sandgrubber Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 The 7:30 Report last night showed some sad photos of pets harmed by toxic foods, with limited discussion that seemed to implicate irradiation in the case of one food (Orijen?). I don't understand. If all imports get irradiated, why haven't we seen massive poisoning from Eukanuba, ProPlan, Science Diet, etc.? All of these must be getting the same treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 I had thought that foods were only irradiated if they contained certain ingredients? Royal Canin isn't irradiated but I don't know about others. Maybe the more natural or holistic formulas don't process ingedients as much and that's why they have to be irradiated? Nutro refused to sell their product in this country when the govt decreed that it would be irradiated. Or maybe it's simply a different ingredient. Many products aren't allowed in without irradiation, including medicinal herbs as well as foodstuffs. AQIS is very concerned about many things of animal origin as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 As far as I'm aware pet food has to be adequately heat treated at the time of manufacture OR irradiated. Many of the foods aren't irradiated because they are cooked at high temperatures - also makes the carbs much more digestible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~*Shell*~ Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 (edited) The 7:30 Report last night showed some sad photos of pets harmed by toxic foods, with limited discussion that seemed to implicate irradiation in the case of one food (Orijen?).I don't understand. If all imports get irradiated, why haven't we seen massive poisoning from Eukanuba, ProPlan, Science Diet, etc.? All of these must be getting the same treatment. What they said about all imports being irradiated isn't true - only imports cooked a certain way have to be. I was thinking of emailing them today to ask them to clarify it. ETA: Never mind - what they actually said was this: While the company exports its popular cat food to more than a dozen countries it says only Australia has experienced the disease outbreak and blames Australia's irradiation for the problem. Under Australian quarantine laws all imported pet food has to be irradiated or heat treated, to kill off potential diseases. Yay for transcripts. Edited January 13, 2009 by ~*Shell*~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quirkyhound Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 The link: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2008/s2464272.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quirkyhound Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I got an email off to Dr. Jean Dodd's and this is her reply with permission to post here. There is nothing wrong with Orijen in North America -- but there is a problem in Australia -- it apparently has something to do with the regulatory requirement concerning how meats are allowed into the country -- this necessitates irradiation treatment of the food which has altered the nutrients in the food. I was told last week that Orijen will not longer be sold in Australia as a result. All pet foods shipped into Australia must be irradiated – treated with radiation – before they are sold. Orijen has no control over this, this is a mandated issue from the government of Australia. See website www.championpetfoods.com. Food is irradiated – treated with radiation – to kill bacteria and molds. In the process, much more is destroyed. Not only is the nutrition destroyed, but far more research than the FDA lets on to, tells us much more damage can occur. Irradiation breaks chemical bonds, and it is suspect that broken chemical bonds within foods containing numerous ingredients (a pet food) can alter the entire ‘food’ in many ways. A very interesting article, explaining the history of food irradiation and some serious side effects can be found here: http://www.iicph.org/docs/food_irradiation.htm Jean This is the one reason I don't eat any garlic from China. It's a good idea I think, not to eat any imported foods, our farmers here need our business anyway, and we have no idea what changes are happening to food that is zapped with radiation, but I guess we know now. It's been my policy for a long time, to only give my dogs and cats and myself what was produced here and is in a fresh state, this just makes me more committed. It is however hard to buy some varieties of produce that is grown here, like tinned asparagus for me to take to dog shows or frozen spinach in those little blocks to ad to the dogs diet. The other day I told my local IGA that they still had the recalled chicken treats on the rack, when is someone going to care about our pets. We just have to be so diligent now, I spend a lot of time in the supermarket just reading labels. I trust no one whose motive is to make money off us and our pets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 All pet foods shipped into Australia must be irradiated – treated with radiation – before they are sold. I don't think this is true - a number of pet food companies have declared numerous times that their food is NOT irradiated, both on their websites and via email/phone. There was a thread about this recently in this section as a number of people were rightly concerned. As far as I am aware, what I posted previously is accurate (regarding appropriate heat treatment during the cooking process) - this has also been discussed extensively by the cat support forum. Sorry, the details are sketchy in my head but I remember Orijen saying they had not choice in the matter as part of their 'spin' but it was pointed out that testing should have been carried out on the food prior to sale. Certainly not having a go at you Quirkyhound - your source (Dr