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bug
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« Reply #15 on: April 14, 2009, 08:54:02 PM » |
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Thanks Peg! I think the only other time I was ever told that I rocked was last year when I took my friend's son to his first concert -- Iron Maiden.  Keep it coming, folks. We'll see what we can get done ourselves. |
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Red and Bones, my baby boys, you'll always be in my heart. Mom will see you later. Look after each other, ok?
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mainecoonpeg
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« Reply #16 on: April 14, 2009, 11:25:15 PM » |
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Oh Bug.............Iron Maiden Not only do you Rock but you are way cool...............  |
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JustMe
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Elvis
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« Reply #17 on: April 15, 2009, 07:16:01 PM » |
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How about posting a fee schedule from Guelph or whoever it is you are dealing with. Here is one from Midwest Laboratories for pet food testing. Starts on page 32 of the PDF document. https://www.midwestlabs.com/images/servicepdf/Food/full%20fee%20schedule.pdf |
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"One cat just leads to another." ~ Ernest Hemingway
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bug
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« Reply #18 on: April 15, 2009, 07:32:24 PM » |
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Wow, nice fee schedule. Can't say the universities have a nice package, ready to go like that. I know Guelph does, but they have it behind a password for vets and other existing clients. What I'll do is use Midwest's analytical offerings as a guideline for what I figure would be worth looking into. You can then all take a look and see if you agree. Then, I'll send the list on to my local university and if they can't do all of the testing, I'll email Guelph. We also have a Midwest lab here in Canada (Calgary) and if it has the same schedule, then that'll be another option. I'll contact them as well.
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Red and Bones, my baby boys, you'll always be in my heart. Mom will see you later. Look after each other, ok?
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JustMe
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Elvis
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« Reply #19 on: April 15, 2009, 07:39:34 PM » |
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If you look at Midwest's fee schedule, some of the tests run in the thousands, depending on what is being tested.
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"One cat just leads to another." ~ Ernest Hemingway
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3catkidneyfailure
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« Reply #20 on: April 15, 2009, 07:44:38 PM » |
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True, JustMe, but a great link for indicating what's there still.
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bug
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« Reply #21 on: April 15, 2009, 08:08:04 PM » |
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Yes, the complete profile (AAFCO) runs over 2k, but there are plenty of a la carte items that we are concerned about that are under $100 each. We're not concerned, for instance, with water-soluble vitamins because there are no toxic limits and I don't know that we need a complete amino acid profile to deem the food safe.
Our universities may charge less, we'll find out. Tomorrow, I'll sit down with the fee schedule and compile a list of the more pressing issues.
I also was not intending on setting up a website to subscribe to or pay through. Just a bank account that money can be dumped into for those who trust me to do this. I didn't want any of the cash being used for service fees from middle-men and I certainly don't want any of it for anything I would be doing. The only other cost that might be incurred is shipping if the samples have to go to Guelph. If not, I'm more than happy to drive them to the other side of town.
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« Last Edit: April 16, 2009, 06:47:29 AM by bug »
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Red and Bones, my baby boys, you'll always be in my heart. Mom will see you later. Look after each other, ok?
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tesla
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« Reply #22 on: April 16, 2009, 05:25:15 AM » |
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3cat's right, maybe you should start a thread and see who would be willing to add to contributions. I'd gladly join in.
Thanks, Bug!
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bug
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« Reply #23 on: April 16, 2009, 06:53:01 AM » |
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Hi Tesla,
I'll do that as soon as I can figure out what is available and how much it might cost. I don't want to surprise people with an obscene price tag and then have everyone think it's too expensive and not worth doing. Next post will be the run down to see if we all agree on what should be tested for.
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Red and Bones, my baby boys, you'll always be in my heart. Mom will see you later. Look after each other, ok?
