- Joined
- Feb 4, 2006
- Messages
- 2,435
- Purraise
- 61
Susan Thixton has been to AAFCO meetings (will be at one next week, in fact) and has a copy of the 2011 AAFCO Official Publication. Do you? (The new version is available for preorder at $105 if you're interested.)
Ms. Thixton has been diligently striving toward mandating improvements to pet food manufacturing processes and regulations, and has been researching the industry and educating the public for several years about these same practices and regulations, not to mention routinely sounding the alert about recalls - sometimes long before the FDA gets around to it.
For free.
What have you done for pet owners?
Of course there is no grade of pet food meat ingredients. That's precisely the issue. Pet food can be made using the same quality and cuts of meats we eat (as all US manufactured raw pet foods are), or they can be made using diseased, rejected animals and worse. Currently, regulations for non-raw pet food products do not allow any distinction between the two in either labeling or ingredient listing. Pet owners have the right to know if they're feeding their beloved pets the kind of meats pictured on the cans.... or diseased animals and rendered restaurant waste.
Here is a clear synopsis of FDA's policies as regards pet food. And, yes, of course, as disgusting as it is, 4-D animals are allowed in pet foods - this has long been known and admitted by the all the industries involved (bold highlighting from article).
All of this has been covered already and is nothing new. Rather than coming after me again, Ducman, why don't you go through this thread and actually read some of the material? It's clear from your post that you haven't done so.... and I would strongly urge you to take the time.
You are so sure the multi-billion dollar pet food industry's got your back, and has the best interests of Wesley and Buttercup in mind... but what if they don't?
What if the information and analysis LDG has posted is correct? What if the paper Carolina found is spot-on accurate? What if (heaven forbid, I know) any of the info I've posted is even close to the reality? Wouldn't you want to know?
You spend a great deal of energy chasing me around - why not put it to good use and learn something that just may pay off down the line? For that matter, someone with your time, energy and passion would likely be a huge help to any one of the many organizations attempting to make pet foods safer for our furry friends... why not contact one of them? The Feline Nutrition Education Society is the first one that comes to mind, but there is also the Pet Food Products Safety Alliance. Heck, you could even reach out to Ms. Thixton. She is attending AAFCO's meeting on 16 January along with industry leaders from several different organizations, including the FDA.... why not see if she could use your passion as a follow up to the meeting?
- - - - - - - - - -
And rather than derail this thread with any more personal vendettas, I invite you to pm me directly.
Best regards.
AC
Ms. Thixton has been diligently striving toward mandating improvements to pet food manufacturing processes and regulations, and has been researching the industry and educating the public for several years about these same practices and regulations, not to mention routinely sounding the alert about recalls - sometimes long before the FDA gets around to it.
For free.
What have you done for pet owners?
Nice try.AAFCO pet food regulations won't allow pet foods to state Grade of Ingredient on a pet food label.
That is not true, what the AAFCO does not allow is for someone to INVENT grades of meat. You can't call something "human grade chicken" on an ingredient list, because this does not exist. And you can't call it "Grade A Beef" because the USDA does not grade pet food. So yes, the AAFCO (well really the FDA) does not allow manufacturers to lie.
Of course there is no grade of pet food meat ingredients. That's precisely the issue. Pet food can be made using the same quality and cuts of meats we eat (as all US manufactured raw pet foods are), or they can be made using diseased, rejected animals and worse. Currently, regulations for non-raw pet food products do not allow any distinction between the two in either labeling or ingredient listing. Pet owners have the right to know if they're feeding their beloved pets the kind of meats pictured on the cans.... or diseased animals and rendered restaurant waste.
Here is a clear synopsis of FDA's policies as regards pet food. And, yes, of course, as disgusting as it is, 4-D animals are allowed in pet foods - this has long been known and admitted by the all the industries involved (bold highlighting from article).
CPG Sec. 675.400 Rendered Animal Feed Ingredients
POLICY: No regulatory action will be considered for animal feed ingredients resulting from the ordinary rendering process of industry, including those using animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, provided they are not otherwise in violation of the law.
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/UCM074717
CPG Sec. 690.500 Uncooked Meat for Animal Food
BACKGROUND:
*CVM is aware of the sale of dead, dying, disabled, or diseased (4-D) animals to salvagers for use as animal food. Meat from these carcasses is boned and the meat is packaged or frozen without heat processing. The raw, frozen meat is shipped for use by several industries, including pet food manufacturers, zoos, greyhound kennels, and mink ranches. This meat may present a potential health hazard to the animals that consume it and to the people who handle it.*
POLICY
*Uncooked meat derived from 4-D animals is adulterated under Section 402(a)(5) of the Act, and its shipment in interstate commerce for animal food use is subject to appropriate regulatory action.*
REGULATORY ACTION GUIDANCE
*Districts should conduct preliminary investigations only as follow-up to complaints or reports of injuries and should contact CVM before expending substantial resources. Before the districts recommend regulatory action, they should contact Case Guidance Branch, HFV-236, for advice and assistance with case development.*
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm074712.htm
And so on.CPG Sec. 675.200 Diversion of Adulterated Food to Acceptable Animal Feed Use
BACKGROUND:
In the past, FDA has authorized the salvage of human or animal food considered to be adulterated for its intended use by diverting that food to an acceptable animal feed use. Most of these instances have involved, but have not been limited to, the interpretation of section 402(a)(3) and (4) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow different standards for foods intended for human use vs. food intended for animal use, e.g., defect action levels for filth in a food intended for human use but not for the same food intended for animal feed use. Diversion requests, however, have also included USDA detained meat and poultry products contaminated with drug or other chemical residues, as well as food and feed under voluntary industry recall or quarantine that may be considered adulterated for their intended use(s). To assist in handling certain specific types of diversion requests, the Agency has developed Compliance Policy Guide 7126.05. [Diversion (after heat treatment) of rodent, roach, or bird contaminated food for animal use.] No single set of criteria, however, can be prepared to cover diversion requests in all possible situations. This guide provides procedures for submitting requests to the agency for authorization to divert adulterated foods for which no criteria have been established.
All of this has been covered already and is nothing new. Rather than coming after me again, Ducman, why don't you go through this thread and actually read some of the material? It's clear from your post that you haven't done so.... and I would strongly urge you to take the time.
You are so sure the multi-billion dollar pet food industry's got your back, and has the best interests of Wesley and Buttercup in mind... but what if they don't?
What if the information and analysis LDG has posted is correct? What if the paper Carolina found is spot-on accurate? What if (heaven forbid, I know) any of the info I've posted is even close to the reality? Wouldn't you want to know?
You spend a great deal of energy chasing me around - why not put it to good use and learn something that just may pay off down the line? For that matter, someone with your time, energy and passion would likely be a huge help to any one of the many organizations attempting to make pet foods safer for our furry friends... why not contact one of them? The Feline Nutrition Education Society is the first one that comes to mind, but there is also the Pet Food Products Safety Alliance. Heck, you could even reach out to Ms. Thixton. She is attending AAFCO's meeting on 16 January along with industry leaders from several different organizations, including the FDA.... why not see if she could use your passion as a follow up to the meeting?
- - - - - - - - - -
And rather than derail this thread with any more personal vendettas, I invite you to pm me directly.
Best regards.
AC
Last edited: