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Artificial preservatives or atificial antioxidants in dog food

Artificial preservatives helps to keep ingredients stable longer and give a longer shelf life than natural antioxidants. However, dog owners have had concerns over the safety of artificial preservatives in dog food.

The most controversial of these has been ethoxyquin, which has been approved for use in animal feeds for over 30 years. It is currently allowed in dog foods at levels of up to 150 parts per million (ppm), or 0.015%.

Natural preservatives or natural antioxidants in dog food

Some pet owners prefer pet foods with only natural preservatives. Vitamin E, vitamin C, citric acid, and rosemary are among the most commonly used natural preservatives. Mixed tocopherols are a common source of vitamin E in pet foods.

Vitamin C is provided by ingredients such as cranberries, blueberries, apples and some other fruits. Citric acid is also found in many of these, especially citrus fruits. Rosemary is an extract from the plant Rosmarinus officinalis, an evergreen shrub which has anti-oxidant properties.

If you choose to use a dog food containing natural preservatives, keep in mind that they cannot extend shelf life as long as the artificial preservatives can. Consider buying the food in smaller amounts, to make sure that it is used up before it loses its freshness or nutritional value.

Look for foods with a ‘best if used by’ date stamped on them. Store these foods in a dry location, away from excessive heat or humidity. If possible, place the bag inside another clean, dry container once it has been opened.

What is holistic dog food

Holistic dog food is designed to promote wellness and vitality in dogs allergic to meat such as chicken, beef and lamb. Enlightened by the belief that pet food should be natural and free from harmful additives, holistic dog food are usually natural, wholesome, highest-quality ingredients packed with nutritional benefits to enhance health and well-being. A holistic dog food should not contain artificial preservatives, flavors, fillers or by-products commonly found in many of today’s pet foods.

Holistic dog food label

Here I use the brand Addiction holistic dog food as sample. You can see that this holisitc dog food actually has the label “Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profile. You can read more about AAFCO standard to understand what it means.

Despite not recognize in the AFFCO dog food nutrient profile, many dog owners still feed their dogs with this as it is an ideal protein source.

You can see the guaranteed analysis printed on the can, together with the ingredients as well. As you can see, it is printed that this dog food contains no artificial preservatives and it is an ideal protein for dogs allergic to chicken, beef or lamb. On the can you can find the feeding instructions and how you can switch your dog diet into holistic diet and what is the recommended usage.