Doing real work · Natural preservative

Mixed tocopherols

Also appears on labels as: mixed tocopherols (preservative), mixed tocopherols (a preservative), mixed tocopherols (natural preservative), tocopherols, tocopherols (preservative), vitamin e

The family of compounds that make up vitamin E. As a preservative they sacrifice themselves to oxidation so the fat in the food does not.

Watched ingredients get highlighted on every product panel you open.

Where it comes from: Extracted from vegetable oils, most often soybean or sunflower.
Why it's in the product: Keeps fats from going rancid, and doubles as the food's vitamin E source. This is the ingredient brands switched to when they dropped BHA and ethoxyquin.
Safety and toxicity: No safety concern. Vitamin E is a required nutrient. Its one practical downside is that it protects fat less durably than synthetic antioxidants, which is why naturally preserved foods have shorter shelf lives. Buy smaller bags and check the date.
Interactions and who should be careful: Very high supplemental vitamin E can affect blood clotting, but not at food levels.

General reference, not veterinary advice. Dose, breed, and existing conditions change the answer, so talk to your vet before changing what your pet eats. Think we got this wrong? Tell us and we log it publicly.