First, let me say Just Jerky Treats does not use preservatives in the dog treats we make. We’ve been operating for 5 years now and we don’t use them. None. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Zero. We’re still going strong.
While some will argue it’s practical and a “necessary evil” to ensure longevity of dog treats and enable room temperature storage, our response to that is *blow raspberry*.
As I said, we haven’t relied on preservatives for 5 years and we’ve had no major problems. Premature molding on occasion? Sure, but that’s often due to a mishap in transit or damaged/broken bags (or leaving it on the counter for a week). In other words, normal damage occurrences (which every small business deals with). But our wonderful, unique, and incredibly fair priced products are beside the point…
The point of today’s article is to address the different kinds of preservatives you may find in dog treats. Some of them good, most of them bad. It’s rare to find a dog treat without some kind of preservative in it — it’s THAT much of an industry standard. In reality, it’s that much of a FOOD INDUSTRY standard. Most foods today have some kind of preservative. It’s precisely how they last so long in your cabinets!
Here Are a Few of the Acceptable Types You May Find In Your Dog Treats….
- Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Palmitate (Essentially Vitamin C Forms)
- Vitamin E (Sometimes called Tocopherols)
- Certain Natural Extracts & Oils. Namely; Clove, Sage, Rosemary.
These are, essentially, the only types of preservatives I would trust in my dogs’ treats. They are natural and they won’t cause any harm, as far as the scientific community knows.
Here are a Few of the Unacceptable Types You WILL Find…
BHA and BHT. This stands for for Butylated hydroxyanisole & Butylated hydroxytoluene. Quite the mouthful, huh? Suffice it to say, if the treats or food says this, just walk away. Linked to cancer. Yum-Yum!- Propyl Gallate. Linked to several dangerous health issues in dogs. Tasty!
- Propylene Glycol. Antifreeze ingredient. Sign me up for seconds!
- Ethoxyquin. A pesticide that is linked to cancer. Illegal in human foods, but okay in pet foods… because “reasons”. Delicious!
- TBHQ. Here’s a real winner. This has been linked to stomach tumors in lab animals, and it’s also used as a stabilizer for specific explosive compounds. Talk about a dynamite taste!
- Sodium Metabisulphite. This is commonly used as a bleaching agent. Yummy!
- Food Dyes. Dogs don’t care what color their food is. Many different dyes have been linked to cancers, behavior problems, hypersensitivity in dogs and in humans. Why color the food? Why!?!?!
If the dog treat label has any of these preservatives on the label, just walk away. It’s not worth the risk to your dog’s health. The price tag may be really attractive… at 5lbs for $10 or $20 or some such other “too good to be true” price tag, but I assure you it is NOT WORTH IT.
If the treats say imported from China, or some other country with lax standards and little ethical or legal oversight, just laugh (or scowl) and put the bag down. Don’t go near that type of stuff!
Here Are the Best Preservatives You’ll Find in Natural Dog Treats…
…
That’s right. The list is empty.
The best preservative is NO PRESERVATIVE, which is exactly what we include in Just Jerky Treats All Natural Dog Treats. NO PRESERVATIVES!
Just Jerky Treats is a Chemical Free Zone!
I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist plugging our products again. How could I? In a sea of chemically-laden, preservative loaded junk dog treats, we’re one of the few companies that has a natural, healthy, and SAFE product!
Final Comments
Most dog owners are guilty of paying more attention to the price of a bag of dog treats than to the ingredients listed on the package (I know that was true for me years ago). While this is understandable, it is no longer acceptable. If you want your pet to be safe and healthy, you have to know what is in his/her treats. If you do not, these billion dollar companies will prey upon you and your dog, and they won’t care if something goes wrong.
The vast majority of dog food and dog treat companies do not have your interests at heart. They want to make a profit and they will skirt the law, ethics, and any sort of values in order to increase their profits. And if your dog is harmed in the process? They’ll issue their apology, pay out some penalties and settle a few lawsuits, and continue doing what they were doing.
Don’t believe me? Look into the many brands that are still in business today after the whole Chinese-imported dog treats poisoning fiasco, which occurred in 2012. I’d mention these brands by name, but that’s a fast track to a defamation lawsuit. The information is available with a google search — example “poison chinese dog treat brands”.
Suffice it to say, those same brands that poisoned countless dogs are still on the market today! Scary stuff!
And this is where I tell you about Just Jerky Treats All Natural Dog Treats… yet again.
Visit our all natural jerky dog treats products page and take a look at our all natural, preservative free, chemical free, filler free dog treats. You dogs deserve a healthy treat and you deserve piece of mind for your furry life partner!
