A veterinary expert has issued a warning about an additive found in canned cat food that could cause cancer in the popular household pets.
Author Ingrid King, who is also a former veterinary hospital director and veterinary journalist, has expressed concern about the presence of carrageenan, a substance that has been found to cause colon cancer when tested on animals in laboratories.
According to the Cornucopia Institute, the International Agency for Research on Cancer recognizes degraded carrageenan, which is used as a gelling agent in many popular brands of cat food, as a “possible human carcinogen.”
This is based on research showing that it leads to higher rates of colon cancer in laboratory animals.
There are two types of carrageenan: degraded and undegraded, and processors claim that food-grade carrageenan falls entirely into the undegraded category.
A veterinary expert has issued a warning about an additive found in canned cat food that could cause cancer in the popular household pets.
However, one study showed that, in the products they tested, not a single sample of food-grade carrageenan could confidently claim to be completely free of the potentially carcinogenic material.
In an article for the feline website Catster, Ms. King warned pet owners that food-grade or “undegraded” carrageenan is on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) list of “generally recognized” items. as insurance (GRAS)”.
Despite concerns about how the agent may affect the health of cats, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) defines it as an acceptable emulsifier, stabilizer, and thickener.
However, Ms King warns that degraded carrageenan, which is produced at high temperatures and acidity, has been associated with ulcerations in the gastrointestinal tract and gastrointestinal cancer in animals.
She revealed that she was feeling “increasingly concerned” about feeding cats or other animals food containing carrageenan.
The veterinary expert went on to advise that, although foods without this ingredient may be a little harder to find, it is important to read pet food labels and look for alternatives if your cat’s current food contains it.
He concluded by saying that pet owners should take due care and attention when scanning their cat’s food for this ingredient.
Ingrid stated that unless their cat absolutely refuses to eat brands that do not contain carrageenan, pet owners should consider switching to any applicable food that contains the ingredient.
