite evidence linking food dyes to hyperactivity and other behavior problems in children, companies continue to use the controversial dyes in American product lines while substituting natural colorings in the United Kingdom.
In the U.K., Fanta orange soda gets its bright color from pumpkin and carrot extract, but in the U.S. it comes from Red 40 and Yellow 6. Starburst Chews and Skittles, which are both Mars products, also contain synthetic food dyes in the U.S. but not in the U.K. Similarly, in the U.S., McDonald’s strawberry sundaes are colored with Red 40 but, amazing as it might sound, real strawberries in the U.K.
"British candy has all the sugar of American candy, and it’s certainly not health food," said Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest, Nutrition Action’s publisher. "But as Halloween approaches, it's a shame that American kids trick-or-treat for candy dyed with discredited chemicals while British families have many of the same foods, minus the dyes."
Americans consume five times as much food dye as they did 30 years ago, according to data from the Food and Drug Administration. But in the wake of two British studies that found food dyes (and possibly the preservative sodium benzoate) impair the behavior of many children, the British government pressured companies to switch to safer, natural colorings and the European Parliament approved a warning label for foods that still contain the dyes.“

So here we go, I am not the only one who is complaining and concerned. Now many of you readers may say, well, the above said applies to humans and has little to do with animals. Right you are about the fact that above said is based on the impact the harmful stuff has on the human body and well being. Wrong you are with that it has little to do with animals. Our companion animals are affected in the same way we humans are. In pandemic dimensions, more than half of our companion animal population is stricken with one or another disease. Among the experts, there is little doubt that this progressive and degenerative illness has its roots in today’s modern feeding practices involving highly processed, chemically “enhanced” food. Only a fool would believe it to be different. To say:”…after all, it’s just a dog or cat” doesn’t sit to well with me.

And if that still makes you wonder, my friend Sabine Contreras of The Dog Food Project states on her site under “Ingredients to avoid”: “Coloring Agents:
Blue 2 (artificial color)
The color additive FD&C Blue No. 2 is principally the disodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-5-sulfo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)- 2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid with smaller amounts of the disodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-7-sulfo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid and the sodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid. Additionally, FD&C Blue No. 2 is obtained by heating indigo (or indigo paste) in the presence of sulfuric acid. The color additive is isolated and subjected to purification procedures. The indigo (or indigo paste) used above is manufactured by the fusion of N-phenylglycine (prepared from aniline and formaldehyde) in a molten mixture of sodamide and sodium and potassium hydroxides under ammonia pressure. The indigo is isolated and subjected to purification procedures prior to sulfonation.
The largest study suggested, but did not prove, that this dye caused brain tumors in male mice. The FDA concluded that there is "reasonable certainty of no harm", but personally I'd rather avoid this ingredient and err on the side of caution.
Red 40 (artificial color)
The color additive FD&C Red No. 40 is principally the disodium salt of 6-hydroxy-5-[(2-methoxy-5-methyl-4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid.
The most widely used food dye. While this is one of the most-tested food dyes, the key mouse tests were flawed and inconclusive. An FDA review committee acknowledged problems, but said evidence of harm was not "consistent" or "substantial." Like other dyes, Red 40 is used mainly in junk foods. Personally I'd rather avoid this ingredient and err on the side of caution.
Titanium Dioxide:

A white powder, TiO2, used as an exceptionally opaque white pigment and dough conditioner.
Non toxic but an unnecessary ingredient that could just as well be left out.
Yellow 5 (artificial color)
The color additive FD&C Yellow No. 5 is principally the trisodium salt of 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1-(4-sulfophenyl)-4- [4-sulfophenyl-azo]-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (CAS Reg. No. 1934-21- 0). To manufacture the additive, 4-amino-benzenesulfonic acid is diazotized using hydrochloric acid and sodium nitrite. The diazo compound is coupled with 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1-(4-sulfophenyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid or with the methyl ester, the ethyl ester, or a salt of this carboxylic acid. The resulting dye is purified and isolated as the sodium salt.
The second most widely used coloring can cause mild allergic reactions, primarily in aspirin-sensitive persons.
Yellow 6 (artificial color) The color additive FD&C Yellow No. 6 is principally the disodium salt of 6-hydroxy-5-[(4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid (CAS Reg. No. 2783-94-0). The trisodium salt of 3-hydroxy-4-[(4- sulfophenyl)azo]-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid may be added in small amounts. The color additive is manufactured by diazotizing 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid using hydrochloric acid and sodium nitrite or sulfuric acid and sodium nitrite. The diazo compound is coupled with 6-hydroxy-2-naphthalene-sulfonic acid. The dye is isolated as the sodium salt and dried. The trisodium salt of 3-hydroxy-4-[(4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid which may be blended with the principal color is prepared in the same manner except the diazo benzenesulfonic acid is coupled with 3-hydroxy-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid.
Industry-sponsored animal tests indicated that this dye, the third most widely used, causes tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. In addition, small amounts of several carcinogens contaminate Yellow 6. However, the FDA reviewed those data and found reasons to conclude that Yellow 6 does not pose a significant cancer risk to humans. Yellow 6 may also cause occasional allergic reactions. Another ingredient I would rather avoid and err on the side of caution rather than risking my pet's health. “

