I don't think it's the most healthy way to eat for a human. Animals and humans have different nutritional needs. However, when my niece was 5 or 6 she got it in her head that she liked dog food and treats. If I gave my Lab something, she had to have one too. I was always worried she was going to break a tooth. She always said they tasted good, though now, she denies it. She never got sick from it, so from that standpoint, it seems to be okay.
I have read that many elderly people supplement their food budget with cat food. It always smells salty, so I would think it's high in sodium. Though, I have never checked.
Well Mel Gibson ate a can of dog food with his dog in Road Warrior. I think we can all say we tasted dry food I know I have . When younger I have mistaken it for coco puffs! and boy I was wrong. If there was a situation that I had to eat it to survive I would.
I personally have never tried dog or cat food but I do not think it would hurt us. I think there is a bigger chance of some human foods hurting our pets. My grandma has given her Pom human food all of her life, even after the Vet and myself and most of the family have told her how bad it is for her. I know that was off topic a bit and I'm sorry. Anyway, I have heard of elderly people buying pet food as opposed to human food due to the cost difference and that is really sad. I don't understand how people can consume most pet food because the smell of most pet foods is enough to turn me off. Yuck. lol. But anyway I really don't think it could hurt us at all.
I have tasted my cats food and nothing happened to me. I don't eat it as a main stapple. Their food is ran through very high standards and therefore it is way less processed than ours. So if you tasted your pet's food, you will not get sick and you can still properly digest it.
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats. When they make Dog chocolate, I think that it is out of carob bits and not the actual chocolate. Always read the ingredients first, when you buy their foods and treats.
I've heard that it's a requirement that pet food be safe for human consumption - at least here in the US. I'm not sure what the purpose of that is, unless they are concerned about young kids possibly trying to eat it.
Last summer there was a show called Around The World In 80 Plates, and one episode featured a prominent Chinese cook, Alvin Leung, who served the contestants "pet food" out of a can. It was actually human food, but humorously packed and served in a can.
