Greg Aldrich, Ph.D.Dr. Aldrich is president of Pet Food & Ingredient Technology Inc. He is also the author of Petfood Industry magazine's monthly column, "Ingredient Issues."From the Author - Page 10PreservativesLecithin: Emulsifier and moreLecithin is an ingredient that we see periodically on petfood labels, most commonly on canned foods. It is included for a "functional food" purpose but has some nutritional benefits, as well.Amino AcidsL-Lysine Monohydrochloride: A key amino acidLysine is an essential or indispensable amino acid. In other words, the dog and cat are unable to produce an adequate quantity to support their normal physiological functions and must therefore obtain it from the diet. If the diet is inadequate it can result in depressed intake, retarded growth and development, and graying of feathers and fur among various species.ProteinsPoultry by-product meal and poultry meal: Is there a difference?The availability of fresh poultry and rendered poultry products coincided with the commercialization and industrialization of poultry production in the 1940s and 1950s; and feed values for poultry by-product meal (PBPM) were first established in the 1950s (Fuller, 1996). The volume of rendered poultry proteins in 2003 was estimated at 3,073.5 million pounds per year and the companion animal industry consumes about 23% (Pearl 2003).MineralsClay minerals: Do these ingredients have merit in petfood?There are several petfoods on the market that contain clay minerals such as montmorillonite and bentonite. Inclusion of these earth elements at small amounts are purported to benefit our pets.Grains and StarchesAlfalfa: A smart choice for dog and cat food?The use of alfalfa in some dog and cat foods has created questions with consumers—specifically, whether alfalfa is an ingredient that belongs in these foods. Unfortunately, there isn't a compelling or definitive answer for the petfood company, veterinarian or pet owner.VitaminsPyridoxine hydrochloride: The stealth vitamin B6Despite its being synthetically produced predominately by Asian countries with a chemical-sounding name, pyridoxine hydrochloride (a source of vitamin B6) is nearly invisible on popular blame-blogs or safety discussions. This is an important vitamin; it touches nearly every part of animal metabolism and pyridoxine hydrochloride is found on nearly every petfood label around the globe, and yet there is near silence regarding its addition to petfoods.Ingredients and substances to avoidSalmonella: The ingredient no one wants in their petfoodWhile events that conspired to sweep petfood into the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 were not exclusively pathogen related, the net result has been an almost singular focus on eliminating Salmonella in petfood. Before 2007, the only area in the news that seemed to be affected by Salmonella was poultry products (i.e., chicken and eggs).NutraceuticalsPetfood additive a leading dental health aidToday there are a number of dog foods and treats promoted as beneficial for dental health. Some sport the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal (VOHC Accepted) for having passed a rigorous product test.Processing Functional IngredientsXanthan gum: Functional carbohydrate for petfoods?Xanthan gum is found occasionally in pet products, most commonly in wet foods and periodically in sauces and gravies, milk replacers and other liquid supplements. While one can find this ingredient in the specialty grocery aisle for vegetarian and gluten-free dietary needs, it is not what one would consider mainstream.Grains and StarchesAncient grains for today’s petfood: Amaranth and quinoaAs more and more petfood brands strive for differentiation, the search for non-traditional ingredients intensifies. We have seen new meats and meals, tubers in many varieties and now legume seeds and beans becoming prominent.Fats and OilsSoybean oil: Food industry staple right for petfood?Soybean oil plays an infrequent and peripheral role in petfoods. This is somewhat surprising given its popularity in human foods and its prevalence on grocery store shelves alongside corn and canola oil.NutraceuticalsYucca schidigera: Latin for odor-reducing petfood ingredientPeriodically one finds an ingredient called Yucca schidigera extract on the label of a petfood—and not just on dog and cat food labels. You might even find it on ferret and rabbit food labels; and for those of you who consider your horse a pet, you may see it in horse feeds.Previous PagePage 10 of 18Next Page