Wet Pet Food Research Articles

Insights to Study, Understand and Manage Extruded Dry Pet Food Palatability.

Pet food production is a fast-growing industry. While extruded dry pet food is the favored pet food due to its convenience of use, it may have poorer palatability than other pet foods such as wet pet foods. However, palatability plays a pivotal role in meeting nutritional requirements or providing therapeutic benefits in cats and dogs, as it ensures food acceptance. Thus, both academics and manufacturers conduct routine palatability tests to assess acceptance and preference of products among pets, alongside sensory analyses involving human panels. Palatability is greatly influenced by species-specific and environmental factors in cats and dogs. The review will hence present the current knowledge on palatability assessment and animal food perception; it will then aim to explore strategies for effectively managing palatability in dry pet food by examining the impact of key ingredients and process parameters on the finished product's palatability. Moreover, the demands and needs for sustainable and healthier products as well as supply constraints present novel challenges and opportunities for academics and manufacturers.

First Detection of International High-Risk blaKPC-2-Harbouring Escherichia coli Pandemic Lineage ST648 in Pet Food Packages

The continued worldwide increase in pet ownership has significantly boosted the growth of the pet food industry accompanied by new food safety risks and challenges. This study was designed to determine the occurrence and molecularly characterize multidrug-resistant (MDR) Enterobacterales in pet food. Eighty-six (86) packages of dry and wet pet food purchased in different retail stores were screened for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by agar dilution technique using EUCAST/BrCAST recommendations. Blue-Carba test was further used to screen for carbapenemase-producing isolates. Isolated CRE strains were identified at the species level using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Detection of carbapenemase-encoding genes was carried out by PCR, Sanger sequencing, and whole genome sequencing (WGS). A total of 15 (17.4%) MDR-CRE (Escherichia coli (n = 2), Enterobacter cloacae (n = 10), Leclercia adecarboxylata (n = 2), and Cronobacter spp. (n = 1)) were isolated from 86 pet food samples. In addition to being resistant to beta-lactams, the Gram-negative bacterial isolates were also resistant to aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and tigecycline. Interestingly, two carbapenem-resistant E. coli isolates harboured blaKPC-2 gene. WGS analysis of the two blaKPC-2-producing E. coli isolates revealed that they both belong to ST648 and serotype O153:H2 group. The genetic context of the blaKPC-2 showed that they were carried by an IncN plasmid on a Tn4401b transposon element. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of blaKPC-2-harbouring E. coli ST648 pathogens in pet food. The detection of blaKPC-2-harbouring E. coli ST648 pandemic high-risk lineage in pet food is worrisome and a serious “One Health” issue. Therefore, pet food should be considered as a potential vehicle for the transmission of MDR pathogens to companion animals, and a risk factor for the dissemination of these bacterial pathogens to pet animals and their human guardians.

Technological Benefits Associated with the Use of Spray-Dried Animal Plasma in Fish-Based Chunks for Canned Pet Food.

Spray-dried animal plasma (SDAP) and wheat gluten (WG) are common binders in wet pet food that provide amino acids and energy, as well as texture and cohesiveness due to their gelling strength, water retention and fat emulsion properties. Binder use is a valuable tool especially in recipes based on ingredients with low technological properties such as fish by-products containing spines and scales and soft texture after cooking. Two basal recipes for chunks in gravy were produced to evaluate experimental treatments. One basal recipe used a mixture of salmon and tuna by-products as the only animal protein sources without binders or with a 20 g/kg inclusion of SDAP or WG. The other basal recipe mimicked a more typical commercial recipe containing meat animal ingredients and a 40 g/kg salmon by-product to develop experimental treatments with and 0, 10, 20, 30 or 40 g/kg inclusions of SDAP. Dry matter, protein, and viscosity were evaluated in raw emulsions. After a 1 h retorting at 121 °C, hardness was measured in emulsions and in cooked chunks, juiciness, and Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) were assessed. Results demonstrated the viability of producing quality chunks in gravy containing only fish by-products including 20 g/kg of SDAP, which significantly increased hardness, elasticity, cohesiveness, and juiciness. There was a positive linear correlation of increased SDAP inclusion rate in the commercial recipe for most of the quality parameters evaluated. Based on these results, the inclusion of SDAP in fish recipes can help manufacturers achieve technological quality control targets for commercial wet pet food and may help producers to successfully formulate new recipes for wet pet food products using fish by-products as the sole animal protein source.

