Beechnut baby food safe?

[kazanlak]

I just wanted to check if Beechnut baby food is okay to give to my cats when they are reluctant to eat for whatever reason or need something easily digestible.  I checked the ingredients on the "chicken and chicken broth" flavor and only those items were listed, no onion powder or anything like that.  Are there any "hidden" unlisted ingredients in Beechnut foods which would make this an unsafe choice?

Thanks.

 

[laurag]

I use both Beechnut and Gerber's meat baby food for kitties when they aren't feeling well, also being careful not to purchase any that has any other ingredient than the meat and broth.

I've had to use it to get medicine to one of my cats in the past (too freaked out to give liquid medicine to--let alone pills). I give it to them every once in a while as a snack when they are well so that they don't associate the food with being sick, but as a treat.

 

[kazanlak]

Thanks for the quick reply.  That makes me feel better as I may have to deploy the baby food tonite. 

 

[ldg]

I actually contacted Beechnut about this, as on Tanya's CRF website, it says that "broth" may have hidden ingredients. It doesn't!

The Gerber's added cornstarch. Apparently it acts as a kind of preservative? I now use Beechnut instead of Gerber's.

Here's the reply I got from Beechnut when I asked the question:

Thank you for contacting Beech-Nut. You will be happy to learn that all
Beech-Nut[emoji]174[/emoji] Stage 1[emoji]174[/emoji] meat & poultry varieties are simply that variety of
meat, or poultry, and a portion of the water it was cooked in (broth)
necessary for the pureeing of the meat. The water listed in our
ingredients is called broth because it has absorbed the natural juices of
the meat during the cooking process. We always recommend reading the
label list of ingredients before using any product.

Because we do not add anything to the meats It is possible to sometimes see
a discoloration on the top of the meats. The discoloration can appear as a
green or gray cast. This occurs when the natural hemoglobin in the meats
reacts to the oxygen-free airspace in the jar. If the button was down & you
heard a loud "pop" when opening the jar & your use by date is up to date,
your product was still vacuum-sealed, commercially sterile & safe to use.

Adding preservatives could avoid this discoloration; however, Beech-Nut
meats are simply meat & the water the meat was cooked in (broth). Other
manufacturers may use cornstarch, onion powder or lemon juice in their
canning procedure. Those extra ingredients do preserve the color of the
meat, but they are additives (and the kind you really don't want to feed
your baby). Although this results in good eye-appeal, all of those fillers
are also high allergens for many infants.

You may also witness white spots on the surface of the product. The white
substance is merely the natural fats from the meat rising to the surface of
the meat that has been cooked & cooled. Sometimes this can even take on a
slimy or gelatinous texture. Once again, if the safety features are intact,
the product is sealed & safe to use. Conversely, if the safety button is
not securely down or the product does not pop when opened, the safety seal
has been broken & is no longer safe to use. Beech-Nut would never advise
you use a product that is no longer safety sealed.

Sincerely,

Beech-Nut Nutrition
Consumer Services

Received information: 12/19/2013

 

[susiejan]

Thanks LDG! I was just about to call Beechnut and get more information on this exact topic so you saved me a lot of time! just seeing the word "broth" on the label made me think that perhaps there were other seasonings involved. Thanks again

 

[LTS3]

These are the safe baby foods a cat can have: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/225595/anyone-else-have-an-only-gravy-licker/60#post_3749885

Cornstarch is probably to thicken the food.

 

[ilovecats54]

I actually contacted Beechnut about this, as on Tanya's CRF website, it says that "broth" may have hidden ingredients. It doesn't!

The Gerber's added cornstarch. Apparently it acts as a kind of preservative? I now use Beechnut instead of Gerber's.

Here's the reply I got from Beechnut when I asked the question:

With my cat recently diagnosed with diabetes, I was irritated to find out cornstarch was in Gerber babyfood! So those went back to store, and through research I too found out about Beechnut! Just boiled, ground chicken and it's broth, with no seasoning or fillers whatsoever! May warrant further thought for babies too if you want to make sure you're not feeding your child these additives as well. Only .94 cents a jar at Ralphs grocery, and Beechnut customer service was outstanding! Sweet lady spent all the time I needed in asking questions. I'm very happy I found out about this! [emoji]128049[/emoji]And my sweet Chester loves it!