Study Debunks Dire Warnings About Popular Pet Food
If you've ever hesitated to feed your cat or dog this type of food (it's at the top of my list), you may be surprised by the findings of this newest scientific study.
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
A recent study has been published confirming the safety of raw pet food
In a survey of over 5,600 pet owners in 62 countries, over 75% of whom purchased commercially prepared, raw, minimally processed pet diets, there were 0 confirmed cases of pathogen transmission to humans
Despite fear mongering from media outlets and ultraprocessed pet food manufacturers, raw food diets have fewer recalls for potentially pathogenic bacteria and mycotoxin contamination, compared to kibble
Approximately half of commercial raw diets in the U.S. have been pasteurized and contain no bacteria at all, theoretically being the one of the safest types of pet foods to feed your pet
Pets benefit from any amount of fresh or raw food added to their meals, with even very small amounts showing positive effects on health and wellness
Now, here's a headline for the ages in PetfoodIndustry.com, a journal written for the ultraprocessed pet food industry:
"No confirmed human disease from raw pet food worldwide"
"The scientists' findings cast doubt on a basic tenant of raw pet food use, that raw pet foods should be kept away from people's food spaces and utensils."1
At long last, an actual scientific study has been published on the often-rumored "dangers" of raw pet food. The study, titled "Low Number of Owner-Reported Suspected Transmission of Foodborne Pathogens From Raw Meat-Based Diets Fed to Dogs and/or Cats," was written by independent researchers and published this past October in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.2
Not a Single Confirmed Case of Illness
According to the PetfoodIndustry.com article, "Pet owners' reported experiences may stand in contrast to some organizations' stances on raw pet foods." As regular readers here know, those organizations include the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the FDA, and the CDC.
Contrary to the constant dire warnings about the "dangers" of fresh pet food, the authors of the current study found that the world over, not a single confirmed case of raw pet food transmitting disease-causing microbes to humans was reported. There were less than a dozen cases of "probable" transmission.
For the study, the researchers surveyed over 5,600 pet-owning households in 62 countries. More than three-quarters of the respondents purchased commercially prepared, raw, minimally processed diets for their dogs or cats. In total, the researchers classified 11 households as having experienced "probable" transmission, and 20 households experienced "possible" transmission. According to study co-author Nicole Cammack, researcher and founder of Northpoint Pets & Company retail outlet:
"While we did have a handful of suspected cases, the fact of the matter is that the veterinary and human professions are not testing for pathogen cases and automatically assume that [gastrointestinal] GI distress in raw fed dogs is pathogen related. This is leading to an overuse of antibiotics as a result of assumption bias. The fact of the matter is that pathogen infection can and does result from a variety of factors, many of which could be kibble/other formats as well as factors independent of diet."
Overall, the researchers found little evidence of diseases in humans caused by raw or minimally processed pet foods.
Basic Rule of Raw Pet Food Handling Debunked?
Interestingly, according to the PetfoodIndustry.com article, these study findings call into question one of the basic rules of raw pet food handling, that products must be kept separate from human food prep areas and utensils.
"Although it may seem counter-intuitive, this may not be the best way to avoid cross-contamination," writes author Tim Wall. "Preparing raw pet foods in the same spaces with the same utensils as human food had the lowest rate of suspected pathogen transmission, compared to situations when the foods were prepped in different places or with different utensils."
Cammack asserts that more research is needed to determine if this is the case, but makes the point that "… preparing minimally processed pet foods in the same space, with the same utensils would likely mean that pet owners would use the same methods to clean the preparation area and utensils as they would for cleaning up after preparing meat for themselves."
As I've discussed repeatedly in articles here at Healthy Pets, raw pet foods, like all foods (including human food and ultraprocessed pet food), have the potential to harbor disease-causing pathogens. As Cammack points out, people in general, and veterinarians in particular seem to forget that the risk of pathogen contamination is present for all types of pet food, and messaging should be consistent for all pet food varieties.
Raw Meat for Pets Safer Than Raw Meat for Humans
As I touched on earlier, in the U.S., the AVMA advocates that pet owners avoid raw pet foods, the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine "does not believe raw meat foods for animals are consistent with the goal of protecting the public from significant health risks," and the CDC "does not recommend feeding raw diets to pets."
In contrast, the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) focuses on consumer education, with particular emphasis on the the differences among homemade and commercial raw pet foods.
