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Canin Steps Up Pet Food Quality Control

2008-07-31

Royal Canin steps up quality control for its pet food in response to critics

Royal Canin Canada plans to enhance quality control programs at its petfood plants following a year in which pet food recalls and lawsuits rocked the industry. Brent Matthew, the company's veterinary division director, said an infrared system will monitor incoming feed ingredients to determine if they require further examination and sorting. Other measures will also ensure finished products meet new standards before entering the market, according to Matthew.

"Those two things in combination represent a very potent and enhanced quality assurance/quality control program, all of which relates to being able to provide assurance of product safety," Matthew said. "It permits us to be able to pick up things that have no business being in the ingredients, identifying them as inappropriate and putting it aside."

During last year's recalls, a line of Royal Canin Canada specialty pet foods was affected and the company is taking great lengths to make sure such a catastrophic event doesn't occur again. "Yes, our company has been hurt. Yes, we have to face where we are responsible, even though we are not guilty," said Xavier Unkovic, chief executive of Royal Canin Canada. "But we also have to protect our customers, and this is what we are doing now. We learned the hard way. Believe me, that was tough for all of us."

Unkovic also responded to criticism from a Toronto-based pet nutrition advocate and petfood industry critic. Carol Auld recently said quality control is generally lacking in the industry. She also questioned whether a new relationship between Royal Canin Canada and the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph is appropriate and whether it will lead to independent research and improved animal nutrition. The veterinary college and Royal Canin announced a deal this spring to establish the US$3 million Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Endowed Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition. "Through our relationship with the University of Guelph, we are thinking about the future health of dogs and cats that will be enabled by the research being done at the university," Unkovic said. Vet college dean Elizabeth Stone went on to say that the chair would be independent. Royal Canin said it was also logical to establish the chair at the university because of the massive investment the company is making in the new plant in the Township of Puslinch, where the university is located. The approximately US$60 million pet food processing facility will be completed this summer.

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