Following the acquisition of The Iams Company by Procter and Gamble (Sept. 1999), some
pet owners and enthusiasts raised questions about whether Iams and Eukanuba products
would continue to be manufactured according to the same exacting quality standards of the
past.
In April 2000, the ASPCA was invited to participate as a member of an independent panel of
pet industry experts to review quality control and assurance procedures at Iams
manufacturing facilities. The ASPCA was represented on this independent panel by Dr.
Steve Hansen, Senior Vice President of the Animal Poison Control Center. The panel, which
included veterinarians, breeders, research nutritionists and pet specialty store owners,
toured the Iams plant in Leipsic, Ohio and reviewed detailed information regarding Iams
quality procedures.
Prior to providing a report to Iams, the panel requested extensive documentation to support
Iams’ claim that product quality had not declined, and that innovative nutritional research
was continuing. Iams provided all confidential documentation requested by the panel without
hesitation. Examples of documentation included:
- nutrient reference charts for Iams and Eukanuba products;
- information on current research programs;
- detailed quality control and assurance Standard Operating Procedures with original
analysis documents and log entries;
- detailed information on raw ingredient specifications, suppliers, delivery, storage, use
and product distribution;
- consumer inquiry and product complaint information.
Panel members also learned that Iams products are manufactured under good
manufacturing processes, and the American Institute of Baking (AIB) randomly inspects all
Iams manufacturing sites. AIB, which sets the benchmark for food sanitation and safety,
again this year awarded The Iams Company “Superior” rankings, the highest available
score, for each manufacturing facility. In April 2001, Hansen accompanied several ASPCA
veterinarians and veterinary technicians during an extensive tour of the Paul F. Iams
Technical Center and the Iams manufacturing plant in Lewisburg, Ohio. They met with
veterinarians from Iams and we were invited to ask in-depth questions about quality
assurance procedures at the Company.
Hansen says they could find “no evidence that Iams has lowered the quality of its products,
and we believe that the Company continues to manufacture products using the stringent
quality standards which pet owners have come to expect. Based on direct inspection of
Iams processes and extensive review of confidential documentation, it is clear that Iams
remains committed to their mission statement, which is to ‘Enhance the well-being of dogs
and cats by providing world-class quality foods.'”
If you have specific questions about the quality of Iams or Eukanuba Dog and Cat Foods,
please call our ASPCA Pet Nutrition and Science Advisory Service toll-free at 866-816-4804
to speak with a veterinary professional, or visit us at www.apcc.aspca.org/nutrition.htm.
Enviroshop is maintained by dedicated NetSys Interactive Inc. owners & employees who generously contribute their time to maintenance & editing, web design, custom programming, & website hosting for Enviroshop.