PSVIII-23 Volatile Flavor Profile of Wet Pet Food Influences Canine and Feline Palatability Performance

Abstract Volatile flavor compounds as they relate to canine and feline palatability of wet pet food has yet to be established in the industry. The objectives of this study were to determine volatile compounds in wet pet food in diets that performed differently in palatability feeding studies. Five pairs of wet pet food diets (n = 3 feline; n = 2 canine) were obtained from separate manufacturing facilities and were selected based on palatability preference (P < 0.05, n = 3) or palatability parity (P > 0.05, n = 2). Volatile compounds were extracted using solid phase microextraction and analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Diets were analyzed in triplicate. Significance was determined at P < 0.05. Alcohols, aldehydes, and hydrocarbons comprised the main groups, and 58 total volatile compounds were identified. 1-octen-3-ol, an artifact of lipid oxidation, was found in all diets and was consistently greater (P < 0.05) in diets that were less preferred in palatability testing. A feline diet less preferred in palatability performance had increased concentrations (P < 0.05) of volatile compounds such as furfuryl alcohol and 2-pentyl furan, derived from both the Maillard reaction and thermal lipid degradation pathways, respectively. Conversely, a canine diet with palatability preference was greater (P < 0.05) in lipid degradation products such as 2-pentyl furan, 1-hexanol, and p-xylene. Overall, one set of diets had an increased (P < 0.05) production of Maillard reaction products including Strecker aldehydes, furans, and pyrazines whereas lipid degradation products were predominant in the second set. In conclusion, these data generally showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) in Maillard reaction and lipid degradation products in each pair of diets. Future studies are warranted to better understand how the volatile compound profile impacts palatability for canines and felines. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that volatile compound profile analysis could be utilized to further elucidate influencers of pet food palatability preferences.

201 Effect of Spray Dried Plasma Compared with Egg White Or Whole Egg as Functional Binders in Canned Pet Food

Abstract Many different binders are used in canned pet food providing functionality such as gelling, texture, and protein content. Spray dried plasma (SDP) is a consistent high protein ingredient commonly utilized in wet pet food to provide texture and for water binding and fat emulsification characteristics. The objective of the study was to evaluate functionality of three different binders: egg white, whole egg, and SDP in chunks recipes at four inclusions levels (0, 2, 4, and 6%.) Canned petfood batches were replicated 3 times with each condition using the same recipe containing different raw materials, mainly derived from chicken and pigs, with control (no binder) and level of all binders in each replication. Thus, 3 batches per binder and level were produced for a total of 9 batches. The binder was included to partially replace poultry carcass in the chunks. Cans of chunks and gravy were produced with the ratio of 50:50 chunks to gravy and cooked at 121°C for 1 hour. Cans were stored at room temperature for 14 days before product measurements. Within each batch, 6 to 9 cans were evaluated for protein, texture, hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and gravy absorption. Protein was similar at 2% inclusion between binders. At 4% binder inclusion, protein was greatest (P < 0.05) with SDP and egg white compared with whole egg and control; while 6% inclusion resulted in greatest (P < 0.05) protein with egg white followed by SDP, whole egg, and control. Texture was increased (P < 0.05) with SDP and egg white compared with whole egg and control at 2% and 6%, while at 4% inclusion SDP was the highest (P < 0.05) compared with all other binders. Hardness was greatest (P < 0.05) with SDP at 2 and 4% compared with all binders; while at 6% inclusion egg white was greatest followed by SDP, whole egg, and control. Cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness were greatest with SDP at all levels compared with other binders. Gravy absorption into the chunks with 2% binder inclusion was increased (P < 0.05) with SDP and egg white, similar between all binders at 4% but greater than control, and greatest with egg white at 6% followed by SDP, whole egg, and control. Overall, greater amounts of binder increased protein, hardness, texture, and gravy absorption. Spray dried plasma may be used as an alternative for egg white and whole egg in canned pet food.

