Food additives prevent spoilage and discoloration caused by the oxidation of food products. Meat is preserved to maintain its rich color. Vegetables and fruits are preserved to maintain a fresh and appetizing appearance. What are these substances and their effect on your dog's body?

As early as the late 1800s, people found that adding coloring or dye to food made it more appealing and appetizing. The artificial coloring also concealed spoilage of the food by masking the discoloration, causing the sale of unsafe foods to unsuspecting consumers. And the actual harm was that the substances used often contained mercury, arsenic, and lead, leading to severe diseases in the people who ate the foods.

Fortunately, the food industry has come a long way in the preservatives and dyes. Or have they? In 1960, the Color Additives Amendments set more stringent government oversight and scientific evidence of safety for color additives used in human and animal foods. However, some commonly used dyes have been shown to cause allergic reactions and debilitating diseases in people and dogs. 

Preservatives are carcinogenic. If you are concerned about these chemicals being used in your dog's food, explore the many options of feeding that omit the use of artificial food additives.

Manufacturers must package dog food to retain the formula specified on the label. The food components continually degrade. Rancidity causes changes in the taste, odor, and color of the food.

Preservatives also inhibit the growth of unwanted mold, yeast, and bacteria. By binding with water, humectants inhibit mold in semi-moist foods. These products increase the shelf life of dog food, allowing it to have an expiration date of 12-18 months post-manufacturing for dry food and up to 24 months for canned food.

Preservatives work well until the dog food bag is opened. The oxidation process of fats is initiated when you open the bag because the food is exposed to oxygen. The oxidation rate increases every time the bag is reopened, causing the fats and oils to break down into smaller compounds or by-products. 

Malondialdehyde is one of these by-products, which is a known cancer risk. Oxidation also causes the fats to become rancid. So the "best if used by date" only applies to the unopened bag. 

As fats become rancid, they destroy fat-soluble vitamins, potentially causing a vitamin deficiency in your dog. Besides malnutrition, rancid fats can cause hair loss, diarrhea,  liver disease, kidney disease, reproductive tract disorders, and cancer. The longevity of your dog's life is at risk if too many rancid fats are consumed. 

The use of food coloring, flavor enhancers, spices, and preservatives has occurred for thousands of years. The popularity of natural substances like herbs, spices, and salt continues. However, in the past century, there has been a shift from using natural compounds to synthetic compounds for the preservation and flavoring of food.

Natural antioxidants, such as tocopherols, vitamin C, and flavonoids, act as short-term preservatives. However, natural compounds are more expensive and less effective than synthetic ones. Natural preservatives do not provide long-term preservation, meaning the products would have a much shorter shelf life. 

Preservatives are categorized by their functionality. 

Because of their high moisture content, antimicrobials are required for semi-moist food and treats. These compounds inhibit mold growth and bacterial decomposition. Examples of antimicrobial preservatives include acids, propylene glycol, propylene propionate, and sorbate salts. 

Antimycotics, which specifically impede mold growth, is used in cheese, fruit juices, dried fruit, and bread. Examples of antimycotics are sodium and calcium propionate and sorbic acid.

Antioxidants are used to prevent rancidity caused by oxidation in foods containing fats and oils. The most commonly used antioxidants in dog food are butyl hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate, and ethoxyquin, all synthetic preservatives.

Humectants preserve the water content in semi-moist dog food and treats during processing. Humectants bind to the water to make it unavailable for bacterial growth. Humectants commonly used in dog food include high fructose corn syrup, salt, propylene glycol, glycerol, sorbitol, and other polyols. 

Even though dogs do not perceive colors the same way as people, commercial dog food is loaded with dyes to enhance the color of the kibble to make it more appealing to the eyes of the pet parents. Although natural dyes for foods such as carotenoids exist, artificial dyes are the most commonly used coloring agents.

Synthetic coloring agents used in dog food include azo dyes such as Sunset Yellow No. 6, Allura Red No. 40, non-azo dyes such as Brilliant Blue No. 1, and indigotin Blue No. 2. Caramel color and iron oxide are also used. These dyes are listed as safe in The  United States Food and Drug Regulations (21 CFR 73 and 74).

Many food colorings were initially distilled from coal tar to be used as dyes for the textile industry. Azo dyes made from tartrazine have been reported to cause asthma, migraines, eczema, thyroid cancer, and lupus in humans. They have also been linked to hyperactivity, learning disorders, and other behavioral problems in children. Allergic responses, including asthma and hives, have also been reported in humans. 

