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Purina moist and meaty (not exactly a cheap dog food) but what am I feeding this poor old dog of my daughter?
Analysis
crude protein (min) 18%
crude fat (min) 7%
crude fiber (max) 3%
moisture (max) 33%
ingredients:
Beef,
high fructose corn syrup,
soy grits,
soy flour,
water,
wheat flour,
corn syrup,
calcium carbonate,
Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound, with the chemical formula CaCO3.
It is a common substance found as rock in all parts of the world, and is the main component of shells of marine organisms, snails, and eggshells.
Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient in agricultural lime, and is usually the principal cause of hard water.
It is commonly used medicinally as a calcium supplement or as an antacid.
In 1989, a researcher introduced CaCO3 into the Whetstone Brook in Massachusetts.
His hope was that the calcium carbonate would counter the acid in the stream from acid rain and save the trout that had ceased to spawn.
Although his experiment was a success, it did increase the amounts of aluminum ions in the area of the brook that was not treated with the limestone.
This shows that CaCO3 can be added to neutralize the effects of acid rain in river ecosystems.
Nowadays, calcium carbonate is used to neutralise acidic conditions in both soil and water.
phosphoric acid,
Phosphoric acid may be used by direct application to rusted iron, steel tools or surfaces to convert iron(III) oxide (rust) to a water soluble phosphate compound.
It is usually available as a greenish liquid, suitable for dipping (acid bath), but is more generally used as a component in a gel, commonly called naval jelly.
As a thick gel, it may be applied to sloping, vertical, or even overhead surfaces. Care must be taken to avoid acid burns of the skin and especially the eyes,
but the residue is easily diluted with water. When sufficiently diluted it can even be nutritious to plant life, containing the essential nutrients phosphorus and iron.
It is sometimes sold under other names, such as "rust remover" or "rust killer". It should not be directly introduced into surface water such as creeks or into drains,
however. After treatment, the reddish-brown iron oxide will be converted to a black iron phosphate compound coating that may be scrubbed off.
Multiple applications of phosphoric acid may be required to remove all rust. The resultant black compound can provide further corrosion resistance (such protection
is somewhat provided by the superficially similar Parkerizing and blued electrochemical conversion coating processes.) After application and removal of rust using
phosphoric acid compounds, the metal should be oiled (if to be used bare, as in a tool) or appropriately painted, most durably by using a multiple coat process of
primer, intermediate, and finish coats.
Food grade phosphoric acid is used to acidify foods and beverages such as various colas, but not without controversy as to its health effects.
It provides a tangy taste, and being a mass-produced chemical, is available cheaply and in large quantities.
The low cost and bulk availability is unlike more expensive natural seasonings that give comparable flavors, such as ginger for tangyness, or citric acid for sourness,
obtainable from lemons and limes. (However most citric acid in the food industry is not extracted from citrus fruit, but fermented by Aspergillus niger mold from
scrap molasses, waste starch hydrolysates and phosphoric acid.) It is labeled as E number E338.
salt,
animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of vitamin E),
Tocopherol, known as vitamin E, describes a series of organic compounds consisting of a methylated phenols. The various derivatives are also vitamin E. Vitamin E
is a fat-soluble antioxidant.
sorbic acid (added to prevent spoilage),
Sorbic acid, or 2,4-hexadienoic acid, is a natural organic compound used as a food preservative. It has the chemical formula C6H8O2. It was first isolated from the
unripe berries of the rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), hence its name.
Sorbic acid and its mineral salts, such as sodium sorbate, potassium sorbate and calcium sorbate, are antimicrobial agents often used as preservatives in food and
drinks to prevent the growth of mold, yeast and fungi. In general the salts are preferred over the acid form because they are more soluble in water.
The optimal pH for the antimicrobial activity is below pH 6.5 and sorbates are generally used at concentrations of 0.025% to 0.10%. Adding sorbate salts to food
will however raise the pH of the food slightly so the pH may need to be adjusted to assure safety.