PSIX-5 Spray Dried Plasma Increases Protein and Meat Inclusion in Extruded Dog Kibbles

Abstract A common goal for pet food manufacturers extruding dry kibbles is to increase meat inclusion and protein content in both grain and grain free formulas. When extruding high meat formulas, variation of moisture and fat of the incoming raw meat ingredients adds to the complexity of producing consistent quality kibbles meeting all specifications. Spray dried plasma (SDP) is a consistent high protein ingredient commonly utilized in wet pet food for water binding and fat emulsification characteristics and in dry kibble extrusion with meat meals and other dry ingredients to produce quality kibbles. Thus, the objective of two studies was to evaluate if meat inclusion levels could be increased in extruded formulas with the use of SDP. Tests were done at the Wenger technology testing center to evaluate combinations of SDP levels ranging from 2.5 to 20% with meat level feed rates ranging from 25 to 50%. The ability to produce kibbles was conducted utilizing both grain free and grain formulations. Processing conditions were monitored on the various formulations during production along with kibble outcome measurements such as ability to extrude, solids, protein, and durability. In the first study, extrusion of grain free formulations with 0% SDP resulted in meat inclusion limit at 35% feed rate. Addition of 5, 10, and 15% SDP in grain free formulas increased protein content of the extruded kibble but meat inclusion was limited at 35% feed rate. However, use of 20% SDP in grain free formulas allowed for greater inclusion of meat from 35% and up to 45% feed rate while maintaining kibble quality and increasing protein. Extrusion of a grain formulation with 0% SDP also resulted in limits of 35% feed rate of meat inclusion. Addition of 2.5, 5, 10, or 20% SDP to grain formulations allowed for meat inclusion feed rate to be increased up to 50% depending on levels of SDP used, and protein was increased in all combinations. The second study was completed to evaluate a longer run extrusion measuring ability to extrude, cook, and durability. Grain free formulas were run at 35% feed rate of meat with 5, 10, or 20% SDP and maintained cook and durability. Grain formulas were run at 45% feed rate of meat with 2.5, 5, and 10% SDP and maintained durability with further optimization of cook needed. Overall, SDP included in the formulation allows for greater feed rate of meat inclusion and maintain or increase protein and durability in the dry kibble. Thus, depending on target meat inclusion feed rates or protein levels, SDP may be used during the extrusion process to produce dry kibbles with high meat inclusion.

Determination of eleven total amino acids including cyst(e)ine by HPLC-DAD/FLD in complete dry and wet pet foods and their feed materials

A single-step analytical method for the simultaneous determination of eleven amino acids (Arginine, Histidine, Threonine, Tyrosine, Cystine, Valine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine) materials was developed and validated in complete pet food and feed. Samples were hydrolysed, purified using a polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) syringe filter, and then analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), equipped with photodiode array (DAD) and fluorometric (FLD) detectors, after an online pre-column derivatisation with o-phthalaldehyde. The use of two detection systems allows the simultaneous identification and quantification of different amino acids by a single chromatographic with high sensitivity and specificity. The chromatographic separations were carried out using an Advance Bio AAA column under a gradient mode with a mobile phase of acetonitrile, methanol, water (45:45:10), and a phosphate buffer solution. Linearity, precision, recovery, specificity, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were assessed. Linearity was evaluated over the range of 4–250 µM with diode array detector and 4–100 µM with the fluorometric detector. Method validation was carried out using certified reference materials; each analyte recovery ranged from 71% to 111% with a precision (CV%) less than 5%. Ninety one samples (ie, n = 30 dry and wet complete pet foods and n = 61 feed materials) were analysed using the validated method to define the nutritional quality of feed materials and to verify the completeness of complete pet foods for dogs and cats. All complete pet food samples complied with the minimum recommended levels of amino acids.

Nutrient and Maillard reaction product concentrations of commercially available pet foods and treats.

