Bacteriophages - Making Pet Food Clean & Safe

­Furchild now uses Phage Technology, a safe, holistic, and effective way to kill pathogenic (bad) bacteria without killing the beneficial bacteria.

In fact, the bacteriophage use only makes our raw pet food even safer for humans and all pets!

Contamination of pet food with pathogens can be a concern for pet parents and veterinarians alike. While contamination can occur in all forms of pet food - kibble, canned and fresh pet foods, the fresh pet food category is constantly targeted for being 'risky' despite the fact that the majority of recalls are processed and dry pet foods, not raw pet foods!

You may also be surprised to know the contamination of pet food is mainly a concern for human family members, not our pets.

As a result of the fresh pet food vs. dry food misunderstanding, some pet parents and veterinarians are passing up the chance to feed the best quality pet food: fresh, balanced, species-appropriate nutrition and it's a real shame.

Well, Furchild is changing that with Phages!

And it's very exciting! As of November 2017, Furchild is using a revolutionary technology called, 'Bacteriophage (Phage) technology'. It's a natural way of significantly reducing the chances of bad bacteria in fresh pet food and is transforming a lot of the misconceptions about fresh pet food.

The great thing about bacteriophages in pet food preservation is that they are very effective in killing specific bacteria, potentially harmful bacteria. That's why Furchild uses three specific Phages to target Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli and all their harmful strains!

More like a sigh of relief for deeply concerned pet parents and veterinarians.

The bacteriophages used in pet food preservation, especially in making our poultry pet meals are harmless to humans, animals, and plants.

They are all-natural, non-toxic, safe, and effective at reducing or eliminating disease-causing bacteria sometimes present in food or food processing environments. And Phages neither affect the taste, appearance, or smell of our raw meals nor alter our Organic and Halal certifications.

Furthermore, the FDA approves the application of Phages in the pet food and human industry. They are currently used in the human food manufacturing industry and only a select few fresh pet food manufacturers are using this level of technology. And Furchild is proud to be one of them!

For those interested, here's some background information on Bacteriophages.

They are one of the oldest known organisms on this planet, approximately three billion years ago. They are also the most ubiquitous organisms on Earth, estimated to be over 10³¹ in number. That's a gigantic amount of phages, and more than every other organism on Earth, including bacteria, combined!

It's also because Phages are naturally occurring and are commonly found almost everywhere, in the water we drink, the food we eat, the soil, and even the oceans.

Bacteriophages vs. Antibiotics

The easiest way to understand how Phages work is to compare it with the role of antibiotics.

Antibiotics kill bacteria and/or slow the growth of bacteria. However, they are not specific to target good or bad bacteria. Essentially antibiotics kill or prevent the growth of all bacteria.

And some pet food companies use technologies similar to this: irradiation, high-pressure processing (HPP), and chlorine washes. These methods affect the populations of both, good and bad bacteria, making the food completely sterile.

On the contrary, Bacteriophages are very different due to the reason that they are specific and natural. Phages only kill targeted bacteria, making our meals safe for humans and pets. At the same time, they also preserve the nutritional properties of our ingredients. So it's a win-win!

So, why is this so important?

As more research and studies are conducted, we realise that good bacteria play a crucial role in maintaining gut health, vitality, and overall pet health.

For example, just think of the benefits and role of Probiotics in our pets’ bodies. We do not want to remove these good bacteria (or good microbes) from our and our pets' systems because they are quite beneficial for overall health.

So the fact that Phages potentially ONLY impact bad bacteria and not good bacteria is 'pawsome' news!

When are pathogens a potential risk to our pets?

Dogs and cats have very resilient digestive tracts and are built to handle bacterial loads from foods that would otherwise make humans sick.

Our dogs' and cats’ stomachs are very acidic with a pH range of 1 to 2.5 and they produce bile, which is both anti-parasitic and anti-pathogenic. So if something potentially harmful is consumed, with their natural defence mechanisms the risk factor is much less in comparison to humans.

That being said, pets with especially compromised immune systems, cancer, or pets that are very young or old may not have as strong and effective natural defence mechanisms as healthy pets. So the addition of Bacteriophages gives pet parents extra peace of mind knowing that any risk of pathogens is further and significantly reduced.

Do you want to learn more about this groundbreaking technology?

Watch Dr Karen Becker, a renowned integrated Veterinarian interview Dr Sandro, an internationally recognized expert in Phage Technology. It's fascinating stuff!

Video: Mercola Pets

Every step of the process matters!

In regards to controlling bacteria and minimising risk, other than Phage Technology, Furchild uses the strictest standards and food safety protocols. For us, the control of bacteria begins at the farm, our kitchen is HACCP-certified, and our standards are the same as any other commercial kitchen producing human food.

We hand-select our providers and constantly maintain communication throughout the ingredients' lifecycle to ensure they are transported and handled correctly. Moreover, our meats and poultry are sourced internationally only from reputable farms and suppliers. None of our meats and poultry is sourced from local butchers or abattoirs.

All of our ingredients are inspected and approved under DM regulations for restaurants and institutions throughout Dubai. And knowing that all of our ingredients are of the highest quality and held to the highest standards in manufacturing, greatly reduces the risk of pathogen contamination.

Our commitment to quality.

Furchild is fully committed to making the best quality, fresh dog and cat food using the most advanced technologies and experts in the pet food industry.

The decision to incorporate Bacteriophages in the manufacturing process of some of our meals will further position Furchild in a new category for veterinarian professionals and concerned pet parents. And now they can feed their pets and patients with extra peace of mind, knowing that Furchild meals are not only a superior form of nutrition but are completely safe for their pets.

If you haven't started your pet on our complete and balanced meals, it's the pawfect time to feed your furchildren the best quality fresh food with our Raw Starter Kit.