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bug
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« Reply #24 on: April 16, 2009, 08:20:17 AM » |
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OK, here's what Midwest offers that I think would be reasonable to ensure that the pet food we are feeding is safe (US dollars). I will also request the additional toxicology testing if that is available. I will be submitting these requests to all the labs that I will be contacting in Canada:
Proximate and minerals $45
moisture, crude protein, fat, crude fibre, ash, calcium, phos, magnesium, iron, sodium, sulfur, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc
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Peroxide $25.50
Selenium $36
Taurine $65
Vit A (retinol) $90
Aluminum $18
Ammonia $10
Ethoxyquin $65
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Heavy metals screen plus mercury $65
lead, cadmium, arsenic, antimony, mercury
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Microbiology $60
total plate count, total coliforms, e.coli, staph aureus, salmonella, yeast and mold
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Melamine and related compounds $180
melamine, cyanuric acid, ammeline, ammelide
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Mycotoxins $190
aflatoxin, vomitoxin, fumonisin, ochratoxin, T2 toxin, zearalenone
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Agricultural pesticides $135 (too many to post)
Organophosphorus pesticides $135 (too many to post)
Organochlorine pesticides $165 (too many to post)
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Acetaminophen, ASA, ethylene glycol (cats), propylene glycol (cats), aminopterin, bisphenol A, benzoic acid (cats), BHA/BHT, solanine, chaconine -- TBA
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So far, we have a $1284.50 price tag for what we have here, not including the toxicity studies not listed on their schedule. So, theoretically, one can of food could cost upwards of 2K. What do all of you think about the tests I've listed, should they all be done or should some of them be removed?
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« Last Edit: April 16, 2009, 08:25:08 AM by bug »
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Red and Bones, my baby boys, you'll always be in my heart. Mom will see you later. Look after each other, ok?
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mainecoonpeg
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« Reply #25 on: April 16, 2009, 09:13:32 AM » |
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Bug, Are the mycotoxins a concern only for dry food? Are they a concern for grain free dry foods? I'm just thinking that all tests you have listed cover the need to know for safety, but some tests could be separated out based on dry vs. canned, grained vs. grain free, and dog vs. cat food. I am very enthused and so very willing to participate in this I am setting aside funds for contribution.......DH didn't get his bakery apple turnovers this week........  |
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carolo
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« Reply #26 on: April 16, 2009, 09:31:16 AM » |
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Bug, count me in.
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Sandi K
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« Reply #27 on: April 16, 2009, 09:32:02 AM » |
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bug, thanks for all the checking you are doing with labs in your area. One thing to keep in mind when talking to them as far as melamine/cyanuric acid goes, is what levels do they test down to. I think MidWest only goes down to 10 ppm or at least thats what I remember from last year but that might have changed. It does seem alot of the University labs are able to go lower than that (1 ppm) which is good. Another thing that came to mind, is it would be interesting to see some day about testing some of that Nutro dog food that is making so many of the pets at Consumer Affairs ill. We might or might not want to consider doing something like that later on if this all works out. I know there are some here that want to get some other food tested before we would do something like that and thats fine too.
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mainecoonpeg
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« Reply #28 on: April 16, 2009, 09:35:06 AM » |
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I apologize Bug, for not saying a HUGE thank you from me for all your hard work. Sandi, the Nutro food testing has been on my mind as well, especially the dry food. The thought of the success of this venture and being able to stick it in the face of the PFI makes me  |
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3catkidneyfailure
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« Reply #29 on: April 16, 2009, 09:46:54 AM » |
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I join in thanking everyone concerned for their efforts at getting a testing program off the ground. The first
limit is financing. Everything else depends on that, what can be tested for and how often. I hate those facts.
But facts they are.
What are you looking for as a monthly contribution? $20? $30? Or something else? I think then you could have people
agree to participate or not. Not knowing what you're looking for in terms of financial amount might stop some people
from joining in, and also have a direct effect on how many can take an itchmo testing pledge. 1200 divided by 20
is 60 contributors as a startup group goal. Getting a complete picture on any food tested is also important as we
don't have enough background to determine where commercial pet food makers are shortcutting. Just thoughts
I'm tossing out for comment here in hopes of getting a program going. I want this to happen, too, as a means
of pet food consumer self defense. I'm sure lots of itchmoforums readers would like to see independent testing
reports, too.
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« Last Edit: April 16, 2009, 10:00:22 AM by 3catkidneyfailure »
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