One of the most crucial aspects of kibble is its palatability. It will be rejected if the kibble does not appeal to your dog’s sense of taste and smell. Manufacturers use aromatic liquids and powders as a final coating ingredient for the kibble. Applying these palatants is precise as each piece of kibble must have a uniform coating, or your dog will reject individual pieces. So, the palatants must be applied properly: fat, liquid palatant, and powder palatant. Each layer must be allowed to dry completely before the next one is applied.

The pet food industry has researched the effect of pet food odors on dogs and their pet parents and realized that finding the right combination that appeals to both is the key to a successful product. They work endlessly to find a way to decrease objectionable odors detected by the pet parent and to increase the desirable flavor characteristics that appeal to dogs.

Chemicals are added to kibble to mask undesirable odors and enhance flavor. Factors that influence the taste preferences of dogs are based on the ancestral diet of wolves. Dogs prefer meat-based diets over plant-based diets. Most prefer beef and moist food over dry food. 

The other preference is sweetness, dogs like sugar. Although there is no ancestral link to the dog's sweet tooth, preference studies have shown that dogs are strongly associated with sugars and other sweeteners. Sugar comes in many forms, including lactose, fructose, and sucrose. The ingredients listed on the food label will be corn syrup, beet sugar, cane sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup.

Another flavor enhancement method is adding digests to kibble after the extrusion process. Digests are proteins (usually meat-based) that enzymes have broken down to increase the olfactory impact of the kibble while masking undesirable odors. 

Dog food manufacturers know that the appearance of the dog food is essential to the pet parent, so they often add a final layer of food enhancers to the kibble, a starch or egg coating, to make it look shiny.

Ethoxyquin, also known as Santaquin, Santoflex, and Quinol, was initially developed to prevent tire rubber from cracking due to the oxidation of isoprene. Feeding manufacturing companies refined it as a preservative for animal feed because it is inexpensive to protect fats and oils from peroxidation and stabilize fat-soluble vitamins. The primary uses of ethoxyquin are in canned dog food and animal feed for farmed fish and poultry.

Ethoxyquin has been banned from use in the United States in human-grade food other than for a few exceptions. However, with its use in food for fish and poultry that humans ultimately consume, an acceptable daily level of ethoxyquin intake has been established through dog studies.

You may look at your dog's food label and be relieved that there is no mention of ethoxyquin. But that is a false sense of security. Ethoxyquin is most often added by the supplier of dog food ingredients rather than by the manufacturer. So, according to the FDA, the manufacturer is not required to add it to the list of ingredients on the dog food label.

The most common components in dog foods preserved with ethoxyquin are fish, chicken, beef meals, and rendered fat ingredients. The ingredient supplier keeps these products before selling them to the dog food manufacturers, so again there is no requirement to list ethoxyquin on the food label.

BHA and BHT are compounds that preserve animal food's freshness, flavor, and coloration. However, using these two compounds has raised many controversies as studies have produced conflicting results. Some studies showed that these compounds promoted tumor growth, while others reported anticarcinogenic properties if used at low concentrations.

BHA was classified as a Possible Human Carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in  October 1985 based on "sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals." This resulted in the substance being banned from many products for children and other products seeking to be credentialed in the EPA's Safer Choice program. 

The European Union has banned the use of BHA in certain foods because it is considered a hormone disrupter, causing damage to the reproductive organs of female rats and the sperm quality in male rats.

BHT is used not only as a preservative in foods but also in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, rubber, jet fuels, and petroleum products. It, too, has been suspected of having carcinogenic properties, and there is evidence of behavioral changes in individuals who cannot detoxify BHT in the liver. Due to the possible side effects, BHT has been banned as the use of a preservative in Japan, Romania, Sweden, and Australia.

Both BHA and BHT have been consistently reported as tumor promoters. Studies with mice have created a wide variety of behavioral problems, including increased aggression and learning disorders. Kibble-fed dogs are at a greater risk of the toxic effects of BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin because they are forced to eat the same diet every day, creating an accumulation of the chemicals. The cumulative exposure causes a magnified effect on your dog's body.

Feeding a whole raw diet is the easiest way to avoid food additives, as it is nearly impossible to avoid all food additives if you are feeding commercially prepared foods. However, there are steps to take to minimize the impact of additives.

Look for a company that is transparent about all ingredients in its products. Simply reading the ingredient list is insufficient to ensure no dangerous products are in the food. 

To reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, give your dog food labeled as human-grade food.

Use the list provided below to find hidden additives in dog food products. 

Four food additives linked to cancer,  brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3, have recently been banned in California with a law that will go into effect in 2027. These additives are already banned in the European Union, Canada, and many other countries. Although red dye 3 is the only one of these ingredients likely to be found in kibble, the other three additives are in many foods consumed regularly by dog owners, making them easily accessible to dogs. 

