Carrageenan: Uses & Risks In Dog Food
Reasons To Avoid Carrageenan in Dog Food
Carrageenan is a food additive derived from seaweed that is widely used in the food industry as a thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier. While it has been approved by the FDA as safe for human and dog consumption, there is some controversy over its use due to concerns about its potential to cause inflammation and other health problems.
What is Carrageenan?
Carrageenan is a natural polysaccharide that is extracted from red seaweed. It is a popular food ingredient due to its ability to thicken, emulsify, and stabilize a wide variety of foods and beverages. It is commonly used in products such as ice cream, yogurt, soy milk, deli meats, and many other processed foods.
Use of Carrageenan in Dog Food
Carrageenan is a common ingredient in some types of pet food. It is common in some of the rolled pet foods, pate, some canned foods, and loaf-style foods, to help the recipe stick together and form its shape.
Its use in pet food is largely based on its ability to improve texture and palatability. However, as with human food, there are concerns about its potential to cause inflammation and other health problems in dogs.
Inflammatory Conditions Associated with Carrageenan
One of the main concerns about carrageenan is its potential to cause inflammation in the digestive tract. Some studies have suggested that consuming carrageenan can lead to the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other gastrointestinal conditions. Additionally, some studies have linked carrageenan consumption to an increased risk of colon cancer. in humans and ulcers, lesions or tumors in our dogs.
For some dogs, we may see softer stools, diarrhea, and other digestive issues including IBS or IBD, and bloating, when Carageenan is present. So foods containing carrageenan should be excluded during any elimination diet, and intolerance troubleshooting.
You must read the label to verify the ingredient in your dog’s food — or your own! But if it were me, I’d avoid feeding a food containing carrageenan as a regular and recurring meal plan.