http://www.nutroproducts.com/quality_facts.html?gclid=CNWy0ZSB8pICFQdHagodlRMI3w
NUTRO® Pet Food Quality Facts
Q: I’ve heard reports that Nutro products contain potentially harmful levels of copper and zinc. Is this true?
A: NUTRO® products are safe and conform to the standards set by the FDA, USDA and AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). The claims regarding the safety of Nutro pet food in a recent report posted on the Pet Food Product Safety Alliance website are unfounded.
In order for a food to provide all the essential nutrition for a pet, it must exceed the minimum requirements for all essential nutrients. AAFCO has established Nutrient Profiles which identify these minimum dietary levels for all essential nutrients in canine pet food products.
Specifically, these guidelines indicate that pet foods formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of dogs contain no less than 120 mg/kg dry matter and no more than 1,000 mg/kg dry matter of zinc in order to ensure that the requirements for zinc in dogs are met. Based on these guidelines, the 260- 400 mg/kg diet levels of Zinc found in NUTRO® Natural Choice Chicken, Meal, Rice and Oatmeal Formula (which converts to approximately 288-444 mg/kg dry matter) are well within AAFCO recommended levels. Like zinc, levels of copper in Nutro are necessarily above the minimum AAFCO requirements and do not exceed maximum requirements; they are well within recommended levels.
The report is correct in stating that there is a small minority of dogs that are sensitive to copper. These dogs are relatively few and need to be carefully managed with the assistance of a Veterinarian. This would be the same as with any dog that has special, specific needs which make it unique from the general canine population. Furthermore, copper is a critical factor in a dog’s antioxidant defense system and so it would not be prudent to restrict copper in the general population, as that would mean that a large group of dogs would not receive their required levels.
In addition to meeting a dog’s nutritional requirements, many NUTRO® products incorporate the scientific knowledge of the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition which has researched the role of key nutrients in delivering optimal skin and coat health and consequently have levels of zinc, copper and other nutrients that are higher than industry minimums. These nutrients serve as key drivers in maintaining skin and coat health and help to make NUTRO® products nutritionally sound.
Our products are safe and conform to the standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). NUTRO® products undergo rigorous quality assurance testing beginning with raw ingredients and ending with testing finished products. This includes testing to confirm that no melamine, mold toxins, or pathogenic bacteria are detected in any NUTRO® pet foods.
Q: I read a posting on ConsumerAffairs.com which provided specific examples of dogs that experienced health issues from eating NUTRO® products. Is this true?
A: ConsumerAffairs.com is a self-described “independent Web-based consumer news and resource center,” not affiliated with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission or Consumer Reports.
ConsumerAffairs.com has posted an August 6 update to their June 23 posting regarding NUTRO® pet foods. The most notable information in the posting, and the subject of its title, “Expert Finds Unexplained Pet Deaths ‘Not Consistent,'” are the findings of Dr. Steven Hansen, a veterinary toxicologist at the ASPCA. Dr. Hansen conducted an in-depth review of the complaints against Nutro and concluded that the complaints appear to be random, non-pet food related health issues.
Every NUTRO® product that was analyzed in relation to the June 23 posting on ConsumerAffairs.com has been shown to be safe. It should be noted that in some of these cases outside sources have provided clear verification that NUTRO® products were NOT the cause of any pet health issues. In others, NUTRO® has taken active steps to address pet owners’ concerns and determine the cause of pet health issues. We’ve either spoken with or left multiple messages for all of the consumers cited in the June 23 posting. Our findings agree with Dr. Hansen’s; there is nothing that indicates that these pet health issues were caused by NUTRO® pet foods.
There are other elements to the August 6, 2008 Consumer Affairs post which, as with previous postings on the site, attempt to raise doubt concerning the safety of NUTRO® products. While consumer concerns about NUTRO® product quality are rare, we take every complaint seriously. When we learn of an issue we work with consumers to obtain information and request that samples of any product in question be submitted for testing at an independent facility. An in-depth review is performed to determine if an issue does exist. Consumers with questions or concerns about NUTRO® products are encouraged to contact our Consumer Services Department at 1-800-833-5330.
All of our products are safe and conform to the standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). NUTRO® products undergo rigorous quality assurance testing beginning with raw ingredients and ending with testing finished products. This includes testing to confirm that no melamine, mold toxins, or pathogenic bacteria are detected in any NUTRO® pet foods.
Q: Are NUTRO® products safe?
A: Yes. All NUTRO® products are safe and conform to the standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
Q: Why is the quality and safety of NUTRO® products being addressed?
A: We have received recent isolated reports of inaccurate information posted online regarding the quality and safety of NUTRO® pet foods products. Many blogs and internet sites can be a repository for misinformation and hearsay regarding many topics.
