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Avian Flu and Premix Safety |
UPDATED APRIL 19, 2025
Food Fur Life RECOMMENDS COOKING ALL POULTRY
Food Fur Life was created in the middle of an avian flu outbreak in 2015. Avian flu is not new, and the highly pathogenic form (H5N1) was first detected in the U.S. in wild birds and backyard flocks in that 2014-2015 outbreak. What is new in the 2024 - 2025 outbreak is this clade jumped species (before it came to the U.S.). Cats (of all kinds, not just domestic cats) seem highly susceptible and it can be deadly. EZComplete was created because we love our pets and we want them to be safe. This is why we implemented multiple safety-focused measures to maximize the safety of the premix.
First, testing protocols of not just avian flu, but the numerous contaminants common in the food chain supply of our human grade manufacturer and the human grade source materials used in our premix were primary factors in our relationship decision. Testing protocols of this manufacturer have resulted in a zero-recall history in their multi-decade history of production for national and international organizations, not just small companies like Food Fur Life. That said, testing protocols can miss infections and testing alone does not guarantee safety: only a validated kill step is the most reliable safety control. This is why we recommend all poultry be cooked when making homemade food of any kind, including food made with EZComplete. Further,
Safety Status for Ingredients of Concern in the EZComplete premix:
- Egg yolk. EZC contains freeze-dried egg yolk, which is sourced as liquid yolk. This, by law (in the human grade market at least), is required to be heat pasteurized. This heat pasteurization process has been shown to render highly pathogenic avian influenza unable to cause infection.
- Eggshell. Shell eggs are generally not pasteurized. Commercial-scale eggshell as a food ingredient isn’t typically subjected to the same heat pasteurization process as that used for liquid egg products, either. Thus, the 450g bags of EZComplete fur Cats were switched to calcium carbonate from eggshell in 2023. The 225g bags and 450g EZComplete fur Dogs began using calcium carbonate with their next batches (2025). (A reminder that EZComplete premixes have a shelf life with a “Best By” date three years out from the date of manufacture).
- Chicken Liver. Due to the outbreak of avian flu when EZComplete entered the market, the supplier of this ingredient switched from freeze-drying to spray-drying. We were upset about this at the time but had more than sufficient supplementation of the B vitamins to account for the change. Given this subtype/strain of H5N1 threatens cats, steps were taken to verify and confirm that the specifications of the method used meets FDA guidance to inactivate this variant.
As mentioned, with the safety steps already in place, the food ingredients in EZComplete premixes are human grade and tested for avian flu. (HPAI H5N1 is a subtype/strain of influenza A virus for which testing protocols exist). Of course, this is in addition to all other contaminant testing. The testing is performed by one of the world's largest independent ISO-compliant laboratories as a third-party provider to our human nutraceutical cGMP manufacturer with NSF certification and USDA registered, inspected and approved facilities.
Regarding Food Safety: Food Fur Life RECOMMENDS COOKING ALL POULTRY
The EZComplete premixes are designed to make raw or cooked meats nutritionally complete and balanced per AAFCO nutrient guidelines when made as directed. FDA consumer guidance supports cooking poultry to 165F (79.9C) to inactivate H5N1 and other pathogens. Per this information, Food Fur Life recommends cooking all poultry to make homemade food to at least the minimum of 165F. This is a safe practice for food made with EZComplete that requires boneless meat. As cooked bones are not safe to feed pets, please note that if you make foods at home in other ways, you will need to find an alternative to feeding raw chicken (or other poultry) bones.
When cooking meat to make food, please follow the instructions for how to properly make the food with cooked meats as the amount of premix to use is based on the raw weight prior to cooking. This information is on the bags and on the How To sections for Cats and Dogs here, on the website:
How to Prepare and Feed EZComplete fur Cats
How to Prepare and Feed EZComplete fur Dogs
Finally, some people assume locally sourced or pastured poultry is inherently safer. We do not believe that is a reliable safety assumption. Avian influenza is carried and spread by wild birds, often through saliva, secretions, feces, contaminated water, soil, equipment, footwear, and other vectors. Smaller or local farms may have excellent practices, but unless exposure to wild birds and contaminated materials is fully controlled, raw poultry should not be considered risk-free. For homemade pet food, the safest recommendation is simple: cook poultry thoroughly before feeding.
