I'm not sure I completely understand what denaturing is and what the purpose of it is but what I've found is NOT good.
Process for counter-coloring of decharacterized meat products - US Patent 4112126 Description :
Under Federal regulations, certain meats and meat by-products are considered to be inedible for human consumption but are still suitable for use in foods not intended for use as human food, such as in animal foods, particularly canned pet foods.
Examples of such inedible materials include portions of carcasses having non-septic bruises or injuries, mechanically deboned beef, hand deboned beef from U.S. condemned "3-D" or "4-D" carcasses, certain portions of carcasses, such as livestock lungs, etc. However, Federal regulations require that certain meats and meat by-products which are inedible for human consumption be denatured in such a manner that the material is given a distinctive color, odor or taste in order to deter its use as food for human consumption. The denaturant must be mixed intimately with all of the material and must be applied in such quantity and manner that it cannot be removed by washing or soaking. Several approved denaturing agents which may be used to decharacterize such inedible meats and meat by-products are listed in 9 CFR 325.13(a) and include finely powdered charcoal, FD&C green No. 3 coloring, FD&C blue No. 1 coloring, and FD&C blue No. 2 coloring. Of these, finely powdered charcoal is most widely used by suppliers of such inedible materials for use in animal foods. However, the black color imparted to the inedible material by the charcoal persists throughout production of the animal food and often results in unacceptable animal food products due to a darkening or graying of the intended color of the finished pet food products. The use of the approved FD&C colors to decharacterize the inedible material has not been generally acceptable heretofor to many animal food manufacturers for the FD&C colors appear to have an affinity for and to concentrate in the cartilagenous tissue of meats and meat by-products and persists throughout production of the animal food. The resulting product is often unacceptable commercially due to the presence of the FD&C coloring agent in portions of the product."
Is Nature's Variety putting substandard meat into their dog food? Because I would never feed 3-D or 4-D meats. Good thing we feed prey model raw and I know exactly what goes into our dog food.
