I ran out of papaya and picked up Sun-Maid Tropical Trio today. The ingredients are dried pineapple, papaya, and mango, with Sulfur Dioxied as a preservative. Will the preservative be alright for Growly?
A little off topic, but he's really getting used to me now; he even sleeps at night instead of durring the day. He barks to wake me up for tent time in the morning and will sit in my hand and eat bugs. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />
Yeah, I do know that sulfur dioxide is a preservative that gets metabolized within the digestive sytem, particularly in the stomach, where the salt compound is broken down into sulfite ion compounds in attempts to reach a chemical equilibrium. These sulfur compounds are either further metabolized and absorbed or are excreted safely. This is the case in normal mammals.
To be on the safe side, though, I would limit the amount of foods with preservatives. Organic products are probably your best bet, although sometimes not readily available. I was always taught that Sulfur dioxide, though, was a comparatively mild and neutral preservative.
The common belief among glider owners is not add anything to the gliders diet that contains preservatives. We don't really know how preservatives react with a gliders system or how much of the different ones they can tolerate. So the word is out to avoid them all together.
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr /> SULFITES: Sulfur Dioxide, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium and Potassium Bisulfite, and Sodium and Potassium Metabisulfite. Preservative and antioxidant. PAE: Deaths have been attributed to sulfite agents. May also trigger acute asthma attacks, loss of consciousness, anaphylactic shock, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Supposedly banned from use on fresh fruits and vegetables. But, beware of grapes. They gas every third or fourth batch so they don't have to label them as containing sulfites. If a sulfiting agent is used in a product in excess of 10 ppm (parts per million), the additive must be declared on the label.
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Maybe this is one of the reasons for some not feeding grapes.
I have no idea what effects sulfur dioxide used as a preservative would have on gliders but think I would avoid it. Better Safe Than Sorry! Charlie H
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr /> But, beware of grapes. They gas every third or fourth batch so they don't have to label them as containing sulfites. If a sulfiting agent is used in a product in excess of 10 ppm (parts per million), the additive must be declared on the label.
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Do you think that could be the reason that sometimes when you get grapes they seem to stay good for ages, other times they start shriveling and growing mold quickly? Again, they could just be ready to bite the dust when I buy them! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" />
Becky Guardian of Stryder, my Grandson's Sugar Glider
Could have something to do with the preservatives. If a producer is able to extend the shelf life of 1/3 of his produce you can imagine the profit he would make.
Problem is that it leaves us with the question of which grapes to choose. If we choose the fresher looking ones are we getting treated grapes or just part of a newer shipment? Charlie H
I'm deathly allergic to sulfites/sulfer. As far as the grapes go, are they okay if they are washed good? (I've never had a reaction eating a grape in my life and eat a lot of them)
Glider Kids - Badger and Bonnie, Pepsi and Grace, Victoria.. ahem..I mean ummm..Victor! and Isabella <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
We are sort of at the mercy of the FDA and the producers when it comes to preservatives. Some fruits and vegetables will readily absorb a portion of the preservatives while others will only have them on the outer skin. As consumers we never really know what we are eating.
There is a lot of controversy even about the dangers of organic foods. They are probably safer than the common super market varieties but none of them are totally safe. Washing thoroughly is the best solution. We rarely feed fresh fruit or vegetables. I know that raw fruits and vegetables are supposed to be more nutritionally good for us than cooked or frozen. What bothers me is what we are eating along with those extra nutrients. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Charlie H
Unfortunately, that is so the case! They put things into everything now. I was just reading an article on how various allegedly "innate" and "organically inactive" chemicals, some compounds of which I hadn't even heard of, were applied to the organic produce for various functions. It's scary.
I use organic foods because they generally contain less of the junk. My family soaks the fruit in water before the thorough rinse. My aunt is really paranoid about that kind of stuff...