Will dry food that expires be harmful to my dog?
I bought cheap dog food for puppies on sale, and only when I got home I noticed that it expired in a week. Is it possible to give this food to a dog?
Even if there is one day left until the expiration date, you can still give it to your dog and it will not harm it. And from now on, be aware that during promotions in stores they are selling products that are about to expire.
Well, think for yourself. Not only is dry food not a completely natural food for animals. It was invented for lazy city dwellers. And it's almost expired. For example, have you started eating chicken that will definitely go bad tomorrow, no matter how you store it? I am generally a proponent of not feeding dry food to dogs. Occasionally you can. But not all the time. Gentlemen and ladies, you need to prepare normal and healthy food for your dogs.
You can give food to puppies as long as the expiration date has not expired, but as soon as the expiration date expires, it is advisable to throw away the food. Expired food may cause your dog to have severe health problems (vomiting, diarrhea, poisoning), and the immune system will be severely damaged, which will be difficult to restore in the future. It’s better not to take risks with expired food; we don’t eat expired food, so it’s not advisable for dogs either.
I bought cheap dog food for puppies on sale, and only when I got home I noticed that it expired in a week. Is it possible to give this food to a dog?
How to properly store dry dog food?
Many dog breeders prefer to feed their four-legged friends dry food. Stores now offer a fairly large assortment of such food for dogs; it comes in different packaging sizes. Naturally, the larger the packaging, the greater the amount of money saved. But when buying a large bag of food, the dog owner is faced with the question of its proper storage.
Many manufacturers say that their brand of food can be stored in an open bag for up to six months without spoiling. In fact, with this storage method, the food will lose all its beneficial properties and taste. And the smell constantly hovering around the apartment will most likely discourage the animal from eating this type of food.
Looking for a way out of the situation, you can purchase food packaged in bags in stores, this will also help save money, but you can never be sure that the opened bag is stored correctly in the store.
This means that the most practical and reliable option is to purchase a large bag. This will not only save money, but will also allow you for a long time not to worry about running out of food at the most inopportune moment. And in order for dry food not to lose its beneficial properties, it is enough to simply follow some rules for its storage.
- If you purchase several large bags of food, do not open them all at once. The dog does not need different types of dry food throughout the day.
- When opening the package, the food should be poured into a clean, dry, hermetically sealed container. This can be a plastic or metal container with a lid. The remaining food in the bag should be carefully sealed to prevent air and moisture from entering the bag. Since it is in a humid environment that molds multiply well. Twist the opened edge of the bag tightly and secure it with clips or tape. You can place the bag in a large opaque garbage bag and put it in a dry, dark place.
- Food should be stored at a temperature not exceeding 20 degrees and at a humidity not exceeding 70%. Prevent the bag of food purchased from the website from being exposed to direct sunlight.
- Do not mix new food with leftover old food in the container. After using the next portion, the container should be thoroughly washed with soapy water, rinsed well under running water and dried. Only after this can a new portion of food be placed in it for storage.
Also on the topic: What vitamins do dogs need?
By following these simple rules, you can always provide your pet with tasty and healthy food.
Do the types of preservatives matter?
The type of preservative used by the manufacturer is of great importance for the shelf life of the feed. Artificial types of preservatives (BHA, BHT or ethoxykin) are able to preserve food for a longer period of time than natural ones, for example, vitamin E. In this regard, you should not be surprised if you see that the shelf life of food containing artificial preservatives is several months longer than those foods that use natural preservatives. This difference can be compensated by purchasing food in smaller bags, but more often.
How to properly store food at home?
It must be remembered that the main sources of danger to food are humidity, heat, oxygen and light . Open packaging, into which oxygen penetrates, as well as high temperature in the apartment, lead to the oxidation of fats in food products. Oxidation is a chemical process that makes food taste rancid and destroys nutrients and vitamins, which can ultimately result in poisoning or serious illness. The air temperature in the room in which canned or dry animal food is stored should not exceed thirty-two degrees Celsius. If you store canned food for a long time at a temperature below ten degrees, this will slightly deteriorate the taste, but will not affect the nutritional value of the product. After opening a can of canned food, close it with a tight lid and place it in a cool place. The food must be used within three days. Dry food should not be stored in the bathroom or other damp areas, as they can absorb moisture very quickly, as a result of which they become moldy. The food must be stored in its original packaging, placed in a dry and clean container, tightly closed with a lid that protects the product from air, light, insects and small rodents.
Before purchasing pet food, be sure to check its expiration date. For high quality food, this date is legibly and clearly indicated on the packaging. Canned foods typically have a shelf life of about two years, while the vast majority of dry foods are good for up to a year. Be sure to make sure that the product you are purchasing has not expired.