Sorbic acid should not be confused with other chemically unrelated, but similarly named food additives sorbitol, polysorbate, and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C).
The E numbers are:
E200 Sorbic acid
E201 Sodium sorbate
E202 Potassium sorbate
E203 Calcium sorbate
Some molds (notably some Trichoderma and Penicillium strains) and yeasts are able to detoxify sorbates by decarboxylation, producing trans-1,3-pentadiene.
The pentadiene manifests as a typical odor of kerosene or petroleum. Other detoxification reactions include reduction to 4-hexenol and 4-hexenoic acid.
dried cheese powder (predominantly cheddar cheese),
calcium propionate (added to prevent spoilage),
As a food additive, it is listed as E number 282 in the Codex Alimentarius. Calcium propionate is used as a preservative in a wide variety of products, including but
not limited to bread, other bakery goods, processed meat, whey, and other dairy products. In agriculture, it is used, amongst other things, to prevent milk fever in
cows and as a feed supplement. Propionates prevent microbes from producing the energy they need, like benzoates do. However, unlike benzoates, propionates
do not require an acidic environment.
Calcium propionate is used in bakery products as a mold inhibitor. Mold contamination is considered a serious problem amongst bakers, and conditions commonly
found in baking present near-optimal conditions for mold growth.
A few decades ago, Bacillus mesentericus (rope), was a serious problem, but today's improved sanitary practices in the bakery, combined with rapid turnover of the
finished product, have virtually eliminated this form of spoilage. Calcium propionate and sodium propionate are effective against both Bacillus mesentericus rope and
mold.
According to the Pesticide Action Network North America, calcium propionate is slightly toxic. This rating is not uncommon for food products; Vitamin C is also
rated by the same standards as being slightly toxic. Calcium propionate can be used as a pesticide.
Calcium propionate has been weakly linked to irritability, restlessness, inattention, and sleep disturbance in children. The Ecologist Online claims that it is linked to
allergic reactions in bakery workers
DL-Methionine,
Methionine (abbreviated as Met or M)[1] is an α-amino acid with the chemical formula HO2CCH(NH2)CH2CH2SCH3. This essential amino acid is classified as
nonpolar. Together with cysteine, methionine is one of two sulfur-containing proteinogenic amino acids. Its derivative S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) serves as a
methyl donor. Methionine in an intermediate in the biosynthesis of cysteine, carnitine, and taurine, lecithin, phosphatidylcholine, and other phospholipids.
Improper conversion of methionine can lead to atherosclerosis.
Methionine is one of only two amino acids encoded by a single codon (AUG) in the standard genetic code (tryptophan, encoded by UGG, is the other). The codon
AUG is also significant, in that it carries the "Start" message for a ribosome that signals the initiation of protein translation from mRNA. As a consequence, methionine
is incorporated into the N-terminal position of all proteins in eukaryotes and archaea during translation, although it is usually removed by
post-translational modification.
High levels of methionine can be found in sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, fish, meats, and some other plant seeds. Most fruit and vegetables contain very little; however,
some have significant amounts, such as spinach, potatoes, and boiled corn. DL-methionine is sometimes added as an ingredient to pet foods. Methionine, cysteine
and soy protein heated in a small amount of water creates a meat like aroma.
choline chloride,
Choline chloride or N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)trimethylammonium chloride is an organic compound and a quaternary ammonium salt. The counterion is chlorine.
In the laboratory choline can be prepared by methylation of dimethylethanolamine with methyl chloride. In the industrial Davy process choline chloride is produced
from ethylene oxide, hydrochloric acid, and trimethylamine. Alternative names are hepacholine, biocolina and lipotril.
Choline chloride is mass produced and is an important additive in feed especially for chicken where it accelerates growth. With urea it forms a deep eutectic solvent.