Dodds) is excellent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Food is irradiated – treated with radiation – to kill bacteria and molds. In the process, much more is destroyed. Not only is the nutrition destroyed, but far more research than the FDA lets on to, tells us much more damage can occur. Irradiation breaks chemical bonds, and it is suspect that broken chemical bonds within foods containing numerous ingredients (a pet food) can alter the entire ‘food’ in many ways. A very interesting article, explaining the history of food irradiation and some serious side effects can be found here: http://www.iicph.org/docs/food_irradiation.htm Jean Hey guys, has no one studied basic physics? Radiation is everywhere. The sun irradiates us every day. The earth re-radiates the absorbed radiation as heat. Please be specific about what sort of radiation (frequency, wavelength, or whatever) and what magnitude . . . otherwise the whole thing collapses into mumbo jumbo with no scientific merit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 What's Jean Dodds got to do with it? She's wrong about all pet foods being irradiated. They simply have to be cooked at a high enough temperature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quirkyhound Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Certainly not having a go at you Quirkyhound - your source (Dr Dodds) is excellent ;) No offense taken at all, I only posted what I managed to grab as far as information goes, it's all good, we just have to separate the wheat from the chaff. It's only pet foods that are NOT COOKED and PROCESSED at "high temps" that are apparently zapped when they come in according to information on the web site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quirkyhound Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 What's Jean Dodds got to do with it? She's wrong about all pet foods being irradiated. They simply have to be cooked at a high enough temperature. Dr. Dodds is a fairly well respected veterinary immunologist and recommended Orijen when here on her seminar tour last year so I thought she might be able to shed some light on the problem. She is very concerned and informed about nutrition. I really hate the sensationalism of the TV reports, I'd rather search for the facts myself than to just believe what they broadcast, so that's why I went to her first. Yes, maybe she should have said "all pet foods coming into Australia that are processed at low temps" instead of just "all pet foods", a slight oversight of a very busy lady answering emails from around the world late at night. The way I read Champion Pet Foods information on their web site says any food not processed at high temps has to be zapped when coming into Australia only. ( apparently Orijen isn't processed at high temps in order to maintain some natural goodness in it) It's all explained on the website, that's why I supplied the links instead of giving you my version. www.championpetfoods.com. I don't use commercial foods for my dogs or cat. I'm lucky enough to live on a farm where we grow all our own organic meat, veges, milk and eggs. I am not promoting commercial pet food of any brand, I simply wanted the truth. Most of my puppy buyers will at some stage rely on commercial dog food and I have recommended Orijen as well as a couple of Aussie made foods, so I am interested in what is causing the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quirkyhound Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Hey guys, has no one studied basic physics? Radiation is everywhere. The sun irradiates us every day. The earth re-radiates the absorbed radiation as heat. Please be specific about what sort of radiation (frequency, wavelength, or whatever) and what magnitude . . . otherwise the whole thing collapses into mumbo jumbo with no scientific merit. Thank you for enlightning us. ;) I realize the term "zapped" is 'mumbo jumbo' for trained scientific minds but it's easier to read than things like: 25 kGy, 28.9-34.4 kGy, 38.4-48.7 kGy and 1979 -the effect of ionizing radiation on the fatty acid composition of natural fats and on lipid peroxide formation. INT J RADIAT BIOL RELAT STUD PHYS CHEM MED 35: 323-332. and instantly brings to mind dog biscuits exploding in the microwave and I doubt too many dog owners would have engaged in reading a page full of information like that, they just want to know what is WRONG with the food. For those of you who want the information on the 'amounts' and types of radiation being used on the pet foods, it's all on the website. http://www.championpetfoods.com/Australia_...lease_Dec20.pdf No offense meant Sandgrubber, I was just having a bit of fun with this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9katz Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I got an email off to Dr. Jean Dodd's and this is her reply with permission to post here. I have been in email contact with Jean Dodds and she is now fully aware of the import process and regulations here in Australia, and grateful for my explaining it to her. I would just ask people please to do a thorough investigation before jumping to conclusions and taking for gospel what the media says. If an imported pet food adheres to AQIS regulations then NO treatments are necessary. I hope Troy leaves this here as my only intention is to assure concerned pet owners that not all imported pet foods are Gamma Irradiated. If you have ANY doubts please seek assurance from your manufacturer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckie500 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Eaglepack now have this response on their website: http://eaglepack.com.au/HealthInformation/...21/Default.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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