Thermal processing is used to produce most commercial pet foods and treats to improve safety, shelf life, nutritional characteristics, texture, and nutrient digestibility. However, heat treatments can degrade protein quality by damaging essential amino acids, as well as contribute to the Maillard reaction. The Maillard reaction forms melanoidins that favorably improve food qualities (e.g., color, flavor, aroma), but also form Maillard reaction products (MRP) and advanced glycation end-products that may negatively affect health. Because commercial pet diets are frequently fed to domestic cats and dogs throughout their lifetimes, it is critical to quantify MRP concentrations and understand the variables that influence their formation so future diets may be formulated with that in mind. Because few research studies on MRP in pet diets have been conducted, the goals of this study were to measure the MRP in commercial pet foods and treats, estimate pet MRP intake, and correlate MRP with dietary macronutrient concentrations. Fifty-three dry and wet dog foods, dog treats, and cat foods were analyzed for dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, acid-hydrolyzed fat, total dietary fiber, and gross energy using standard techniques. MRP were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS 9.4. Dry foods had lower reactive lysine concentrations and reactive lysine: total lysine ratios (indicator of damage) than wet foods. Wet foods had more fructoselysine (FRUC) than dry foods; however, dry dog treats contained more FRUC than wet dog treats. The greatest 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF) concentrations were measured in dry and wet dog foods, whereas the lowest HMF concentrations were measured in dry and wet cat foods. Based on dietary concentrations and estimated food intakes, dogs and cats fed wet foods are more likely to consume higher carboxymethyllysine and FRUC concentrations than those fed dry foods. However, dogs fed wet foods are more likely to consume higher HMF concentrations than those fed dry foods. In cats, those fed dry foods would consume higher HMF concentrations than those fed wet foods. We demonstrated that pet foods and treats contain highly variable MRP concentrations and depend on diet/treat type. In general, higher MRP concentrations were measured in wet pet foods and dry treats. While these findings are valuable, in vivo testing is needed to determine if and how MRP consumption affect pet health.

PSV-B-27 The effects of carbohydrate hydrocolloids on firmness, toughness, and expressible moisture of wet pet food

Abstract In a previous experiment, inclusion of guar gum, kappa carrageenan, locust bean gum, and xanthan gum were observed to influence the texture of wet pet food. However, limited published research has addressed their texture and water holding. Therefore, the objective was to quantify the differences in texture and expressible moisture (EM) due to common hydrocolloids in wet pet foods. Treatments included 1% dextrose (D) and 0.5% guar gum with either 0.5% dextrose (DG), 0.5% kappa carrageenan (KCG), 0.5% locust bean gum (LBG), or 0.5% xanthan gum (XGG) in a chicken-based product processed in three replicate batches. Processing occurred in a still retort at 121 °C and 144.79 kPa for an average 81.25 minute cook cycle and 79.58 minute cooling cycle. Texture analysis was conducted with a modified back extrusion while products remained in the can (n = 5) and firmness (peak force measurement) and toughness (positive area under the curve) were recorded during a 2 cm penetration. Expressible moisture was analyzed by centrifugal methods. Data were analyzed as a 1-way ANOVA with the fixed effect of treatment and the random effect of batch. Fisher’s LSD post hoc test was used to separate means. The KCG treatment exhibited the highest (P < 0.05) firmness (27.00 N) and D and DG the lowest (average 8.75 N) with LBG and XGG intermediate (average 15.59 N). More differentiation was noted in toughness, with D (67 N x mm) less tough (P < 0.05) than DG (117 N x mm). The D treatment had the highest (P < 0.05) EM (49.91%) and was the only treatment to separate into 2 phases. The LBG and XGG treatments had the lowest (P < 0.05) EM (average 16.54%) with DG and KCG intermediate (average 25.26%). Carbohydrate hydrocolloids utilize different mechanisms to provide structure, which likely caused the differences in texture and EM observed.

A Comparison of Key Essential Nutrients in Commercial Plant-Based Pet Foods Sold in Canada to American and European Canine and Feline Dietary Recommendations.

