Pet Food Palatability: Page 13

Market Trends and Reports

Panelis offers cat food palatability testing in North America

Panelis, part of the Diana Pet Food division, is an independent team of trained animal technicians, behaviorists and statisticians that observe and measure the consumption and enjoyment of petfood by canine and feline expert panels. Its cat food palatability testing services are now available for customers in the US and Canada through the establishment of Panelis North America and its recently opened cattery in Hodges, South Carolina, USA.

Panelis North America's cattery is located in Hodges, South Carolina, USA.

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack visits Kemin Industries

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently visited a high school in rural Des Moines, Iowa, USA, telling students that manufacturing jobs are returning to the Midwest, such as those at local manufacturer Kemin Industries, which he also visited. Vilsack told the students that the high-tech manufacturing jobs of today require math and engineering skills while working to research and develop plant molecules used in the company's production of petfood ingredients and products for animal nutrition.

Petfood flavoring company AFB awarded for 2011 customer satisfaction

Petfood palatability product manufacturer AFB International was awarded the 2011 Experience Award in the Customer Experience category by research agency Integron. AFB says the award, given at a March 15 awards ceremony in Rotterdam, Netherlands, recognizes its consistent dedication to customer satisfaction.

Bloomberg reviews 'human-grade' petfoods for appearance, taste

All-natural dog food, including foods that meet Association of American Feed Control Officials' requirements to claim “human-grade,” make up 10 percent of all sales in the US$18.9 billion petfood industry, according to Packaged Facts. To determine what this "human-grade" dog food really tastes like to humans, Lucy Postins, founder of petfood company The Honest Kitchen, says her employees sample every ingredient when formulating a new dog food recipe.

Pet Food Safety

The science and safety of petfood palatability enhancers

Palatability enhancers, as the name indicates, are used to affect taste, smell and texture of petfoods to increase their desirability to companion animals. Palatability is critical for manufacturers to consider when formulating a nutritionally balanced petfood.

Many palatability enhancers are tested for efficacy through controlled feeding studies that measure data such as first-bite preference and total consumption.

Kemin to purchase ADF's petfood technology, equipment

Kemin Industries Inc. and American Dehydrated Foods Inc. have reached an acquisition agreement that allows Kemin to purchase property, equipment and assets related to ADF’s spray drying technology for petfood products. The transaction is expected to close on June 30.

Cesar Canine Cuisine hosts contest to create new dog food flavors

Cesar Canine Cuisine is hosting a contest for consumers to create and choose the next flavors of its Sunrise breakfast and Original Pate dog foods. Consumers can go to Cesar's website and enter the virtual kitchen, where they can mix ingredients for their petfood recipe.

Pet Food Palatability

Satiety in dogs and cats

Satiety is a complex process that involves both neuronal and hormonal signals to the brain. Through this complicated system, our bodies relay to our brain long-term signals (i.e., how often to eat) and short-term signals (i.e., when to stop eating a meal).

Current literature regarding satiety has mostly focused on humans and human models, but there has been some evaluation of different nutrients on satiety in dogs and cats.

Pet Food Palatability

Update: measuring petfood palatability

Palatability has become as important to petfood formulation as the core ingredients. After all, those ingredients can’t provide nutritional benefits if pets won’t eat the food or, perhaps more importantly, their owners don’t perceive the pets are enjoying the food. Thus, leading organizations invest heavily in research and work to ensure they can accurately measure the palatability of various formulations and flavor enhancers.

Panelis has implemented an index of lateralization to help avoid position eating: animals showing a preference for one side regardless of the product or conditions.

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