Dear Dr. Getty,

I am trying to develop a soft horse treat that contains organic, human grade, fresh fruit and vegetables but I can't find any information anywhere on natural preservatives for horse food; which types are safest for horses, and what quantities to use, etc. Who would I consult for something like this? I have some Ascorbic Acid in powder form.....would this alone retard mold and preserve the fruit? Thanks!

Where are you from? Chicago, Illinois

How did you locate this forum? Web search

Hi Molly,

Yes, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an excellent preservative because it is an antioxidant and as such, it prevents enzymatic browning of fruits and vegetables.

I would also add Vitamin E – you can purchase vitamin E capsules and pierce them to remove the oily contents. Or, vitamin E is sometimes available in powdered form. Just make sure that you choose natural vitamin E, not the synthetic. Vitamin E will prevent the oils in your treats from going rancid as quickly.

Salt will retard mold to some extent (the vitamins will not prevent mold).

The best thing to do is to make small batches and keep the treats refrigerated. You can likely freeze larger batches for future use.

Sounds yummy!

Dr. Getty

Dear Dr. Getty,

Thank you so much for the info on preserving foods naturally. The problem with refrigerating is that I plan on selling my treats at horse shows and tack stores, as well as donating 10% of profits to a horse charity of some sort; refrigeration would not always be possible. The horses love my treats so far, because they are gooey on the inside and filled with raisins, carrots, apples and ginger. I want the horses to be able to continue to enjoy the gooey concoction, not be forced to eat all the hard cookies on the market today. What about Potassium Sorbate?

Where are you from? Chicago, Illinois

How did you locate this forum? Web search