The-Truth-About-Pet-Foods

Company C: States their product contains Ester-C.
Truth Response: This is a mineral polyascorbate, a calcium chelate of
ascorbic acid. It is a synthetic compound, derived from synthetic ascorbic
acid. How does this support the Company C claim to “natural”
Company C: Implies their ingredient listing is better than
Wysong.
Truth Response: Of the first four ingredients in this comparison, the
second and fourth entries in Company C’s product are rendered meat
products, while the first ingredient in Wysong Maintenance is chicken (fresh,
whole).
All seven of the first Wysong ingredients (Chicken, Ground Corn,
Ground Wheat, Ground Brown Rice, Ground Oat Groats, Poultry Fat,
and Ground Extruded Whole Soybeans) are substantial, high quality,
highly expensive, whole food ingredients. Of the first seven ingredients in
Company C’s product (Ground Yellow Corn, Poultry Meal, Ground
Whole Wheat, Meat Meal, Animal Fat, Oatmeal, Beet Pulp, Dried Kelp),
three are questionable in value as primary ingredients: animal fat, beet
pulp, and dried kelp. Fat is of course necessary, but it is an empty calorie
source. Beet pulp is simply a by-product fiber source and dried kelp
must be in the diet at very low levels as an herbal mineral source.
Company C: Animal fat is listed as being preserved with Vitamin
E (D-alpha tocopherol) and Vitamin C.
Truth Response: D-alpha tocopherol is a poor food antioxidant.* It is
readily degraded by heat and, although a good in vivo antioxidant, it is
not the preferred natural food antioxidant. A better choice is Oxherphol,
which consists predominantly of the delta and gamma epimers of
vitamin E, which are proven to be highly effective food antioxidants. Company
C also states that they use vitamin C to preserve fat. Vitamin C is
not soluble in fat, therefore, how can it preserve fat In order to solubilize
vitamin C in fat, if this is what the company is doing, they must use agents
such as propylene glycol, but this is not listed on the label, and is not a
* Wysong RL, “Oxherphol Technical Information,” 2002. Chem Phys Lipids,
1984; 35(3):185-98. J Agric Food Chem, 2000; 48(8):3130-40. J Agric Food
Chem, 2001; 49(4):1724-9. Nahrung, 2000; 44(6):431-3.
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