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Raw materials are derived from Wisconsin - free-ranging, open-grazing, hormone & antibiotic free cattle and poultry. Raw materials are derived from animals that have been inspected and passed for human and pet consumption at federally inspected USDA facilities. Pre-mortem (live animal) inspections are conducted by veterinarians to certify antibiotic and disease free animals. Suspect animals (for any reason) are segregated and removed from the human and pet food chain. |
| Humane treatment and animal handling is paramount. Harvest facilities designed by Temple Grandin, world renowed animal behaviorist. Post-mortem (carcass) inspections performed by USDA veterinarians on every harvested animal ensure wholesomeness. |  |
| At the harvest facility there are more than 15 pathogen reduction stations . Raw materials are subjected to highly sensitive metal detection at the USDA inspected meat processing plants. Commitment to quality is not taken lightly as more than 30 USDA and plant quality assurance technicians are on staff to inspect, audit and ensure that all quality criteria are met. |
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Dry ice is applied to raw materials immediately after removal from the freshly harvested animal to initiate the cooling process. Raw materials are placed in sanitized, earth-friendly, re-usable totes and immediately placed into a blast freezer @ -10F to "lock in" freshness. Raw materials are removed and processed after 24 hours of blast freezing. Meat temperature is maintained at or below 32 degrees F throughout processing. All finished products are inspected, real-time, in-line by trained plant personnel. |
Finished goods are bar-coded for retail scanning and tracking purposes. |
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Facility & equipment is cleaned, sanitized & inspected after each production run. |
Our Employees are also pet owners. They feed Vital Essentials and are committed to the best in comprehensive freshness and excellence for their own pets. |
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