I told you so… .Stay tuned for more on the subject of unhealthy pet food ingredients to follow soon.

Glowing pet food? Irradiation applied to pet food

Warning: Today’s comment may have 2 different side affects: Either it turns the reader into an ”Einsteiny” rocket scientist or it turns the reader away from this blog for ever. Therefore, please read this only if you are specifically interested in the topic and don’t mind heavy and long reading. I promise, in future I will try to refrain from writing similar comments. This one is an exception as the subject matter in itself is quite complicated to begin with.

Just recently towards the end of last year Canadian Champion Pet Foods made headlines abroad as pet owners were warned about its high end Orijen brand. Consequently here in this country too warnings were issued, we ourselves included a warning on our recall alert

Recall Update and I briefly addressed the case to some degree in my comment “Pet Food Recalls: Does the pet food industry require federal watch dogs?”. Back then, the company was found to be the only link between a strange illness that paralyzed cats with the unfortunate outcome that the animals had to be euthanized. To bring everybody up to speed, here is what (in Australia only) had transpired in a summary background provided by Orijen: “On November 20, 2008, Champion Pet Foods announced a voluntary recall of its Orijen Cat food brand sold in Australia. The recall is restricted to Australia ….. was issued in response to reports from the Australian veterinary community of cats showing symptoms of a neurological syndrome after consuming Orijen cat food. To prevent the risk of cats eating Orijen dog foods and becoming ill Champion ceased the sale of Orijen dog foods in Australia. The recall was unique to Australia and did not affect any of the other 50 countries to which Orijen is exported. Champion Pet Foods believes the Australian cases resulted from the high-level irradiation (exceeding 50kGY) applied to Orijen upon entering Australia. This high-level irradiation procedure for is unique to Australia and Orijen foods are not irradiated in any other market or country. Champion Pet Foods no longer exports or sells its Orijen pet foods in Australia.”
Susan Thixton of the Truth About Pet Foods.com, back then when it all came to light, spoke with Orijen. On her website she shared the conversation she had with an Orijen representative:
“The only reports of sick cats (or any pets) have been in Australia. All pet foods shipped into Australia must be irradiated, treated with radiation, before they are sold. Orijen has no control over this, this is a mandated issue from the government of Australia. Orijen has sent two samples of the irradiated food, along with non irradiated food from the same batch to two separate University testing laboratories. It is not sure if an answer for the illnesses will be found in these tests, however it should provide a wealth of information regarding effects of irradiation of foods.” Note: Those results were subsequently posted on Orijen’s website at www.championpetfoods.com. Susan then continued: “Orijen told me they feel the irradiation is the concern. Although this is frightening for already frightened pet owners, at this point I am in agreement that the irradiation is the concern. Food is irradiated, treated with radiation, to kill bacteria and molds. In the process, much more is destroyed. Not only is the nutrition destroyed, but far more research than the FDA lets on to, tells us much more damage can occur. Irradiation breaks chemical bonds, and it is suspect that broken chemical bonds within foods containing numerous ingredients (a pet food) can alter the entire ‘food’ in many ways. “

