☠️ Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil in Pet Food

Grade F-5 ptsPotential Cancer Link

What It Is

"Vegetable oil chemically hardened through partial hydrogenation."

Health Impact

Partial hydrogenation creates trans fats — the same compounds the FDA determined were not "generally recognized as safe" and banned from human food manufacturing in 2018 due to cardiovascular risk. That ban does not extend to pet food. There is no nutritional justification for choosing this processing method when unhydrogenated fats and oils are widely available.

Why This Grade

Our most serious tier: a documented carcinogen finding, an outright ban in at least one country or species, or an unspecified source that can legally include 4D (dead, dying, diseased, disabled) animals. -5 pts deducted.

Sources & Further Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil safe for dogs and cats?

Rated F (-5 pts) by PetPro-tectors™. Partial hydrogenation creates trans fats — the same compounds the FDA determined were not "generally recognized as safe" and banned from human food manufacturing in 2018 due to cardiovascular risk. That ban does not extend to pet food. There is no nutritional justification for choosing this processing method when unhydrogenated fats and oils are widely available.

What is Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil in pet food?

Vegetable oil chemically hardened through partial hydrogenation.

Related Potential Cancer Link Ingredients

Fish Meal (Preserved with Ethoxyquin)Animal Fat (Preserved with BHA)Caramel ColorRed 40 / Yellow 5 / Yellow 6 / Blue 2 (Artificial Colors)
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Sources: FDA, AAFCO Official Publication, National Toxicology Program,
WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines, Journal of Animal Science.

PetPro-tection League™