Food Fur Life RECOMMENDS COOKING ALL POULTRY
Food Fur Life was created in the middle of an avian flu outbreak in 2015. Avian flu is not new, and the highly pathogenic form (H5N1) was first detected in the U.S. in wild birds and backyard flocks in that 2014-2015 outbreak. What is new in the 2024 - 2025 outbreak is this clade jumped species (before it came to the U.S.). Cats (of all kinds, not just domestic cats) seem highly susceptible and it can be deadly. EZComplete was created because we love our pets and we want them to be safe. This is why we implemented multiple safety-focused measures to maximize the safety of the premix.
First, testing protocols of not just avian flu, but the numerous contaminants common in the food chain supply of our human grade manufacturer and the human grade source materials used in our premix were primary factors in our relationship decision. Testing protocols of this manufacturer have resulted in a zero-recall history in their multi-decade history of production for national and international organizations, not just small companies like Food Fur Life. That said, testing protocols can miss infections and testing alone does not guarantee safety: only a validated kill step is the most reliable safety control. This is why we recommend all poultry be cooked when making homemade food of any kind, including food made with EZComplete. Further,
Safety Status for Ingredients of Concern in the EZComplete premix:
- Egg yolk. EZC contains freeze-dried egg yolk, which is sourced as liquid yolk. This, by law (in the human grade market at least), is required to be heat pasteurized. This heat pasteurization process has been shown to render highly pathogenic avian influenza unable to cause infection.
- Eggshell. Shell eggs are generally not pasteurized. Commercial-scale eggshell as a food ingredient isn’t typically subjected to the same heat pasteurization process as that used for liquid egg products, either. Thus, the 450g bags of EZComplete fur Cats were switched to calcium carbonate from eggshell in 2023. The 225g bags and 450g EZComplete fur Dogs began using calcium carbonate with their next batches (2025). (A reminder that EZComplete premixes have a shelf life with a “Best By” date three years out from the date of manufacture).
- Chicken Liver. Due to the outbreak of avian flu when EZComplete entered the market, the supplier of this ingredient switched from freeze-drying to spray-drying. We were upset about this at the time but had more than sufficient supplementation of the B vitamins to account for the change. Given this subtype/strain of H5N1 threatens cats, steps were taken to verify and confirm that the specifications of the method used meets FDA guidance to inactivate this variant.
As mentioned, with the safety steps already in place, the food ingredients in EZComplete premixes are human grade and tested for avian flu. (HPAI H5N1 is a subtype/strain of influenza A virus for which testing protocols exist). Of course, this is in addition to all other contaminant testing. The testing is performed by one of the world's largest independent ISO-compliant laboratories as a third-party provider to our human nutraceutical cGMP manufacturer with NSF certification and USDA registered, inspected and approved facilities.
Regarding Food Safety: Food Fur Life RECOMMENDS COOKING ALL POULTRY
The EZComplete premixes are designed to make raw or cooked meats nutritionally complete and balanced per AAFCO nutrient guidelines when made as directed. FDA consumer guidance supports cooking poultry to 165F (79.9C) to inactivate H5N1 and other pathogens. Per this information, Food Fur Life recommends cooking all poultry to make homemade food to at least the minimum of 165F. This is a safe practice for food made with EZComplete that requires boneless meat. As cooked bones are not safe to feed pets, please note that if you make foods at home in other ways, you will need to find an alternative to feeding raw chicken (or other poultry) bones.
When cooking meat to make food, please follow the instructions for how to properly make the food with cooked meats as the amount of premix to use is based on the raw weight prior to cooking. This information is on the bags and on the How To sections for Cats and Dogs here, on the website:
How to Prepare and Feed EZComplete fur Cats
How to Prepare and Feed EZComplete fur Dogs
Finally, some people assume locally sourced or pastured poultry is inherently safer. We do not believe that is a reliable safety assumption. Avian influenza is carried and spread by wild birds, often through saliva, secretions, feces, contaminated water, soil, equipment, footwear, and other vectors. Smaller or local farms may have excellent practices, but unless exposure to wild birds and contaminated materials is fully controlled, raw poultry should not be considered risk-free. For homemade pet food, the safest recommendation is simple: cook poultry thoroughly before feeding.