Lacnunga• 8 years ago

My assumption is that the Purina's BENEFUL you find in Europe is the imported product from the USA, available from Zooplus.co.ukIn the US, we get complete ingredient lists rather than the generic "Oils and Fats" and "Preservatives" or "Meat and Bybproducts" descriptions, for which I am truly thankful, as it makes analysis of good and bad much easier!This food is truly deserving of a ZERO rating if that were possible. In fact, it is downright toxic! As the founder of the Facebook group, "Is BENEFUL by PURINA KIlling and Sickening our Dogs? Post YOUR story" which you can find here:https://www.facebook.com/gr.....we are still unravelling the story behind the health issues of this and many of the other Nestle Purina pet foods. The starting point, as always, is with the individual ingredients. Here is my own take on the ingredients list that we see in the US:BENEFUL ADULT DOG DRY FOODGROUND YELLOW CORN, 1 Star - Indicates feed-grade source of protein/filler, not "whole" GROUND. Can have higher levels of Aflatoxins than allowed for corn for human consumption. Corn has high levels of Oxalates and should be avoided in pets with renal/bladder issues GMOCHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL, 1 Star – contains rendered ground-up carcasses after all the muscle meat is removed, Can include internal organs including intestines, heads, beaks, feet, bones and undeveloped eggs, but only contains feathers that are unavoidable in the processing of the poultry parts. Concentrated. Will have high levels of Arsenic. Chicken by-product meal http://en.wikipedia.org/wik... can vary in quality from batch to batch. Chicken by-product costs less than chicken muscle meat and lacks the digestibility of chicken muscle meatCORN GLUTEN MEAL, 1 Star - Waste product, cheap, non-nutritive filler but used as protein source -- can cause allergies and sugar imbalance. Corn, especially with the germ and/or bran/hulls intact, has high levels of Oxalates and should be avoided in pets with renal/bladder issues GMO WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, 3 Star - Whole ground wheat grain, more nutritious but flour is too processed. Wheat is often implicated in allergies in dogs. Wheat, especially with the germ and/or bran/hulls intact, has high levels of Oxalates and should be avoided in pets with renal/bladder issuesANIMAL FAT preserved with mixed tocopherols 1 Star - Non-descriptive fat from rendering can be anything rancid or 4-D (dead, dying, disabled, diseased). Can include Roadkill, Euthanized pets, Zoo animals, regardless of natural preservatives. Also, old restaurant grease is a common ingredient hereRICE FLOUR, 1 Star – Cheap filler, causes bowel distress and can lead to diabetes in dogs. US produced rice has extremely high levels of cancer-causing Arsenic unless it is Californian. Rice, especially with the germ and bran/hulls intact, has high levels of Oxalates and should be avoided in pets with renal/bladder issuesBEEF, 4 Star - 4% of ingredients prior to kibble being baked, Whole muscle meat but is 84% water so a much smaller percentage than that 4% in the final product!SOY FLOUR 1 Star - Cheap source of protein, filler, can cause bloat/death in dogs. Soy is also a KNOWN disruptor of thyroid gland function. Soy beans have very high levels of Oxalates and should be avoided in pets with renal/bladder issues, as they promote oxalate stone formation GMOWATER, 1 Star- Used as a non-nutritive filler in foodMEAT AND BONE MEAL, 1 Star - Meat and Bonemeal is (species) non-descriptive. This can indicate 4-D Animals.. Dead, Dying, Disease, Dying and Disabled. It can legally include tumorous or diseased tissues plus bone meal can not be digested and assimilated for calcium! It is banned for use in animal feedstuffs in most European countries due to its link with Spongiform Encephalopathies (think BSE or "MadCow Disease"). It IS banned in the US as a ruminant feeed (your cows etc) Meat and bone meal is now utilized in Europe as a
fossil-fuel replacement, and is commonly used as a fuel in cement kilns, landfilling and in incinerators. It was previously used as a fertiliser until the BSE outbreak when it was banned. In the US it is principally used as a low-cost protein source in dog food and cat food. There is NO testing on Meat and Bonemeal.. it is not required. The euthanising
drug Pentobarbitol has been found in Meat and Bonemeal. It will also contain insecticides used as parasite control on animals as well as the drugs used to treat sickness that are present in a dead animal. From the EPA themselves: "Meat rendering plants process animal by-product materials for the production of tallow, grease, and high-protein meat and bone meal. Plants that operate in conjunction with animal slaughterhouses or poultry processing plants are called integrated rendering plants. Plants that collect their raw materials from a variety of offsite sources are called independent rendering plants. Independent plants obtain animal by-product materials, including rancid cooking grease, blood, feathers, offal, and entire animal carcasses, from the following sources: butcher shops, supermarkets, restaurants, zoos, fast-food chains, poultry processors, slaughterhouses, farms, ranches, feedlots, and animal shelters."PROPYLENE GLYCOL, 1 Star - Sweetener and binder. Chinese manufactured product
can be contaminated with Diethylene Glycol, rather than food grade which has caused organ failure and death in humans and animals.http://www.accessdata.fda.g... Propylene Glycol along with Glycerin and Sorbitol can also be manufactured in China from Jatropha, a highly toxic plant, used to make biodiesel, from which these substances can be derived. There is NO test for Jatropha toxins and the FDA is desperately looking for one right now!FDA wants industry to watch for glycerin from Jatropha - FiercePharma Manufacturinghttp://www.fiercepharmamanu...FDA Notification to Industry: Products using oils, glycerin, or protein that were derived from the Jatropha plant may have toxic effects
http://www.fda.gov/download...SUGAR, 1 Star - leads to hyperactivity, addiction to food (sugar rush), weight gainTRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, 3 Star - Anti-caking agent, emulsifier and dietary supplement of Phosphorous needed for body's alkaline/acid balancePHOSPHORIC ACID, 1 Star - A sequestering agent for rendered animal fats, implies poor quality fats are used. Used in fertilizers, detergents, food flavoring, and pharmaceuticalsSALT, 1 Star - Used to cover up rancid meat and fat, associated with kidney and heart disease, hypertension in dogsANIMAL DIGEST, 1 Star – Used as flavor enhancer. Animal digest is a cooked-down broth used for flavour, rendered by chemical and/or enzymatic processes. It is only found in the very lowest quality pet food. Its presence indicates a very poor quality product. Run away from ALL pet foods containing this ingredient! Animal Digest is made from unspecified parts of unspecified animals. The origin of the animals is definitely suspect, as it never named. If the manufacturers wanted you to know what the source was, they’d name it. So what DOES it consist of? I hope you've got a strong stomach for thiss.. here we go! Ingredients that end up in the rendering vats include ground up carcasses often come from “4-D animals” (Dead, Diseased, Disabled, or Dying prior to slaughter), all internal parts void of healthy meat. ANY kind of animal can be used including zoo animals, cats, dogs, goats, pigs, skunks, horses, rats, snakes, raccoons, possums, deer, foxes, miscellaneous road kill, animals euthanized at shelters and veterinarian clinics, restaurant and supermarket refuse.. including the plastic trays and packaging.. and so on. LINK TO FULL DETAILS:https://www.facebook.com/gr...POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, 3 Star - Standard source of Potassium, balances acid/alkaline levels SORBIC ACID (a preservative) 1 star - A mold and yeast inhibitorDRIED PEAS, 5 Star - Source of protein/carbohydrates/fiber. Present in insignificant quantitiesDRIED CARROTS 5 Star - Good source of nutrients and fiber. Present in insignificant quantitiesCALCIUM PROPIONATE, 1 Star - Chemical preservative. Antifungal. Potentially carcinogenicCHOLINE CHLORIDE, 3 Star – Standard source of choline, a B Vitamin, emulsifies fatsL-LYSINE, 2 Star - Source of Lysine (essential amino acid found in meat), needed to use for food enrichment for grain-based foodsVITAMIN E, 3 Star - Antioxidant used as food preservativeZINC SULFATE, 2 Star - Standard source of zinc, protects against free radicals, essential to insulin formation and immune function. Poor absorption/bioavailabiliity; Proteinates are better!RED 40, 1 Star - Artificial color, carcinogenicFERROUS SULFATE, 2 Star - Standard source of iron, promotes oxygen-rich blood, immune support. Cheap to buy but poor absorption/bioavailabiliity; Proteinates are better!MANGANESE SULFATE, 3 Star - Manganese is necessary to development of strong bones and enzyme activators, enhances immune system. Poor absorption/bioavailabiliity with sulfates; Proteinates are WAY better! NIACIN, 3 Star - Standard source, promotes proper digestion, healthy skin and nervesYELLOW 6, 1 star - Sunset Yellow, Artificial color, potentially carcinogenic. In studies Yellow 6 has been linked to kidney and adrenal gland tumors, YELLOW 5, 1 Star - yellow 5 "Tartrazine" is
derived from coal tar and is the number one allergy-causing dye. Allergies to yellow 5 can range from mild indigestion to asthma to severe depression. It is estimated that 360,000 Americans have bad reactions to ingesting yellow 5. yellow 5 is a common dye and is in candy, cereal, and many other processed foods. It has been banned in several European countries. A variety of immunologic responses have been attributed to tartrazine ingestion by humans, including anxiety, migraine, clinical depression, blurred vision, itching, general
weakness, heatwaves, feeling of suffocation, purple skin patches, and sleep disturbanceVITAMIN A, 3 Star - Standard supplement needed for a strong immune systemBLUE 2 , 1 Star - Carcinogenic, artificial colorCALCIUM CARBONATE 3 Star - Standard source of calcium, promotes strong bones, teeth,
cardiovascular health and skeletal strength, used as a buffer to acidic foods COPPER SULFATE, 2 Star - Standard source, aids in bone formation, iron absorption and protein metabolism. Poor absorption/bioavailabiliity; Proteinates are better!VITAMIN B-12, 3 Star - Standard source, involved in immune function, nerve and red blood cell production DRIED BREWERS YEAST, 4 Star - Brewers yeast is an inactivated, dried byproduct of the brewing industry. It can be a controversial item. This ingredient contains about 45% protein and is rich in other healthy nutrients including most of the Vitamin B. Brewer's yeast contains all the essential amino acids, 14 minerals and 17 vitamins. It is one of the best natural sources of the B Complex vitamins Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Folic Acid. It is also high in minerals, including Chromium,
Zinc, Iron, Phosphorus and Selenium. Brewer's yeast is a good source of RNA, an
immune-enhancing nucleic acid that may help in the prevention of degenerative diseases and slowing the aging process. Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system. Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself. Insignificant quantity for health benefits!CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, 3 Star - Standard source of a B-complex vitamin B5, supports adrenal activityTHIAMINE MONONITRATE, 3 Star - Standard source of B-1, essential for the nervous system and energy productionGARLIC OIL, 5 Star - Antioxidant, antibiotic,PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (source of vitamin B6), 3 Star - Standard source, immune stimulant, major factor in protein metabolism and red blood cell production RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, 3 Star - Vitamin B-2 needed for rich red blood cell production,VITAMIN D3, 3 Star - Standard source, aids calcium and phosphorous in building bones and teethMENADIONE (source of vitamin K activity) 3 Star Standard SourceCALCIUM IODATE, 3 Star - Source of iodine, promotes strong bones, teeth, cardiovascular health and skeletal strengthFOLIC ACID, 3 Star - Standard source, needed for blood building and DNA synthesis BIOTIN, 3 Star - Standard source to promote healthy skin and coat, SODIUM SELENITE, 3 Star - Standard source of selenium, powerful anti-oxidant protects the body from free radicals and heavy metals, supports immune response.

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