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CAN HEALTHY CAT FOOD CONTAIN PRESERVATIVES?

             
It is correct that healthy food is the one which is free of any preservatives and artificial flavors. Preservatives, artificial flavors, and artificial colors are harmful, not only human health but for your pets as well. Pets need special care and attention because they are very sensitive and their nutritional needs are different from that of humans. Pet’s intake is small and that is why their food must contain high levels of nutrients and energy boosters so that they can get everything even in a smaller quantity of food. 

Preservatives are not good for pets because it affects the health in a bad way but they are necessary for packed or canned foods which must be preserved. Therefore, manufacturers use antioxidants that are substances that help to keep fats and fat-soluble ingredients from being oxidized. These fats and fat-soluble ingredients include vitamins A and E. If the fats in the food get oxidized, the taste of the food gets sour and also it loses its nutritional value. 

Pet Food mostly contain fats which are prone to oxidization and canned foods are protected and secure because they are airtight but dry food for pets must contain some antioxidants which act as preservatives so that it is preserved for a longer period of time. There are proper guidelines for using antioxidants in cat or dog foods for manufacturers and these guidelines are given by AAFCO, the Association of American Feed Control Officials. It states that the antioxidants must be labeled on the pack of food with a reference to the fact that it is being used as a preservative. 


Antioxidants could be natural or artificial and their main job is to prevent the food or the fats that are present in the food from oxidization. The most common artificial antioxidants that are being used in the Pet Food are ethoxyquin, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). Natural antioxidants which are commonly used include tocopherols (vitamin E), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid, and rosemary.

Both the types of antioxidants are described below.

ARTIFICIAL ANTIOXIDANTS:   These preservatives will keep the foods preserved and protected for a longer period of time, definitely, but the customers are worried about the nutritional value of the food. Artificial preservatives will be not that safe and secure for the health of the cat. Consumers make sure to feed the most Healthy Cat Food to their pet cat. The most controversial preservative in artificial type is ethoxyquin which is allowed currently to be used in dog foods at levels of up to 150 parts per million (ppm), 0.015%.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) are synthetic analogs of vitamin E, and they are frequently used together. BHA is more stable at higher temperatures as compared to BHT. Both these artificial antioxidants (preservatives) are Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Authority. They are also the most common type of preservatives that are used in human food. However, they are controversial as well as they have been suspected to be carcinogens but in 2 animal studies, BHT and BHA have been presented to actually guard against cancer if they are added to food before an animal is exposed to a carcinogen. 


NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS: There are some customers who are really worried about their pet’s health and they totally rely on natural preservatives that are added to their pet’s food. Winner Plus Cat Food could be the best option for such customers and cat lovers, who make sure that their cat is eating healthy and protected cat food. The most commonly used natural antioxidants include Vitamin E, vitamin C, citric acid, and rosemary are among. Mixed tocopherols are a common source of vitamin E in food for pets. 

Cranberries, blueberries, apples, and some other fruits provide vitamin C. Winner Plus Cat Food is the best source of these vitamins because it consists of natural preservative. Citric acid is also found in many of these natural antioxidants that are used as preservatives, especially citrus fruits. Therefore, natural preservatives are healthy for pets. 

One of the most important things you need to keep in mind is that the natural preservatives cannot extend the preservation of food as compared to artificial preservatives. Artificial additives can increase the time of conservation because they are meant to do that. You can consider buying food with natural ingredients in smaller proportions in order to feed your cat with the healthiest food and also to restore the freshness of food. This will keep your cat healthy and safe from any disease or allergy. 

Healthy Cat Food is very important for making sure the long and secure life of your pet. Healthy Pet Food may contain preservatives but they are of two types natural and artificial. Artificial is less healthy but suitable for foods that are to be stored for a longer amount of time. Natural, on the other hand, are stored for a relatively smaller amount of time but it is healthy for cats. Winner Plus Cat Food is the best option in this case.     

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About Thomas Shelby

Hi! My name is Thomas Shelby. I work at Pets Republic. We are offering healthy and natural food for all breeds of Dogs and Cats. I shared my posts of Pet Food here. You can also leave a comment about the posts in the comment box.
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