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TERRIBLE TOXINS FOR PETS AND PEOPLE
Perfect for gift giving, the latest assault of these Nutraceuticals was found in holiday foods and supplements that are available everywhere.
November 30, 2022 Nel Liquorman, Investigative Reporter
Sitting on my back porch with a gator facing me from the other side of the pond, I suddenly realized that he is not nearly so dangerous as the Nutraceutical industry’s invasion into the food chain over the last two decades.
There are three toxic extracts used for preserving. I notified the head of my state’s Food Safety group, telling them what they were. A day or so later, the seller stated that the product contained “supplements not approved by FDA” as a disclaimer to protect themselves.
Did you know that “The FDA is not authorized to approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness. In fact, many dietary supplements can be marketed without even notifying the FDA.” Ref #1} Also from the FDA site “…not all those products undergo premarket approval — that is, a review of safety, quality, and effectiveness by FDA experts.”
So, the sellers of toxic extracts are protected but the consumer had better be an avid label reader. Here’s an example of ingredients as listed on one website: “… contents: Sugar, cocoa butter, unsweetened chocolate, whole milk powder, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk (milk, sugar), palm oil, butter (cream, salt), nonfat dry milk, milk fat, soy lecithin, sodium citrate, yellow corn flour, natural flavor, sea salt, extracts of oregano, flaxseed, plum, and green tea (to preserve freshness), salt, vanilla extract, natural peppermint flavor, fruit and vegetable juice (color), corn starch, curcumin (color), rice syrup.”
Three of those ingredients can produce serious reactions or side effects.
I do not have a problem with Nutraceuticals being sold as remedies, but remedies are unsuitable for use as ingredients in any food, snack item, or pet food. Why? Because the FDA has no way of forcing that industry to tell the public the warnings and risks for plant extracts.
Plant extracts have caused problems in many products including laundry detergent and other household products, so it is not just a problem of ingesting these substances.
I have seen Rosemary Extract on turkey labels for several years, including 2022, and it is still on some processor ground meats.
You may remember that the kitty litter industry did great harm to many cats when they began adulterating litter with plant extracts in an effort to kill microbes. That was a couple of years ago. Karma brought about some justice when nobody wanted that bad litter and yet many bad litter contents remain.
There are many synonyms for nutraceutical plant extracts, including adaptogens, flavorings, antimicrobials and whatever term the product maker chooses to use. They are likely confident that the FDA won’t be checking their ingredients list.
All the while your dog, cat, and your family will be at risk and still no end in sight. We bought a new Lay’s chips product. I read the label. All clear. That was really good but not for long. A week later, we purchased the product again and after eating some from the new bag, I woke up at 3:30 AM clawing my scalp and my face was bright red.
I immediately thought about what I had eaten the day before and remembered the bag of chips. Right on the label was EXTRACTIVE OF PAPRIKA. Itching is one of the listed side effects for this Nutraceutical. Now I know that you must read every label, for every purchase.
A few days later, a young guy from the local high school sat down and chatted with me at a local McDonald’s. His face was unusually red and he kept rubbing his eyes and scratching his head. I told him that I had recently experienced the same symptoms.
Then I wondered if some doctors would diagnose the condition as auto-immune disease.
Today, I started looking at a variety of chips and yes, plant extracts are spreading throughout that food group. This is a sad and dangerous trend which can only be stopped if enough consumers take a stand against Nutraceuticals (inoffensively labeled as plant extracts/oleo resins) in our foods, pet foods, and pet products.
If you or a friend experience such symptoms please get the email address for your state’s FOOD SAFETY group, then on the first line of your communication, state THIS MESSAGE IS FOR THE HEAD OF YOUR FOOD SAFETY DEPARTMENT. Then briefly tell of your experience and concerns. If you find it necessary, you can even mention my name and this article!
In the meantime, you may want to read labels and skip the chip aisle because all is not well and indeed, times have changed!
Reference Information {1} www.fda.gov/Is It Really 'FDA Approved'? TheDogPress.com EST 2002 © Nov. 2022 https://www.thedogpress.com/Columns/terrible-toxins-for-pets-and-people-n22L114.asp SSI
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