Dog and Cat Food Nutrition: Page 37

Pet Food Ingredients

Propylene glycol: When, where and how should it be used

Consumers and the media say they want petfoods that are fresh, natural, inexpensive, perfectly formed and appealing to the eye, taste great, and are constantly available to the market regardless of season or supply. The retailers and distributors want petfoods that will last on the shelf for years, appeal to consumers, are encased in beautiful packaging and don’t degrade or get buggy.

Nutrition update: Probiotics and digestive health pet products

Probiotics continue to remain a functional additive in petfoods and are making their way from their now comfortable spot in over-the-counter supplements to new products like cat treats, alternative ingredient premixes and an entire line of puppy to senior dog food. There has been extensive research done to prove these additives like prebiotics, probiotics and other digestive enzymes have beneficial effects on digestive health.

Dogs and cats prone to digestive sensitivity, like soft stool, gastrointestinal distress or diarrhea, may benefit tremendously from a food containing prebiotics and probiotics.

Can adding color to petfoods also add nutritional value?

Soluble dyes have been extensively used in petfood applications because of their ease-of-use, range of colors available and GMP limitations. Natural colors have become an increasingly appealing option for petfood use as they can impart shades that may not be achieved with synthetic colors and make for a much more pet-parent-friendly label.

Gone are the days when added color came in neon hues and chemically enhanced formulas. Natural, fruit- and vegetable-based additives are the new norm.

Pet Food Ingredients

Copper sulfate: A standard of reference for copper in petfood

Copper sulfate is a very common and effective copper source used in petfoods. There have been some recurrent concerns expressed to customer service hotlines and on some enthusiast web sites that copper sulfate is "toxic" and that it "attacks the heart, liver and kidneys" and that it is "moderately poisonous."

Pet supplements roar!

Pet supplements roar! The pet nutraceuticals market has been experiencing rapid growth, showing no signs of slowing down. BY Dr. L. Phillips Brown, DVM Dr. L. Phillips Brown holds a doctorate degree in veterinary medicine (DVM) from the University of California at Davis and a master of science degree

The pet industry is an incredibly dynamic marketplace that is no longer dependant on independent retailers and supermarkets offering only basic necessities.

More on probiotics in petfood

Pathogenic bacteria cause disease and exposure to these is an unpleasant experience. However, maintenance of the proper microbes in the intestinal tract allows animals to gain nutrients from their food that they cannot absorb from their own digestion.

We are what we eat but are microbes also indicative of where weâ€™ve been?

Pet Food Ingredients

Coconut oil: Does it belong in commercial petfoods?

Coconut oil has become fashionable with a near cult-like following in the human dietary health and supplements aisle. Although it was once cast aside as an ingredient that contributed to cardiovascular health issues, now it is being touted as a cure for everything from obesity to acne.

Pet Food Market

Snapshot of petfood ingredient market shows ongoing growth

A report on the global animal feed ingredients market released last week offers a few tidbits of data and information regarding petfood ingredients, with the highlight that the overall market as well as the segment that includes companion animal food are both growing strongly. That growth is projected to continue at a compound annual rate of 5% to 7.5% through 2019.

AFIA, NGFA file joint comments to FDA on animal food additives petition

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) filed joint comments on November 12 to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding Recommendations for Preparation and Submission of Animal Food Additive Petitions. The comments are AFIA and NGFA’s recommendation to assist FDA in providing important information in making informed decisions on the correct ingredient approval path to pursue and to assist the industry in properly submitting a Food Additive Petition (FAP) for animal feed ingredients.

Pet Food Regulations

FDA offers guidance on food and color additives in petfoods

In September, the agency published two guidance documents (one proposed, one final) regarding additives for use in animal feed, including petfood. The subject matter that is covered by these documents is not particularly new; however, the guidance they offer to the petfood industry is very helpful.

Dog and Cat Food Nutrition

FDA guidance document on new regulations for color additives in petfood available

The US Food and Drug Administration made available a document to help small businesses comply with regulations on declaring color additives in food for animals. The Guidance for Industry #223, Small Entity Compliance Guide – Declaring Color Additives in Animal Foods, provides background information plus answers to questions on the 2011 regulation, which requires all color additives subject to FDA’s certification process be listed on product labels for petfood and animal feed.

Market trends: Petfood enhancers

Niche sections of the petfood market are nothing new. Fresh petfood, refrigerated/frozen petfood and dehydrated petfood are all members of the niche pet market and are starting to gain enough popularity to be included in annual retail reports and breakdowns of market data. The petfood enhancers category, however, is just now starting to make waves with more products than ever finding pet store shelves and enticing pet owners with human food flavors, human-animal bonding and unique ways to add extra nutrition to a pet’s diet.

Many petfood enhancers mimic human food flavors and encourage pet owners to have more interaction with their pets during feeding time.

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