Orijen, on 03/10/09 issued another press release to Australian consumers, which addresses various details and summarizes as follows:
“Background: On November 20, 2008, Champion Pet Foods announced a voluntary recall of its Orijen Cat food brand sold in Australia.
The recall is restricted to Australia only and is a result of the high level of gamma irradiation (61kGy) that was applied to Orijen cat foods upon entry into Australia.
As the Australian regulations provide no alternative option but to irradiate our products, we stopped all Orijen sales in Australia, and cancelled our Australian distribution in November of 2008.
No other countries or markets are affected by the Australian recall.
Judging the irradiation process to be unsafe for our foods, Champion Petfoods pledges not to distribute or sell our products anywhere that requires irradiation.
All of us here at Champion deeply regret the effect irradiated Orijen foods have had on those families whose cats were affected, and we are committed to providing support in the following areas: Compassion fund; Contribution to Australian cat community; Ongoing research into irradiation of dry cat foods”
“ongoing research into irradiation of dry cat foods
Although Champion Pet Foods has permanently withdrawn from the Australian market, we remain committed to on-going research which we hope will bring added clarity to the effect of high irradiation on dry cat foods.
Through extensive test results, experts confirm Orijen Cat foods meet and exceed all nutritional standards that are set by AAFCO, NRC, and other various research on cat foods.
Our research team – including international nutritional experts and veterinary toxicologists – has reviewed all data and test results concerning Orijen cat food in Australia, including research on existing scientific journal articles and available research data.
With the exception of the pathway of increased oxidation and reduced vitamin availability resulting from the high (61kGy) irradiation dosage applied in Australia, all known causes for the Leukoencephalomyelopathy in cats have been eliminated. As Champion Pet Foods Ltd. does not endorse testing on animals, we will not physically test this hypothesis in a laboratory, and believe there is sufficient evidence from previous published scientific studies to conclude that irradiation is the cause of disease in Australia.
What champion knew about irradiation in Australia:
The error made by Champion was in not realizing our foods would be irradiated upon entry into Australia. The health certificates issued for pet food export to Australia make no reference for irradiation upon arrival and while some reference is made to potential irradiation in background documents, this was not noticed as a concern within our company.
A “permit to import’, which does make a clear reference to the irradiation requirements, is sent only to the importer, and not to the manufacturer. It is not stated on this document that irradiation poses a potential risk to the pet food, and we cannot find any reference to the potential danger of irradiation on any subsequent document in our files of export and import requirements for Australia.
Once we discovered our foods were irradiated, we began to investigate why and whether the process was safe. We engaged the Canadian Consulate in Sydney to discuss with AQIS the reasons why our foods were irradiated and to ask whether there were possibilities to avoid the irradiation process. AQIS advised our consulate that:
“As the products your client exports to Australia have not been subjected to any heat treatment other than those applied during the extrusion and drying process we were unable to consider the processing as being equivalent to a moist heat treatment achieving a minimum core temperature of 100°C for at least 30 minutes. As a result, the only remaining option available was to gamma irradiate the products at 50 kGrays upon arrival in Australia.
When early reports began to emerge from Australia concerning cats fed Orijen, we immediately re-tested retained samples and found them to be completely normal. As more reports emerged, we began to suspect environmental factors specific to Australia, including potential contaminated water supplies, poisonous insects, other foods fed in conjunction with Orijen, and irradiation.
We contacted the company contracted to perform gamma irradiation in Australia and received assurances that the irradiation process was safe for our foods.
At this time very little research on the effect of irradiation on dry cat foods was available. We were assured by irradiation experts in Australia that the process was safe.
While Champion Pet Foods no longer exports to Australia, we believe that the tradition of irradiating dry cat foods entering Australia continues which, we assume, reflects the belief at AQIS that the process is safe.
None of the above detracts from the very strong feeling all of us have at Champion - that we should have known more about exporting to Australia prior to making the first shipment. Rather, this information is provided to explain the sequence of events.
Of the more than 50 countries to which we export Orijen products, none require irradiation as part of the import process”.