Simple SummaryPlant-based pet foods appear to be growing in popularity, but it is unclear how suitable these products are for dogs and cats, considering both species naturally consume diets rich in, or exclusively comprised of, animal tissues. Laboratory analyses of essential nutrients were performed on 26 plant-based diets available in Ontario, Canada in 2018, including 18 canine products (13 products labelled for adult maintenance, four for all life stages, one for puppy growth), 5 feline products (two for adult maintenance and three for all life stages), and 3 products labelled for both dogs and cats (one for adult maintenance and two for all life stages). The nutrient measurements were compared to industry standard nutrient profiles. Four products met the recommendations of the Association of American Feed Control Officials and one product the nutrient recommendations of the European Pet Food Industry Federation for adult dogs. No diets met recommended nutrient content for adult cats or growing puppies or kittens. Nutrients most commonly found to be insufficient were: sulfur amino acids, taurine, arachidonic acid, EPA and DHA, calcium phosphorus and vitamin D. These nutrients are all typically found in animal tissues, though non-animal sources are available, and require careful formulation or supplementation in products made without animal-derived ingredients. Compliance with Canadian labelling regulation and guidelines was poor. These problems do not appear to be exclusive to plant-based foods and have been demonstrated previously in commercially available animal-based products as well. This study demonstrates areas where manufacturers of plant-based pet foods must improve formulation and/or manufacturing practices to produce products appropriate for feeding cats and dogs.Plant-based foods intended for feeding dogs and cats are available in Canada, though few studies have examined the suitability of plant-based foods for dogs and cats. All commercial plant-based extruded and wet pet food products available in Ontario, Canada, in 2018 (n = 26) were acquired and analysed for energy, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, ash, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals and vitamins A, B12, D2 and D3. Results were compared with recommendations of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF). Thirteen products were labelled for adult canine maintenance, four for canine all life stages, one for puppy growth, two for adult feline maintenance, three for feline all life stages, one for adult maintenance of dogs and cats and two for all life stages of dogs and cats. Four products met AAFCO and one product met FEDIAF nutrient recommendations for canine maintenance. No diets met AAFCO or FEDIAF recommendations for feline maintenance or growth for either species. Nutrients most commonly found insufficient were: sulfur amino acids, taurine, arachidonic acid, EPA and DHA, calcium phosphorus and vitamin D. There were no nutrients unable to be provided from non-animal sources. Compliance with labelling guidelines was also poor, similar to other findings with commercial animal-based pet products. The results from this study indicate areas where producers of plant-based pet foods must improve to meet the industry recommended nutrient profiles and labelling requirements.

77 Chemical composition, texture and color analyses, and true metabolizabile energy of green banana flour in retorted diets for domestic cats

Abstract Green banana flour (GBF) has gained popularity for its health-promoting properties, since it is nutrient-rich, gluten-free, low in free sugars, and high in fiber, particularly resistant starch type 2 and pectin. Resistant starch helps promote gut health, and pectin could act as a natural thickening agent for manufacturing. Also, GBF may contribute a natural brown color to finished products. The objective of this pilot study was to determine the chemical composition of four commercially available GBFs and the effects of inclusion of these ingredients on texture, color and water binding characteristics in wet pet food products. Four types of GBF were analyzed to determine their nutritional composition. Canned foods containing four sources of green banana flour in different amounts were tested for their effects on texture and/or color of the products. For the chemical composition, all four GBF had high resistant starch concentration, ranging from 28.4% to 40.9%, and low free sugar concentration (1.8% to 7.5%). Crude protein and acid hydrolyzed fat concentrations were below 6% and 4% for all GBF tested, respectively. Texture analyses showed that hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, resilience, and firmness/toughness of canned foods containing GBF were similar to at least one of the commercial diets tested (P >0.05). Using CIE L*a*b* for color parameter, lightness was variable among commercial diets (L* ranged from 24.55 to 36.75) and canned food containing GBF (35.60 to 63.41) (P < 0.05). Redness and yellowness of experimental diets were similar to those of commercial food (P >0.05), with a* ranging from 4.67 to 11.29 and b* from 13.58 to 24.26. Overall, GBF has potential to be a functional ingredient for pet food due to its high resistant starch and low free sugar content, and the resulting product is similar in texture and color to commercial wet pet foods.

78 The effects of guar gum and other select gums and gelling carbohydrates on appearance, texture, and heating characteristics of wet pet foods

Abstract Many wet pet foods include carbohydrate ingredients that enhance viscosity for container filling or provide structure after processing. These gums and gels can cause differences in commercial sterilization as well as visible changes in product quality. Therefore, the objective was to determine the effect of different gums and gelling carbohydrates on the appearance, texture, and thermal processing metrics of wet pet foods. Treatments were added to a chicken-based formula as 1% dextrose (NH), 0.5% guar gum and 0.5% dextrose (GG), 0.5% guar gum and 0.5% kappa carrageenan (KCGG), 0.5% guar gum and 0.5% locust bean gum (LBGGG), or 0.5% guar gum and 0.5% xanthan gum (XGGG). Batters were analyzed for pH, water activity, and consistency with a Bostwick consistometer as a crude indication of viscosity. Thermocouples were placed in cans to measure cold-spot temperatures for Fo and cook-value calculations. Replicate batches (n = 3) included each treatment and were commercially sterilized in a still retort at 121 ℃ and 144.79 kPa. Can vacuum and product color (colorimetry) were measured after cans cooled to ambient temperatures. Treatments were analyzed as a 1-way ANOVA with batch as a blocking factor. Means were separated by Fisher’s LSD using statistical analysis software (GLIMMIX; SAS 9.4). Batter consistency thickened (P < 0.05) with increasing levels of gums and gelling carbohydrates. Batter pH, batter water activity, and can vacuum were not different (P > 0.05) among treatments (averaging 5.94, 0.990, and -12.9 kPa, respectively). The NH treatment accumulated the greatest (P < 0.05) Fo and cook values during the cook cycle compared to all other treatments. The NH and GG treatments were more (P < 0.05) red and yellow than KCGG, LBGGG, and XGGG. Gums and gelling carbohydrates influenced the rate of heat penetration of the foods, likely due to the differences in batter consistency, and affected product color and physical characteristics.

