From Claim to Credibility: The Case for Research-Backed Pet Food Ingredients

The pet food industry is unique in that of all the 602 standard pet food ingredients used today, 44% of them are upcycled, which means that they are derived from animal and plant sources that would not be used in human food. This makes pet food a great source to utilize ingredients that otherwise would be wasted, and reduces the competition between human food and pet food for ingredients that span both categories.
 

This becomes increasingly important as currently 9% of the world's population is considered hungry, according to a recent report by the World Health Organization. Unfortunately, these upcycled ingredients may not be viewed as premium ingredients by consumers who have decided that descriptions such as 'by-product' are not good for their pets. Many times, these decisions are not based on nutritional research but on messaging from pet food companies. Starches, flours, and functional dietary fibers have been described by many pet food brands as 'fillers,' when there actually is no definitive or regulatory definition for that term. In most cases, these ingredients not only provide nutritional value for pets but also deliver functional benefits that make the pet food easier to actually manufacture.   
 

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Precision Innovation in Pet Food

New pet food ingredients and categories have become more popular. The pet food protein category has seen many new entries and continues to see new types of proteins entering the market. Examples of these proteins include cultured meat, insect-based, bacteria- and yeast-based cultures, and upcycled food ingredients. All these new and novel pet food proteins collectively have the potential to help decrease the competition of using animal-based proteins in pet food that could be used in the human food supply. Each one has valid reasons for use, including sustainability, low carbon footprint, as well as delivering needed alternative protein sources for pet food in a competitive landscape. 
 

Beyond protein, it is well accepted that Omega-3 fatty acids can help deliver benefits such as skin and coat support, joint health, cognitive health, as well as immune benefits to pets. Most of the Omega-3 fatty acids in pet food, such as EPA and DHA, come from fish oil. As with animal protein ingredients, there is higher competition for fish oil products in human goods when compared to pet food and pet supplement use. Microalgae products have become more prevalent in the pet food world, being described as more sustainable alternatives to fish oil and helping to decrease the reliance on fish oil to deliver the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. 
 

Another new trend in the past few years is the promotion of postbiotics. These are inactivated microorganisms, such as yeast or bacteria, and their components that are released after probiotics are no longer alive, which have many health benefits, including digestive health, immune support, and even oral health benefits for pets. Another claimed benefit is that they do not require live bacteria like probiotics do, which may make them more user-friendly in pet food manufacturing.
 

These are all examples of new pet food ingredients and categories. Many of these novel pet food ingredients have the potential to help deliver functional benefits to our pets, as well as contribute to the sustainability of the pet food industry as a whole. However, when it comes to the business of the pet food industry, there is a lot of competition in the ingredient space. Many of these newer ingredients come at a premium price when compared to their traditional ingredient counterparts. This means that even though pet food brands may want to use them in products because of the benefits and claims they provide, they have to be affordable and must deliver value that the pet food company and consumer understand. 
 

A good way to determine the value of an ingredient is by looking at the extent of research that has been done by the ingredient company to substantiate the claims they promote. Pet food ingredient companies should be conducting feeding study research to validate the claims they make. In vitro (laboratory) studies are helpful for screening tests. However, to actually demonstrate ingredient value, the pet food ingredient industry should be conducting feeding studies to show health benefits in pets. Long-term feeding studies using new ingredients and measuring health parameters are sorely needed to gain credibility for ingredient companies. 
 

Ingredient companies should be working with experts in nutrition, physiology, and veterinary medicine, such as those at BSM Partners, to design, implement, and interpret clinical research to help substantiate claims and deliver the value that pet food brands and consumers deserve. After all, if ingredient suppliers and pet food brands don't do feeding studies with their products before they hit the market, pet parents' companions become the defacto study subjects and nobody wants that.


By Bradley Ques
Source: BSM Partners

About the Author
Dr. Bradley Quest, DVM, is the Principal Veterinarian at BSM Partners. He has practiced clinical veterinary medicine, developed and tested hundreds of pet food and health products, performs extensive animal health research, and helps navigate pet food ingredient approval for clients.