Pet food treated with radiation is something we don’t hear about every day. However, primarily because I have been asked quite often about this popular food and pet owners of course are concerned about this issue and second, because I thought, in this world of constant recalls and problems with our pet’s foods it is certainly worth our time to take a closer look at its meanings.
Well, that initially sounded easy, but turned out a little more difficult than I had initially thought. There is really not a lot to be found about the subject matter. Of course, as always I invite and welcome everybody’s input if better and most desirable, easier understandable information is available to share that with everybody here on the blog.
For starters I have chosen to quote the free and famous on-line encyclopedia since I figured there I would find an easy to understand explanation of what irradiation is all about. As you keep reading you will probably agree with me since it gets pretty complicated. So here is what Wikipedia says: “Irradiation is the process by which an item is exposed to radiation. The exposure can be intentional, sometimes to serve a specific purpose, or it can be accidental. In common usage the term refers specifically to ionizing radiation, and to a level of radiation that will serve that specific purpose, rather than radiation exposure to normal levels of background radiation or abnormal levels of radiation due to accidental exposure.” Well, so much for easy understandable, right? Within this explanation I also found a link to the Food Standards Agency, which is the British FDA so to speak. Using a FAQ approach, the agency explains on it’s site:
“Irradiation can be used to kill bacteria that cause food poisoning, such as salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli. It can also delay fruit ripening and help stop vegetables such as potatoes and onions from sprouting. …..
What is food irradiation?
Food irradiation is a processing technique that exposes food to electron beams, X-rays or gamma rays, and produces a similar effect to pasteurization, cooking or other forms of heat treatment, but with less effect on look and texture.
Irradiation can be used to kill bacteria that cause food poisoning, such as salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli. It can also delay fruit ripening and help stop vegetables such as potatoes and onions from sprouting. It is used in many parts of the world because it is an effective way of killing bacteria and with some food, such as spices that are dried in the sun, irradiation kills bacteria without changing their flavors or aromas.
How does food irradiation work?
Food absorbs energy when it is exposed to ionizing radiation. The amount of energy absorbed is called 'absorbed dose', which is measured in units of Gray (Gy). The energy absorbed by the food causes the formation of short lived molecules known as free radicals, which kill micro-organisms and also interact with other food molecules.
Free radicals are formed by almost all food processing techniques, including cooking, chopping and grinding. Radiation also kills bacteria directly by affecting their DNA.
There is only one source of ionizing radiation permitted for food irradiation in the UK: gamma rays from cobalt-60.
How safe is food irradiation?
Decades of research worldwide have shown that irradiation of food is a safe and effective way to kill bacteria in foods and extend its shelf life.
Food irradiation has been examined thoroughly by joint committees of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), by the European Community Scientific Committee for Food, the United States Food and Drug Administration and by a House of Lords committee.

Does irradiated food taste different to other foods?
There is no significant difference to the smell, taste or appearance of food that has been irradiated. This is due to the fact that very small levels of energy are absorbed by the food during irradiation.

Does food irradiation change the food in any way?
All food preservation techniques cause chemical changes in food – that is how they work. The changes caused by food irradiation are similar in nature and extent to those caused by other preservation techniques, such as cooking, canning and pasteurization. There is no evidence that any of the chemical changes caused by food irradiation pose a risk to the health of consumers.

How do I know if a food has been irradiated?
It is required that all foods, or ingredients of foods listed on the label, which have been irradiated, are labeled as 'irradiated' or 'treated with ionizing radiation'. When irradiated food is not pre-packed and is sold for immediate consumption (for example, in restaurants) it must be marked or labeled on a menu, notice or ticket that the consumer can see when choosing the food.

How does the Food Standards Agency know if a food has been irradiated?
A number of tests have been perfected and validated for the detection of different irradiated foods, including herbs and spices, poultry and meat containing bone and products containing fats. These tests have been verified in trials involving laboratories throughout Europe. Regular surveys are undertaken by the Food Standards Agency. Further research is currently taking place to extend the range of irradiated foods which can be detected.

Can non-irradiated food become irradiated by contact with irradiated food?
No, irradiated food has been exposed to radiation but is not contaminated with radioactivity. Many foods, however, contain ingredients from different sources, such as curry powder. The law states that if a permitted irradiated food is mixed with a non-irradiated food, the resulting product has to be labelled as either ‘irradiated’ or ‘treated with ionizing radiation’.

What do other countries do?
… In the US a variety of foods have been approved for irradiation, for several different purposes. The current list includes wheat, potatoes, fruit and vegetables, herbs and spices, pork, poultry and beef.
Other countries irradiate food, including Canada, France, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Israel, Thailand.

Where are foods irradiated?
Foods are irradiated in authorized irradiation facilities which must be licensed, regulated and subjected to strict safety inspections by the Food Standards Agency. Irradiation facilities are of mainly two types: gamma sources and electron beams.

What are the effects of irradiation on food packaging materials?
One of the practical aspects of food irradiation is that is can be used on food already in its final package. The effect of irradiation on plastics and other packaging was investigated in the 1960s and early 1970s, in order to identify safe packaging materials for use in the space program. Only a few materials have been approved for use in packaging food that is to be irradiated and many more need to be tested if food irradiation is to become widely used.

