SnoutScanIs ethoxyquin safe for dogs?
It is still allowed in US pet food, but the EU suspended it as a feed additive in 2017, so SnoutScan marks it down.
Ethoxyquin is a synthetic antioxidant, most often used to keep fish meal from going rancid. In 2017 the EU suspended its approval as a feed additive because its safety could not be confirmed. In the US it is still allowed, and in 1997 the FDA asked makers to halve the level in dog food to 75 parts per million while it was studied.
How SnoutScan scores ethoxyquin
- Points
- −10
- Highest possible score
- No cap
Ethoxyquin takes 10 points off the 20-point additives part, the same as BHA, and shows as a red chip. If no named animal protein comes first, the score also cannot go above 30.
Where it turns up
Fish meal and fish-based kibble, and sometimes animal fat. It is usually listed in brackets after the ingredient it preserves.
SnoutScan looks for these words on a label:
- ethoxyquin
Related ingredients
Read more
Common questions
Is fish meal bad because of ethoxyquin?
Not on its own. Fish meal is a concentrated protein, and many makers preserve it with tocopherols instead. Check the brackets after "fish meal" on the label.
Based on EU Regulation 2017/962 and FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine guidance. This is a guide to labels, not a substitute for your vet.
Check whether your dog's food contains ethoxyquin.
Scan your dog's food