PSVI-26 Insect meals as novel protein sources in wet pet foods for adult cats

Abstract As the human and pet populations increase, the human and pet food industries will experience a greater demand for animal-based protein sources. Finding alternative proteins that are nutritional adequate and safe for companion animals may contribute to diversification of protein sources and lower the demand for animal-based protein in pet food products. However, limited information is available on the nutritional value of insects for pet animals. Thus, the object of this study was to evaluate three different insect meals, Speckled cockroach (SC; Nauphoeta cinerea), Madagascar hissing cockroach (MC; Gromphadorhina portentosa) and superworm (SW; Zophobas morio larvae), added at the expense of chicken meal (control diet), as protein sources in retorted feline diets. This study was a complete randomized design, with a total of 28 cats (mean age = 2.1 ± 0.03 yr; mean BW= 4.9 ± 0.8 kg) randomly assigned to 1 of the 4 dietary treatments. All animal procedures were approved by the University of Illinois Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. All diet formulated meet or exceed the AAFCO (2018) nutrient profile. The experimental period was 28 d in length, with 7 d of diet adaptation (control diet) followed by 21 of feeding the assigned experimental diets. Fecal samples were collected at the last 4 d of experiment. All diets were well digested by the cats, and apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter (86.5–88.1%), organic matter (88.9–90.6%), fat (90.1–92.3%), crude protein (86.3–89.4%) did not differ among treatments (P > 0.05). Fecal scores were not affected by dietary treatment, ranging from 1.8 to 2.2 (5–point scale). Similarly, fecal branched-chain fatty acids, indole and phenol concentrations did not differ among treatments. Overall, the selected insect meals tested herein had no negative effects on macronutrient digestibility, fecal characteristics and metabolites, or overall health of adult cats.

PET FOOD ON THE MARKET OF UKRAINE

Domestic and foreign production pet food has been subject to state authorization in Ukraine for 20 years. Each prescription of the finished product provided authorization, so the process of their manufacturing and turnover met the requirements of national legislation, which ensured their rational use. The new Law of Ukraine “On Feed Safety and Hygiene” adopted in 2017 brought Ukrainian legislation closer to the norms in force in the EU Member States. However, this Law introduced a new system of authorization of feed additives, but not the finished feed. Requirements for feed production are supervised by a number of regulations, which include the requirements of the European Federation of Food Manufacturers (FEDIAF) for animals and the ISO 22 000 standard, which ensures hygiene, quality, and safety of use.
 The manuscript illustrates the analysis of the authorized pet food in Ukraine during 2015- 2019, which is necessary for the further development of the domestic market of these products.
 The prime purpose of this study was the quantitative and qualitative analysis of feed for non- productive animals with the determination of their percentages in the list of the authorized, which differ in types, production forms, animal species for which they are intended. Regulatory stipulations for pet food include mandatory requirements for determining their species, categories, and quantities of feed additives, feed materials, and labeling.
 The presented characteristics of available pet food on the Ukrainian market during 2015-2019 showed that the broad majority of feeds, 91%, were imported. The compound pet food dominated the study list, and dietary pet food accounted for only 6% of the total range. Pet food is dry and wet or semi-moist. The results of the study revealed the share of dry and wet feeds, and the specifics of their production forms identified. The most common in the list of analyzed pet food was dry, intended for all types of non-productive animals. Wet pet food occupies a slightly smaller share, mainly used for dogs and cats. Dry pet food in the form of pellets and wet pet food in the form of meat or fish pieces were the main groups of food for dogs and cats.
 This study showed that imported pet food products for non-productive animals dominated in the Ukrainian market, but a tendency to introduce domestic pet food by increasing production by leading national companies present.

