Foods will spoil without some form of temperature control or preservative. Some feel that chemical preservatives are more important to use then allowing the possibility of a food turning rancid. We disagree. As a preservative, we use Vitatnin E, a closely related fat-soluble compound known as tocopherols. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that retards the oxidation of other vitamins. It is important for reproduction. Vitamin E works as a preservative up to a period of twelve months and as a peak preservative up to six months. Our products , including manufacturing and shipping time, are in the hands of the pet owner within I month. When stored out of direct heat, the pet owner has a "fresh" product for a period of at least 5 months with the ability to feed for 11 months. If your pet does not consume food during this length of time, the food can be frozen to preserve frrshness. Our food is not "warehoused," it is delivered to Riverside within two days of manufacture.