Quorn is a meat-free alternative to meat and is a popular food choice among vegetarians, vegans and people wanting to reduce their carbon footprint. I often eat the Quorn varieties, like sausages, chicken fillets, a few times a week and have done for many years now. But would I feed them to my dog? I have researched this extensively through conversations with professionals and science research. Please read the below; it will answer your question of can dogs eat Quorn. Let’s do this.
Quorn is not considered poisonous to dogs; however, it may contain toxic ingredients. You should always check with your veterinarian before introducing new foods to your dog.
What is Quorn?
Quorn is meat-free which has been explicitly made to taste like meat as an alternative to meat. Quorn is high in fibre, soy-free and non-GMO.
History of Quorn
Over 50 years ago, Quorn was invented by a British man named Arthur Rank in response to the high demand for meat, the damage that it can cause to the planet and the animals themselves. Each year planet earth has several million extra mouths to feed. Arthur thought that creating a meat-free substitute was the way forward. Yes, I agree with this, along with several scientists, and that future generations will undoubtedly benefit from Quorn.
Who makes Quorn?
Country of origin: the United Kingdom is also made in the UK.
Can dogs eat Quorn sausages?
No, dogs should not eat Quorn sausages as an alternative to their daily meat allowance that keeps them fit and healthy. Quorn sausages have onion powder in which is highly toxic to dogs. You should avoid giving your dog Quorn sausages.
Can dogs eat Quorn bacon?
No, dogs should not eat Quorn bacon as an alternative to their needed daily meat protein. Quorn bacon has a high added salt count, which can cause dehydration in dogs. They have added colourings like iron oxide to give the fake bacon the pinky colour, which has no health benefit to your dog.
Can dogs eat Quorn ham?
It would be best not to feed your dog Quorn ham. Quorn ham has no health benefit to your dog. Dogs need their daily allowance of animal protein or a proper healthy substitution for a healthy diet. Giving them meat-free alternatives will indeed harm them in the long run. Quorn ham has a high amount of added salt content that can cause dehydration and be fatal to dogs.
Can dogs eat Quorn burgers?
It would be best not to feed your dog Quorn Burgers; they have onions that are highly toxic to dogs in the burger. The possible stomach sensitivity to the Mycoprotein makes up the majority of the Quorn burger.
Can dogs eat Quorn chicken? Nuggets, Pieces, Fillets
Unlike real chicken, Quorn chicken does not have any health benefits for dogs. Dogs need a daily allowance of animal protein to live a long and happy life. Although, Quorn chicken is one of the products without as many harmful ingredients in, out of the entire Quorn range. However, dogs can get stomach sensitivity to the Mycoprotein that makes up most Quorn nuggets, pieces and fillets.
Can dogs eat Quorn mince?
No, dogs should not eat Quorn mince as an alternative. Nor as an additional snack. Quorn mince is made with sugar, making your dog overweight, causing problems with teeth, and even leading to diabetes. The possible stomach sensitivity to the Mycoprotein makes up the majority of the Quorn mince. It would be best if you did not feed your dog Quorn mince.
Can dogs eat Quorn southern style burgers?
It would be best if you did not feed your dog Quorn southern style burgers. They have paprika, which is toxic to dogs and can cause skin irritation and gastrointestinal upset.
Can dogs eat Quorn tikka masala?
No, Quorn tikka masala is packed full of seasonings toxic to dogs, like garlic powder and onion powder. Both of these are toxic. Your dog may also have stomach sensitivity to the Mycoprotein that makes up the Quorn tikka masala.
What is Quorn made of?
Quorn is made from a fungus called Fusarium venenatum. It’s mixed with other ingredients like onion’s, garlic, paprika, pea fibre, vegetable oils, dehydrated egg whites, seasonings such as sage and parsley. See below for the common ingredients.
Ingredients in Quorn products
- Mycoprotein “Fusarium Venenatum”
- Rehydrated Free Range Egg White
- Vegetable Oils (Rapeseed, Palm)
- Onion, Onion powder
- Garlic, Garlic powder
- Rusk (Wheat Flour, Yeast, Salt)
- Natural Flavouring
- Casing (Stabiliser: Sodium Alginate; Cellulose, Modified Starch)
- Textured Wheat Protein (Wheat Flour, Stabiliser: Sodium Alginate)
- Firming Agents: Calcium Chloride, Calcium Acetate
- Seasoning [Herbs (Sage, Parsley), Rapeseed Oil]
- Iron Oxide
- Paprika
- Pea Fibre
- Barley Malt Extract
- Natural Caramelised Sugar
How is Quorn made?
Quorn is made from a liquid and is fermented in large tanks by feeding fungus called Fusarium venenatum oxygenated water and glucose. During this process, it ferments into a tangible product called Mycoprotein. It’s then heated, and other ingredients are included, such as onions, paprika, garlic, pea fibre, vegetable oils, egg whites, seasonings such as sage and parsley. All these ingredients combined gives it the matched meat taste for each variety.
What is Mycoprotein?
Mycoprotein, also known as Myco or fungal protein, is a single-cell protein made from fungi and is produced for humans to eat mainly as a meat-free alternative. The word Myco is greek, which means fungus.
What can happen if my dog eats Quorn?
Your dog could be sensitive to Quorn products, resulting in vomiting, nausea, and diarrhoea, leading to dehydration. However, it depends on the size of your dog and how much they have consumed reactions can vary.
What should I do, my dog just ate Quorn?
Firstly, don’t panic, but you will need to monitor your dog for any behaviour changes and toxicity signs. Depending on the amount ingested and your dog’s age and size, you may need to call a veterinarian immediately. Make sure you take the packaging along with you so they can quickly check for any harmful ingredients, like onions, garlic, paprika or sugar.
Quorn toxicity signs in dogs
Unlike humans, we can eat different things from dogs and vice versa. Some of the ingredients in the Quorn range can cause upset stomachs in dogs, dehydration, diabetes, anaemia.
The symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Lethargic
- Weakness
- Stillness
- Diarrhoea
- Adbondal pain
- increased urine
- Increased thirst
- Dry nose
- Dry Mouth
- Pale Mouth
- Heavy Panting
Quorn and I
Quorn is fantastic. Like I said earlier, I generally eat a lot of Quorn products weekly and have so for many years now. It’s great to eat a guilt-free meal. Also, exciting news if you’re looking for an even tastier meat-free alternative, Richmonds have just released meat-free Richmond sausages and are lovely, taste just like the real thing. But remember, dont feed them to your dogs; they also have added spices that can upset your dog’s stomach.
Would I feed any of the Quorn varieties to my dog?
No way, I wouldn’t give any variations of the Quorn products to my dog, especially not as an alternative to their food. Dogs need adequate proper protein to be healthy. Removing this critical protein and not appropriately substituting it for something matched or better can lead to health issues.
Conclusion
Quorn products provide your dog with no health benefits, and some of the ingredients can cause your dog gastrointestinal irritation, skin irritation, dehydration and diabetes.
Quorn wasn’t invented for dogs! Dogs need the amino acids that they get from meat. These amino acids help them build and repair their entire bodies, from their muscles to skin. If you’re looking at getting your dog on a vegan, vegetarian diet, then at present human-made meat alternative isn’t the way forward. I hope I have answered your question and that you will keep Quorn out of your dogs diet.