Directly related to the case on hand, Orijen reported published details about its research as follows:
“Two independent scientific publications support Champion Petfoods position regarding the potentially harmful effects of gamma irradiation on dry cat foods in particular.
1. Research findings of a 2007 study published by the AMERICAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY PATHOLOGISTS WWW.VETPATHOLOGY.ORG/MISC/TERMS.SHTML determined that the feeding of a gamma-irradiated diet of 35-45 kGy was associated with the development of the same conditions as are reported in cats in Australia.
2. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCES, vol 47, no. 6, 61-66. November 2008 entitled “EFFECTS OF GAMMA IRRADIATION AND PASTEURIZATION ON THE NUTRITIVE COMPOSITION OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE ANIMAL DIETS” finds that “results raise questions regarding the suitability of gamma-irradiated diets for the long-term exclusive feeding of cats in particular, given that such feeding regimes have been associated with the development of leukoencephalomyelopathy in this species”.
Last month’s study was released in the JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCES, entitled “EFFECTS OF GAMMA IRRADIATION AND PASTEURIZATION ON THE NUTRITIVE COMPOSITION OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE ANIMAL DIETS”.
Key study findings are summarized below “Irradiation reduces the vitamin content of food, the effect of which may be indirect in that inadequate amounts of
antioxidant vitamins (such as c, e, and b-carotene) may be available to counteract the effects of free radicals generated by normal cell metabolism... Furthermore, the irradiation of diets containing fats with high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids increases the onset of oxidative rancidity due to peroxidation of the contained unsaturated bonds.”
“the irradiation of a variety of commercial dry cat diets at 25 kGy resulted in considerable reductions in vitamin A levels, with up to 93% reduction observed in a diet with a relatively high fat content.”
“concentration of peroxide in the dry cat diet was increased to 11- and 21- fold after the typical [28.9-34.4 kGy] and high-end [38.4-48.7 kGy] irradiation treatments respectively.
“the results of this study confirm that gamma irradiation, at the doses used, (which were less than those used on ORIJEN foods) has profound effects on the vitamin A (retinol) and peroxide content of the dry cat food analyzed.”
“the fatty acid composition of the fat in the diet and especially the degree of unsaturation of these acids is particularly important.”
“…polyunsaturated fatty acids containing 3 or more double bonds are destroyed readily by irradiation.” From hammer ct, wills ed. 1979. The effect of ionizing radiation on the fatty acid composition of natural fats and on lipid peroxide formation. INT J RADIAT BIOL RELAT STUD PHYS CHEM MED 35: 323-332.
“the formation of peroxide in irradiated fat is dependent on factors such as the chemical composition of the fat, type of radiation used, total dose-rate of the radiation, dispersion of fat in the diet, nature of the medium used for dispersion, and the presence of water.”
“RESULTS RAISE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SUITABILITY OF GAMMA-IRRADIATED DIETS FOR THE LONG-TERM EXCLUSIVE FEEDING OF CATS IN PARTICULAR, GIVEN THAT SUCH FEEDING REGIMES HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEUKOENCEPHALOMYELOPATHY IN THIS SPECIES.”
“IN CONCLUSION, THIS STUDY HAS SHOWN THAT GAMMA IRRADIATION, AT THE DOSES USED, HAS PROFOUND AND SELECTIVE EFFECTS ON THE VITAMIN A AND PEROXIDE CONTENTS OF DRY ANIMAL DIETS, PARTICULARLY ON DRY DIETS FORMULATED FOR CATS.””

And finally I found this very detailed article explaining the history of food irradiation and some serious side effects: “Food Irradiation” by Rosalie Bertell, Ph.D., GNSH. Her article, after a number of updates, was revisited by Talya Rotem, B.A., M.A., C.N.P.. Here are the what I believe important passages of both articles: (Note, this is not the full version, for the original articles please refer to the links embedded above)
“Basic to the question of food irradiation is an understanding of wellness or health. Food is not just another form of "pills" or an inert pile of chemicals. One doesn't choose to have "sickly" chicken or to eat moldy looking eggplant for the evening dinner. A healthy plant or animal is able to balance harmful and healthful bacteria so that it maintains its normal size, shape, texture and color. Even a child can distinguish between a rotten apple and red juicy wholesome apple freshly picked.
Conventional human wisdom has identified freshly caught fish and game, freshly picked fruits and vegetables, and healthy domestic animal meat as the best nourishment for humans. Once the fruit is picked or the animal killed, it can no longer perform its balancing task and the forces of death and decay begin to take over. The decay process can be slowed through various means such as dehydration, cooking or heat processing, freezing or the newly proposed irradiation process. None of these has the ability to differentiate between desirable and undesirable bacteria. None has the ability to remove pesticide or herbicide residue, toxic nonliving material, or even all bacteria, yeasts or molds. Completely dead food loses its taste, color texture and attractiveness. It also loses vitamins and other nourishment.
With this in mind, the comparative benefits and disadvantages of food irradiation can be briefly sketched, including an assessment of the need for new food processing methods, the scientific studies on the wholesomeness of irradiated foods, and the political and economic climate under which the technology is being promoted.

