New "enhanced" formula dangerous?

My cats have special dietary needs, and Blue Buffalo Basics grain-free (turkey and potato formula) is the one food I have found that seems to work for both of their issues. However, I have discovered that Blue Buffalo will soon be "enhancing" the formulas of some of their foods, including the Blue Basics. Reading the ingredients online, the new formula does not seem enhanced at all, but a step backwards.

There are a few things that concern me. One is the addition of tapioca starch as the third ingredient (bumping down peas and potatoes), which my cats have never had, and being third on the list means that there is probably a lot of it. I have read information from some sources that high consumption of tapioca starch can lead to cyanide poisoning. I'm not sure how true this is for cats. I would like some input. On Blue's website, you can click on each of the ingredients, and it will give you an explanation of its benefits and why it is included in the formula. It does not allow you to do this for tapioca starch, which leads me to believe that it has no purpose or benefit.

Another thing that worries me is the salt content. In the new formula, the salt has gone way up the ingredient list to number 12 or 13, when it was way toward the bottom of the list--in the 40's or 50's. I'm not sure why they are increasing the salt so much.

The caramel is also a little concerning. It has moved up the list too. Blue claims to use no artificial colors, but I believe that is what caramel is used for.

Cranberries, which are supposed to prevent UTIs, have moved way down the list, as well as blueberries and parsley. It seems that the so called natural ingredients are being pushed toward the bottom. Carrots have been eliminated completely and replaced with pumpkin.

The last two things that concern me are "natural flavor," which used to specifically be turkey flavor, and fish oil. Natural flavor could be anything. I have been trying to avoid fish, and they go and add fish oil! It is supposed to be a limited ingredient food, but adding a second animal source instead of just having turkey like they used to does not seem very limited.

I really hate to switch foods again because they are doing so well, but I'm worried that I may have to if the new formula does not work out. My cats have not tried the new formula yet. I don't think it is even on store shelves yet. just bought a new bag of the "old" formula.

I know that some of you will suggest some other brands, but believe me, I researched them ALL before picking Blue Basics because of the old ingredients. I have been trying to get them to eat some canned food too, so they are not only on dry any more, but it has been rather difficult to find one that is grain-free, does not contain fish, corn, wheat, soy, or dairy AND does not contain carrageenan. Neither of them like shredded or pâté style. They just like the little slices. Blue discontinued the one canned food--Blue Bistro--that met all of those requirements (which my cats loved).

I have been browsing this site, and have not really come across that many people that feed Blue Buffalo or like the food. Hopefully, some of you will have some input about the brand or some of the ingredients that I mentioned.

Thanks for reading my long rant!

Hi. 

Okay, so the formula change is in the dry food, correct? Your concern is definitely warranted. That does sound like a lot of changes. From a quick search, tapioca starch provides little in the way of nutrients. At least peas have fiber and potatoes have vitamin C, but I'm not finding much on tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour), other than it has a slightly sweet flavor and is powerful thickener. 

In pet food labeling, the AAFCO requires that ingredients be listed "in order of predominance by weight" (http://petfood.aafco.org/IngredientsMakingPetFood.aspx). They don't have a special grouping allowance for ingredients that fall under 1% like in human food labeling, so if an ingredient is appearing higher on the list in comparison to other ingredients, then there is more of that ingredient.

If you'd like to get BB's take on all this and see what their explanation is, I would suggest that you send them an email noting your concerns above. Perhaps they have a more scientific explanation from a manufacturing standpoint that the average consumer wouldn't normally be informed about.

If you decide to move forward with the new BB formula, I highly suggest that you buy the new formula before you run out of the old and transition them slowly by mixing a small amount of the new with the old and gradually increasing the new over a few weeks until you're feeding 100% of the new formula. An abrupt change to a new formula can cause digestive upset.

And, yes, you're right...I am going to suggest another food.    My three cats are mostly on a wet diet, but I still feed two of them a little of the Nature's Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Turkey Meal Formula dry food (http://www.naturesvariety.com/Instinct/cat/kibble/LIDturkey). It is a very limited ingredient food for sensitive kitties, and you would be still be sticking with turkey as the protein since that seems to work for your cats. They also have a Limited Ingredient Turkey Formula canned food which you could introduce at some point (http://www.naturesvariety.com/Instinct/cat/can/LIDTurkey). I do like Nature's Variety better as a company (no...I do not work for them). The two foods I mentioned do not contain any of the "bad" ingredients you listed above (grain, fish, corn, wheat, soy, dairy, carrageenan). I'm pretty sure none of their cat foods contain these things.

