Controversial ingredients
Controversial ingredients, from by-products to preservatives such as BHA and BHT, are weighed here between myth and evidence with strict sourcing. This section separates documented risks from fear-based marketing.
Last updated :Questions (50)
- Are animal by-products in dog and cat food dangerous?
- What exactly is an animal by-product in pet food?
- Are by-products and animal meals necessarily low quality?
- Does European law regulate the use of animal by-products in kibble?
- What is the difference between a Category 3 animal by-product and material unfit for feed?
- Do liver, heart and offal count as animal by-products?
- Why do some brands list meat and animal by-products without naming the species?
- Does a high crude ash level signal too many by-products or too much bone in the kibble?
- Are the BHA and BHT found in pet food carcinogenic?
- What do health agencies such as EFSA and IARC say about BHA and BHT?
- What natural preservatives exist as alternatives to BHA and BHT in pet food?
- Is the carrageenan in cat wet food dangerous?
- Is the mixed tocopherol on a label really vitamin E used as a preservative?
- Do rosemary and tocopherol preserve fats as effectively as synthetic antioxidants?
- Are propyl gallate and BHA permitted as antioxidants in animal feed in Europe?
- How can a buyer tell whether a kibble uses natural rather than synthetic preservatives when it is not stated?
- Why is it often claimed that corn and wheat should be avoided in kibble?
- Is the corn in kibble merely a filler ingredient?
- Are grains really bad for dogs?
- What is the difference between a grain allergy and an intolerance in dogs?
- Does corn gluten add genuinely useful protein or artificially inflate the protein figure?
- Can the obligate-carnivore cat digest the corn and wheat present in some kibbles?
- Are rice and potato better carbohydrates than corn in a kibble?
- Are grains among the most frequent food allergens in dogs and cats?
- Is ethoxyquin still permitted in dog and cat food in Europe?
- What does EFSA say about the safety of ethoxyquin in animal feed?
- How can it be established whether a kibble contains ethoxyquin when the substance is not always declared on the label?
- Which additives are currently banned in kibble in the European Union?
- Why can ethoxyquin reach a kibble through fish meal without appearing in the ingredient list?
- In which year was ethoxyquin suspended as an additive in the EU?
- Which ingredients genuinely warrant avoidance in a kibble for dogs or cats?
- Do colourants and palatants added to kibble pose a problem?
- Does sugar have a place in a kibble for dogs or cats?
- How can a filler ingredient be spotted in a kibble's composition?
- Do colourants serve the animal, or only reassure the owner about how the kibble looks?
- Why is caramel or sugar sometimes found in treats and wet foods for pets?
- Are palatants such as meat digests or hydrolysates a bad sign?
- What exactly is a filler ingredient, and are all carbohydrates fillers?
- Is the term "meat meal" on a label a signal of poor quality?
- Does a kibble labelled "no artificial colours or preservatives" automatically make it a better food?
- Is propylene glycol permitted in dog kibble but banned for cats?
- Does salt added to kibble work as a palatant, and is it dangerous to the animal?
- Natural flavourings versus artificial flavourings on a kibble label: what is the difference?
- Is beet pulp a filler or a useful fibre in kibble?
- Is titanium dioxide, used as a white colour, still permitted in animal feed in Europe?
- Should a kibble whose first ingredient is a grain rather than meat be treated with suspicion?
- Are nitrites and nitrates used to preserve pates and terrines for pets?
- Is a meat meal more concentrated in protein than fresh meat in a kibble?
- Are technological additives such as emulsifiers and thickeners harmful to cats?
- How can a genuine safety issue be told apart from a purely marketing argument about controversial ingredients?
Guides (6)
- Are by-products and animal meals bad? An evidence guide
- Are 'fillers' in pet food real? An ingredient guide
- Colours, palatants and additives in pet food: a guide
- Corn and wheat in kibble: myths versus evidence
- Preservatives in pet food: BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin, a safety guide
- How to spot fear-marketing on a pet food label