The adverse effects of brominated vegetable oil, used in citrus-based soft drinks, have been shown to target the thyroid gland in humans. Potassium bromate, a class II carcinogen, has mild to severe toxicity to the kidneys, livers, and brains.  Propylparaben is known to disrupt the human endocrine system, while red dye 3 (erythrosine) also targets the thyroid and influences behavior in children.

With all of the adverse effects of these additives, dog parents must ensure that products containing these additives are not accessible to their dogs. 

Food additives prevent spoilage and discoloration caused by the <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/oxidation">oxidation</a> of food products. Meat is preserved to maintain its rich color. Vegetables and fruits are preserved to maintain a fresh and appetizing appearance. What are these substances and their effect on your dog's body?

As early as the late 1800s, people found that adding coloring or dye to food made it more appealing and appetizing. The artificial coloring also concealed spoilage by masking the discoloration, causing the sale of unsafe foods to unsuspecting consumers. The actual harm was that the substances used often contained mercury, arsenic, and lead, leading to severe diseases in the people who ate the foods.

Preservatives are carcinogenic. If you are concerned about these chemicals in your dog's food, explore the many feeding options that omit the use of artificial food additives.

Manufacturers must package dog food to retain the formula specified on the label. The food components continually degrade. Rancidity causes changes in the food's taste, odor, and color.

Preservatives also inhibit the growth of unwanted mold, yeast, and <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/bacteria">bacteria</a>.&nbsp;Humectants inhibit mold in semi-moist foods by binding with water. These products increase the shelf life of dog food, allowing it to have an expiration date of 12-18 months post-manufacturing for dry food and up to 24 months for canned food.

Preservatives work well until the dog food bag is opened. The oxidation process of fats is initiated when you open the bag because the food is exposed to oxygen. The oxidation rate increases every time the bag is reopened, causing the fats and oils to break down into smaller compounds or <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/byproduct">by-products</a>. 

<a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/malondialdehyde">Malondialdehyde</a> is one of these by-products, which is a known cancer risk. Oxidation also causes the fats to become rancid. So the "best if used by date" only applies to the unopened bag. 

As fats become rancid, they destroy <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/fatsoluble-vitamins">fat-soluble vitamins</a>, potentially causing a vitamin deficiency in your dog. Besides malnutrition, rancid fats can cause hair loss, diarrhea,  liver disease, kidney disease, reproductive tract disorders, and cancer. The longevity of your dog's life is at risk if too many rancid fats are consumed. 

For thousands of years, food coloring, flavor enhancers, spices, and preservatives have been used. Natural substances like herbs, spices, and salt continue to be popular. However, in the past century, there has been a shift from using natural compounds to synthetic compounds for the preservation and flavoring of food.

Natural <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/antioxidants">antioxidants</a>, such as tocopherols, <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/vitamin-c">vitamin C</a>, and <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/flavonoids">flavonoids</a>, act as short-term preservatives. However, natural compounds are more expensive and less effective than synthetic ones. Natural preservatives do not provide long-term preservation, meaning the products would have a much shorter shelf life. 

<a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/antimycotics">Antimycotics</a>&nbsp;specifically impede mold growth and are used in cheese, fruit juices, dried fruit, and bread. Examples of antimycotics are sodium and <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/calcium">calcium</a> propionate and sorbic acid.

Humectants preserve the water content in semi-moist dog food and treats during processing. Humectants bind to the water to make it unavailable for bacterial growth. Humectants commonly used in dog food include high <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/fructose">fructose</a> <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/corn">corn</a> syrup, salt, propylene glycol, glycerol, sorbitol, and other polyols. 

Seed oils are commonly used in kibble for several reasons that benefit production. Firstly, seed oils like soybean, canola, and sunflower oil are cost-effective sources of fat, which helps keep the price of kibble down while ensuring it provides the necessary fat content. These fats are a dense energy source, meeting the caloric needs of dogs, especially those with higher energy requirements.&nbsp;

Fats enhance the flavor and texture of kibble, making it more appealing to dogs and improving its acceptance. Seed oils also contribute to kibble's shelf stability, preserving its freshness and ensuring that fat-soluble vitamins remain stable and available for consumption.