I second the Nature's Variety Instinct. I made the switch from The BB you are currently feeding to Instinct when they put out the LID diets. All my cats (including the finicky ones) like the food. It does use Tapioca as a binder; but, the ingredient list is good.

I looked into Nature's Variety before and most of the ingredients seem good, but the fact that it has clay listed among the top ingredients is a little concerning. I'm not sure why that would be included as a food ingredient. It seems a little unusual to me.

Montmorillonite clay isn't clay the way we normally think of clay.  It is a healing clay that has been used by people for centuries.  It doesn't clump the way clay that we think of does, it's a mineral which people who are into holistic diets believe absorbs toxins in the digestive system.

There have been studies of montmorillonite clay helping with aflatoxin exposure, a type of toxin produced by mold.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16019795

http://repository.tamu.edu/handle/1969.1/3192

http://digitalcommons.georgiasouthe...i?article=1000&context=environ-health-facpubs (PDF)

On Nature's Variety's website, here is what they say about montmorillonite clay:

Montmorillonite is a natural clay that we source from deposits in southern Utah that is approved by AAFCO for use as an anticaking processing aid. We have used this same natural source for many years.

Source: http://www.naturesvariety.com/ingredients/list/M

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Nature's Variety does use calcium montmorillonite clay, as shared by another TCS member on this thread: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/267836/montmorillonite-clay-in-natures-variety-instinct

I don't think they can technically say that it "binds toxins" on any of their literature because it would violate pet food labeling laws and such claims may classify it as a drug (http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/newsevents/fdaveterinariannewsletter/ucm090102.htm).

Anyway, I'm sorry that I am off topic.    Let us know what you decide to do and how it goes! 

Another fan of the Nature's Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet here, though I feed only the canned formulas. I was initially worried about the clay because my male cat has had a couple of severe constipation episodes. But as I navigate through his other sensitivities, if I had to choose between the clay and the other popular processing aids used by pet food manufacturers, I'll take the clay any day. My cats have been on this food for just over a month and so far, no constipation problems. And most of his other outward signs of food sensitivities have vanished while on this food.

So, does everyone think that the the clay would be a better choice than the tapioca starch then, if I had to choose? My cats have neither.

So, I guess I have to decide whether to mix the old and new Blue formulas (when the new one comes out) to get them used to it or buy a bag of the Nature's Variety and mix it with the old Blue. So many decisions! I wish the pet food companies would make things easier by not "enhancing" their formulas when they don't need to. I wonder if it will come with an "enhanced" price too?

Blue Buffalo DID start out as a good food,and I used to feed it to rescue kittens,  but there have been enough problems with both the cat and dog food recently (the past couple of years) that I would not trust any of it. 

www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/blue_buffalo.html‎

http://truthaboutpetfood.com/blue-buffalo-kibble-change

Blue Buffalo is not the company it used to be. 

Blue Buffalo does not own their own factories. Blue Buffalo foods are made in facilities owned and controlled by Diamond. Diamond has been involved in almost every major pet food recall in recent history. If you want an independently owned and operated food choice, try Orijen or Fromm.

http://www.thedeal.com/content/consumer-retail/blue-buffalo-could-see-ipo-sale-in-2014.php

MeezerTorbie said:

So, does everyone think that the the clay would be a better choice than the tapioca starch then, if I had to choose? My cats have neither.

So, I guess I have to decide whether to mix the old and new Blue formulas (when the new one comes out) to get them used to it or buy a bag of the Nature's Variety and mix it with the old Blue. So many decisions! I wish the pet food companies would make things easier by not "enhancing" their formulas when they don't need to. I wonder if it will come with an "enhanced" price too?

Click to expand...

Nature's Variety does use tapioca in their formulas, so I'm not sure that this should be the entire basis of your decision. I wanted to list out the ingredients of both the old and new BB formulas so that I could see it "on paper" (see below). Yes, changes have been made, but when I look at the lists as a whole, they don't seem too drastic. But if you're asking what I would do, personally, I would want to feed as limited in ingredients as possible to sensitive kitties. Also, I don't necessarily like what I've been reading lately about BB as @Red Top Rescue mentioned.

