At Butternut Box, we take the quality and freshness of our ingredients very seriously. Our entire process from sourcing to freezing is designed to keep histamine levels as low as possible.
What is histamine?
Histamine is a chemical created when bacteria naturally break down proteins in meat and fish. High histamine levels in pet food are usually a sign that raw ingredients were not kept cold enough or were left for too long before being cooked.
Why do histamine levels matter?
When a dog consumes food with elevated histamine levels, it can lead to a reaction similar to that of an alergy. Because histamine is the main chemical behind your dog's natural allergy response, an excess of it can mimic an allergic reaction, even if the dog is not actually allergic to the specific protein they are eating.
If a dog had a reaction to high histamine foods, it might have some of the following symptoms:
Skin Irritation: You may notice sudden redness, itching, or hives, particularly around the face, ears, and paws.
Digestive Upset: This often manifests as vomiting or diarrhoea shortly after eating.
Facial Swelling: Some dogs may experience swelling around the lips, eyes, or muzzle.
How Butternut Box keeps levels low
We use a fresh-to-frozen approach, which is one of the most effective ways to manage histamine levels:
🥩 High Quality Raw Materials: We use fresh, whole meats rather than meat meals or processed by products. This means the protein has not had the chance to sit at ambient temperatures where bacteria thrive.
🧊 The Power of Freezing: While standard refrigeration only slows down the bacteria responsible for creating histamine, frozen storage successfully stops the production of new histamine.
🔎 Scientific Backing: Research shows that while bacterial growth can be controlled at 4°C, histamine formation is only fully halted during frozen storage. By freezing our meals immediately after cooking, we lock in the freshness.
Since we use human-quality ingredients and a rapid freezing process, Butternut Box is a great choice for pet parents looking for a fresh, low-intervention diet for their dogs.
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