Key points
- Two groups of preservatives, namely artificial and natural, are added to pet foods. While natural preservatives are generally considered safe, synthetic compounds pose a significant risk to your dog’s health.
- Both BHA and BHT can promote tumors in pets and, therefore, should be avoided. Vitamin E, vitamin C, and plant extracts are most commonly used as natural preservatives.
- The canning process is another popular method of food preservation. That is why canned pet food does not require either natural or artificial preservatives.
Today, there’s a lot of discussion about preservatives – both in products made for human consumption and pet food. But what are preservatives? Why are they necessary? And what alternatives are there to preservatives?
Preservatives are ingredients that prevent food from spoiling, expanding its shelf life. There are two main groups of preservatives in pet food: antimicrobials and antioxidants. Antimicrobials are used to stop the growth of yeast, bacteria, or mold. At the same time, antioxidants are added to food to slow the oxidation of fats and lipids, resulting in rancidity.
The pet food industry uses both natural and artificial preservatives. While there are many reasonable concerns about the effects of artificial preservatives on pet health, nowadays, they are widely used in most commercial dog foods.
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