[friscomom]

Originally Posted by myteddybear

We were feeding TOTW and I was pretty confident that we were doing a good thing...
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I started looking to change over to something better once I realized it had the ethoxyquin in it....
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After some research I wanted to use Orijen...

Here is a response received to an inquiry regarding ethoxyquin from the Taste of the Wild folks, stating that for now they at least regularly test the levels of it:

There is not any ethoxyquin added to the Taste of the Wild pet foods.

Fish meal is preserved with ethoxyquin on the ships prior to entering port. Ethoxyquin is most effective at preventing rancidity in the highly volatile fish meal. Rancidity in ingredients can lead to severe illness. Fish meal is used in pet food formulas as an excellent quality source of amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3’s are vital for a strong immune system, healthy skin and coat, controlling inflammation and even preventing certain types of cancer.

Most of the ethoxyquin is destroyed in the cooking process, requiring other preservatives to be used. Tests for ethoxyquin are run routinely on Taste of the Wild. The results are typically less than 5ppm. This is equivalent to 0.0005% or 5 ten-thousandth’s of a percent. This is a true trace level that many laboratories are unable to detect. The amount allowed, and considered to be safe, by the FDA is 75ppm.
There are many brands that are claiming to be free of ethoxyquin, or to contain fish meal that is free of ethoxyquin. One brand that claims not to use fish meal contained with ethoxyquin (Orijen Champion Petfoods | F.A.Q) has a spec listed in their FAQ section of 5ppm ethoxyquin, the same level as is present in Taste of the Wild.

There is a small supply of ethoxyquin free fish meal available in the United States. However, this is not adequate to meet the supply demands for all pet food manufacturers that use fish meal. Also, the peroxide levels are much higher than we feel comfortable with. Peroxide is an indicator of oxidation. Peroxide can cause vomiting and may even cause damage to vital organs. Ethoxyquin is being used in scientific research as a cancer fighting antioxidant. When present in controlled amounts, it has never been shown to cause harmful effects.