Thanks for your replies to my post about Diamond foods. I've recently contacted the company about preservatives and been advised:

"We do not use the "chemical" preservatives like BHA or BHT. We preserve with natural substances, using Vitamin E (and it's various forms which are the mixed tocopherols that you see listed) and rosemary. We have a guarantee from our suppliers that the substance ethoxyquin is not used in any of the ingredients that they supply to us."


I made the same inquiry to Purina about the ProPlan line and received this response:

"Over 30 years ago, the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) approved the use of ethoxyquin in human and animal foods. Prior to its approval by the FDA, ethoxyquin underwent several years of intensive efficacy and safety studies. Ethoxyquin is an antioxidant used in some of our pet foods to prevent fat from becoming rancid. Rancidity not only produces an unpleasant odor, it can also destroy fat-soluble vitamins in the diet. Over the years, pet foods using ethoxyquin as a preservative have been fed to countless dogs and cats. Hundreds of feeding studies by reputable pet food manufacturers using the appropriate levels of ethoxyquin as a preservative have not revealed any health problems caused by it's use. A refined version of ethoxyquin has some use in human foods. It preserves color in chili powder and paprika. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has approved it's use on apples and pears to keep bruises from oxidizing and turning brown after the food is picked."


Your thoughts?

I would rather my dog food contain preservatives than not. Food without preservatives spoils very quickly, and I would rather feed my dog a reasonably safe preservative, than spoiled food.

I have been feeding ProPLan for over 20 years and my dogs thrive on it, living long, healthy lives.

Purina has the most extensive testing facilities and does more feeding trials than any other company. I trust their products.

MK

Personally I would not feed any dog food containing ethoxyquin or the like.

Who knows what long term effects would be.

I know its probably in foods that I eat and i am not aware of it.

But, I take better care of my dogs than I do myself

Ethoxyquin was originally developed by Monsanto Corp. as a preservative to keep rubber tires from freezing hard in subzero conditions. Sounds yummy doesn't it?

You may not have been around thirty++ years ago, but the studies metioned above were done BY Monsanto, hence the controversy, which was raging even back then. Ingredients such as chicken meal may also be treated with ethoxyquin, and ethoxyquin will not be on the label. Best to find a food with whole, natural ingredients- not by-products, meals or protein slurries. The higher quality foods are usually preserved with vitamin E.

I would never use a food that contained ethoxyquin. If they add it directly to their food plus it is added to the meals and fish before going into the food, the levels may be unsafe (although it is suspected that any amount will cause lesions and cancer of the liver and it has done so in laboratory mice).
Why go looking for trouble...if you get a food preserved with vitamin E instead and are worried about it going rancid, you can always pop it in the freezer.

I have been feeding Pro Plan for over 20 years as stated earlier. I have never had cancer in any of my dogs, or kidney disease, etc. They all live well into their teens--my last one to go was 15.

You can't ask for more than that--long, healthy, active lives free of cancer, heart, liver, kindey disease.

MK

Something else I learned in my research: the US Coast Guard demands that fish (for dog food - don't think it includs human consumption) must be preserved with ethoxyquin to prevent it from going rancid.

However, the fish supplier to the dog food company is putting in the ethoxyquin. Since the dog food company does not put it in themselves they do not have to list it in the ingredients.

"I have been feeding Pro Plan for over 20 years as stated earlier. I have never had cancer in any of my dogs, or kidney disease, etc. They all live well into their teens--my last one to go was 15."

Well, so far you seem to be winning the roulette game. I would prefer not to play roulette at all but we all have to make our own choices.

Foodie,

Do you know if this includes all Pro Plan brands? Does it include the Selects line? I have a new bag of it here and don't see ethoxyquin on the bag anywhere. I thought they had to list it if they had included it.
Thanks.

Yes I feed selects to one of mine and I think they eliminated the chemical preservatives because it is advertised as an "all natural food"

Here is a link to the ingredients list for Pro Plan adult. You will see vitamin E listed twice, but NO ethox. listed.

http://www.proplan.com/products/ChickenRice_DryDog.html

As several of you have stated, if something contains this preservative before the manufacturer gets it--which means anything you buy or feed could contain ingredients you think you are avoiding--it doesn't have to be listed on the label.

However, many of you are slamming products without really examining the ingredients. I recall a thread recently where someone asked "what do you feed?" and the majority of people responded "Pro Plan." If there were something intrinsicly wrong with the food, I think breeders would be more likely to discover it before the average pet owner.

My point? We all have the right to make our own choices and feed what we want based on our own criteria, but we shouldn't spread incorrect information or make assumptions that may or may not be true.

No, I don't work for Purina. But I do know I have been feeding a quality product for many, many years and my dogs have thrived on it.

Maybe it is genetics : )

MK

Since the dog food company does not put it in themselves they do not have to list it in the ingredients.

So just because its not listed on the ingredient list, doesn't mean its not in the food in another way.

My point is that NO ONE can be sure that certain traces of substances they deem harmful are not in the products they buy. Unless you grow all of your own food (animal and vegetable) you never know for sure what you are getting or where it is from.

At some point, years and years of feeding trials, successful use of the product by pet owners and breeders should account for something. You have to make an EDUCATED decision on what you buy, not a decision based on hearsay and rumor.

MK

I wondered the exact thing because their response was so form-like. I emailed them again asking point blank if it was in ALL their products, specifically the puppy formula and the Selects line. This was the response I received -
"We appreciate your interest in our products. Please know if any of these ingredients were included in a specific product, it would be listed in the ingredient deck provided on all of our products."

I think I may try calling and speaking to a live person.

I did call customer service and was told that it is not an ingredient. I would feel better knowing if they have a guarantee from their suppliers as well. Guess I need to make another phone call.

So, just to clarify, my point wasn't to slam Pro Plan, but to point out that at least Diamond was right up front with their response, which was more favorable and very prompt, I might add. Much easier to get an answer from Diamond.