Why pet food palatability and aroma matter so much

The pet food industry expends a good amount of research, effort and money on palatability—because if the intended end consumer of a pet food formulation won’t eat it, nothing else about the product really matters. Within the past year alone, researchers have studied the palatability of cellulose fibers and ancient grains in dog food, as well as the measurement of cats’ enjoyment of their meals.

There are even institutes dedicated to the research of taste (along with smell, since those two senses work so closely together), such as the Monell Center. Recently, its acting director and president, Nancy Rawson, Ph.D., shared fascinating facts about how these senses function in dogs and cats.