# Orijen and Acana GMO Free



## dredges (May 18, 2012)

New research that followed more then just a few months of test rats that were fed GMO foods showed a super high rate of cancer and infertility. So I wrote a bunch of dog food brands about the use of genetically modified organisms "GMOs" and Champion's response was the most impressive. Figured I'd share. 
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MESSAGE
is your kibble free of GMO\'s? I have seen the studies where these foods cause tumors and aggression. I feed the pink bag of Fromm\\\'s puppy gold but am gearing up to change to no grain in the near future and I am thinking since your Canadian that there is a good chance you don\'t use genetically modified organisms in your feed like they think it\'s safe to feed the public here in the USA. Let me know please. -Greg
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Hello Greg,
Thank you for taking the time to write to us with your question.
I hope that I can put your mind at ease by telling you that we do not any GMO ingredients. All of the animals raised for us as fresh meat ingredients are fed a GMO free diet.
A couple of other ingredients of concern to consumers in particular are alfalfa, potato and canola oil. Alfalfa GMO seed is illegal to sell in Canada, and we use GMO free potato in our diets.

Canola was developed using traditional plant breeding techniques right here in Canada and is rich in health-protective vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as Linoleic Acid (an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid) play an important role in skin and coat health, organ function and decreasing inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis. It is important when formulating diets to ensure the omega 6 to omega 3 fatty are within the nutritionally ideal range. Our cold-pressed, GMO-free Canola oil adds an omega 6 component, traditionally only seen in grains and poultry, without compromising the nutritional integrity of our fish based formulations.
I hope that I have been helpful and please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Kind regards


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## seashells (Oct 11, 2012)

Good to know! Did you hear from any other companies that don't use GMO foods? We use Champion products for our kibble, but I've never been certain about the canned foods I buy, as that's all US-made. :/


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## murbanski (Sep 25, 2012)

Thanks for the info dredges!


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

This is the response from Fromm, I preferred Champion's response because they addressed what the meat sources are fed, this response seems evasive : 

Soybeans and corn are the two most genetically modified plants. We do not use these ingredients in any of our products. In addition, we use no ingredients that are genetically modified by crossing two different species of DNA. We do use ingredients produced through hybridization which is a form of genetic modification. So all of us concerned about this matter must be completely sure of what we believe to be a genetically modified organism. We also need to be sure and fully understand the research performed. We have no idea as to the level these rats were fed these substances. If like the saccharin study to where the rats that developed cancer were fed amounts some 750 times greater than a person would ever consume the question becomes did the saccharin really cause the cancer or was it because the levels fed were so high that the stress on the body allowed cancer to develop? I believe the latter because the FDA only listed a warning on saccharin containing foods because there is really no proof that it alone, used at normal levels, causes anything. If it is true the proof is in the pudding, then for over 63 years Fromm has been producing safe, high quality foods and to date there is absolutely no indication what so ever that the foods we produce are harmful in anyway. 

As of right now the FDA has no definition of GMO ingredients. Thus without no definition there is no foundation for me to construct an answer. I can say there may be and may not be, but until we have something to stand on, it is very hard to answer this question. All the FDA has acknowledged is that they have accepted the genetic modification of about 40 different plants for various reasons. I am not trying to cloud the issue, but until we have a complete understanding and a very specific definition and guidelines, I really do not have an answer.

Thanks


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

I actually prefer Fromm's answer. lol. Thank you for posting.


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## monster'sdad (Jul 29, 2012)

Whatever CH says take with a grain of salt.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

monster'sdad said:


> Whatever CH says take with a grain of salt.


Why? 
Everything you post is scathingly anti-Champion.


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## Kassandra (Jun 6, 2012)

I prefer Champions answer.. It is more informative and to the point. 

Fromm almost seems like they do use GMOs but decided to say that they don't as the FDA has no definition as a GMO. It seems like their response is "sassy" for lack of a better word!


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

I did not like Fromm' answer but I can see where they are coming from. Ask Champion if their bacteria strains are lab hybrids or genetically modified in any way.


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## monster'sdad (Jul 29, 2012)

If you are worried about GMO products use a food from an Eu Cert plant. The way I interpret the rules is if GMO products are in the food the bag must be labelled "this product contains genetically modified organisms". I dont even have to ask if the Fromm plant is EU Cert because Fromm gave it up a few years back. The easy way to tell is if a food contains beef or lamb from the US. The EU rules do not allow these two meats to even be in the plant let alone the food.


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

What is a eu cert? Got any examples? Are you saying a kibble available in europe, or produced there?


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## monster'sdad (Jul 29, 2012)

dredges said:


> What is a eu cert? Got any examples? Are you saying a kibble available in europe, or produced there?


Foods produced here in the US that are approved to be sold in Europe. The ones I like are made at Ohio Pet Foods, like Dr. Tim's. There are others at made at Ohio Pet that are fine too, Annamaet, Dave's, Regal, to name a few.

Midwestern Pet Foods is EU Cert too, covering Earthborn and Pro Pac but not Sportmix.

Is EU Cert perfect, no, does it replace ethics, no, does it guaranty quality manufacturing, no, but it is a very good way to judge the quality of what goes in the food.

Victor is not, but I would have no trouble feeding that.


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

I just wrote Earthborn, I'm interested in what they will say, I'll let you all know.


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

Thank you for your interest in Earthborn Holistic Natural Food for Pets. The main ingredients of concern for GMO are corn and soy. Since our Earthborn products do to contain corn or soy, generally speaking there are little GMO issues with this product line. We don't make the claim that our products are GMO free because we do not grow our ow ingredients and cannot fully control the process. Cross contamination exists on farms, at elevators, etc and to say that traces of it do not exist cold be misleading.

We also do not specify what type of corn *are fed to the animals used for meat sources. It would be nearly impossible to control this aspect of the food.


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## mheath0429 (Sep 8, 2012)

dredges said:


> Thank you for your interest in Earthborn Holistic Natural Food for Pets. The main ingredients of concern for GMO are corn and soy. Since our Earthborn products do to contain corn or soy, generally speaking there are little GMO issues with this product line. We don't make the claim that our products are GMO free because we do not grow our ow ingredients and cannot fully control the process. Cross contamination exists on farms, at elevators, etc and to say that traces of it do not exist cold be misleading.
> 
> We also do not specify what type of corn *are fed to the animals used for meat sources. It would be nearly impossible to control this aspect of the food.


At least they were honest.


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