Message Number: YG13746 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Linda Iroff
Date: 2002-06-11 05:42:00 UTC
Subject: re: slow cooked goodness?

Sukie writes
> might it be that the temperature of cooking has
> more bearing on food safety than other factors previously
> discussed here? If so, might we find down the line that ferret
> foods will advertise themselves as slowly cooked, or "cooked at
> low temperatures"?

If I recall correctly from my notes from Dr Tom Williard's talk at the
Ferrets 2000 Symposium in Toronto, extruded foods (such as TF and most
other "shaped" foods) are cooked at a higher temperature than pelleted
foods (Marshall Farms food is an example). I've heard one expert say higher
temps are better because it preprocesses the carbohydrates making them
easier to digest, and another expert say low temps are better because it
leaves more of the natural nutrients.

As in most food nutrition theories, for both people and ferrets, experts
disagree. And the consumer is more confused than ever. :-(

Linda Iroff
Oberlin OH

[Yes, for now things are confusing. The high temp research on carbohydrates is very new, and that the same results were found in more than one study is worrisome. Of course, I do NOT know how high is high enough to create those changes, and don't know if pet foods in general or no pet foods are cooked at those high temps, nor do i know the levels of the dangerous products or if they are high enough to be a problem, or in which species they would be a problem. I would like to learn more, too.
-- Sukie]