You may have wondered about the content of your pet’s diet.
What kinds of ingredients are in those food bags or cans?
What does “meat by-product” mean exactly?
Here, we discuss and give answers to inquiries like these.
What are the essential things to note?
Many of these meals seem packed in a way that misleads buyers.
It is not peculiar to pet foods as fancy labels describe human foods too.
These ingredients usually promise nothing but quality.
However, they do not supply the nutrients or give the effects they are supposed to.
The food industry is worth billions. Its focus is on profit, and it continues to grow.
Businesses mostly think about how to maximize their profits. First, they get cheap ingredients.
Then, they produce and sell the end products at higher prices.
This method aimed at maximum gain usually leads to cutting corners and a lot of shortcuts.
What is rendering?
The food industry makes lots of money through rendering.
Animals that are not fit for human consumption go through rendering.
It includes diseased and disabled animals, as well as expired meat.
Other animal parts like blood, bones, and organs go through this process too.
These ingredients are first ground, placed in a huge vat and then, cooked at high temperatures.
It takes place for a lengthy period.
During rendering, this process serves to kill germs like viruses, bacteria, or parasites.
Another reason is to remove water from this mix and separate its fat content.
However, other things happen. This mixture loses most of its nutritional value while it goes through this process.
What is meant by “meat by-products”?
Meat-by-products consists of animal parts like the kidney, lungs, and intestine.
Other components that may be present are the stomach, brain, blood, bone, and fatty tissues.
The end product of the rendering process is dried and rich in protein and is referred to as a “meat by-product.”
This substance makes up the “meat” ingredient present in your pet’s food.
However, in reality, it is non-nutritious and non-meaty.
Companies usually spray additives to make this product appealing to your pet.
An example of such an additive is the chicken fat type.
Now, you know that pet food with “chicken by-product” written on it has no chicken.
Rendered animal parts make up most of these products.
Many pet food products contain mainly corn, rice-fillers, and meat by-products.
The production of these ingredients takes place at a low cost.
These ingredients are also high in calories. However, the nutrients in these foods don’t meet your pet’s required needs.
These foods do not contain much meat in them at too.
What are the kinds of foods you should not give?
There are other types of meat by-products used in pet food.
These include “meat by-product meal” and “meat meal.”
However, they are not any different from “meat by-products.”
They are rendered and processed the same way too.
These ingredients are only labelled that way to trick you into buying them.
This way, you’re more likely to think they are different and of high quality. They are not.
These meals also contain chemicals and can cause harm to your pet.
Only specific descriptions like “chicken cat food” or lamb dog food” are not misleading.
Don’t buy this type of food unless those words are written explicitly on the pack.
Another type of meat by-product is “meat digest.” It usually contains some real meat flavour.
So, it will trick your pet into thinking that all of it is REAL meat.
The reality is that this product has mostly grains present in it. It is also a poor protein source.
What other ingredients are harmful?
Monosodium glutamate, corn syrup, and MSG can end up in your pet’s food.
Propylene glycol is another ingredient that can serve as an additive.
Semi-moist food usually has these harmful substances present in them.
They make meals moist and more comfortable to feed your pet with.
Also, avoid preservatives like butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and sodium nitrite.
These, including nitrates and butylated hydroxyanisole, are not ideal.
In small amounts, these additives are harmful to humans.
So, preservatives like this are even more dangerous for your small-bodied pet.
Do you have other pets?
Do you want to know the right thing to feed??
Click here to learn about healthy food for your pet and discover so much more about hamsters!
