Video: Novel proteins drive pet food industry innovation

In this video from Petfood Forum 2016, Greg Aldrich, PhD, research associate professor at Kansas State University, discusses the growing interest in novel proteins.

(Kitch Bain | BigStockPhoto.com)
(Kitch Bain | BigStockPhoto.com)

 


In this video from Petfood Forum 2016, Greg Aldrich, PhD, research associate professor at Kansas State University, discusses the growing interest in novel proteins. He explains how novel proteins help pets with specific allergies to other proteins. However, the supply of novel proteins is often limited, which may make them more appropriate for smaller pet food companies.

Within the past few decades, pet food manufacturers’ options for providing protein, omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients in their products have grown dramatically. Just as people have come to embrace a wider variety of foods on their plates, so too have pet owners started serving non-traditional meats and plants to their dogs and cats. Once unheard of ingredients, including kangaroo, hemp and insects have all found their way into pets’ dishes. Novel proteins in particular have become popular.

Petfood Forum and Petfood Innovation Workshop

During the latest Petfood Forum and Petfood Innovation Workshop, held in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, novel proteins in pet food were a hot topic. According to David Sprinkle, research director at Packaged Facts, who opened the Petfood Innovation Workshop 2016 with his presentation, “Meat and novel protein trends in pet food,” pet channel sales for pet food meals including novel proteins increased across the board from 2014 to 2015.

The high-meat pet food trend has gone global. At Interzoo 2016, pet food companies from all over the world touted fresh meat, high meat levels, biologically appropriate raw food (BARF) and various other claims to describe this focus, along with its frequent companion, grain free.

Novel proteins should have an increasing role in pet food and treats, but using more novel protein ingredients will only be successful if the industry properly educates consumers, according to Mark Mendal, founder of consulting firm Pet Proteins, speaking at Petfood Forum 2016. 

Petfood Innovation Workshop and Kansas State University (KSU) Pet Food Experience

Pet food professionals can learn how to incorporate novel and exotic proteins into pet treats and food during the Petfood Innovation Workshop and Kansas State University (KSU) Pet Food Experience September 13-15. Held on KSU’s main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, USA, this hands-on event provides an immersive experience in creating unique new pet food products that can meet today’s demand for high meat and a focus on protein.

Pet food industry ingredient and technology suppliers will lead participants through making pet treats and other pet food products with novel proteins such as stabilized rice bran, pork protein powder, spray-dried plasma, exotic animals and vegetables. 

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