Profiling Italian cat and dog owners\u2019 perceptions of pet food quality traits

BackgroundOver recent years, pet owners have started to demonstrate increased sensitivity toward their companion animals, which includes an increase in the attention paid towards their nutrition, seen as a way of safeguarding their pets’ welfare. The aim of this study was to identify how pet food quality traits are perceived as being the most important by dog and cat owners. To this end, a survey of dog and cat owners was conducted by means of a questionnaire distributed in pet stores and trade fairs throughout Italy.ResultsA total of 935 surveys were collected; 61.8% of which were compiled by female pet owners. The respondents were relatively homogeneously distributed between cat (30.8%), dog (39.4%), and cat and dog (29.8%) owners. A quarter of the owners (25.5%) reported to have asked their veterinarian for advice on which pet food to buy, and almost a third (30.4%) trusted the advice posted on the web sites of well-known brands. “Contains natural ingredients” was the characteristic that obtained the highest mean score (4.3 out of 5).Elderly owners (> 65 years) placed most importance on whether a product had a high price, and least on feed appearance, animal satisfaction, and stool quality. Young owners (< 35y) paid most attention to the stool quality, the percentage of protein in the feed, and the presence of recyclable packaging, and least attention to feed appearance, smell, and animal satisfaction. Feed appearance, smell, a higher cost, and certain label indications (protein content, presence of fresh meat, grain free) were mostly important among the buyers of wet pet food. Some specific differences also emerged between dog, cat, and dog and cat owners.ConclusionsIn this survey of Italian pet food buyers, the presence of “natural” ingredients was considered to be the most important indicator of pet food quality, whereas characterized by a high price was considered least important. The data obtained from this survey could be used to help pet food companies identify which pet food quality traits are perceived as important by dog and cat owners.

Phosphorus and sodium contents in commercial wet foods for dogs and cats.

It has been reported that wet foods for dogs and cats have high levels of sodium and phosphorus due to their composition. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the sodium and phosphorus contents in wet pet foods, and compare it to daily requirements for both species. Twenty‐five commercial wet foods for adult animals were evaluated, 13 for dogs and 12 for cats. The analyses’ results were compared to the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF 2018) recommendations. All foods contained phosphorus and sodium amounts above minimum requirements. Three wet foods for dogs exceeded the safe upper limit for phosphorus, and four wet foods for dogs and three for cats exceeded 3.75 g of sodium/1,000 kcal metabolizable energy (ME), considered safe by FEDIAF. No studies were found at the present time evaluating whether higher sodium levels are safe for dogs and cats; however, consumption of high phosphorus diets has been associated with adverse effects on renal function parameters. Therefore, more studies are necessary to investigate the health implications of phosphorus and sodium concentrations observed in some foods evaluated in this research.

Carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of commercial dog food in Brazil.

BackgroundBrazil is a low- to medium-income country and has the second largest pet food market in the world with 8% of world pet food consumption. The lowest-income social class spends around 17% of their domestic budget on pet food and other items related to pets. Consumers are frequently misled by advertising as there is no precise information about the main sources of protein, carbohydrates and fat in the labels, and the Brazilian pet food industry can legally claim that their products contain certain items like salmon or beef even if they use just a flavoring compound.MethodsThe stable isotope methodology compares the stable isotope ratios of carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N) between source and product. The 13C/12C ratio of a specific product (e.g., dog food) reveals the proportions of C4 (maize) and C3 (soybean, rice and wheat) plants in that product and the 15N/14N ratio reveals the proportion of the compounds derived from animals. With this isotopic data, we used MixSIAR, a Bayesian stable isotope-mixing model, to estimate the proportion of maize, grains, poultry and beef in dog food.ResultsThe δ13C values of dry dog food ranged from −24.2‰ to −12.8‰, with an average (± standard-deviation) of −17.1‰ ± 2.8‰. The δ13C values of wet pet food ranged from −25.4‰ to −16.9‰, with an average (± standard-deviation) of −21.2‰ ± 2.4‰, which was significantly lower (p < 0.01). The δ15N values of the dry and wet food ranged from 1.7‰ to 4.2‰, and from 0.5‰ to 5.5‰, respectively. The average δ15N values of dry food (2.9‰ ± 0.5‰) was not higher than the wet food (2.6‰ ± 1.3‰) (p > 0.01). The output of the MixSIAR showed a low proportion of bovine products in dry dog food samples. On the other hand, poultry was obviously the dominant ingredient present in most of the samples. Maize was the second dominant ingredient. Wet and dry dog food showed similar isotopic analysis results. The only difference was a lower proportion of maize and higher proportion of grains in wet dog food.DiscussionThe main finding is that dog food in Brazil is mostly made of approximately 60% (ranging from 32% to 86%) animal-based and 40% (ranging from 14% to 67%) plant-based products. Poultry and maize are the main ingredients. Poultry is added as a by-product or meal, which avoids competition between dogs and humans for meat products, while they can compete for maize. On the other hand, a large proportion of plant-based products in dog food decreases the energy and environmental footprint, since plant-based food products tend to be less harmful compared to animal-based products. Labels can mislead consumers by showing pictures of items that are not necessarily part of the product composition and by not showing the detailed information on the proportion of each ingredient. This information would allow customers to make their own choices considering their pet’s nutrition, the competition between animals and humans for resources and environmental sustainability.