Other commercial choline salts are choline hydroxide and choline bitartrate. In foodstuffs the compound is often present as phosphatidylcholine.
added color,
zinc sulfate,
Zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) is a colorless crystalline, water-soluble chemical compound. The hydrated form, ZnSO4·7H2O, the mineral goslarite, was historically known
as "white vitriol" and can be prepared by reacting zinc with aqueous sulfuric acid. It may also be prepared by adding solid zinc to a Copper II Sulfate solution.
(Zn+CuSO4→ZnSO4+Cu) It is used to supply zinc in animal feeds, fertilizers, and agricultural sprays. ZnSO4·7H2O is used in making lithopone, in coagulation
baths for rayon, in electrolytes for zinc plating, as a mordant in dyeing, as a preservative for skins and leather and in medicine as an astringent and emetic.
An aqueous solution of zinc sulfate is claimed to be effective at removing moss from roofs. Spraying a mixture on moss will allow the wind to simply blow off the
remaining debris, however it is not recommended for use on lawns as it is as effective at removing grass as it is moss.
Zinc sulfate also has reported uses of deceiving medical drug examinations.
ferrous sulfate,
Ferrous sulfate is applied for the purification of water by flocculation and for phosphate removal in municipal and industrial sewage treatment plants to prevent
eutrophication of surface water bodies.
Large quantities of this salt are used as a reducing agent, mostly for the reduction of chromate in cement.
Ferrous sulfate is used to treat iron-deficiency anemia. Side effects of therapy may include nausea and epigastric abdominal discomfort after taking iron.
These side effects may be minimized by taking ferrous sulfate at bedtime. Copperas was given indiscriminately by untrained persons to slaves in the 18th and
19th centuries for various ailments. The knowledge that it would cause violent nausea and vomiting made it an ideal "remedy" for virtually anything that ailed a slave
and kept him from work. Many slaves were poisoned and died from this practice.
Ferrous sulfate is also also used to fortify various foods with iron, for example, the enriched corn meal in Cheetos.
ethoxyquin (a preservative),
Ethoxyquin is a quinoline-based antioxidant used as a food preservative and a pesticide (under commercial names such as "Stop-Scald"). It is commonly used as a
preservative in pet foods to prevent the rancidification of fats. There has been some speculation that ethoxyquin in pet foods might be responsible for certain health
problems. To date, the US FDA has only found a verifiable connection between ethoxyquin and buildup of protoporphyrin IX in the liver, as well as elevations in
liver-related enzymes in some animals. It has been shown to cause mortality in fish.
It is also commonly used in spices to prevent color loss due to oxidation of the natural carotenoid pigments.
Fish meal, or fishmeal, is a commercial product made from both whole fish and the bones and offal from processed fish. It is a brown powder or cake obtained
by pressing the whole fish or fish trimmings to remove the fish oil.
The major use of fish meal is as a high-protein supplement in aquaculture feed. The main producing countries in 2004 were Peru, Chile, China, Thailand, USA,
Japan and Denmark. World-wide production is about 6.3 million tons annually.
In pet food, AAFCO specifies fish meal is "the clean, rendered, dried ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish or fish cuttings, either or both, with or without the
extraction of part of the oil." Thus usable as pet food. However, if a type of fish is not specified, the type or quality of fish used is unknown. U.S. Coast Guard
regulations state all fish meal not destined for human consumption must be conserved with Ethoxyquin unless the manufacturer has a special permit.
Ethoxyquin is banned from use in foods for human consumption except for the use of very small quantities as a color preservative for spices.
vitamin E supplement,
manganese sulfate,
Manganese compounds are less toxic than those of other widespread metals such as iron, nickel and copper. However, manganese is toxic in excess. Exposure to
manganese dusts and fumes should not exceed the ceiling value of 5 mg/m3 even for short periods because of its toxicity level. Manganese poses a particular risk
for children due to its propensity to bind to CH-7 receptors. Manganese poisoning has been linked to impaired motor skills and cognitive disorders.
