Dogs need healthy food too

About one third of dog food failed quality tests for toxins and bacteria, or did not meet the nutritional standards of their labels, the local consumer council said on Wednesday.

The council conducted tests on 48 dog food samples and found some had an alerting level of toxin and bacteria, posing health hazards for pets, council officials warned.

The prices of these samples bought from pet stores, pet hospitals and e-commerce platforms range between 4 yuan (US$0.59) and 146 yuan per kilogram.

Four batches had excessive Zearalenone, a toxin which causes infertility, abortion and other breeding problems. It is found in a number of cereal crops such as barley, wheat and rice. A sample branded Xiaocai was found to contain 0.628 milligrams per kilogram of the toxin, compared with the 0.18mg/kg limit.

Five dog food samples were found to have excessive level of bacteria, including brands such as Eminent and Yoken.

Some samples were found to have unmatched amounts of protein and fat. Protein is the most important nutritional ingredient index of pet food, and seven samples were found to be at fault.