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Can Your Kibble Go Bad?

Are You Storing Your Kibble the Best Way?

If your furry family is eating kibble, then storage is an important aspect you need to know about! It's scary (and not just because it's Howloween tomorrow šŸŽƒ) but because many pet parents believe using a plastic storage container is keeping their pet's kibble fresh! Unfortunately, storing our kibble in plastic is one of the worst things we can do! šŸ«£

We know how much your furry family means to you, and ensuring they receive the best nutrition is your top priority. One crucial aspect often overlooked is how you store your petā€™s kibble. Proper storage not only maintains the freshness and flavour of the food but also safeguards your pets from potential toxins. Letā€™s dive into some essential tips to keep your furry family's kibble in optimal condition!

Why Proper Kibble Storage Matters

Kibble is still the primary source of food in many pet's diets, but improper storage can lead to a decline in quality and safety. Hereā€™s why itā€™s essential to handle kibble correctly:

āŽ Fragile Fats: After manufacturing, kibble is sprayed with delicate fats to make the food palatable for our animals and to add fat back into the food after it's cooked out during the extrusion process. When these fragile fats are exposed to light and air after the bag is opened, these fats begin to oxidize, leading to rancidity.
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ā™Øļø Chemical Reactions: Oxidized fats from kibble can react with plastics when they come in direct contact, causingĀ toxic substances from the plastic to leach into the food. These toxins are harmful to your petā€™s health. Whether it's a food safe plastic or not, the chemical reaction between oxidizing fats and plastic can occur. We recommend never allowing direct contact between plastic and kibble. This goes for your pet's bowl too!
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šŸ†˜ Plastic Breakdown: Prolonged exposure to air and fluctuating temperatures can cause plastic containers to degrade. As plastic breaks down, harmful chemicals like BPA (Bisphenol A) and phthalates will leach into the kibble. Many people store their own food in plastic containers, but a major difference with kibble and dry food for people, is that dried goods for people are not sprayed with fat.
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šŸ“› Health Risks: Studies have linked BPA and phthalates to various health issues, including hormonal imbalances and behavioural problems in pets among other things. We're not supposed to eat plastic in any amount, neither are our furry guys, so ensuring we're not exposing our pets to harmful toxins from plastic is paramount for their health.

Top Tips for Storing Kibble Properly

To ensure your pet's kibble remains fresh and free from harmful contaminants, we recommend a few easy tips to be sure you're always serving the freshest kibble you can!

āœ… Once you open the bag, be sure you can use the food within 28 days. If you won't use the entire bag within 28 days, move a week's worth of food to a container (covered next) and freeze the rest of the food to preserve the freshness. Freezing your kibble will extend the life of your food for up to six month,

āœ… Use an airtight glassĀ or quality stainless steel container for your week's worth of food. This will allow you to sanitize your container between fills, ensuring you wash with hot soapy water and dry thoroughly before re-filling the container again. These types of containers do not leach chemicals and provide a sturdy barrier against air and light.

āœ… If you've invested a good deal of money into a plastic storage container, ensure you're still using the food within 28 days and avoid any direct contact between the kibble and the plastic by keeping the food in the bag it comes in. Many bags are designed as a multi-layer bag with a foil lining and are specifically manufactured to preserve the food. Put your entire bag in the container versus pouring the kibble into the container. Avoiding direct contact with kibble and plastic is crucial because even BPA-free plastic will break down over time.

āœ… Store your kibble in a cool, dry place. Heat and moisture accelerate the degradation of both kibble and its packaging. Keeping the storage area cool and dry to maintain kibble quality is essential! Many pet parents store their food in the garage, though this may work in the cooler months, summer months will wreak havoc with your kibble as your garage will get hot and impact the food.

Kibble storage is an important aspect of keeping your furry guy healthy! We cover this topic regularly with pet parents just like you in our store, through our social media and most recently on our new podcast,Ā Tip the Dish! You can listen to Episode 3 (dropped October 3rd) that goes into more detail about storing kibble by looking for "How You Should Never Store Your Kibble". Tip the Dish is available anywhere you love listening to podcasts!

There are some really easy ways to ensure you are optimizing the freshness of the kibble you serve. By following these easy tips, you'll avoid serving rancid kibble to your furry family and make a significant step towards improving their overall health!

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