Blue Basics Grain Free Turkey & Potato

OLD Ingredients:

Deboned turkey, turkey meal, pea starch, pea protein, potatoes, pea fiber, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), peas, natural turkey flavor, flaxseed (source of Omega-3 & 6 fatty acids), whole carrots, cranberries, blueberries, barley grass, dried parsley, alfalfa meal, dried kelp, taurine, yucca schidigera extract, L-carnitine, L-lysine, turmeric, oil of rosemary, dried chicory root, beta carotene, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), d-calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), biotin (vitamin B7), folic acid (vitamin B9), vitamin B12 supplement, calcium ascorbate (source of vitamin C), vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, choline chloride, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, salt, caramel, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, dried yeast (source of saccharomyces cerevisiae), dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

NEW Ingredients:

Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Tapioca Starch, Peas, Pea Protein, Canola Oil (source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Pea Fiber, Natural Flavor, Potatoes, Fish Oil (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Pumpkin, Dried Chicory Root, Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), Potato Starch, Caramel, Alfalfa Meal, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (a source of Vitamin C), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, L-Lysine, Zinc Sulfate, Parsley, Kelp, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Turmeric, Ferrous Sulfate, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3), Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Oil of Rosemary, L-Carnitine, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Copper Sulfate, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Calcium Iodate, Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation product

Nature's Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey Meal Formula

Ingredients:

Turkey Meal, Tapioca, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Peas, Natural Flavor, Montmorillonite Clay, Coconut Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Salt, DL-Methionine, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract.

Some other foods to investigate would be Young Again Zero Carb, Wysong Epigen 90, and Ziwipeak.

Thanks, @GoHolistic, for publishing that great comparison list of ingredients of old Blue, new Blue, and Natures Variety.  I have copied it into Word and saved it to share with others.  Properly prepared tapioca removes all the cyanide.  Improperly prepared tapioca does not.  Do you trust the pet food industry to always use properly prepared tapioca?   It seems like a new move on the part of the pet food companies.  Tapioca is high in calories and low in nutrients, and a dietary staple in Asia, Africa and South America.  That probably means it is cheaper to buy than pea starch, which used to be Blue Buffalo's third ingredient.  It's the SECOND ingredient in Nature's Variety so I am not going to buy that either.  Currently I use Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, which is a great formula.  Unfortunately that brand too is manufactured by Diamond Foods and was included in a recall about a year ago, but other than that it has been good.  The big pet store chains don't sell it, and I get it at my local feed store.  It costs less than Blue -- currently $11.29 for a 6-lb bag. The first few ingredients are chicken, chicken meal, cracked pearl barley, chicken fat, turkey meal and white rice.  I also like Wellness Complete Health, which is a lot more expensive so I only use it when it is donated and then use it as a treat, since I dont usually feed fish but they do love it.  It has no tapioca in it either, and the first few ingredients are Salmon, salmon meal, whitefish meal, rice and ground barley.  I also use Wellness Core which is grain free and they don't like it much so I can leave it down and they won't overeat.  The fat cat who is on a wet food only diet won't even touch it, which is nice.

Here is a link to just ONE article about the medical risks of eating tapioca.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/488622-risks-of-eating-tapioca/

@Red Top Rescue, I appreciate the info on tapioca. It's definitely another thing for @MeezerTorbie to consider. NV has a short description of tapioca on their glossary page: http://www.naturesvariety.com/ingredients/list/T.  I guess...for now...I trust NV to prepare the tapioca properly. 

There is another thread going on in which I mentioned that any time we're on the Internet in a research frenzy, you will find good and bad things about almost every ingredient in pet food, even down to the main protein source. Chicken sourced from China, tainted grains, carcinogenic carrageenan, controversial alfalfa and garlic, synthetic vitamins, preservatives, etc., etc. That's just how it is with commercial food. Everyone has an opinion and there are claims on each end of the spectrum, so I think it's a matter of weighing the pros and cons and making informed decisions. I won't buy anything manufactured by Diamond. They've lost my trust. But that's just me. 

I'm actually dabbling in balanced home cooked meals for my one cat with GI issues. It has to be the slowest transition ever! 

I started NV Raw Boost a few days ago as a supplement to a mostly wet diet, and so far everyone is liking it. I checked the list and the tapioca is much further down after the meat proteins.

@GoHolistic, thanks for the link to the glossary description on tapioca. Given that the description talks about the prep of tapioca is an indicator that the company is aware of the connection to cyanogenic glycosides, and is probably doing the right thing. Let's hope so anyway.

I used to feed Chicken Soup back in 2006 and before I really started scrutinizing pet food ingredients. I stopped as I found there were too many carbs in the diet. In viewing the current list, it looks as though not much has changed. It's not a bad food but just really trying to stay away from carbs in favor of high protein, moderate fat and low carb. The raw boost has some carbs but they are way down the list so hopefully are minimal in terms of content.

Over the weekend I drove out to the one Pet Valu in my area that is carrying the local commercial raw food I am interested in. I purchased some raw turkey and raw chicken patties (they were out of rabbit and lamb) to try as samples. Two out of the three cats (the boys) gobbled up their portions. Maggie, wasn't so impressed. All in all a good first start though. The goal is to supplement with raw while maintaining some canned.