Acidic permanganate solutions will oxidize any organic material they come into contact with. The oxidation process can generate enough heat to ignite some organic
substances.
In 2005, a study suggested a possible link between manganese inhalation and central nervous system toxicity in rats. It is hypothesized that long-term exposure to
the naturally-occurring manganese in shower water puts up to 8.7 million Americans at risk.
A form of neurodegeneration similar to Parkinson's Disease called "Manganism" has been linked to manganese exposure amongst miners and smelters since the
early 19th Century. Allegations of inhalation-induced manganism have been made regarding the welding industry. Manganese exposure is regulated by OSHA.
niacin,
Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin whose derivatives such as NADH, NAD, NAD+, and NADP play essential roles in
energy metabolism in the living cell and DNA repair. The designation vitamin B3 also includes the corresponding amide nicotinamide (or "niacinamide"), whose
chemical formula is C6H6NO2.
Other functions of niacin include removing toxic chemicals from the body, and assisting in the production of steroid hormones made by the adrenal gland, such as
sex hormones and stress-related hormones.
vitamin A supplement,
calcium pantothenate,
Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5 (a B vitamin), is a water-soluble vitamin required to sustain life (essential nutrient). Pantothenic acid is needed to form
coenzyme-A (CoA), and is critical in the metabolism and synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Chemically it is the amide between D-pantoate and
beta-alanine. Its name is derived from the Greek pantothen (παντόθεν) meaning "from everywhere" and small quantities of pantothenic acid are found in nearly
every food, with high amounts in whole grain cereals, legumes, eggs, meat, and royal jelly. It is commonly found as its alcohol analog, the provitamin panthenol,
and as calcium pantothenate.
thiamine mononitrate,
Thiamine or thiamin, also known as vitamin B1 and aneurine hydrochloride, is one of the B vitamins
Thiamine plays an important role in helping the body metabolize carbohydrates and fat to produce energy. It is essential for normal growth and development and
helps to maintain proper functioning of the heart and the nervous and digestive systems. Thiamine is water-soluble and cannot be stored in the body; however, once
absorbed, the vitamin is concentrated in muscle tissue.
Some studies suggest that taking thiamine (vitamin B1) 25 mg to 50 mg three times per day is effective in reducing mosquito bites. A large intake of Thiamine
produces a skin odor that is not detectable by humans, but is disagreeable to female mosquitoes. Thiamine takes more than 2 weeks before the odor fully saturates
the skin. With the advances in topical preparations there is an increasing number of Thiamine based repellent products. Whilst there is considerable anecdotal
evidence of Thiamine products being effective in the field (Australia, US and Canada), there has yet to be any clinical trials run to demonstrate the efficacy of these
products.
copper sulfate,
Copper sulfate pentahydrate is a fungicide. Mixed with lime it is called Bordeaux mixture to control fungus on grapes and other berries, another application is
Cheshunt compound, a mixture of copper sulphate and ammonium carbonate used in horticulture to prevent damping off in seedlings. Its use as an herbicide is not
agricultural, but instead for control of invasive exotic aquatic plants and the roots of other invasive plants near various pipes that contain water. A dilute solution of
copper sulfate is used to treat aquarium fish of various parasitic infections, and is also used to remove snails from aquariums. However, as the copper ions are also
highly toxic to the fish, care must be taken with the dosage. Most species of algae can be controlled with very low concentrations of copper sulfate.
riboflavin supplement,
vitamin B-12 supplement,
pyridoxine hydrochloride,
Pyridoxine is one of the compounds that can be called vitamin B6, along with Pyridoxal and Pyridoxamine. It differs from pyridoxamine by the substituent at the
'4' position. It is often used as 'pyridoxine hydrochloride'.
Pyridoxine assists in the balancing of sodium and potassium as well as promoting red blood cell production. It is linked to cardiovascular health by decreasing the
formation of homocysteine. It has been suggested that Pyridoxine might help children with learning difficulties, and may also prevent dandruff, eczema, and psoriasis.