Q: What measures does NUTRO® undertake to ensure the safety of its products?
A: NUTRO® products undergo rigorous quality assurance testing beginning with raw ingredients and ending with testing finished products. This includes testing to confirm that no melamine, mold toxins, or pathogenic bacteria are detected in any NUTRO® pet foods.
While consumer concerns about NUTRO® product quality are rare, we take every complaint seriously. When we learn of an issue, we work with consumers to obtain information and request that samples of any product in question be submitted for testing at an independent facility. An in-depth review is performed to determine if an issue does exist.
Q: Why are some NUTRO® products unavailable?
A: Our ongoing commitment to high standards for product quality has created some temporary difficulty regarding availability of key ingredients. However, we feel that it is critical that we maintain our standards for product quality and performance. The temporary availability issues that NUTRO® has experienced with certain products are operational in nature, not-quality related.
We are continuing to work with suppliers in New Zealand and in the U.S. to increase availability of key ingredients to NUTRO®. We have already secured additional, high-quality supply sources of most raw materials, and are currently working with suppliers in New Zealand and in the U.S. to establish an additional supply of lamb meal.
We are manufacturing and shipping Natural Choice® Lamb Meal and Rice for adult dogs and Natural Choice® Small Bites Lamb Meal and Rice for adult dogs, which meet the nutritional requirements for dogs of all sizes and all ages. Natural Choice® Lite Lamb Meal and Rice is available for adult dogs as well. Natural Choice® Venison Meal and Brown Rice, and Natural Choice® Herring Meal, Rice and Potato are also available and are great alternatives for dogs that may be sensitive to certain ingredients in their diet. We also recommend our Natural Choice® Large Breed Adult and Natural Choice® Large Breed Puppy made with Chicken Meal for pet owners who want the best in Large Breed specific nutrition that were previously feeding their pets our Lamb and Rice large breed products.
Consumers can feed NUTRO® products to their pets with full confidence. We thank our customers and consumers for their patience as we work through these issues and offer our apologies for any inconvenience to you and your pet.
Q: Are NUTRO® products unavailable because of problems with quality?
A: No. Our ongoing commitment to high standards for product quality has created some temporary difficulty regarding availability of key ingredients. However, we feel that it is critical that we maintain our standards for product quality and performance. The temporary availability issues that NUTRO® has experienced with certain products are operational in nature, not-quality related. Consumers can feed NUTRO® products to their pets with full confidence.
Q: Have your plants closed? Is that why there are shortages?
A: No. Our plants have not closed. The temporary availability issues are due to the issues outlined above, which we are in the process of resolving.
Q: Have MAX® Dog and MAX® Cat food formulas changed
A: MAX® Dog and MAX® Cat foods have been improved with the addition of more chicken and/or salmon. MAX® Cat’s new smaller kibble greatly increases the palatability in comparison to the previous larger kibble. NUTRO® always strives to produce the best pet foods for your pets. We have found that dogs and cats prefer the enhanced products, and NUTRO® has maintained the performance characteristics that MAX® pet owners are accustomed to. As always, MAX® products do not utilize chicken heads, feet, or intestines which may be found in products that use chicken by-product meal.
Q: MAX® Large Breed Puppy and MAX® Large Breed Adult used to be beef based. I understand they are now made with chicken. Why the change?
A: MAX® Large Breed Puppy and MAX® Large Breed Adult are now being made with chicken meal rather than beef meal because preference testing has shown that dogs prefer the taste of the chicken product.
However, we have heard from many loyal NUTRO® consumers that their dogs loved the beef meal based products. As such, by popular demand, we will be re-introducing MAX® Large Breed Puppy and MAX® Large Breed Adult in their former beef meal based formulations in late June 2008.
Q: What happens when a consumer contacts NUTRO® about a product concern?
A: The safety and quality of our products is our top priority. While consumer concerns about NUTRO® product quality are rare, we take every complaint seriously. When we learn of an issue, we work with consumers to obtain information and request that samples of any product in question be submitted for testing at an independent facility. An in-depth review is performed to determine if an issue does exist.
NUTRO® products undergo rigorous quality assurance testing beginning with raw ingredients and ending with testing finished products. This includes testing to confirm that no melamine, mold toxins, or pathogenic bacteria are detected in any NUTRO® pet foods.
Q: Who can I contact if I have further questions or concerns regarding NUTRO® products?
A: Consumers with questions or concerns about NUTRO® products are encouraged to contact our Consumer Services Department at 1-800-833-5330.
NUTRO® Products, Inc. remains committed to the quality, safety and performance of all our pet food brands. As we have for over 80 years, we strive to deliver the finest natural products to our customers and their pets.
For more information on our quality assurance process follow this link Quality. Safety. Performance.
For more information on NUTRO’s quality assurance process follow this link Quality. Safety. Performance.
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