History
Although patents for food irradiation were taken out as early as 1921 in the U.S.A and 1930 in France, the technology was not implemented. In 1957 irradiation of spices was permitted in West Germany under the assumption that spices make up only a small percentage of any food. This permission was withdrawn in 1958 and all food irradiation was banned. Canada permitted irradiation of potatoes in 1960 to prevent sprouting, i.e. that is to make the potato sterile, and in 1963 the U.S.A. granted permits for irradiation of wheat, potatoes and bacon for export. The U.S. food and Drug Administration withdrew the permit for bacon in 1968.
The impetus for food irradiation has not come from farmers, the developing world, retail grocers or consumers. In the early 1970's the international Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), whose mandate is to promote nuclear technology, began to hold seminars on food irradiation and established a joint committee of experts from IAEA, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). This group, the Joint Expert Committee on Food Irradiation (J.E.C.F.I) decided in 1976 that the new chemicals called radiolytic products, which are produced in irradiated food, do not need to pass tests of toxicity as do other food additives. It declared irradiation to be a process not an additive, although free radicals (highly reactive molecules) and new chemicals are produced in the food. Some of these radiolytic products are the same as those produced in cooking or thermal processes, for example hydrogen peroxide and formaldehyde, but they occur in larger proportions in irradiated food. Other by-products are unique to the irradiation process.
The question of classification of food irradiation as a process or and additive is not trivial. Food additives must be tested for toxicity. Food processes do not require such testing. In this case, there is a need for new legislation to cover "additives attributable to processing", requiring toxicological testing of the new chemicals produced by irradiation.
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Food Irradiation Controversy
The food irradiation controversy penetrates deeply considering that the global advocates of food irradiation and the food industry include the WHO, FAO and the IAEA ( www.iicph.org/docs/food_irradiation.htm). What has not been publicized, however, is that these «supposedly independent international organizations all accept the advice of a small NGO, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), which dictates what is and is not permissible, despite it not being a health-based organization» (Bertell 2004). These organizations support the food industry's promotion of the food irradiation process as a viable protective barrier against deadly bacteria such as E. coli and listeria causing food-borne illness. Marketed by the industry as a food decontamination tool, food irradiation is perceived of as an answer to modern society's attempt at coping with large-scale microbiological contamination and food-borne illnesses. It is being sold to the public as a means of protecting «children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems» ( www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=19685). And it is the fear of food and water contamination outbreaks, almost commonplace globally, which helps the pro-irradiation camp set the foundation for social acceptance of food irradiation.
On the other side of the food irradiation controversy are NGOs concerned with the short- and long-term effects of food irradiation on human health. Across-the-border allies in the battle against food irradiation are organizations like the Toronto-based International Institute of Concern for Public Health (IICPH) ( www.iicph.org), the Washington-based consumer group Public Citizen ( www.citizen.org/cmep), and the Cancer Prevention Coalition ( www.preventcancer.com), to mention but a few. These organizations contend that food irradiation should not be deemed safe by any government or industry without immediate in-depth research into its potential health effects on humans. In fact, according to the IICPH, «through research that has already been done, there are enough indicators to tell us that food irradiation has the potential of adversely affect[ ing] the health and well being of humans, especially fetuses and children» ( www.iicph.org/docs/FoodIrradiationToHealthCanada.htm). In Food Irradiation, Dr. Rosalie Bertell, points out the shortcomings of food irradiation: the impossibility of killing all of the pathogens; post-irradiation bacteria contamination; and the presence of carcinogenic toxins in irradiated foods ( www.iicph.org/docs/food_irradiation.htm).

Potential problems with irradiation
Botulism
In thermal food processing there is a rather homogeneous reduction of all bacteria, both the relatively harmless and those that are pathogenic or toxin producing. In irradiation, bacteria are killed in a proportion relative to their sensitivity and resistance to radiation. Some of the bacteria, which produce the natural indicators of unwholesomeness in food, i.e. staleness, disagreeable smell or unpleasant taste, would be killed off while some of the most pathogenic bacteria would be left alive. For example, Clostridium Botulinum resists irradiation below the 10-kilogray upper-limit for food processing. The toxin produced by Clostridium Botulinum can cause botulism. It flourishes in anaerobic (oxygen free) conditions. This deadly pathogen would not be destroyed by irradiation and in fact could even thrive. Irradiated food requires some protection against re-contamination but the anaerobic growth-enhancing environment for Clostridium Botulinum rules out the use of vacuum-sealed cans for this purpose. The "old fashioned" canning of food done in the proper manner effectively eliminates botulism food poisoning.

