Why it's Important - 'Best By' Date on Pet Foods
An article recently posted on the Consumerist website provides pet owners with a very good lesson. The article explains the story of a pet owner whose little Yorkie became ill from eating expired pet food - 3 years expired - all recently purchased - unknowingly - from PetCo.
What happened to this pet owner can easily happen to anyone. How often do you check the expiration date on the pet foods and treats that you purchase?
With pet food - somewhere on the can or bag, usually on the side or back of the bag - is the 'Best By' date. With most of the manufacturers that I have spoken with, this date does NOT mean the food is officially expired - it just means that the food does not provide the nutrition as stated in the Guaranteed Analysis. The 'best' nutrition for your pet has expired - but again in most cases - per what the manufacturers tell me - the food is still 'good'.
The shelf life of a pet food and treat is one of the questions I ask manufacturers for Petsumer Report. It varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Dry pet foods can have a shelf life from 4 months to 3 years. Canned or pouched pet foods can have a shelf life from 1 to 5 years. Treats typically have the same shelf life as dry food. The 'Best by' date stamped on the pet food label does not tell you how old the food is. The 'Best by' date does not tell you when the food was made. It only tells you the date that this particular pet food manufacturer determined the food no longer provides optional nutrition.
All pet foods that are naturally preserved begin to lose their nutritional value almost immediately after they are made. This is the drawback to natural preservatives (but the ONLY drawback - you ONLY want naturally preserved pet foods and treats for your pet ). So the challenge is to find a pet food that is very fresh. Our friends at AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials - rule makers of the pet food industry) have made that a little difficult for pet owners - adding to the challenge. Pet food manufacturers are not required to put the date the pet food was manufactured on the bag or can - ONLY the date that particular manufacturer has determined the food no longer is 'best'. As I stated above - it varies a great deal from product to product - manufacturer to manufacturer.
Here's how you can make sure your pet is only eating fresh food - providing the best that product offers. Make a phone call to the pet food manufacturer and ask them what the shelf life is for the dry food or the canned/pouched food. As an example - ABC Pet Food Company tells you the shelf life of Premium ABC Dry food is 18 months and the shelf life of Premium ABC Canned/Pouch food is 2 years. With that information, check the 'Best by' date on the pet food. Let's say the 'Best by' date on the dry dog food you are considering says June 2008. Knowing that ABC Pet Food Company told you 18 months was the shelf life, you would know the food was made in January 2007 (Shelf life 18 months minus from June 2008 equals Jan. 2007). If 'today' is October 20, 2007 - you would know this pet food is now 10 months old.
With a canned pet food, the 'Best by' date is also June 2008. This information tells you the pet food was made in June 2006 (Shelf life 2 years minus from June 2008 equals June 2006). Thus the canned product would be 14 months old in October 2007.
Using my above example, I would not purchase a pet food that is already ten months old. Ideally, a dry pet food should be less than four months old when you purchase it - and you should use the food within two months. Again, with a naturally preserved pet food, the nutritional value begins to deteriorate quickly. The fresher the food - the better. Try to purchase and use the food within six months of manufacturing. Store your pet's food in a air tight container, in a dark, cool pantry. With canned pet foods, the quality of nutrition is protected by the canning process. Any unused portion of the can must be covered, stored in the refrigerator, and used within a couple of days.
Call your pet food's manufacturer and ask them the shelf life of dry foods and canned foods. I know it's a chore, just one more thing you have to do and look out for - but it is very important. You want what you pay for - quality nutrition for your pet - and a fresh product will provide that (of course you have to pay attention to ingredients too - but that is a whole different subject!). Get yourself into the habit of looking at the 'Best By' date BEFORE you purchase the pet food and or treat. Your effort will not only provide your pet with better nutrition - getting yourself into the habit of looking at the expiration date could just save you from an experience similar to the pet owner mentioned in the beginning of this article - and a sick pet.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
About the Author
Before you purchase another bag or can of pet food, learn more of Susan's secrets to healthy pet foods. Also, register for the Truth About Pet Food free newsletter. shelf life, pet food, dog food, cat food
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by: SusanThixton
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