Pet Food Ingredients - P - Phosphoric Acid

P

Phosphoric Acid

MSDS

Gotta love starting off with a Material Safety Data Sheet - that states it is harmful if you come into physical contact with it, inhale it, or get it in your eyes... 

CDC

I am just adding this link because I find it strange that someone can look at a product and say - hey, I know this is bad for us if we touch it - but what about if we put it in food?

• Phosphoric acid is produced from phosphates by reacting with sulphuric acid.

 I will save you the 'fun' of reading the animal testing studies.
 Here are the parts that you would probably be looking for.

International Programme on Chemical Safety  

"Excretion takes place mainly in the faeces as 

calcium phosphate so that the continuous 

use of excessive amounts of sodium phosphate 

and phosphoric acid may cause a loss of calcium."

"On high-dose levels, hypertrophy of the
parathyroid glands has been observed. 

A more important and more sensitive 

criterion for the deleterious action of 

phosphate overdosage is the appearance 

of calcification in soft tissues,

especially in the kidney, stomach and aorta. 

Kidney calcification may be observed in a
few weeks or months, 

depending on the dose level."

"Numerous animal studies have 

shown that excessive dietary phosphorus 

causes an increase of plasma phosphorus 

and a decrease in serum calcium. 

The resulting hypocalcaemia stimulates 

secretion of PTH which in turn increases 

the rate of bone resorption and decreases
calcium excretion. 

These homeostatic adjustments to high 

dietary phosphorus may result in 

bone loss and calcification of soft tissues 

in animals."

I am reading on many sites 

that Phosphoric Acid is 

not needed in Pet Food.

It is used in lower quality 

pet food as an additive, 

a flavor enhancer.

Making it more palatable.  

Some say it is used to help 

meet the PH levels needed 

for cats in their food. 

Other say it's actually addictive 

and can actually be linked to weight 

gain in humans due to it's rather 

prevalent role in Colas and Diet Colas.  

The general theory I am reading is 

that there is no need for this 

ingredient in pet food - and 

the use of it is for the benefit of the 

manufacturer.

At the same time - the levels used 

may not be hurting the animals.

It's not seemly being thought 

of as a highly negative item.

I think that eliminating all 

non essential ingredients in 

pet food is the best idea.  

So who uses Phosphoric Acid in their pet foods?

Just the Cheapos?

Or maybe the Middle men?

What about the High rollers ?

Lets check it out...

Beniful

Friskies

Purina

Purina One

Purina Pro Plan

Science Diet 

Fancy Feast

Meow Mix

Natural Balance

Performatrin

Whiskas

Eukanuba

Iams

Merrick

Nutram

This is not a complete list 

- just a list to give you an idea.

Also this does not include every 

version of each brand 

- just that at least 1 of their 

products contain Phosphoric Acid. 

Dammit Merrick - why ? This saddens me. 

These days, in regards to pet food - 

we are stuck with the need to decide

which of the bad ingredients are least harmful.

Which are we willing to feed Fluffy or Fido?

Who is the judge on the level of 

good vs bad for which we allow in their foods?

We are.

Instead of frantically searching 

for a food down the road 

- the does not have a certain ingredient listed - 

because your pet has restrictions due to illness.

Find out now - Avoid it now. 

The idea is to do the best you can 

- with what you can.

Not everyone can afford the

high priced foods.

That is okay!

Some of those suck anyways...

Just don't buy Fluffy a bag of Meow Chow, 

then go out and buy yourself Starbucks 

 -though they probably cost the same. 

Pet Food Ingredients - E = Ethoxyquin

E

Ethoxyquin


Why couldn't I just have picked Eggs?


Ethoxyquin is used as a preservative in pet food. It helps prevent oxidization and rancidity in fats.

If you have been playing along, chances are you will already assume that half of the people hate it and the other half think it's just fine and dandy..

Who knew posts on pet food ingredients would become more like a choose your own adventure series.

The door on the left = Confusion
The door on the right = It's locked - Monsanto hid the key. You're screwed.

 Looks like we need to make another door. 


Other door

Scary Room with no lights

If you would like to skip those chapters - I don't blame you!

The gist of that babble - Ethoxyquin is used as a pesticide - it stops pears from browning..

It is used to keep the preserve the colour of chilli pepper and paprika 

It is used as a preservative in animal feed and pet foods

It is used to stop rubber from breaking down due to degradation

* It has never been tested for exposure to outdoor environment or water because apparently when it is used on pears their water drainage is recycled.

This does not seem like a valid reason not to test..but that's just me.

* It has never been tested for its carcinogenic potential.

Why not? 
 
I wonder if the EPA believes if they do not test it then it can't be possible? 
Magic!

-Its chemically super close buddy - like lives next door kinda close - is :
1,2- Dihydro -2,2,4-Trimethylquinoline 

Ethoxyquin is - 1,2- Dihydro-6-Ethoxy-2,2,4-Trimethylquinoline
 
Granted I have no idea what either of them actually mean ...but the EPA said it was close - and visually...it's damn close!

Why does that matter?
 Because the Buddy is considered Carcinogenic  
( meaning a possible cause of Cancer)

I have been seeing different sites listing Ethoxyquin as 'Highly Carcinogenic'

So far I have not seen that listed anywhere accept sites that probably mean well, but also probably have a pet food bone to pick with some of the players in the game. 
 

Then again... if it has never been tested for its Carcinogenic possibilities ??? It could be the absolute worst in the world...or the least.. it's a chemical mystery.. Mostly because most of us do not understand Chemicals.

If a pet food has fat in it.. and they all do, they need a preservative.
Without one a pet food can become toxic - and that will kill your pet. 


Think of an Avocado - you cut it open and in no time at all it turns all yucky and brown. 

They are not the same but the idea of a food destabilizing is the same.

There are natural and synthetic forms of preservatives - it seems like that natural ones in the food tend to maintain a shorter shelf life than the synthetic.

BHA, BHT, and Ethoxyquin would be considered synthetic. They tend to extend the shelf life due to their ability to do the job without depleting any of the Vitamin E. 


**It is important to note that all items containing fat have been preserved prior to their arrival to the place allocated to make the pet food.**

Your naturally preserved pet food most likely is not. 

In order for a natural preservative to be used in the meat, it would have to be done at a certain stage in the game.

By the time it gets to the pet food making destination it would be useless. Rancidity would have already set in and natural stabilizers can not reverse what has happened.



What do people think Ethoxyquin guilty of causing?

Skin issues
Liver problems
Kidney problems
Problems with a females ability to go into heat
Problems with becoming pregnant
Problems in utero
Deformed puppies
Still born pups
There is a long list of reproduction issues  
Cancer 
Issues leading to death



Why do these things never cause beneficial things like - Dog will learn to scoop its own poop. 
Cat now sees owner as equal. 


This may be another case of risk over reward. 

The companies have their own idea on how many sick animals they would be okay with - actually same with the EPA, FDA and many other 3 letter people.


They risk your pet for their reward.

I have to just state again that education is key. 
Learn for yourself what is good or bad - try and stay off the band wagon - it's difficult when they have so many shiny things!

Shiny pretty things...
 
 I need to get out more..