Salmonella Poisoning
Irradiation can kill some bacteria, those most sensitive to it, but it never removes toxins already deposited in the food. For this reason, the cleanliness and health of food chosen for preservation can never be neglected. Moreover, food irradiation should not be allowed to replace sanitary handling of food.
The nuclear industry is promoting food irradiation primarily as a preventative action against Salmonella in poultry. From 1983 to1985, there were 28 deaths in Canada attributed to Salmonella poisoning. Present statistics are unknown at this time. The report of the standing committee on food irradiation from 1983 to 1985 notes that:
"Relatively rough extrapolations have indicated that Salmonella may have contributed to approximately 750 deaths in Canada in 1985, but actual statistics attributed only 28 deaths to Salmonella from 1983 to 1985. Which figures may be more accurate is unknown at this time, but Salmonella contamination is a major source of food poisoning and a significant public health concern in Canada and elsewhere."
Salmonella contamination is due to improper handling techniques by processors, handlers, consumers and restaurants. Mechanical cleaning of chickens (which bursts the gut) is the single greatest cause of the problem. According to an article by economist R. Krystynak, irradiation of poultry ranks sixth out of eleven methods of food processing investigated to control Salmonella poisoning on a cost/benefit analysis basis. ("Current Concerns, Food Irradiation An Economic Perspective", Food Market Commentary, Ottawa, Agriculture Canada September 1986)

Aflotoxins
The Joint Expert Committee on Food Irradiation (J.E.C.F.I) declared (with a disclaimer) that there would be no toxicological problems with irradiated food not exceeding an average dose of 10 kilograys. It gave no specified minimum to ensure the killing of radiation sensitive bacteria; nor did it specify a maximum, which would avoid the production of radiolytic by-products or stimulation of the production of known harmful pathogens. It is well known that irradiation can increase the production of some extremely toxic aflotoxins by certain fungi, especially nuts and grains. These aflotoxins are known to be extremely potent carcinogens and their ability to continue production following irradiation has not been addressed by the Joint Committee. Proposing and average exposure only leaves this technology open to widespread misuse.
Pesticides and other Chemical Hazards in Food
Irradiation fails to eliminate pesticide residues and other chemical hazards in food. It has been proposed as an alternative to pesticides and preservatives. However pre-harvest pesticides will still be used, and their chemical interaction with irradiation is unknown. Irradiated food will still require cooking, freezing, preservatives and other means to avoid re-contamination.

Loss of Nutrients
Some key vitamins, especially E, C and Thiamine are lost through irradiation. The production of hyper oxides apparently reduces the concentrations of fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. This may in turn influence absorption and utilization of the food.

Assessment of US food irradiation research
There have been about 2000 research papers on food irradiation published internationally. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration selected about 400 for serious review. They chose 6 "considered by agency reviewers to be properly conducted, fully adequate by 1980 toxicological standards, and able to stand alone in support of safety" (U.S. Federal Register). Two studies were in English, three in French and one in German. Upon investigation, in one of the English language papers, published in 1964, the authors state, (about their own research): "consequently in many cases statistical comparisons were not possible. However, examination of data intuitively suggests that the differences have no real significance." There were differences between the control rats and rats fed irradiated wheat, with a statistically significant increase in stillbirth rate among those fed irradiated wheat. Other findings failed to reach significance because of the small number of animals. This hardly constitutes strong proof of the safety of food irradiation.
The second English language paper reported unexplained deaths and abnormalities in animals given irradiated food, not reaching statistical significance because of the small number of animals in the study. One of the studies indicated negative effects on older animals, but the finding was not pursued. The food used in the English language studies had been irradiated at 20 kilorad (equivalent to 0.2 kilogray), fifty times below the proposed level of irradiation of human food, i.e. below the 10-kilogray average.
In two of the three French studies, the dose to food was less than 50 kilorad (0.5 kilogray). No adverse effects were reported. In the German study, animals fed irradiated food weighed significantly less than controls and had reproductive abnormalities. Both of these effects were mitigated with administration of vitamins.
Certainly no scientist would accept these studies with low dose irradiation of food well below the proposed level, small number of animals, short follow-up time and negative results, as firmly establishing the safety of irradiated food.

