Transforming Suppliers into Innovation Partners in the Pet Food Industry

Raw Materials: The Source of Major Risks

In recent years, many countries have reported multiple recall incidents involving animal feed products, and scientific literature confirms a pattern familiar the sector: most contamination in pet food results from inadequate monitoring of raw materials or from ingredients purchased without an adequate technical history (Witaszak et al., 2020; Cheli et al., 2020).
 

The increasing onset of mycotoxins such as aflatoxins, DON, fumonisins, and zearalenone, as well as other contaminants in dog and cat food, demonstrates that agricultural ingredients and animal by-products pose specific risks to food safety and quality (Witaszak et al., 2020). This data reinforces a fundamental point: there is no connected plant without a connected supplier.

The Limits of Isolated Control Within Factories

When a manufacturer, especially a smaller operation, tries to build an isolated quality control system without technical collaboration at the upstream stage, its limitations quickly become apparent. This is because the natural variability of ingredients, such as corn, protein meals, animal by-products, and oils, cannot be fully controlled through incoming inspection alone.
 

More publisher content

Sustainable Pet Nutrition: Reducing the Carbon Footprint in the Supply Chain

Ludmila Barbi T. Bomcompagni

According to food safety literature, raw material specifications are the cornerstones of risk prevention, yet continue to be neglected, particularly by smaller plants (Cheli et al., 2020). Many manufacturers operate with simplified raw material descriptions, without analytical limits, a statistical database, or a clear understanding of the specific risks associated with each origin or crop.

The Supplier as an Intelligent Link in the Chain

Precisely at this point, the supplier becomes not just an input vendor, but a truly intelligent link in the chain. Technical suppliers have access to internal databases, batch-by-batch analysis, variation curves, harvest records, seasonal monitoring, and certified industrial processes.
 

When this data is shared, manufacturers gain immediate access to a layer of intelligence that would be extremely difficult to build on their own. What defines a truly connected plan is this structured information—a plant that is not only internally integrated but extended across the entire production chain (Integrated Mycotoxin Management System, 2021; Aung & Chang, 2014). 

Joint Development of Technical Specifications

The joint development of technical specifications is a clear example of how this connection changes the landscape. Historical-based specifications are significantly more effective at reducing deviations than generic models applied to all sources (Cheli et al., 2020).
 

A well-prepared supplier can help the manufacturer understand:
 

• The natural variability of ingredients.
• Expected limits of mycotoxins and other contaminants by region.
• Seasonal trends in moisture and composition.
• Appropriate analytical methods for each risk.
   

This collaboration reduces unnecessary rejections, minimizes process variability, and lowers formulation costs.

Mycotoxins: An Example of Strategic Partnership

Collaboration becomes even more strategic in the case of mycotoxins, one of the critical contaminants in pet food. The BIOMIN Mycotoxin Survey and other studies have shown that the presence of aflatoxins, DON, and fumonisins varies widely depending on season, region, and climatic conditions, reinforcing the need for continuous, shared monitoring (Cheli et al., 2020; Witaszak et al., 2020). In other words, a manufacturer that only analyzes what arrives at its gate is always reacting too late. Trend-based monitoring programs that consider seasonal patterns are far more effective than isolated analyses (Cheli et al., 2020). And who understands these trends better than the supplier, who follows the ingredient from the field through processing?

Traceability Starting with the Supplier

Connectivity is also reflected in traceability. The origin, production date, storage time, logistics route, laboratory analysis, and processing conditions are all part of the history of each batch that comes into the factory.
 

When suppliers make these data available in a structured way—through QR codes, digital reports, or integrated systems—manufacturers operate with far greater speed and confidence. Upstream traceability is one of the weakest points in the global pet food supply chain, and the most efficient way to strengthen it is to ensure that the information flows from the supplier (Aung & Chang, 2014).

Training and Qualification as Part of Connectivity

This relationship is not limited to documentation; it extends to technical training. Many of the errors that lead small plants to accept irregular batches are the result of inadequate sampling, misinterpretation of reports, or lack of awareness of the most likely risks. Studies show that even basic training for receiving teams significantly reduces the intake of out-of-spec raw materials (Integrated Mycotoxin Management System, 2021).
 

By providing these services, whether through training, consulting, or technical visits, suppliers effectively raise the plant's maturity level, helping it operate as a connected system even without major technological investments.

Hybrid Analytical Tools

The supplier-manufacturer connection translates into practical innovation through the use of hybrid analytical tools. When properly validated, rapid mycotoxin test kits correlate well with confirmatory methods and are recommended as part of contaminant detection systems (Cheli et al., 2020).
 

Small plants can adopt an efficient combination: rapid screening upon receipt, periodic validation in an accredited laboratory, and continuous analytical reports provided by the upstream partner. This approach reduces waste, accelerates decision-making, and enables more intelligent use of resources.

Conclusion

The literature also shows that plants operating with shared supplier data achieve better production predictability and lower cost variability (Integrated Mycotoxin Management System, 2021).
 

When suppliers and manufacturers operate as a single information network, the industry obtains safety, predictability, innovation, and competitiveness. The global pet food market—ever more demanding and risk-sensitive—depends on this intelligent integration, which begins before the production line and ends with safe, traceable, and stable food reaching the bowl.
 

By Ludmila Barbi Trindade Bomcompagni – All Pet Food
Source: All Pet Food Magazine
 

References

Aung, M. M., & Chang, Y. S. (2014). Trazabilidad en una cadena de suministro alimentaria: perspectivas de seguridad y calidad. Control de Alimentos, 39 años, 172184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2013.11.007

Cheli, F., Campagnoli, A., Dell'Orto, V. (2020). Herramientas de gestión de la contaminación por micotoxinas y estrategias eficientes en la industria de los piensos. Toxinas, 12(8), 480. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12080480

Witaszak, N., Waśkiewicz, A., Bocianowski, J., & Stępień, Ł. (2020). Contaminación de la comida para mascotas con micobiota y micotoxinas de fusarium—Céntrate en perros y gatos. Toxinas, 12(2), 130. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12020130

Sistema integrado de gestión de micotoxinas en la cadena de suministro de piensos: enfoques innovadores. (2021). Toxinas, 13(8), 572. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13080572