Northfin food

[RD.]

South American suppliers are already making changes.
https://www.dsm.com/corporate/about/location-finder.html

And that's just 1 supplier of preservatives such as EQ, BHT, and BHA products geared for animal feed.

Everything is doable, for the right amount of $$$$. But as previously stated, and this especially holds true for the more fatty fish species found in places such as Peru, and Chile, a LOT more preservative will be required, compared to EQ.

More 6 star food ratings coming your way......

 

[RD.]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think either AAFCO or the EFSA distinguish any difference between "farmed animal feed" and "pet animal feed".

Common sense should by now dictate one very important fact - there are no checks or balances in place when it comes to what kind, or what levels, of preservatives are being used in tropical fish food, marketed and sold for pet fish. Not in Canada, not in the USA, not in EU, and not in China.

If you are waiting for AAFCO, or the EFSA, to protect the best interests of your pet fish, you're in big trouble. Independent lab reports are the only definitive way to know what, and how much, is being used, and apparently even that can vary from batch to batch, and formula to formula.

 

[kmuda]

Actually, as I've stated all along, it should be up to the manufacturers to test how much of these preservatives are in their products.. I understand the labels cannot be updated per batch but they can specify a range, then internal testing occurs to ensure they stay within that range.

And we'll see if AAFCO gives a damn or not. I want to have more test results before I begin knocking on that door.

 

[RD.]

I understand the labels cannot be updated per batch but they can specify a range, then internal testing occurs to ensure they stay within that range.

Under the FDA Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Volume 6, a fish food manufacturer that sells food containing EQ is required to have one of the following statements on their product label; "Ethoxyquin, a preservative" or "Ethoxyquin added to retard the oxidative destruction of carotene, xanthophylls, and vitamins A and E."

That's it. Nothing more, nothing less, and clearly some aren't even doing that. And you think that companies will specify ranges of EQ, or any other form of preservative? Good luck with that. Apparently at least one can't even stay under the maximum limit of 150 ppm in all of their formulas.

One can only assume that the FDA et al don't have the manpower or money to start checking pet fish food for types or levels of preservative, or they simply don't care enough to bother. With AAFCO, their main focus in pet food, has always been in the dog & cat food sector - not pet fish food. The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine posted a reminder to the pet food industry about the labeling and safe use requirements for ethoxyquin, several years ago, so they clearly knew that there was a widespread problem in the pet food industry way back when - and yet today I can walk through any LFS and randomly grab well known fish food products off the shelf and very few will be properly labelled. Of course there is only one way to prove that - and manufacturers know that, and bank on it.

But hey, I welcome independent accredited lab reports, so please feel free to add your results here. IMO you went way out on a thin limb with some of the statements made on your website regarding companies that you stated are EQ free. I would love to see lab reports for all of the companies that told you they were EQ free. I think that you are in for a big wake up call, but I would love nothing more than you to prove me wrong.

 

[kmuda]

But hey, I welcome independent accredited lab reports, so please feel free to add your results here. IMO you went way out on a thin limb with some of the statements made on your website regarding companies that you stated are EQ free. I would love to see lab reports for all of the companies that told you they were EQ free. I think that you are in for a big wake up call, but I would love nothing more than you to prove me wrong.

If the dog bites you once, it's the dogs fault. If he bites you twice, it's your fault.

I am getting that question answered. I don't intend on being bitten twice..... and it's something I should have done in the first place.

 

[neutrino]

The EQ free/preservative free claims or reporting always seemed naïve to me, to be honest, didn't make sense to me without alternative preservatives claimed or acknowledged-- and BHT/BHA didn't strike me as attractive alternatives. I could have imagined a product claiming freshly or carefully processed ingredients dated with a limited shelf life or claiming the use of herbal alternatives as preservatives (like the Chinese parsley in one of my links above) but I've yet to personally see either one.

 

[RD.]

It took me a while to find this, but below are the IFFO findings after their 12 month experiment with EQ, BHT, and tocopherols w/ rosemary. Basically they have recommended a lowering of the shipping level of EQ in half, from 100 ppm, to 50 ppm, and set a safe level for shipping fish meal preserved with both BHT, and tocopherol. Manufacturers can then add extra preservative pre-extrusion if extended shelf life is an issue. Keep in mind that unlike many dog/cat foods on the market, many fish food formulas (including Northfin) have a shelf life of 3 years. NF's current food on the market has a Best Before date of March 2020.