Seed oils act as binding agents during manufacturing, helping to hold the kibble pieces together and maintain their shape.&nbsp;

Many seed and vegetable oils have a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. An excess of omega-6 fatty acids without adequate omega-3s can lead to increased inflammation.&nbsp;

Soybean oil, commonly used in kibble, can negatively impact kidney function; high levels of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in soybean oil can lead to a decline in kidney function, particularly when compared to omega-3. Additionally, soybean oil has been associated with hyperlipidemia, which can cause elevated cholesterol levels and potentially contribute to cardiovascular issues.&nbsp;

Chronic exposure to oxidized soybean oil has also been shown to cause oxidative stress and mitochondrial injury, affecting various organs and systems, including the liver and gastrointestinal tract.&nbsp;

Many kibble labels simply list vegetable oil without identifying which oil is used. This is likely to avoid locking the formula to one type of oil, allowing the manufacturer to choose the cheapest option for each product batch.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Even though dogs do not perceive colors the same way as people, commercial dog food is loaded with dyes to enhance the color of the <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/kibble">kibble</a>&nbsp;and make it more appealing to pet parents' eyes. Although natural dyes for foods such as carotenoids exist, artificial dyes are the most commonly used coloring agents.

Synthetic coloring agents used in dog food include <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/azo-dyes">azo dyes</a> such as Sunset Yellow No. 6, Allura Red No. 40, non-azo dyes such as Brilliant Blue No. 1, and indigotin Blue No. 2. Caramel color and iron oxide are also used. These dyes are listed as safe in The  United States Food and Drug Regulations (21 CFR 73 and 74).

Many food colorings were initially distilled from coal tar to be used as dyes for the textile industry. Azo dyes made from tartrazine have been reported to cause <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/asthma">asthma</a>, migraines, eczema, thyroid cancer, and lupus in humans. They have also been linked to hyperactivity, learning disorders, and other behavioral problems in children. Allergic responses, including asthma and hives, have also been reported in humans. 

The other preference is sweetness, dogs like sugar. Although there is no ancestral link to the dog's sweet tooth, preference studies have shown that dogs are strongly associated with sugars and other sweeteners. Sugar comes in many forms, including <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/lactose">lactose</a>, fructose, and <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/sucrose">sucrose</a>. The ingredients listed on the food label will be corn syrup, beet sugar, cane sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup.

Another flavor enhancement method is adding digests to kibble after the <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/extrusion">extrusion</a> process. Digests are proteins (usually meat-based) that enzymes have broken down to increase the olfactory impact of the kibble while masking undesirable odors. 

Dog food manufacturers know that the appearance of the dog food is essential to the pet parent, so they often add a final layer of food enhancers to the kibble, a <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/starch">starch</a> or egg coating, to make it look shiny.

Ethoxyquin, also known as Santaquin, Santoflex, and Quinol, was initially developed to prevent tire rubber from cracking due to the oxidation of isoprene.&nbsp;Feeding manufacturing companies refined it as a preservative for animal feed because it is inexpensive, protects fats and oils from&nbsp;<a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/peroxidation" target="_blank">peroxidation,</a>&nbsp;and stabilizes fat-soluble vitamins.&nbsp;The primary uses of ethoxyquin are&nbsp;canned dog food and animal feed for farmed fish and poultry.

You may look at your dog's food label and be relieved that ethoxyquin is not mentioned. But that is a false sense of security. Ethoxyquin is most often added by the supplier of dog food ingredients rather than by the manufacturer. So, according to the FDA, the manufacturer is not required to add it to the list of ingredients on the dog food label.

The most common components in dog foods preserved with ethoxyquin are fish, chicken, beef meals, and rendered fat ingredients. The ingredient supplier keeps these products before selling them to the dog food manufacturers, so again, there is no requirement to list ethoxyquin on the food label.

In October&nbsp;1985, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified BHA as a possible human carcinogen&nbsp;based on "sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals." This resulted in the substance being banned from many products for children and other products seeking to be credentialed in the <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/epa">EPA</a>'s Safer Choice program. 

BHT is used as a preservative in foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, rubber, jet fuels, and petroleum products. It, too, has been suspected of having carcinogenic properties, and there is evidence of behavioral changes in individuals who cannot detoxify BHT in the liver. Due to the possible side effects, BHT has been banned as a preservative in Japan, Romania, Sweden, and Australia.

Both BHA and BHT have been consistently reported as tumor promoters. Studies with mice have created a wide variety of behavioral problems, including increased aggression and learning disorders. Kibble-fed dogs are at a greater risk of the toxic effects of BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin because they are forced to eat the same diet daily, accumulating the chemicals. The cumulative exposure magnifies the effect on your dog's body.

Emulsifying agents, stabilizers, and thickeners

Articles from future units will be accessible once you have completed that unit.

Unit 3 - <a href="https://feedreal.com/articles/how-to-read-a-pet-food-label">How To Read A Pet Food Label</a> 

Hidden Secrets Added to Your Dog's Food

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