Go Holistic, thanks for putting up the lusts to compare. I wasn't quite sure how to do that. I'm a little confused about Blue Diamond owning the Blue Buffalo factories. I thought Blue Buffalo was an independently owned company based in Wilton, Connecticut. Were they sold? What else does Blue Diamond manufacture? And no, I am not sure that I trust Blue Buffalo or anyone for that matter to prepare the tapioca properly.

Oneandahalfcats, the raw kind of worries me. I'm a little concerned about bacteria and food poisoning. I'm just a little paranoid about things like that. I'm paranoid about everything concerning cat food these days and probably spend way too much time worrying about it!

I have read the consumer affairs complaints, and they worry me, but they seem to be mostly about dogs, and I am not sure who to believe. I have read both good things and horrible things about the brand on various sites.

I have looked into the brands that some of you have mentioned (except Chicken Soup), but they all seem to contain one or more ingredients that I can't feed. One of them has cheese. There is a brand called Holistic Blend that I was looking in to, but it seems to be based in Canada. I'm kind of leaning toward a U.S. brand. Has anyone heard of Holistic Blend?

By the way, Go Holistic, I meant thanks for putting up the lists, not the "lusts." That's a whole other thread!

Actually itsnot BLUE DIAMOND but Diamond Pet Foods.  They manufacture a lot of brands, some their own, some for others, which is one reason they are so frequently involved in recalls.  .  And guess what -- they just had ANOTHER recall TODAY, three different brands of dry cat food, this time for having low B1 (thiamin) levels.  I have to admit this is another reason I usually feed several kinds of food, both wet and dry, at all times, because you are more vulnerable to things like this if you only give your animals a choice of ONE kind of food.  Back when the Blue Buffalo was having the most problems about a year ago, many animals refused to eat it.  Some folks gave them another choice, others didn't, and eventually they ate it and got sicker.  This time it's Premium Edge, Diamond Naturals, and 4Health (which is Tractor Supply's store brand.)  I think I will take @GoHolistic's approach and not buy anything manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods in the future.  Sad. 

http://www.petmd.com/news/alerts-re...-naturals-4health-dry-cat-food-formulas-29932

That is kind if scary. 4health is one of the foods I had looked into feeding my cats if I had to change from Blue Buffalo. I have not heard of Premium Edge or Diamond Naturals though. I guess that's a good thing.

@Red Top Rescue, I think the recall you linked to is an old recall (March 2013). Susan Thixton at TruthAboutPetFood.com seem to always be on top of things. Here's her recall page: http://truthaboutpetfood.com/category/pet-food-recalls

Diamond makes Canidae (certain dry dog formulas), Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul, Country Value, Diamond, Diamond Naturals, Natural Balance (certain dry dog formulas), Premium Edge, Professional, 4Health, Taste of the Wild, Wellness (certain dry dog formulas). There are other brands manufactured by Diamond that are a little bit more "discreet." I have the full list at home (not home at the moment).

By the way, I used to feed Caesar some EVO dry, but since that mass recall, they've lost my trust, too. Such a shame. They were great until they were bought out by P&G. EVO is made by Natura Pet Products, which also makes California Natural, Innova, and Healthwise. They've probably resolved their issues, but still...

Boo hiss! 

I know I am getting off of my own topic here, but what about Simply Nourish Limited Ingredient Salmon and Sweet Potato? I don't think it is made by Diamond Foods. I'm not sure if P&G is involved in its production. It is free of grains, corn, wheat, soy, and chicken, which I have to avoid. Fish has never posed a problem, but I was trying to avoid it because of potential UTI problems with my male kitty. My cats have never had salmon before. Is it a better choice than other types of fish or should I just be safe and stick with the turkey?

MeezerTorbie said:

I know I am getting off of my own topic here, but what about Simply Nourish Limited Ingredient Salmon and Sweet Potato? I don't think it is made by Diamond Foods. I'm not sure if P&G is involved in its production. It is free of grains, corn, wheat, soy, and chicken, which I have to avoid. Fish has never posed a problem, but I was trying to avoid it because of potential UTI problems with my male kitty. My cats have never had salmon before. Is it a better choice than other types of fish or should I just be safe and stick with the turkey?

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I would not feed fish as the "main" protein every day. If the food you are seeking makes up a large portion of their diet, I would stick with turkey. I don't know what kind of issues your cats have that require them to have special dietary needs, but fish can be an aggravator in a lot of ways. I feed my cats some canned foods with fish in them, but only occasionally in rotation with other non-fish proteins. The little bit of dry food that Boo and Caesar get doesn't have fish in it (the NV Turkey). Sebastian doesn't get any dry food at all because of his chronic pancreatitis.