Dog and Cat Food Processing: Our Daily Challenge

Pet foods are currently classified into three categories: complete, complementary, and specific, whether dry or wet. Within each category, companies develop sub-segments to meet the needs of different animal profiles, such as senior pets, athletic animals, and obese pets, among others. The search for alternative diets, functional ingredients, and more sustainable solutions has shown steady growth. This movement has driven intensive research to ensure that products deliver not only adequate nutrition but also additional health benefits, improved quality of life, and a reduced environmental footprint.
 

To achieve all of this, the industry no longer relies solely on robust equipment or generic formulations for dogs and cats. More than ever, manufacturers must be connected in real time to every stage of the process, with each department involved in the production of pet food. Machines, sensors, software, and people, therefore, need to operate in an integrated manner so that production continuously adapts to the process and improves over time. By combining automation, data, and technical expertise, an automated plant transforms production into a dynamic, intelligent system capable of continuous evolution.

More publisher content

Ingredients and Trends in the Pet Food Sector in 2025 (Part 1)

Josiane Volpato

Daily Manufactured Innovation

The achieved precision at each stage of the process—extrusion, drying, and coating— is a practical example of how this approach is carried out. An automated system enables:
 

• Precise, automated dosing of micro-ingredients, especially in complementary foods that require a high level of accuracy.
• Automated control and inclusion of fresh meat, meals, and oils.
• High-tech laboratories that analyze all raw materials upon reception.
• Aligned NIR systems with just-in-time results, enabling immediate adjustments when required.
• Minimization of variations that affect digestibility and palatability.
• Fully digital traceability, from raw material intake to finished product.
• Automation of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) helps identify bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement.
   

In extrusion, one of the most critical steps in kibble manufacturing, the process is significantly optimized through automation:
 

• Temperature and pressure control in each extruder zone.
• Screw speed control.
• Steam and water addition as required.
• Greater baking consistency, which improves digestibility, texture, and kibble durability.
• More homogeneous kibble density and expansion, with improved starch gelatinization and reduced waste.
• Automatic recording of process parameters, ensuring traceability and batch-to-batch standardization.
   

The drying stage is crucial for removing moisture and controlling water activity, both of which directly contribute to microbiological safety. Moisture also affects palatability: dogs tend to prefer slightly higher-moisture foods, while cats generally accept drier products. For this reason, the integration of sensors and intelligent software in dryers is critical to prevent under- or overprocessing and to ensure that each batch reaches the exact target moisture content. This level of precision ensures stability, safety, and palatability aligned with the specific requirements of each species.
 

Another key step is coating, a particularly delicate stage in the manufacturing of dry pet food. Today, the market offers more advanced coating systems, such as vacuum batch processing equipment, which allows highly precise ingredient application. This level of control directly impacts palatability, oxidative stability, and final product acceptance, ensuring superior sensory performance and overall food quality.
 

Automation enables much more robust and accessible traceability. With integrated systems, each batch can be tracked from raw material to finished product, ensuring:
 

• Rapid identification of non-conformities.
• More efficient responses in case of product recalls.
• Greater transparency for consumers.
• Complete, auditable history of every stage of the process.
   

This traceability is especially critical in the production of complementary and therapeutic foods, where any nutritional deviations may compromise product efficacy. Through digitalized controls, the industry ensures precision, consistency, and total batch safety for pet consumption.

The Importance of Labeling

Labelling is another equally essential step to ensuring that all mandatory information is present and accurate, in compliance with the legislation of each country.
 

At this stage, it is crucial to involve representatives from all areas of the production chain—including Regulatory Affairs, Quality Control, Research and Development, Packaging, and Marketing. This integration ensures that labeling and packaging are developed safely and efficiently, without rework, while remaining compatible with filling lines and attractive to the end consumer. Technology also plays an increasingly important role in this process. Many companies now utilize specialized software that automatically checks label descriptions against each version. It compares information, detects inconsistencies, and significantly reduces the risk of human error. With automation, greater document security, faster review processes, and higher reliability in final label approval are obtained.
 

Another topic gaining increasing relevance in the pet food industry—and one that directly impacts the entire production chain—is sustainability. Far from being just a trend, sustainability has become a strategic pillar guiding decisions from raw material selection to packaging development and industrial process design. Implementing sustainability in the pet food industry is a complex challenge, as it requires balancing production efficiency, costs, and regulatory requirements while also meeting consumer expectations that are increasingly influenced by environmental awareness. The supply chain is complex: it depends on both animal- and plant-based ingredients, requires large volumes of water and energy, and relies on high-barrier packaging that is often difficult to recycle.
 

Nevertheless, the sector has made consistent progress. An increasing number of companies are incorporating innovative raw materials, so-called super proteins, including insect meals, which offer a reduced environmental footprint and excellent nutritional value. At the same time, there is a growing internal movement to reduce water and energy consumption, reuse resources, monitor and mitigate CO₂ emissions, and develop 100% recyclable mono-material packaging, facilitating reintegration into the production cycle and reducing environmental impact.
 

An even more strategic step is the adoption of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a tool that quantifies the environmental impact of a product from the origin of its ingredients to its destination. Companies that already apply LCA stand out for making data-based decisions, identifying critical points, and directing their efforts more effectively—whether in raw material selection, process efficiency, or packaging sustainability. LCA is considered one of the key trends shaping the future of the industry and a competitive advantage for organizations genuinely committed to reducing environmental impact across all stages of the value chain.
 

By combining innovation, responsibility, and a long-term vision, the pet food industry demonstrates that sustainability is not merely rhetoric, but an irreversible path and a tangible opportunity to create better products, more efficient processes, and a more balanced future for the planet and coming generations. This underscores that the challenge of producing pet food goes far beyond formulation or ingredient selection; it involves a complex chain that depends on technology, integration, rigorous control, and continuous innovation.
 

By Josiane Volpato and Juliana Soares Brazorotto
Source: All Pet Food Magazine