Rules for storing dry dog food
- In open packaging, granules quickly lose their aroma, and therefore their attractiveness to animals;
- Rodents, which are carriers of dangerous diseases, in particular leptospirosis, are not averse to eating food;
- The smell of food also attracts insects: if you do not close the bag, one “fine” day you may find clutches of eggs or larvae in it;
- If moisture gets into dry dog food, it becomes an excellent breeding ground for dust mites. They are invisible to the eye, but they leave their waste products everywhere: contaminated food looks as if it has been covered with dust.
How to store dog food?
Dogs, unlike cats, are not as picky about food. And they can easily afford it - they have a fairly “strong” stomach, thanks to the high acidity of gastric juice. However, this natural feature does not protect your dog from food poisoning, one of the reasons for which may be improper storage of dog food. Meanwhile, it is enough to follow simple safety measures so that food does not become a source of trouble for your pet.
The main rule for storing dry food is protection from uninvited guests: rodents, insects and dust mites. Mice and rats are not averse to tasting the food itself, but this is not the main danger: rodent secretions may contain bacteria that cause leptospirosis in dogs.
Dry food contains grains, which attracts insects. If the food is not put away in a cool place, then insects are likely to choose it to lay eggs.
If moisture gets into the food, it can harbor mites and form mold that is toxic to dogs. You will immediately notice if the food is infested with mites: the food seems to be covered with dust.
It is enough to follow a few simple rules for storing dry dog food, which will help keep it safe and sound:
- Store food in a cool, dry place.
- An airtight plastic or metal container is the best way to store food.
- Best Buying Choice: Sealed packages, packaged under a controlled atmosphere. In this case, the fats that are necessarily included in the diet will not oxidize.
- Don't buy too much food at once, just buy a portion for a month. The longer food is stored open, the greater the risk of contamination.
- If you have several bags of food, store them on shelves rather than on the floor, and always look at the expiration date and open the oldest bags first.
Wet food is stored hermetically sealed and in small portions, so it has a long shelf life and there is no danger of contamination from the outside. But after opening, its lifespan is short, and moisture attracts insects.
Wet food is stored for 2–3 years, and dry food is stored for only 1–1.5 years.
Storing wet food is even easier than dry food:
- If you open wet food, store it in the refrigerator in a closed plastic or metal container for no more than 2-3 days.
- Wash your dog's bowl thoroughly and regularly after wet food - bacteria can easily develop in leftover food.
Interesting: Why you can’t wash eggs before storing them in the refrigerator
And one more universal tip: save food labels, even if you are used to putting it in containers. , so you won’t forget the expiration date of the food. If you have any doubts about the quality of the food, you can get advice from its manufacturer.
- If you open wet food, store it in the refrigerator in a closed plastic or metal container for no more than 2-3 days.
- Wash your dog's bowl thoroughly and regularly after wet food - bacteria can easily develop in leftover food.
How to properly store dry food?
Contents hide
Dry food is, first of all, convenient: you don’t need to prepare anything, your four-legged friend’s diet is balanced, and you can save a lot of money if you buy it in large bags. But the question arises: how to store dry food?
With closed bags, everything is clear: just monitor the expiration date and follow the conditions indicated on the label, do not leave it in heat or light, and check the seal of the bag from time to time. What to do after the bag is opened?
It’s good if it has a convenient zip fastener that limits the air flow. However, it does not solve the problem of product spoilage. Any, even the most elite dry food, after opening the package, can be stored for no more than 25 days! After this time, if dog food was not stored correctly, it becomes dangerous and poses a threat to your pet's health.
When exposed to air, the oils present in any dry food become bitter, dog food acquires carcinogenic properties, mold microspores appear, and bacteria grow. A dog that feasts on such food is likely to get indigestion. If the pet is forced to eat such food for a long time, then it gradually develops gastritis, pancreatitis, pyelonephritis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary tract. In particularly sensitive animals, acute poisoning may even occur, leading to death.
Can your dog eat a whole bag in 25 days? If not, what should I do?
Option one: for small dogs, buy small packages - strictly for 2-3 weeks.
Option two: after opening the bag, immediately pour the food into another container, seal it tightly and put it in a dark, dry and cool place.
If you often buy large bags, a special container for storing dry food will be a useful purchase. These containers can be found in pet stores or online. You just need to make sure that the container is made from materials that are harmless to your pet, and this is especially true for plastic containers. Therefore, it is better to purchase containers from well-known European manufacturers.
If a special container for dry food seems too expensive to you, you can look for analogues in home improvement stores. Containers for storing bulk food products are suitable for you. But you also need to make sure of their safety.
One of the most reliable and environmentally friendly ways to store dry food is to pour it into glass jars with tight-fitting lids. You can use plastic lids rather than tin lids. By closing a jar of food with such a lid, it is easy to pump the air out of it using a syringe, thus creating a vacuum inside the container - such conditions are ideal for long-term storage of food. The only disadvantage of this method is that the jars take up a lot of space.
Remember: under no circumstances should food containers be placed in the refrigerator, even if they are tightly closed cans. In the refrigerator, the food will inevitably become soggy and lose its beneficial properties.
Photo source:
