29/04/2019
Yesterday we posted about artificial preservatives, so, in keeping with that, we thought we'd re-share today our earlier post on artificial coloring / food dyes.
Colors in pet foods can come from artificial food dyes, not from the food used to make the nuggets. The color does not matter to your dog. Dogs do not even see colors the same way we do. Nor is a dog enticed into eating by the way the food looks like a person might be. But the manufacturer is banking on you feeling better about feeding a highly processed product if it has been dyed to seem more food-like. Is that visual appeal worth a potential health risk to your pet?
Start researching and you'll find just as many claims that artificial colors are dangerous as you will claims deeming them to be safe. Contradiction abounds. Sometimes the safety claim comes with qualifers such as that they are safe at certain levels, or when used as approved.
Safe or not, potential, small risk, more study needed, certain levels, banned here, not banned there ---whatever. Here's the thing for me ----why bother with them at all when it comes to pet food?
The only reason to include these dyes of highly debated safety is to make the food more appealing to the people feeding it, not to the dogs eating it. Why risk it at all?
Links to get you started learning more on the topic:
Planet Paws Video on "painted" pet food: https://www.facebook.com/PlanetPaws.ca/videos/1960941847561949/
Truth About Pet Food blog on the topic: http://truthaboutpetfood.com/food-dyes-called-rainbow-of-risks/
Report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest: https://cspinet.org/resource/food-dyes-rainbow-risks
A Summary from Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/food-dyes
Slate's Perspective: https://slate.com/technology/2016/07/food-coloring-is-bad-for-us-but-the-fda-wont-admit-that.html
Highlights in a Wellminded blog post: http://www.wellmindedpets.com/blog/2013/11/25/the-dangers-of-artificial-dyes-in-pet-food
Tailblazers unique page of pet food ingredients (red-yellow-green) including the dyes: https://www.tailblazerspets.com/tailblazers-pet-ingredient-dictionary.php
How Dogs See: https://youtu.be/A0_uj_Fglys
