MOLD
It goes without saying that you should always be observant when it comes to your own and your pets foods, treats and toppers. Prolonged exposure to mold can have a wide variety of effects on the body. They range from mild to severe and include but are not limited to: digestive upset, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), vomiting, diarrhea, tremors/seizures and even death. There is plenty of research to prove the correlation of cancer and exposure to mold. Most mycotoxins are chemically stable and survive food processing. It’s not the mold itself that’s inherently dangerous, but the toxic compounds released by that mold. Over the years, several brands of pet food and treats have been recalled due to dangerous and disgusting discoveries of mold in their products.
The FDA explains the dangers associated with aflatoxicosis here. These toxins can be present in the product even if there is no visible mold on the food! Another fantastic resource on this topic comes from the wildly knowledgeable Susan Thixton at Truth About Pet Food. The thought that your pets food could be exposing them to carcinogenic fungi is absolutely terrifying! There is not nearly enough regulation in the pet food industry to ensure these ingredients aren’t making it into products aside from the scientific implications that denounce the need for carbohydrates in their diets to begin with.
The other risks are associated with improper storage and manufacturing processes. More people are becoming aware that you should keep your pets food in the same bag you purchased it in and then sealing it inside an airtight container. Once you remove the product from its original packaging, it is no longer “best before” the date on the bag! That date is only valid if the product stays inside the bag it was manufactured in to sit on the shelf at the store and remain “fresh”. This is especially true for pet foods that contain fish oils that have been heavily processed, cooked/heated multiple times and extruded into the shape you know as kibble. This process basically destroys the incredibly beneficial omega fatty acids found in whole fresh fish. You are far better off adding fresh fish wherever possible!
Another area of risk comes from treats that have not been fully/properly dehydrated, smoked or freeze dried. Single ingredient treats made from real whole food ingredients such as feet, necks, ears organs or tripe MUST BE properly “cooked” to reach sufficient levels of stability for shelf life and safety. When products like this are “underdone” it poses a massive risk for mold and bacteria to grow, which as you can gather from the above mentioned risks you don’t actually have to SEE anything for there to be mold present, but when there IS mold it’s that much worse! If you ever receive treats that don’t seem right, smell off, look or feel “wet” or bendy etc, you should absolutely return them and express your concerns to the company from which you purchased them. Even if to “just be safe”… It is much better to be safe than sorry and expose your pet.
Last but not least, this article from the National Library of Medicine goes into very deep detail about the dangers and debilitating afflictions caused by exposure to mold and mycotoxins. Dysbiosis, exacerbating inflammation, neurotoxicity ,hormone disruption and hypersensitivity are just SOME of the findings. This is heavily focused on human health but many of the same parameters can be applied to animal health.
At the end of the day, cats and dogs are carnivores and have zero dietary requirements for carbohydrates. Corn, soy and grains are cheap fillers and the leading source for mycotoxin exposure as discussed in several of the linked articles above.These additions are used to give kibble it’s shape once the slurry of oftentimes rendered meat and agricultural “leftovers” are blended into a paste and obliterated at high temperatures until it’s unrecognizable; then they add flavour palatants or “digest” to this concoction to entice your pets to consume it in great amounts at a massive detriment to your pets health over the long term. After you have learned the risks associated with mold, we hope you take a little extra care and pay closer attention. Higher price does not always equal higher quality. Make choices based on ingredients that will support your pet for balance and vitality!