392 Vitamin Stability in wet pet food Formulation and Production perspective.

Vitamins are organic elements that are essential for physiological functions. Synthetic vitamins are added to commercial pet food with complete and balanced claims to meet the requirements established by the AAFCO. Vitamins are a group of diverse compounds that vary in their stability and susceptibility to destruction by physical and chemical agents. Vitamin stability in premixes and finished foods during storage can be affected by multiple stresses such as mixture composition, humidity, temperature, light and chemical reactions such as oxidation. Trace minerals blended with vitamins can cause redox reactions that can significantly impact the stability of vitamins. Vitamin manufacturers have made improvements in fat soluble vitamin stability, including vitamin A & D3 cross-linked beadlets and vitamin E acetate that are more stable to heat and storage compared to non-cross linked natural forms. Despite the advent of more heat stable vitamin sources, thermal processes such as extrusion and retort still have an effect on vitamins and is primarily a function of temperature, time, pH, moisture content and the presence of compounds such as sulfite and thiaminase enzyme from fish that can exacerbate thiamine losses. Thiaminase enzyme is believed to be destroyed by cooking fish to 83◦C, however its effect on thiamine destruction was not effective until the fish was cooked to 121◦C. Studies on the effect of extrusion and retort process on severity of vitamin stability are scarce, however, existing literatures indicate that thiamine stability is less with retort compared to extrusion process. Among twenty-two commercial cat foods that were recalled for low thiamine since 2010, seventeen of them were canned cat food and 5 extruded dry cat foods. This review will examine vitamin stability during storage, retort process and during finished product shelf life, and will also provide formulation considerations.

Undeclared animal species in dry and wet novel and hydrolyzed protein diets for dogs and cats detected by microarray analysis

BackgroundAlthough the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) stated that labels must be accurate and provide detailed information on the ingredients, mislabeling of pet food has been documented by several authors. This phenomenon is of particular concern when related to products used as elimination diets for the diagnosis of adverse food reaction (AFR) in dogs and cats because the presence of undeclared ingredients may negatively interfere with the trial and prevent the veterinarian from making an appropriate diagnosis. The aim of this study was to shed light upon the problem of contamination and mislabeling in both dry and wet novel protein diets (NPDs) and hydrolyzed protein diets (HPDs) using a microarray-based commercial kit which tests for the presence of 19 animal species.ResultsOf the 40 analyzed products (9 dry NPDs, 22 wet NPDs, 6 dry HPDs and 3 wet HPDs), ten presented a content that correctly matched the label, while five did not contain the declared animal species, twenty-three revealed the presence of undeclared animal species, and two had a vague label that did not allow the evaluation of its accuracy. The most frequently contaminants identified in both dry and wet pet foods were pork, chicken and turkey. The presence of undeclared animal species was higher in dry than wet pet foods; furthermore, a lower number of contaminating animal species was identified in HPDs than NPDs (4 vs 10), and a lower number of contaminated HPDs (6 out of 9, 67%) than contaminated NPDs was detected (24 out of 31, 77%). Thirteen out of 14 brands tested presented at least one mislabeled product.ConclusionsMislabeling seems to be a widespread issue in pet foods used as elimination diets. Contamination can occur in all types of products used for the purpose, although dry NPDs are the main issue. Due to the high risk of contamination, particular attention should be given to both the selection of raw material suppliers and the production process.

226 Retention of thiamine and other water soluble vitamins in a wet pet food application

226 Retention of thiamine and other water soluble vitamins in a wet pet food application