Showing posts with label Pet Food Ingredients. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pet Food Ingredients. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Pedigree Recall Expanded

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ~ August 31, 2014 ~ At PEDIGREE®, we care about all dogs and their safety and well-being is extremely important to us, and to our mission – to make a Better World for Pets. For that reason, we have announced the extension of a previous voluntary recall of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food products due to the possible presence of a foreign material. The voluntary recall still affects 22 bags shipped to Dollar General across four U.S. states, but it now is being expanded to 55-pound bags of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food products sold in Sam’s Club in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.




This recall is being expanded to Sam’s Club in the U.S. because some of the affected production lot was originally said to be held in inventory but was instead released to consumers, which has necessitated the expansion of the recall. We are confident no other packages or retailers are affected by this recall.

Bags may contain small metal fragments, which could have entered the packages during the production process. The foreign material is not embedded in the food itself, but may present a risk of injury if consumed.

We encourage consumers who have purchased affected product to discard the food or return it to the retailer for a full refund or exchange. We have not received any reports of injury or illness associated with the affected product. The lot codes indicated below should not be sold or consumed.

At Mars Petcare, we take our responsibility to pets and their owners seriously. We sincerely apologize for this situation and encourage you to reach out to us at 1-800-305-5206 from 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. CST if you have questions.

This voluntary recall affects two packages sold in the United States only. No other PEDIGREE® products are affected, including any other variety of dry dog food, wet dog food or dog treats. The affected packages are:

55-pound bags of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food sold at Sam’s Club will have the lot code 432E1KKM03 printed on the back of the bag near the UPC and a Best Before date of 8/7/15. See below for a list of Sam’s Club stores.

15-pound bags of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food sold at Dollar General stores will have the lot code 432C1KKM03 printed on the back of the bag near the UPC and a Best Before date of 8/5/15. See below for a list of Dollar General stores.

UPC DESCRIPTION:

23100 10944 PEDIGREE® Brand Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food in 15 pound bags
23100 10731 PEDIGREE® Brand Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food in 55 pound bags

Dollar General

Affected 15-pound bags were sold between August 18 and August 30 at Dollar General stores in:
Arkansas:
Perryville
Cabot
Louisiana
Baton Rouge
Calhoun
Hineston
Jonesville
Pineville
Slaughter
Mississippi
Magnolia
Vicksburg
Tennessee
Memphis

Sam's Club

Sam’s Club Affected 55-pound bags were sold between August 14 and August 30 at Sam’s Club in:
Michigan:
Comstock Park
Muskegon
Jackson
Roseville
Saginaw
Saginaw
Kokomo
Ohio
Dayton
Holland
Lima


FDA Recall Notice Click Here
At PEDIGREE®, we care about all dogs and their safety and well-being is extremely important to us, and to our mission – to make a Better World for Pets. For that reason, we have initiated a voluntary recall of 22 bags of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food due to the possible presence of a foreign material. The affected bags were sold in Dollar General stores in four states and, while the small metal fragments are not embedded in the food itself, it may present a risk of injury if consumed. We are working with Dollar General to ensure that the recalled product is no longer sold and is removed from inventory.

At Mars Petcare, we take our responsibility to pets and their owners seriously. We sincerely apologize for this situation and encourage you to reach out to us at 1-800-305-5206 from 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. CST if you have questions.

Only 15 pound bags of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food sold at 12 Dollar General stores in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana with the production code shown below are included in this voluntary recall.

Each product will have the lot code 432C1KKM03 printed on the back of the bag near the UPC and a Best Before date of 8/5/15. No other PEDIGREE® products are affected, including any other variety of dry dog food, wet dog food or dog treats.



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Healthypet1
www.PremiumPetFoodStore.com

Life's Abundance Pet Food has prebiotics and probiotics. 
Remember when switching food do it very slowly. 





Wednesday, July 16, 2014

What's Really In Your Pet's Food?!









