Can someone tell me what the preservatives are, which are in RC?

I seem to remember emailing them a few years ago and they told me that they did have BHT or something (I think) - however, this is not listed on their ingredients, so perhaps they have now removed it in favour of more natural preservatives?

Thanks

Well I may be wrong but I thing that BHT stands for a high temperature treatment as used in long life milk - not sure what natural means but if heating to remove any infecting microbes is natural and it is the same as the treatment used on milk then there should be no problem unless they have changed for something less natural and more cost effective.

It seems I was  wrong about heat treatment BHT stands for (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) not as yet found out what that is but it have been around a long time.  It seems to be the most used preservative where fat is involved, used in most food stuff for human consumption and seems to be safe at least very much more safe than eating food without the treatment.

http://www.pet-food-choice.co.uk/antioxidants_in_pet_food.htm

http://www.pet-food-choice.co.uk/antioxidants_in_pet_food.htm#royal

Not sure how up to date the info is though.

Thanks, looks like it was BHA they said was included.  (Going by that response from them you posted Zarah - which is v similar to what I remember receiving from them when I emailed them too - although I seem to have lost the email now.)  However, BHA is not listed now on their ingredient lists so I'm not sure if it is still used or not.  Maybe I should call them...

BHT and BHA are allegedly carciogenic.  I don't feed my dog any food containing these ingredients.  James Wellbeloved,  Burns and Arden Grange do not contain any of these additives.

BHT  allegedly carcinogenic

Really, it is cleared for use in human food and indeed most foods containing fats will also have BHT. Mind you if you abstained from everything that was meant to cause you harm you would soon die either from infection you had no immunity to or infected food, so I don't think I will worry..

it is cleared for use in human food and indeed most foods containing fats will also have BHT
A good enough reason for humans and canines to eat fresh and not processed food. :)

Stay away from BHT, BHA or Ethoxiquin (sp)

I analize my dogfood more then ours- but even in our food I try to make sure it does not contain that- chinese noodle (ichaban noodles) have that in it so I no longer buy them.

> Ethoxiquin (sp)

That's the one that concerns me. Its original use was as a rubber preserver, it is not allowed in human food and there are doubts about its safety in pet foods.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethoxyquin

BHA and NHT are phenolic based compounds (that for a start makes them potentially toxic to cats, who cannot metabolise phenols or cresols):
http://chemistry.about.com/od/foodcookingchemistry/a/bha-bht-preservatives.htm

The above are used to prevent fats in the kibble from becoming rancid and going off. Any ingredients list that states "EC Permitted Antioxidants" is more than likely going to include them.

BHAs and BHTs are allegedly carcinogenic, as has been pointed out. AG don't use these which is why I feed it to my dogs.

Yes there are tons of foodstuffs that we as humans shovel down that are alleged carcinogenics - I have the choice, my dogs dont!

I absolutely agree.  If we avoid processed food we can also avoid these additives.  They are not necessary to sustain human life as has been previously suggested!

I def try now to make sure non is in our human food as well- starting to really read the ingredients of our food n not just the dogs :-)