A pet owner recently came forward with pictures of a large bone in Farmina canned dog food.
The pet owner reported the issue to the pet store where he purchased the food, which in turn contacted the pet owner with Farmina. Farmina gave the following statement about the piece of bone:
“Although we have many methods to ensure the highest quality product possible, natural materials such as bones or bone fragments attached to the high quality muscle meat we receive from regional supplier may be inadvertently missed.”
Unacceptable response.
This is a large piece of bone that can cause serious – potentially fatal – damage if not detected and removed by the pet owner. ‘Accidents’ like this should not happen.
Further, pet food regulations confirm “accidentally missed” bones in a lamb pet food means the pet food is mislabeled.
According to the legal definition of pet food of sheep substance – which “meat” – bones are forbidden. “Meat is the clean flesh that comes from killed mammals and is limited to that part of the striate skeletal muscle or that found in the tongue, the diaphragm, the heart, yes the esophagus; with or without accompanying and overlying fat and the parts of skin, tendons, veins, and blood vessels that normally accompany flesh. It should be used for animal feed.”
If seed is included, the ingredients listed on the label must include “bone” or the lamb ingredient must be stated as Lamb By-Products (instead of Lamb). Lamb By-Products include the bone, not the Lamb.
On the other hand, if it is a poultry pet food (chicken or turkey), the bone is permitted in the legal sense. “Chicken is the clean combination of flesh and skin with or without bones….”
Knowing the regulations will help.
This pet owner resides in Canada, which unfortunately does not allow him any options to report this issue to regulatory authorities. But, if a US pet owner finds a piece of bone in a beef, lamb, or pork pet food – you can report the issue to the FDA reminding them that the Bone fragments are not allowed in a meat pet food. Accidental or not, a bone in a meat (excluding chicken) pet food means the product is mislabeled.
Let’s hope Farmina has a different attitude about these seeds. They are dangerous and are not allowed according to the legal definitions of pet food ingredients.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Buyer Beware of Author, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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