Denatured meat in pet food

[Richard]

US Law states that meat not fit human consumption for must be ‘denatured’ before it is removed from the slaughterhouse and transported to a rendering facility to be made into the meat and bone meal that are used in commercial pet foods, both wet and dry.

What is it?
http://law.justia.com/us/cfr/title09...4.0.21.13.html
(See the quote #1 down page)

a formula consisting of :
1 part FD&C green No. 3 coloring
40 parts water
40 parts liquid detergent
40 parts oil of citronella

Is the following list something that you want to feed your beloved pet? Yet this is what can be included in a can or bag of commercial pet food that includes meat and bone meal.

http://www.belfield.com/pet_health_art3.php
(See quote #2 follows downpage)

liquid detergent
oil of citronella
crude carbolic acid
cresylic disinfectant
finely powdered charcoal
phenol
creosote
fuel oil
kerosene


Human Grade vs Natural
"the AAFCO does not recognize nor presently address this form of labeling"
see this link:
http://cats.about.com/od/catfoodandn...umaningred.htm

That means that a pet food company can list the food as ‘Human Grade’ or ‘Natural’ even if it contains any of the above listed chemicals. This is not something you want you pet eating.

quote #1
Justia--Denaturing Processes-meat
http://law.justia.com/us/cfr/title09...4.0.21.13.html

Quote:
Denaturing procedures
325.13
The following agents are prescribed for denaturing carcasses, parts thereof, meat or meat food products which are affected with any condition that would result in their condemnation and disposal under part 314 of this subchapter if they were at an official establishment: Crude carbolic acid; cresylic disinfectant; a formula consisting of 1 part FD&C green No. 3 coloring, 40 parts water, 40 parts liquid detergent, and 40 parts oil of citronella, or other proprietary substance approved by the Administrator in specific

{snip}

(2) Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(3), (4), and (5) of this section, the following agents are prescribed for denaturing other carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products, for which denaturing is required by this part: FD&C green No. 3 coloring; FD&C blue No. 1 coloring; FD&C blue No. 2 coloring; finely powdered charcoal; or other proprietary substance approved by the Administrator in specific cases
quote #2
http://www.belfield.com/pet_health_art3.php

Quote:
In my time as a veterinary meat inspector, we denatured with carbolic acid (phenol, a potentially corrosive disinfectant) and/or creosote (used to preserve wood or as a disinfectant). Phenol is derived from the distillation of coal tar, creosote from the distillation of wood. Both substances are very toxic. Creosote was used for many years as a preservative for wood power poles. Its effect on the environment proved to be so negative that it is no longer used for that purpose. According to federal meat inspection regulations, fuel oil, kerosene, crude carbolic acid, and citronella (an insect repellent made from lemon grass) are the approved denaturing materials.

The condemned livestock carcasses treated with these toxic chemicals can then become meat and bone meal for the pet food industry.

I think the point about denaturing is that *any* meat, no matter how "human grade" the quality, must be denatured before shipment to a pet food manufacturing facility. *All* pet foods are made in a non-human facility so *all* meats are denatured. Whether this compromises their value as food (compared for instance to being superheated in the extrusion process) I think is academic. The fact is all the meat in pet foods is denatured so that it can not ever go back into the human food chain.

The only pet foods I'm aware of that are confirmed to be made in human grade facilities are Honest Kitchen in the US and Weruva in Thailand.

http://www.weruva.com/

http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/