Addendum to ST/SG/AC.10/C.3/2016/82: Special Provision 308 for Fish Meal (Fish Scrap), Stabilised (UN 2216): Class 9

IFFO recommends to provisionally modify SP 308 as follows to be in line with SP 945 from the IMDG:

SP 308 Stabilization of fishmeal shall be achieved to prevent spontaneous combustion by effective application of ethoxyquin, BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) or tocopherols (also used in a blend with rosemary extract) at the time of production. The said application shall occur within twelve months prior to shipment. Fish scrap or fish meal shall contain at least 50 ppm (mg/kg) of ethoxyquin, 100 ppm (mg/kg) of BHT and 250 ppm (mg/kg) of tocopherol based antioxidant at the time of consignment.



un/scetdg/50/inf.24

 

[kmuda]

I cannot find the document at the moment but I had previously come across a study that showed fish meal from South America commonly contained in excess of 1,000ppm Ethoxyquin.

I certainly don't see the South Americans using Naturox (or similiar). I don't think it is effective enough for the long distance voyages and extended time frames.

Which would suggest a market for increased local supply.. And while the EU may wind up banning EQ, the United States has not (and is unlikely to do so), so those meals can still be used here, provided the manufacturer has no intention of exporting product to the EU.

If the EU can test and enforce a EQ policy, why can't the US?

II still have hope that there will be an increase in product that falls more in line with what I, and those like me, have been looking for. We know NLS is adopting that policy, so that's already an improvement.

 

[RD.]

Kmuda ........ SA suppliers of fish meal and fish oil are already using Naturox. https://panjiva.com/Manufacturers-Of/naturox

From the Kemin website, the manufacturer of Naturox;
Kemin began selling in Brazil in 1999 and opened our regional headquarters in Indaiatuba in 2004. In addition, we have a location in Chapeco, Vargaeo, Buenos Aires, and sales representation throughout the region to best serve South America.




The current level of EQ required to be present at the time of shipping is 100 ppm.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulates shipping safety and requires that fishmeal is dosed with ethoxyquin at between 400 ppm and 1000 ppm within 12 months of shipping, ensuring that at least a level of 100 ppm is present at the time of loading before shipping to mitigate the risk of combustion during transport at sea.



The IFFO tests that I previously posted, demonstrate that even at 50 ppm, EQ will be safe to transport in ships, for up to 12 months, and beyond. Naturox at an inclusion rate of 250 ppm will offer the same safety towards spontaneous combustion. I posted that info because as far as I know, that is some of the only data available on Naturox, and it's safety factor for fire on ships - over a 6-12 month duration.


No one should be shipping containers of fish meal that contain 1,000 ppm of EQ, when they leave the port in SA. If they did then the residual EQ level in krill meal and fish meal entering the pet trade would be uber high, and fish food would typically be far higher than what you are going to see in your lab reports. Which I will state again, will for the most part be under 100 ppm. I suspect most will fall into the 50-75 ppm range.

Personally I have no issue with 50-100 ppm of EQ in my pet fish food. Even 150 ppm, the maximum allowed, would not send me over the deep end. But 300+ ppm, as seen in the one lab report posted here, was a bit shocking, and most certainly isn't something that I support. I also don't support manufacturers that lie to their customers.

 

[RD.]

And just in case that link doesn't work in the future, in the bill of lading in the first product listed in the link above, the SA exporter is based in Chile, with the fish meal treated with Naturox and shipped from a port in Colombia, to a port in Texas. The American importer - Wilbur-Ellis.

Below is a link to one of the fish meal products sold by Wilbur-Ellis, and preserved with Naturox. http://www.7springsfarm.com/content/Fish_Meal_Spec.pdf

I joined that site, just to get a closer look at the various US Import Customs Records - interesting data. Shipments as large as 95,000 KG's of salmon meal, being preserved with Naturox, and shipped from Cartagena, Colombia, to Port of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana . Transport Method: Maritime - Value of Goods (USD) $242,000.00

US based farmers raising organic foods, including chickens, have been feeding Naturox treated fish meal for years. http://www.fertrell.com/fishmealwnaturox.htm
http://freshstartgrowers.com/store/Organic-Fish-Meal

The supplier, for those products, IPC
http://www.animalfeeds.com/aboutus.cfm

Below is a company based in Denmark, that also uses Naturox in their fishmeal. http://www.ffskagen.dk/Default.aspx?ID=785

So it's not like Naturox isn't potent enough to act as an antioxidant in both fishmeal and/or fish oil, when shipping from South America, or anywhere else in the world. The IFFO data clearly proves that it is, and I assume that Kemin has its own data that demonstrates the same.