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Yet ano<strong>the</strong>r one<br />
<strong>the</strong> reasons why <strong>the</strong>re are so many pet food recalls<br />
By Maria Ringo DHMHS, B.GS<br />
There is a good chance that at some<br />
point in <strong>the</strong> next month you will be reading<br />
about ano<strong>the</strong>r pet food recall due to<br />
toxins found in pet food. Even people<br />
without pets were riveted to <strong>the</strong> news<br />
around <strong>the</strong> widespread panic that happened<br />
back in 2007 when Menu Foods<br />
brands were found to contain lethal doses<br />
of melamine. Melamine is what <strong>the</strong>y<br />
make kitchen counters out of, so what<br />
was it doing in pet food?<br />
Melamine contains high levels of protein,<br />
believe it or not. It was added to a “vitamin/mineral<br />
premix” manufactured in<br />
China, in order to boost <strong>the</strong> nutritional<br />
profile of <strong>the</strong> mix. Bags and bags of this<br />
premix, virtually all made offshore, are<br />
shipped to North American pet food<br />
manufacturers every day, where <strong>the</strong><br />
mixture is <strong>the</strong>n added by <strong>the</strong> scoopful to<br />
pet food recipes in order to meet AAFCO<br />
minimum standards for certain nutritional<br />
requirements. Check <strong>the</strong> back of most<br />
pet food packages and look at <strong>the</strong> chemical<br />
names listed at <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> ingredients<br />
list – that’s <strong>the</strong> premix.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | May/June2012<br />
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