Vitamin K3

As I understand the law, when making a fish-based food where fish is 25% or more of the ingredients the manufacturer must use Vitamin K3. This applies only to cat food not dog food and both canned and dry foods.

I have looked at a bunch of foods that are almost entirely fish and only a couple list it, EVO is one,

Blue Buffalo, Orijen 6 Fish, Fromm and Felidae do not.

Anyone know why?  It is the law to use K3.

That's an interesting question.  I did some basic, quick internet research and found this article.  Although it is written about dogs, I would think it also applies to cats.  Note in particular the other names for Vitamin K-3 (menadione).  And I believe if the food has a natural source of Vitamin K from food, then K-3 isn't needed.  (Indeed, K-3 has some very bad side effects attached to it.)  http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/the-only-approved-vitamin-k-supplement-in-pet-food/

Yes and no. It is required in cat foods wet and dry where fish is more than 25% of the ingredients.

And only K3 is allowed.

There is no requirement for dogs at all but if the maker chooses they must use K3 as well.

A statement from the AAFCO provided in link provided by Ritz:

Menadione sodium bisulfite complex is the only  acceptable source of Vitamin K in pet foods.  At this time, no other sources of Vitamin K are allowed in pet food including natural Vitamin K and K1 (phylloquinone).

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So if a food has menadione in its ingredient list it contains supplemental vitamin K.

Yes that is correct any vitamin k must be the artificial one vitamin k3

What is confusing me is why other fish based foods dont list it. Only EVO. Earthborn lists "Supplemental Vitamin K"

It could be because fish ingredients are below 25%.

Further down in that link another AAFCO representative wrote:

I believe Liz’s reference was to pure sources of vitamin K.  If you have ingredients that contain natural sources of vitamin K in their composition, as long as the methods of analyses are legitimate and can be verified, I believe the manufacturer can list it in the guaranteed analysis section of the label, as long as they meet other requirements (units of the vitamin, etc.).

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I don't have the AAFCO recommendations with me I know it is the finished product that must contain the recommended nutrient levels. In other words, it's not they they must add supplemental vit K its that the food must contain additional vit K above the basic recommendation if it is high in fish. As the above statement indicates the vit K can come from natural sources so it might not be obvious from looking at the ingredient list how much vit K the food has.

And, as you said, it's quite possible that a food doesn't contain as much fish as you think.

No...the law is if the food is 25% or more of fish then K3 MUST be added. MUST, there is no test.

I think what is happening is that some food advertised as fish-based are actually not.

Wouldn't you expect Salmon TunaChovy from Fromm to be a fish protein-based food?

SSMaine said:

No...the law is if the food is 25% or more of fish then K3 MUST be added. MUST, there is no test.

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Where are you getting that from???

"AAFCO regulations require the synthetic Menadione to be used in cat foods containing more than 25% fish (dry matter). It would not matter if the cat food has sufficient vitamin K sourced from food (spinach, olive oil)…regulations require the addition of Menadione to cat foods containing high levels of fish."

The FDA also states this and uses the word "needs to be added"

SSMaine said:

"AAFCO regulations require the synthetic Menadione to be used in cat foods containing more than 25% fish (dry matter). It would not matter if the cat food has sufficient vitamin K sourced from food (spinach, olive oil)…regulations require the addition of Menadione to cat foods containing high levels of fish."

The FDA also states this and uses the word "needs to be added"

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What is the source of these quotes???

Natura told me this morning that it is in EVO because it is required no matter what the natural levels are from ingredients.

It would be far from the first time that a representative of a pet food manufacturer gave out incorrect information about the product they are representing.

Did you read the link Ritz provided? The author communicated directly with AAFCO representatives and established that the vit K can indeed be from natural sources. Really, it doesn't make any sense for it to be otherwise. The AAFCO has no prohibition against any other nutrient coming from natural rather than synthetic sources. Why would vit K be any different?

Unless someone can provide communication directly from the AAFCO that says otherwise it is safe to assume that a natural source of vit K is fine. In general, if a pet food carries the AAFCO label identifying it as a complete and balanced food you can be sure it meets all AAFCO nutrient recommendations.

SSMaine said:

No...the law is if the food is 25% or more of fish then K3 MUST be added. MUST, there is no test.

I think what is happening is that some food advertised as fish-based are actually not.

Wouldn't you expect Salmon TunaChovy from Fromm to be a fish protein-based food?

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One would expect a food called "Salmon TunaChovy" to be 25% fish based.  But I know from reading ingredients that some 'beef' flavored foods have fish in them.  And some food called Seafood has beef, chicken as the 2nd ingredient.

Also, I see the word "dry weight".  Wonder if it is 25% wet food cased (dry matter basis conversion--to figure out how much carbohydrates a food *really* has--even if "grain free").  Maybe that's the difference.

It would be interesting to hear what Fromm has to say about the vitamin K in that particular food.

I have a call and email into the vitamin expert at AAFCO it is a state official in Minnesota. Only EVO was completely upfront about this.

I spoke to Felidae and Fromm and got very scripted answers. EVO was very frank about it. Earthborn was too but fumbled over the type.

I plan on calling Abady, Half the cats in Manhattan eat that food I am sure they know.

I suspect they are taking a chance by not including it because they know customers don't want to see it.

Personally, I dont care unless these so called seafood foods like Fromm's are nothing but peas and pea protein and that is how they get around the rule.

I'm looking forward to what you find out!

I'll be really surprised if any pet food manufacturer is knowingly ignoring the AAFCO recommendations but are carrying the AAFCO complete and balanced label. It wouldn't be worth the bad publicity if they get found out. 

Really?? Not sure. A certain Canadian company does nothing but lie and nothing is done about it.

Details please.

Does Canada have an equivalent of the AAFCO to the extent that there are requirements that must be met in order for a pet food manufacturer to display a label? I seem to remember Canada has even laxer requirements than what we have in the US.

Are you in Canada??

Solid Gold was very upfront. They have several canned fish foods that are complete. The formulator said point blank, "if any cat food is 25% or greaert in fish, they must add K3 no matter what"

SSMaine said:

Solid Gold was very upfront. They have several canned fish foods that are complete. The formulator said point blank, "if any cat food is 25% or greaert in fish, they must add K3 no matter what"

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That is the response I would expect. It still doesn't say that the K3 can't be added as a natural source. And of course it still leaves open the possibility that a food that appears from the ingredient list to be more than 25% fish actually isn't.