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Natural Flavors
- This topic has 1 reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 6 months ago by Maria K.
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AuthorPosts
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PatriceMember
I really think ānatural flavorā (or ānatural chicken flavorā, ānatural beef flavorā, etc.) should be listed in red as a controversial ingredient. I know I wonāt buy food for myself that has ānatural flavorsā in the list because MSG is a natural flavor (it is a salt, not a pertro-chemical, so it is not āartificialāābut it is still an excito-toxin/nervous system agitator.)
From http://slimdoggy.com/what-is-natural-flavor-and-is-it-good-for-my-dog/
āFor an idea of what a natural flavor is, the FDA website says:
With respect to flavors, pet foods often contain ādigests,ā which are materials treated with heat, enzymes and/or acids to form concentrated natural flavors. Only a small amount of a āchicken digestā is needed to produce a āChicken Flavored Cat Food,ā even though no actual chicken is added to the food. Stocks or broths are also occasionally added. Whey is often used to add a milk flavor. Often labels will bear a claim of āno artificial flavors.ā Actually, artificial flavors are rarely used in pet foods.
According to current labeling rules, dog food companies are allowed to consider these natural flavors proprietary, and are not required to disclose exactly what is used to make the flavoring nor how it is actually made (i.e., via a chemical process).ā
āāā
Merrick recently changed the ingredient list for āMerrick Classic Real Chicken + Green Peas Recipe with Ancient Grains Adult Dry Dog Foodā to read ānatural flavorā instead of ānatural chicken flavorā, so I called to ask why/what was in their ānatural flavorā.They said it was just flavor āderived from chicken or beef livers, or whatever the main meat ingredient of the particular food is.ā
Derived how?
āWell, it comes from the livers.ā
How? <I was put on hold>
āWell, itās just boiled down livers.ā
So why donāt you just say āchicken or beef or whatever concentrateā?
<put on hold>
āWell, itās derived from the livers. Like when you make a gravy.āSo, itās just āboiledā livers?
āProbably.ā
So why donāt you just say āliver concentrateā?
āWell, itās like when you make gravy.ā
When I make gravy I add seasonings for more flavor. MSG is considered a ānatural flavorā ā do you add MSG?
āItās derived from the livers.ā
And itās derived only by boiling?
āWell, itās from the livers.ā
And it is only liverāthatās the only ingredient?
āWell itās the liver of whatever the main meat is.ā
I told Merrick customer service that I wanted to voice my disbelief that ānatural flavorā was a simple concentrate, and that I believe it is a smoke-screen for additives and chemical processes they would not want to list separately because people would know how unhealthful it is.
āOK, Iāll pass that along. Have a nice day.ā
Maria KMemberI do think that Merrick can be a tricky brand because some of their formulas are great and some I wouldnāt feed. I do like the Classic Chicken, Peas with Ancient Grains formula though.
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Recent Topics
-
I need some advice
by Gerta Moret
6 days, 1 hour ago
-
Acid Reflux
by Sarah S
5 days, 22 hours ago
-
Hip and Joint supplements
by Judy R
6 days, 6 hours ago
-
Innovations in pet care
by Troy Lex
2 weeks, 2 days ago
-
Good dog food for almost 16 year old with elevated liver enzymes and beg kindey
by Kelly S
1 month, 1 week ago
Recent Replies
- Jacson C on SCARED BY TV
- Mozelle Koss on Your recommended brands
- Mozelle Koss on Expiration on kibble question
- Mike James on Acid Reflux
- Barton Borret on I need some advice
- Adam Bee on Hip and Joint supplements
- Barb Conway on Acid Reflux
- Adam Bee on Need feeding advice please
- Lewis F on Hip and Joint supplements
- Shannon May on Nitrate content of Farmland Traditions Chicken Jerky treats?
- thew dental on High quality food that will help my dog lose weight and not poop so much?
- thew dental on Innovations in pet care
- Bruce Graham on Hip and Joint supplements
- ML Prieto on IBD Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Disease
- murat G on best multivitamin?