Still buying kibble? Please heed this safety warning

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skimmed article again but, i originally did read it a few years ago and it didn't make me stop buying dry food but, it definitely made me change how i stored dry food (i started using 5 gallon glass jar containers that hold 10-12lbs of food depending on brand--holds 12lbs of ya zero) and i stopped buying popular fast food type of dry food brands after reading some parts of article..

part that i found odd in article was that a suppose knowledgable person would even recommend the 'one' and only dry food she suggests if you must feed dry! it is all high in carbs, lowest one i saw for cats was at least 23%..
 
"When you know better, you do better." Hopefully. Can't believe how many years I fed a "good" (rolls eyes) quality dry kibble to my baby girl.
 
Does anyone know more about the "storage mites"? I wonder if we could microwave some portion to kill the mites?

Or maybe it is the feces and bodies of the mites which cause some of the hypersensitivity and allergies.
 
Remember that just because someone posts something to the Internet doesn't make it true. I am very wary of any polemic that doesn't post any pointers to specific scientific research papers backing up its assertions.

That said, common sense says that storing cat food in anything other than an airtight container is a recipe for disaster, and you probably will be better off dropping one of those oxygen absorber thingies into the main bag and feed your cat from smaller airtight containers filled from the main bag. This however is more common sense than anything else, especially if you live in a humid climate.
 
JeffJ said:
Does anyone know more about the "storage mites"?
Click to expand...
Did a quick Google search: https://www.google.com/search?q=storage mites&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1.

Found lots of info here: All About Storage Mites - aka - grain mites.

HOW CAN I PREVENT STORAGE MITES FROM GETTING INTO MY DOG OR CAT’S FOOD?

Buying smaller bags of food that can be consumed within 2 weeks can help the food stay fresher and reduce mite infestation. Alternatively, special care and considerations can be made for the storing of dry dog and cat food, for example decanting the food into an airtight container has been shown to reduce contamination by mites considerably by up to 3 months. However, before doing so make sure the container is washed in hot water with pet safe washing-up liquid before use (to make sure of no contamination prior to introducing the dry food into the container).
Further steps to reduce storage mite allergy and infestation in dog and cat food:
  • Do not use mouldy, dusty, out of date food or food from bags that have been open for more than a few weeks.
  • Store your food in cool, dry, dark places – away from direct sunlight, radiators or boilers where the food may sweat and start to go mouldy. Mouldy food will encourage infestation of the mould mite Tyrophagas putrescentiae.
  • Wipe your pet’s face after eating to remove any food residue and possible mites.
  • Clean and disinfect the plastic food container in hot water between every bag of food and discard any bits of food residue before refilling the container with a fresh batch of food.
  • Consider changing to a grain-free diet or one that uses higher quality carbohydrates such as rice, as this may be helpful in terms of reducing exposure to storage mites.

Also found this study:
Evaluation of storage mite contamination of commercial dry dog food.


I'm sure there's more out there if one takes the time to look. It's not exactly a new concept...
 
on storage mites - thanks Jill. Sorry for being so lazy. That is good info that you found.

I just inspected our dry food with 10x and 20x. It is stored in airtight containers. No mites. We also have whole-house tile, so hardly any dust mites as well.
 
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