"The AVMA policy (and others in the U.S.) advocate for avoidance of minimally processed (MP) diets, even though commercial MP diets are held to the same zero-tolerance pathogen policy as kibble and other pet food formats," says Cammack.
The vast majority of people who make homemade fresh pet food use meat purchased at the grocery store, and it's worth nothing that meat for human consumption isn't held to the same zero-tolerance pathogen policy because the assumption is it will be cooked before it's eaten. Cammack says that in these cases, avoidance of homemade diets using raw meat intended for human consumption is a reasonable recommendation.
"AVMA and other organizations could benefit from updating their policies to reflect these differing risk factors which could help with engaging raw-feeding pet owners in a meaningful and respectful way," she said.
Additionally, national veterinary organizations, the CDC and FDA need to become more fresh food literate and better educated about the variety of raw food products on the market and what techniques companies are using to control pathogens.
Lumping all minimally processed diets, homemade and commercially produced products into one category of "raw food" demonstrates a lack of understanding of raw food product diversity and the various ways raw food companies achieve compliance with the zero tolerance policy for salmonella in their products.
None of these organizations differentiate between commercially produced high-pressure pasteurized raw food products, which are sterile (devoid of ALL bacteria) and homemade diets that are not screened for pathogens. These two different raw food categories have very different risks, which the industry has yet to acknowledge.
Approximately half of commercial raw diets in the U.S. have undergone high pressure pasteurization and contain no bacteria at all, theoretically being the one of the safest types of pet foods to feed animal companions, and an excellent choice for immunocompromised pets or owners.
If you opt to make raw pet food at home, you are in charge of pathogen control, whether the meat is destined for your two or four-legged family members. Understanding safe handling techniques of raw meats for your entire family is important. Below are tips from the FDA on how to store and serve raw pet foods.
Safe Handling of Raw Pet Food
From FDA.gov:3
Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds) after handling raw pet food [or any raw food], and after touching surfaces or objects that have come in contact with the raw food.
Thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces and objects that come in contact with raw pet food [or any raw food]. First wash with hot soapy water and then follow with a disinfectant. You can also run items through the dishwasher after each use to clean and disinfect them.
Freeze raw meat and poultry products until you are ready to use them, and thaw them in your refrigerator or microwave, not on your countertop or in your sink.
Carefully handle raw and frozen meat and poultry products. Don't rinse raw meat, poultry, fish, and seafood. Bacteria in the raw juices can splash and spread to other food and surfaces.
Keep raw food separate from other food.
Immediately cover and refrigerate what your pet doesn't eat or throw the leftovers out safely.
If you're using raw ingredients to make your own cooked pet food, be sure to cook all food to a proper internal temperature as measured by a food thermometer. Thorough cooking kills Salmonella, L. monocytogenes, and other harmful foodborne bacteria.
Don't kiss your pet around its mouth, and don't let your pet lick your face. This is especially important after your pet has just finished eating any type of pet food.
Some Diet Recommendations
If you've watched my best-to-worst pet foods video, you know I advocate feeding your dog or cat the highest quality, least-heat processed diet you can afford. The top five types of pet food I recommend are a variety of nutritionally optimal, minimally processed whole food diets. That's because the goal in offering pets food they can truly thrive on is to mimic their ancestral diet as closely as possible, without breaking the bank, and by applying common sense.
My essential recommendation is to feed your pet as much real food as you can afford. If you can't afford to feed an nutritionally complete raw or gently cooked diet, you can swap one or two meals a week for fresher food, or replace a portion of ultraprocessed food with balanced raw food.
You can also replace highly refined treats with fresh food snacks or meal toppers. Research shows that providing any amount of healthy foods to dogs and cats is better than no healthy food at all.
In fact, Purdue University vet school found that replacing a handful of kibble with a handful of dark green leafy vegetables and other colorful fresh veggies just a few times a week dramatically reduced the incidence of bladder cancer in susceptible breeds.4 This is what we mean when we say "add a little fresh food to your pet's bowl."
Take small steps, doing all you can to to provide the best diet you can afford for your dog or cat, keeping in mind that any amount of species-specific fresh food snacks and meals is better than none.
Healthypets Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor. Dr. Karen Becker cannot answer specific questions about your pet's medical issues or make medical recommendations for your pet without first establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Your pet's medical protocol should be given by your holistic veterinarian.
Is it ok to feed a dog raw and kibble or raw and cooked in the same meal? I’ve heard that you should feed only raw or only cooked during each meal cause the pH of the stomach acid. I would like to know if this is true and the reason why? Thank you.