Sodium bisulfate: multipurpose petfood ingredient

In the world of petfood manufacturing, some ingredients are used that are not nutritional, by intent. Rather, their purpose is to enhance the nutritional value, flavor or stability of the food. Sodium bisulfate is just such a functional food additive that one might find in petfoods, especially cat diets.

Greg Aldrich, Ph.D.

April 11, 2012

In the world of petfood manufacturing, some ingredients are used that are not nutritional, by intent. Rather, their purpose is to enhance the nutritional value, flavor or stability of the food. Sodium bisulfate is just such a functional food additive that one might find in petfoods, especially cat diets. However, this ingredient isnâ€™t well known to consumers and has created some confusion regarding its purpose.

Specifically, some people have confused sodium bisulfate with menadione sodium bisulfite complex, the vitamin K₃ source. Further, it should not be confused with sodium bisulfite, a chemical preservative used in fruits and wine. So, maybe some background on this ingredient, how it behaves in a food, what it does for the animal and whether it is safe for use in petfoods is in order.

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