You may not realize it, but most commercial pet food is made primarily from leftovers from human food production, such as animal products that are unwanted or are condemned for human consumption. The type and quality of pet food ingredients can vary widely.  While it's true that, in many cases, you get what you pay for ~ the cheapest pet food is most likely to contain the lowest-quality ingredients ~ in some cases you may actually be paying a premium price for mediocre foods from makers who spend a bundle on advertising and promotion . . . . or, use a celebrity for endorsement purposes.
That said, there are a few ingredients to look for on a pet food label that give a good indication of the food's overall quality.

Animal Fat

Animal fat, also called tallow, is a product of rendering. In the rendering process, pieces, parts, and even whole animals are put through a gigantic grinder, then boiled in vats for 30 minutes to several hours. High heat is necessary to kill bacteria, viruses, molds, and other pathogens. The boiling process also allows the fat to separate and float to the top, where it is skimmed off for use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, industrial lubricants, and, of course, pet food.
When a pet food company is using fat from a single species, it will say so, but when the ingredient is an inexpensive amalgam of whatever came through the door, the general term "animal fat" must be used. It's not something you want your pet to be eating!

Meat and Bone Meal

Meat and bone meal, or MBM, is another product of rendering. It's a single ingredient, and the term doesn't infer a combination of "meat meal" (which is defined separately) plus bone meal. At the renderer, once the fat is removed from the cooking vat, the remaining material is pressed and dried to yield a fluffy brown powder ~ that's MBM. It is a high-protein powder commonly used in lower-cost dog and cat foods. MBM is a generic term that can include any one species or a variety.
Both animal fat and MBM may come from any species of animal or from a wide variety of sources, including outdated supermarket meat, livestock that died on the farm, and restaurant waste, such as used grease from deep-fat fryers.
For many years, it's been rumored that euthanized dogs and cats were being processed into pet food, although the pet food industry has always adamantly denied it. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found no dog or cat DNA in the foods it tested. However, it did conclude that animal fat and meat and bone meal were the ingredients most likely to be associated with the presence of sodium pentobarbital ~ the drug used by veterinarians and shelters for euthanasia ~ in the food.





Animal Digest

This ingredient is a flavoring agent commonly sprayed on dry kibbles to make them enticing to dogs and cats. It's made from a stew of animal parts broken down with the use of enzymes or chemicals. Again, the use of the term "animal" means that it may be derived from any one or from many species. This can be a problem if your pet is allergic to a particular animal protein.


Corn Products

Many forms of corn are found in pet foods, including whole grain corn, ground yellow corn (also called corn meal), corn grits, corn bran, corn flour, and corn gluten meal. It's used primarily as a source of "energy," which is simply another word for calories. The vast majority (85 percent) of corn in the U.S. is genetically modified (GMO). Moreover, most poultry and livestock in the U.S. are themselves fed GMO corn, so the chicken, beef, and other meat products in pet food are giving our pets double trouble. Corn gluten meal is especially problematic because it is used primarily as a cheap substitute for meat. Cats and dogs are by nature carnivores and do best with a meat-based diet.


Chemical Preservatives

Many pet foods still contain synthetic preservatives, such as BHA, BHT, propyl gallate, and ethoxyquin. Such chemical preservatives have been linked to a variety of health conditions, including cancer. Opt for foods that use only natural preservatives, such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C), tocopherols (vitamin E), and rosemary oil.


Summary

It definitely pays to be a label reader and to choose foods made from good-quality ingredients. It's worth noting that dry foods are more likely to contain rendered ingredients and corn products, and cats in particular are better off with high-moisture foods such as canned, frozen, or homemade. By paying attention to what's in your pet's food, you'll be ensuring your pet a long and healthy life.



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Healthypet1
www.PremiumPetFoodStore.com

Life's Abundance Pet Food has prebiotics and probiotics. 
Remember when switching food do it very slowly. 




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Raven is an engaging entrepreneur who encourages others to celebrate pets as part of the family, as well as keep them happy, healthy, and spoiled with her online specialty pet boutique (http://www.TheGiftedPet.com), and premium pet food business (http://www.PremiumPetFoodStore.com)


For more information, please visit her Facebook page to PM her (https://www.facebook.com/TheGiftedPet), or email her at Raven@TheGiftedPet.com