Preservatives In Food For Your Dog

Ethoxyquin

Ethoxyquin is one of the preservatives in food that is a quinoline-based antioxidant, and also as a pesticide. In dog food, it is used to stop fats from becoming rancid.

There has also been a great amount of question as to whether certain antioxidants and preservatives in dog foods can cause health problems. It is said that ethoxyquin is responsible for many various health problems.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found a connection between ethoxyquin and the buildup of protopophyrin IX in the liver, and also causing liver-related enzymes to rise is some animals, but it is said there are no known health problems from these effects.

The FDA wants dog food manufacturers to limit the levels of ethoxyquin to 75 ppm. However, the majority of pet foods do not go over this amount anyway.

Just like other dog food preservatives, ethoxyquin is used in spices to stop color loss that is caused by the oxidation of natural carotenoid pigments.

In 1997, the FDA center for Veterinary Medicine asked for a reduction of ethoxyquin from 150 ppm to 75 ppm in complete dog foods. The work that was implemented to make the reduction was never published in peer-reviewed journals, or made accessible to the public.

10 years ago, the FDA started to get reports from dog owners that thought that ethoxyquin was causing the development of medical issues in their animals, such as allergic reactions, organ failure, skin disease, behavior problems, and cancer.

It has been said that there were pet food companies that started to add higher levels of ethoxyquin in the 1980's, when they were producing high energy foods and adding it as a cheap way to make their foods last longer.

Many say that the majority of manufacturers were using ethoxyquin then, and were actually using less than the maximum allowable amount. Since there was no scientific evidence, there has been no definitive proof that preservatives in food, or ethoxyquin has caused any problems, or at what levels they may have been caused.

Antioxidants in dog food, like ethoxyquin, were felt by the FDA that at 150 ppm, it might still not be safe enough in females that were lactating or their puppies.

All pet food manufactures have lowered the amounts in their pet foods.

There is a study being done by the Pet Food Institute, which is an organization that is used to represent pet food manufactures in the U.S. This study is used to find out if even lower amounts of ethoxyquin would give enough antioxidant protection in dog food.

BHA and BHT are also antioxidants in foods that are used like ethoxyquin, to prevent food from spoiling. They are also found as preservatives in foods that are fit for human consumption.

Until more is known, preservatives in food, and antioxidants in food that are of a questionable nature, like ethoxyquin, should be avoided for the safety of your dog and people as well.