DISEASE RISK Scientists call for scrutiny of pet food contents

THE recent increase in pet food recalls due to contamination and the increased risk of disease has highlighted the need for the screening of dog and cat food in the form of pellets.

- POST REPORTER

In a research paper, four local scientists concluded that heavy metals, contaminants, nutritional imbalances and disease-causing cumulative impact in pet food must be investigated.

Research was carried out by Professor Sooraj Baijnath, biomedical scientist at the University of the Witwatersrand; Professor Thishena Singh, physical chemistry scientist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN); Dr Sanil Singh, a practicing veterinary surgeon and biomedical research fellow at UKZN; and Kortesha Kallicharan, a research and development chemist with a Master’s in chemistry from UKZN.

Their study has resulted in a paper titled “Determination of Heavy Metal Contamination in Premium and Supermarket Brands of Extruded Feline and Canine Food in the South African Market”.