Champion Petfoods and fish "waste" (by-products)?

[Ellie May]

This is all over now.
It appears as though the Freshwater Fish Company used to have their "waste" (minced fish by-products) trucked to a rendering facility. Now they and Champion have an agreement that Champion gets all of it for a large yearly sum.

http://www.freshwaterfish.com/system...ter%202011.pdf

It appears that Champion has somehow gotten around using the term "by-products" (maybe because the fish is fresh?).

I thought their meat was fit for human consumption, so went to the site to reread. Sure enough, here is what they say:

"All ORIJEN fresh meats (chicken, fish, turkey, eggs) are of table quality and passed fit for human consumption before arriving at Champion.

Our chicken, fish and turkey meals are produced exclusively from animals that are certified as fit for human consumption by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)."

So does that strictly mean they were fit for human consumption "before" they arrived, but have since been separated from the other parts and are now a by-product? It says nothing about if they are "when" they arrive.

I mean, there usually isn't going to be a problem giving by-products to dogs, I just find it odd that Champion is most likely doing this and has gotten around it with different terminology. Freshwater Fish Company does say it is "by-product".

[Ellie May]

Freshwater Fish is always looking to expand its market
reach and to strengthen existing markets – even non-human
ones!
We recently signed an exclusive arrangement with Albertabased Champion Petfoods, whereby we sell all minced
by-products to them and they in turn buy all the product
we have to offer.
We began working with Champion in 2005 when we
sent them samples of minced by-products for testing after
it was extracted from fish during the filleting process. Prior
to sending the product to Alberta, we had been paying to
have the waste trucked to a rendering facility in Winnipeg.
After the samples were tested by Champion, a product was
developed that met their high quality specifications.
This business brings in several hundred thousand dollars
in revenue for a product that previously cost us money to
dispose of – and we’re thrilled to be building on a relationship
that dates back more than five years.
On October 28 we welcomed Champion Petfoods team members Jeff Johnston (Nutrition, Research and Product
Development Manager) and Andre Minnaar (Quality
Assurance Manager) into the plant so they could conduct
their quality assurance audit and plant tour.
While visiting our facility, Jeff relayed the following
message: “At Champion Petfoods we have been extremely
pleased with the freshness and quality of the raw material we
receive from Freshwater Fish. We are proud to be affiliated
with one of the best sources of raw freshwater fish protein
in the world. Freshwater Fish is one of our key raw material
supply partners and the growth and reputation of our
products is directly related to our high quality raw materials.
Thank you for sustainably harvesting and processing such a
high quality freshwater fish product.”
We are so proud of this success story and look forward to
working more with Champion Petfoods in the future!
http://www.freshwaterfish.com/system...ter%202011.pdf

[107barney]

Yikes. Makes me want to load up on soy and corn instead of fish. Gotta love the innovation of the fish company - they have a new place to dump their garbage and get paid for it!

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

So does that strictly mean they were fit for human consumption "before" they arrived, but have since been separated from the other parts and are now a by-product? It says nothing about if they are "when" they arrive.

I mean, there usually isn't going to be a problem giving by-products to dogs, I just find it odd that Champion is most likely doing this and has gotten around it with different terminology. Freshwater Fish Company does say it is "by-product".

Before vs when they arrive....that would be some pretty slick wording to mislead customers.

It probably is the same stuff that goes into Mrs. Paul's fishsticks for humans (minced leftovers), but they should not give consumers the impression that they use fresh-caught whole fish when this is what they use. Then there is whole issue of the term by-product.

[Ellie May]

I think "minced fish" is what goes into food like fishsticks. The by-products from minced fish go to rendering (or Champion). Sounds like it's collars, V's, etc. Waste... If it was edible for human (actual mince), it wouldn't have been sent to rendering previously.

It's probably just fine for dogs, but so many here think highly of Champion and hate by-products, so not sure if they want to look into this more.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by 107barney

Yikes. Makes me want to load up on soy and corn instead of fish. Gotta love the innovation of the fish company - they have a new place to dump their garbage and get paid for it!

That part doesn't bother me. The minced by-product was considered "waste" or "garbage" only because they didn't have a buyer up there in Canada (I'm assuming that this fish company is Canadian), until now. However, Champion shouldn't be passing it off as whole fish in their product.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I think "minced fish" is what goes into food like fishsticks. The by-products from minced fish go to rendering (or Champion). Sounds like it's collars, V's, etc. Waste... If it was edible for human (actual mince), it wouldn't have been sent to rendering previously.

It's probably just fine for dogs, but so many here think highly of Champion and hate by-products, so not sure if they want to look into this more.

Now I understand. That is bad.

[Ellie May]

To be fair, I'd like to hear Champion's side of this. It is an article written by a company. What I see so far really would upset me if I fed it though.

It is this company's waste and the only place for it to go was rendering. I'm sure many dog food companies do similar things, but they certainly don't seem to be saying it was fit for human consumption. It looks like they have a master author that came up with the "before" thing, but I'd really like to see what they say about this.

[107barney]

You raise a good point. Doesn't rendering mean that it is unfit for human consumption? I believe that these animals that are unfit for human consumption or parts of animals (fit or unfit) for human consumption are tagged as such by the USDA. The tagged items are then moved into a rendering facility. Once sent to a rendering facility, they are not fit for human consumption, no matter if the carcass was fit or unfit at the time of death.

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by 107barney

You raise a good point. Doesn't rendering mean that it is unfit for human consumption? I believe that these animals that are unfit for human consumption or parts of animals (fit or unfit) for human consumption are tagged as such by the USDA. The tagged items are then moved into a rendering facility. Once sent to a rendering facility, they are not fit for human consumption, no matter if the carcass was fit or unfit at the time of death.

So before they arrived to Champion, they were fit at one time. I think it's a word game if that's the case.

[Maximo]

Now you have me reading Champion's promotional material. All manufacturers are slick in their promos. This one is loaded:

Designed to mirror the variety of fresh meats that dogs and cats would encounter in their natural environment, ORIJEN features an amazing diversity of fresh local meats — all ranched, fished or farmed by people we know and trust, and delivered FRESH EACH DAY.


We don’t buy the bulk commodity ingredients found in conventional pet food, and each ORIJEN diet starts with fresh local meats that are certified free of antibiotics and artificial growth hormones, passed ‘fit for human consumption’ by the Government of Canada, and then delivered to our door FRESH EACH DAY.


Because pet lovers want to know where their pet’s food originates, we’re proud to name our suppliers — local farmers and food processors who produce poultry, meats and fish for the human food industry, and whose foods products are welcomed fare at dinner tables across Canada.


Unmatched by any other pet food on earth, each fresh ingredient icon reflects the variety, quality and authenticity of our fresh regional ingredients. And while each is unique, all possess world-class freshness, safety and uncompromised nutritional quality.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by 107barney

You raise a good point. Doesn't rendering mean that it is unfit for human consumption? I believe that these animals that are unfit for human consumption or parts of animals (fit or unfit) for human consumption are tagged as such by the USDA. The tagged items are then moved into a rendering facility. Once sent to a rendering facility, they are not fit for human consumption, no matter if the carcass was fit or unfit at the time of death.

I believe you are right: if it is headed for rendering, it is garbage.

[Ellie May]

This is the second place they make it very clear that it may not arrive fit for human consumption. It is certified by the Canadian government, "then" delivered to their door. It makes me not trust them.

[Ellie May]

Maybe that's where the whole denaturing thing comes in. Pet food meat is denatured. But maybe theirs isn't because it has skipped rendering and gone right to Champion?

[Maximo]

I have been meaning to ask about denaturing. Have any good sources on that?