[Ronald B]

I’ve used this website for years but recently joined the Editor’s Choice section. I wanted to get others opinion on two ingredients used in several brands of dog foods and noted in the Advisor’s reviews.

Carrageenan – usually sourced from Phillipines and other SE Asia locales. I normally avoid (based on reviews) any brand that has this as an ingredient.

Brown Rice – After the Consumer Reports article several years ago, I became very particular about sourcing the brown rice we ate and have avoided it all together in our dog’s food unless it was something that we bought and cooked ourselves.

I’ve just noticed that these two items are contained in a lot of the dog food brands and wanted others opinions. Thanks.

[Pitlove]

Hi Ronald-

Here is what veterinary nutritionist Dr. Rebecca Remillard says in response to a similar question on her website petdiets.com, when asked about arsenic levels in rice.

“”Am I overreacting?” The short answer is yes … the reason is that recently the level of arsenic was measured in rice … it had not been measured previously, and the feds do not have a reference range for rice so the media compared it to the reference range in drinking water which is not valid. They are working a determining a safe vs toxic Ar range. In the meantime, the odds are b/c Ar has been in rice (normally taken up from the soil) since the beginning of time, the current levels are what they have always been. Given we do not have an epidemic of Ar toxic in any species eating the rice, the newly discovered levels are presumed to be safe.”

As for Carageenan- Here is the opinion of holistic vet Dr. Randy Wysong, maker of Wysong Pet Foods

“Q: I just read an article about carageenan being a carcinogen, and started checking labels of canned pet foods and found it is tough to find one without carageenan. What does Dr. Wysong think of carageenan as a food ingredient? The article I read said it is a carcinogen for both humans and pets. I don’t see it listed in the few Wysong foods I surfed but it is pretty much in everything else.

A: Keep in mind that everything is a potential carcinogen and studies can be found arguing the dangers of practically anything. But it is the dose that makes the poison. This would apply to carageenan as well”

[Author]

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