In addition, pyridoxine can help balance hormonal changes in women and aid in immune system. Lack of pyridoxine may cause anemia, nerve damage, seizures,
skin problems, and sores in the mouth.
It is required for the production of the monoamine neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline as it is the cofactor for the enzyme
aromatic amino acid decarboxylase. This enzyme is responsible for converting the precusors 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-htp) into serotonin and
3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-dopa) into dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline. As such it has been implicated in the treatment of depression and anxiety.
A very good source of Pyridoxine is dragon fruit from South East Asia
folic acid,
vitamin D-3 supplement,
calcium iodate,
Nutritional source of iodine in foods and feedstuffs. More stable in table salts than iodides. To improve properties of yeast-leavened bakery products.
biotin,
Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7, has the chemical formula C10H16N2O3S (Biotin; Coenzyme R, Biopeiderm), is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin which
is composed of an ureido (tetrahydroimidizalone) ring fused with a tetrahydrothiophene ring. A valeric acid substituent is attached to one of the carbon atoms of the
tetrahydrothiophene ring. Biotin is important in the catalysis of essential metabolic reactions to synthesize fatty acids, in gluconeogenesis, and to metabolize leucine.
Biotin is used in cell growth, the production of fatty acids, metabolism of fats, and amino acids. It plays a role in the Citric acid cycle, which is the process in which
biochemical energy is generated during aerobic respiration. Biotin not only assists in various metabolic chemical conversions, but also helps to transfer carbon dioxide.
Biotin is also helpful in maintaining a steady blood sugar level. Biotin is often recommended for strengthening hair and nails. Consequently, it is found in many cosmetic
and health products for the hair and skin.
Deficiency is extremely rare, as intestinal bacteria generally produce in excess of the body's daily requirement. For that reason, statutory agencies in many countries
(e.g., the Australian Department of Health and Aging) do not prescribe a recommended daily intake.
Menadione sodium bisulfate complex (source of vitamin K activity),
Menadione is a polycyclic aromatic ketone, based on 1,4-naphthoquinone, with a 2-methyl substituent.
It was formerly sometimes called vitamin K3, although derivatives of naphthoquinone without the sidechain in the 3-position cannot exert all the functions of the K
vitamins. Menadione is a vitamin precursor of K2 which utilizes alkylation in the liver to yield menaquinones (MK-n, n=1-13; K2 vitamers), and hence, is better
classified as a provitamin.
Despite the fact that it can serve as a precursor to various types of vitamin K, menadione is generally not used as a nutritional supplement. Large doses of menadione
have been reported to cause adverse outcomes including hemolytic anemia due to G6PD deficiency, neonatal brain or liver damage, or neonatal death in some cases.
Moreover, menadione supplements have been banned by the FDA because of their high toxicity. Menadione has been used experimentally as a chemotherapic
agent for cancer, ca 1945, but has lost ground to much safer, human form, vitamin K2 vitamers. Low level menadione is still used as an inexpensive micronutrient for
livestock in many countries.
Lately, menadione has been mentioned again as a treatment for cancer in conjunction with vitamin C (See "The end of cancer" by April Kirkendoll) but modern
researchers and trials are investigating nontoxic K2 vitamers such as menaquinone-4 in conjunction with more comprehensive regimens.
sodium selenite.
Sodium selenite is a chemical compound with the formula Na2SeO3. This salt is a source of selenium in many food supplements.
Sodium selenite is listed in the material safety data sheets from U.S. Environmental Health and Safety as a dangerous poison in large amounts. Its toxicity is similar to
that for arsenic. It attacks sulfhydryl enzymes.
Although selenium is poisonous, it should be noted that selenium is an essential element, albeit in small amounts. Animals require selenium for selenium-dependent
enzymes (selenoproteins) such as glutathione peroxidase.
Sodium selenite can be found as a listed ingredient in various foods such as dog biscuits and multivitamins.
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Backyard Aquaponics
