Nutrition: Page 313

Market Trends and Reports

Can cats convert β-carotene to retinol?

Many animals convert β-carotene to retinol to meet their vitamin A (VA) requirement. However, this pathway is inefficient in many carnivores.

Pet Food Ingredients

Fiber analysis and digestibility in petfoods

Six dry dog foods and six dry cat foods with different carbohydrate sources were investigated in digestion trials. Food and fecal samples were analyzed for crude fiber (CF), total dietary fiber (TDF) and starch.

Veterinarian clarifies natural, organic petfood label terms

Petfood ingredient labels can be confusing to pet owners because certain terms have no legal definition. Ernest Ward, veterinarian and founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, says pet owners need to do their research when selecting what to feed their dog or cat. Ward says there is no official definition for the term "natural," which could mean anything that is not syntheic, but does not guarantee the product's quality or nutritional value.

Greenopia's consumer tips on natural petfood selection

A popular trend in the petfood industry is consumers' recent demands for natural and organic petfoods. In an article from thedailygreen.com, Doug Mazeffa, research director at Greenopia.com, offers tips to consumers on selecting a "green" petfood.

Petfood professionals attend extrusion course in Kansas

Petfood professionals interested in learning about the latest extrusion processing technologies met at Kansas State University in August to participate in the Extrusion Processing: Technology and Commercialization short course. The course, hosted by the University's International Grains Program, was attended by 36 professionals from seven countries who came to Sabetha, Kansas, USA, to study the latest ingredients, technologies and applications

Canadian ingredient company uses egg 'waste' in petfood

A US$405,000 grant through Ontario, Canada's Rural Economic Development program will allow a petfood ingredient supplier to turn egg "waste" into high-protein petfood products, The Beacon Herald reported. Perth County Ingredients, a subsidiary of Vanderpol's Eggs, began producing petfood ingredients at the plant, previously used for egg processing, in May 2011.

Three prescription diet petfood myths addressed

A recent eNewsChannels article aims to clarify three myths for pet owners about prescription diet petfoods. The first myth is that commercially prepared prescription diets are the only option for pets that require a special diet.

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.

Market Trends and Reports

Market update: Superpremium petfood post-recession

Premium petfoods—defined by Packaged Facts as those priced at least 10% above the category average—accounted for 40% of petfood sales in 2010, followed by regular petfood at 27% and value petfood at 14%, with treats comprising the remaining 18% of sales. On both the dog and cat sides of the market, the premium share of sales has contracted a bit with the recession while the regular and value segments have risen a notch or two.

According to Packaged Facts, the term superpremium is generally reserved for the highest quality products, which are positioned on clear-cut health claims (and higher prices), thereby ruling out most mass-market brands and concentrating in the pet specialty channel.

Pet Food Ingredients

AAFCO votes on specialty petfood labels

The 102nd Annual Convention of the Association of American Feed Control Officials was held July 30 to August 1, 2011, in Austin, Texas, USA. There were some, but not very many, items directly affecting petfood. Since the AAFCO recently changed its procedures so the membership now votes at both the annual and midyear meetings, the number of items up for consideration in the general session seemed fewer this year than at annual meetings past.

Stella & Chewy's to relocate natural petfood plant

Stella & Chewy’s will relocate from its current natural petfood production plant in Muskego, Wisconsin, USA, to a larger petfood manufacturing facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. The company currently has about 40 full-time employees and occupies a 17,000-square-foot space in Muskego, but recently leased a 48,862-square-foot facility from Lassman Family Ltd. Partnership.

Dr. Harvey's launches natural petfood, pet products video series

Dr. Harvey's holistic petfood company launched a YouTube video series on pet health, as well as the importance of feeding an all-natural petfood diet and using chemical-free pet products. These videos, which appear on Dr. Harvey's petfood website and on the company's YouTube channel, highlight the company's holistic pet product benefits and the philosophy behind them.

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