Nutritionism and the Making of Modern Pet Food by Jennifer Wrye A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario © 2012 Jennifer Wrye Library and Archives Bibliotheque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-89315-9 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-89315-9 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distrbute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non­ support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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Canada Table of Contents Abstract ii Acknowledgements iii List of Tables v Chapter One 1 Introduction Chapter Two 32 Overview of the Commercial Pet Food Industry Chapter Three 68 Conceptual Considerations in the Discursive Production of Pets Chapter Four 91 Nutrition, Food and Foodways Chapter Five 123 The Early History of Pet Food Manufacturing Chapter Six 164 Nutritionalizing Commercial Pet Food Chapter Seven 207 Selling Pet Food Chapter Eight 243 Conclusion References 253 Abstract This dissertation considers the creation of nutritionally 'complete and balanced' commercial pet foods. Specifically, I am concerned with understanding the conditions that made it possible for pet animals to consume commercially-manufactured pet foods exclusively. I argue that nutritionism forms the basis of modern pet food and that it is operational because it behaves materially, discursively, and ideologically in mutually constitutive and reinforcing ways. Drawing on the insights of actor-network theory, I account for this by identifying alliances between human and nonhuman actants that together created a pet food network organized around nutrition. As I point out, pet foods in their early years were largely responsive to the desire of food companies to transform waste and generate nominal sums of money. However as pet foods grew in popularity - as they invested in ideas about humans' responsibility to pets' nutritional needs, as manufacturing technologies improved, and as appropriate research developed - nutrition became the fundamental concern in pet foods. In 1991, nutritional requirements began to dictate food production. This was the result of assemblages among actants, including corporate bodies, companies, entrepreneurs, legislators, farmers, research subjects, ideas about health, consumers, economic circumstances, animals, trade groups, packages, websites, relations between species, formulas, tables, and so on, forming a workable system in which nutrition could be identified, measured, and subsequently used as the basis for manufacture. ii Acknowledgements Completing a doctoral degree has long been my dream. I'd be lying if I said that conviction never waivered. I know I would not have done so without many great people in my life. I'm indebted to every one of them! I would like to thank my committee members for helping me develop into a better academic than I'd ever hoped. I could not have finished this project without their guidance and encouragement. Neil Gerlach has always been a steady and calming presence with the ability to make this challenging task seem possible. Bruce Curtis has helped me turn peculiar research interests into sound scholarship. He has pushed me harder than anybody, and my work is better for it. Daiva Stasiulis deserves special recognition for being an excellent advisor. She was always available to discuss ideas and to review drafts. Her thoughtful comments and interventions helped me write a thesis in which I can take great pride. I can't imagine a better supervisor and I'm lucky to have completed two degrees with her. I would also like to thank my examiners, Matthew Bellamy and Mustafa K05 for making my defense a rewarding, rather than harrowing, experience. Their enthusiasm for my project was greatly appreciated and will surely produce a stronger book. So as not to give all credit for this thesis to the humans in my life, at least a line should be dedicated to the nonhumans, including Pia & Spencer, who made this journey possible. I'm really lucky to have a very large network of friends and colleagues in Ottawa. The Department of Sociology & Anthropology at Carleton is a vibrant and collegial environment. I'm grateful to have been surrounded by the warm & interesting faculty, staff, and colleagues. A special note should be made of the softball & intramural championship teams. I'm also really grateful to the lovely staff in Interlibrary Loans who managed to find every obscure resource I requested and never once charged me late fees, even though I really deserved them. I have the privilege of knowing some of the funniest, coolest, & kindest people who mean so very much to me. It's been great playing soccer & softball with the Goonies & tigre/fox folks. My out of town crew, Bob, Jaim, Sarah Jaye & Sarah J, Gemo, Davio, and Matt&Mar have always been rock solid. Escaping to hang with them is a treat. But it's been my Ottawa peeps who have been the absolute best! Charlie & Hopper were great, great friends to pdl & I. There are always laughs when they're around. Mike was a great lunch buddy Carleton and a good friend otherwise. It was really awesome to work through the late stages of the thesis with him, and I continue to enjoy our breakfasts & phone conversations. Christian is my longest friend in Ottawa and nobody has helped me develop as a scholar more than him. His humour, intellect, & attitude are both humbling & inspiring. I'm glad to have taken this academic journey together & hope it continues. I'm ready for a seven-hour conversation anytime, will continue to win Superbowl bets, and will deny any accusations of being a negator. Finally, I would have left this program if not for my two girls, Holly & Tamy. There are too many moments to iii summarize here, but I have really appreciated the mundane ones best: having silly fun or stupid laughs while playing games, having drinks, shopping, going to the farmers' market, a craft fair, or jewellery show, talking teaching, working through project problems, planning events, seeing the world, listening to H&O, worrying about the thesis or the future, or working in the uniOn. You will be my cb's for the long haul. I wish to thank my parents for their unwavering support and unconditional love. You're both fantastic people to whom I owe so much. I hope I continue to make you both proud. None of this would matter if not for my darling, Paul, to whom this work is dedicated. Thank you for everything you are. I would be lost without you. I love you. iv List of Tables Table 1.1: Human Nutrition Panel Table 1.2: Kibble-style Cat Food Guaranteed Analysis Statement Table 1.3: Moist Cat Food Guaranteed Analysis Statement Table 2: Nutrients Percentages of Two Cat Foods Table 3: Complete Nutrient Profiles of Two Cat Foods Table 4: Top Pet Food Corporations Table 5: Top North American Pet Food Private Label Producers Table 6.1: AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles Based on Dry Matter Table 6.2: AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles Based on Dry Matter Table 7: Pet Food Package Sample Chapter One: Introduction Food has also been called as good to think as it is to eat. In recent years the topic has certainly captured the hearts and minds of the public. It is the subject of innumerable books, televisions programs, magazine articles, documentaries and popular films. It has become a notable political issue taken up by leaders and legislators. The study of food has accordingly proliferated in the social sciences. A variety of academic disciplines, including sociology, anthropology and geography, have historically treated food as an important aspect of human culture and society. But since the 1990s there has been an increase in the number of gastronomy and food studies courses and degree programs, as well as many new journals and books dedicated exclusively to the study of food.1 Understanding why and how we eat in the ways we do appears to be a preoccupation for which there is an insatiable appetite. This cultural climate is probably partially responsible for the growing interest in pet food evident among pet owners and animal enthusiasts.