Ionizing radiation breaks chemical bonds
Both the U.S. F.D.A. and the Science Council of Canada attempt to minimize the effects of food irradiation by quoting a report from Ames, Iowa, July 1986, (Report No. 9, Council for Agricultural Science and Technology) saying that each kilogray of ionizing radiation breaks only 6 chemical bonds out of 10 million in food. This makes the magnitude, the nature and the biological impact of the breaks seem small. However, in 100 milliliters (or 0.1 liter) of water there are 5-gram moles, that is 1025 molecules. At the low-dose of one kilogray, 6 times 1018 chemical bonds are broken creating the hydroxyl radical, one of the most reactive entities known in biochemistry. Water makes up some 80% of most foods. Food irradiation will be permitted to an average dose of 10 kilograys. There is no maximum permissible dose mentioned in the regulations.

Labeling requirements for irradiated food offer no assurance to the consumer that food has not been irradiated because there is no test to detect irradiation.
The flower like radura symbol is misleading and should be accompanied with the word "Irradiated". The wording should appear on all foods that have irradiated ingredients. The proposed labeling exemption for irradiated ingredients that comprise less than 10% is not acceptable. A food could contain six ingredients, each one less than 10% of the whole, which together comprise 45% of the product. All irradiated ingredients at any percentage in the food product should be listed.

Conclusions
The IICPH sees little Canadian benefit in food irradiation other than economic gain for Canada's nuclear industry. In the U.S., it can be shown to benefit the nuclear weapons industry since it will require commercial reprocessing of nuclear fuel rods to separate out the cesium 137 requirements. For the farmer, the consumer and the developing world, it means higher priced food, less nourishment in the food and probable harmful side effects in terms of pregnancy outcomes, cancers and chronic diseases. The IICPH recommends complete cost/benefit analysis of food irradiation and much more well- designed scientific testing of its impact on health. Both should be independent of the industries that tend to profit from the technology, for without this assurance, food irradiation becomes a massive experimental program on humans.
The Canadian and American public are justifiably concerned over the unknown effects of the irradiation of food. Consumer resistance will and should continue until these effects are known and quantified. Toxicological testing should be mandatory.
Skepticism by Canadian consumers in regard to food Irradiation can only be increased by the failure of the Government of Canada to follow the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Food Irradiation.
Export of food irradiation equipment to developing countries at this time is premature and exploitative.
Not covered in this brief report are questions of worker exposure, accident potential and waste disposal from this experimental technology.”

Ms. Bertell briefly addressed labeling issues and the flower like radura symbol shown at the beginning of this comment. According to Wkipedia, “The Radura is the international symbol indicating a food product has been irradiated. The Radura is usually green and resembles a plant in circle. The top half of the circle is dashed. Graphical details and colours vary between countries.” Susan Thixton on her site a little while ago asked her readers “Do you know what this symbol means?” The results were not all that surprising, Radura is a little misleading indeed. In their responses her readers described their initial thinking of this logo as standing for “friendly, safe, non-threatening, organic type, flower like, definitely something good, healthy, earth friendly”. This shows that basically very few people have an idea about not just what the symbol stands for, but also that it describes something way more complicated and possibly not being so friendly and non-threatening if not properly applied. And to answer the question posed in today's head line: No, the food isn't glowing. I did however, due to improper application cause serious harm. This in itself justifies this long and complicated comment.

Acknowledgements

Source links embedded in the comment. The following is the acknowledgement posted by IICPH along with the articles quoted.
The IICPH is grateful for research assistance on this issue from Food and Water Inc., Probe International, the Food Chain, the National Institute of Nutrition of India, testimony from the U.S. Congressional Hearing on Food Irradiation and the New Jersey State Assembly public hearing on food irradiation.
In particular, we are grateful for the research of Donald B. Lauria, M.D., Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, New Jersey Medical School; George Tritsch, Ph.D., Cancer Research Scientist, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo, New York; and Richard Piccioni, Ph.D, Senior Staff Biophysicist with Accord Research and Educational Associates, New York City.
International Institute of Concern for Public Health is a Canadian-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities assess and improve their environmental health status. The IICPH alerts and informs the public of the health hazards of pesticides, nuclear industries and other commercial, military, and industrial products. As well -- independent of government and industry -- the Institute provides the evidence and documentation needed by survivors of environmental disasters. This unique and essential service both supports and furthers the key principle on which the IICPH operates: that a safe environment is a fundamental human right. IICPH works in cooperation with Native Peoples, professionals, grassroots organizations, and citizens groups in Canada, the United States, Russia, the Central Pacific, India, South America, Europe, South Africa, and many other countries.