Pet food trends are likely to follow human food trends. Sustainability and health have been prominent issues for a while now. Dog owners are therefore more likely to demand healthy and natural dog food for their beloved pets. Of course, the same goes for other animals, such as cats and rodents. But what are suitable natural ingredients for pet food? And why is sustainability in pet food important? Find out in this article.

Natural Ingredients for a sustainable Planet

Climate change is becoming an increasingly important issue. This raises the question of how we produce our food. Of course, this does not stop at human food. There are millions of dogs in the world and they need to be fed on a daily basis. Where does their food come from? Minimizing food waste is important. It is therefore recommended to choose ingredients that reduce environmental impact. Do not choose ingredients that are grown specifically for pet food. Use leftovers instead, also called by-products or co-products. Potato peels or bits of carrots are perfectly healthy choices for pet food. This nutritious food would otherwise be thrown away, but now has a brand-new purpose. That is twice as sustainable than using new vegetables that are grown for this purpose.

 

Plant-based ingredients versus Meat ingredients

Plants have considerably less impact on the earth than meat. Plant-based ingredients are therefore a sustainable choice for dog food. Still, some pet owners might argue that dogs are carnivores and that they need meat protein. Is a plant-based diet healthy for these animals? Studies have shown that a plant-based diet is a perfectly healthy choice for dogs, as long as this diet is balanced and complete. It is important they include all the right proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. This makes it extra important to choose the right kind of ingredients. No artificial or second-grade vegetables, but healthy food full of fibres and vitamins. Such as potatoes, carrots and chicory. Pet food with these ingredients can be labelled as quality dog food that is both healthy and natural.

 

What are the Best Natural Ingredients for Dog Food?

It is clear that plant-based ingredients are a good choice for dog food and pet food in general. But which ingredients do you choose? There are plenty of ingredients to choose from for both wet dog food and dry dog food. Potatoes are both a healthy and a practical choice. For instance, it improves the texture of pet food during pelletization and extrusion processes. It also provides structure properties in kibble and wet pet foods. There is plenty of versatility within this food group: you can choose from potato flakes, potato fibres or potato starch. Potato starch is a universal binder and thickener for pet food. You can also opt for a variety of fruits and vegetables, such as carrot, spinach powder or pumpkin flakes. Both potatoes and vegetables are gluten and GMO-free and very suitable for grain-free pet food. Each of these ingredients contain the vitamins and fibres that an animal needs. Of course, you can combine multiple ingredients to create a unique and even more complete pet food.

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Duynie Ingredients: expert at natural ingredients for Dog Food

Are you looking for natural ingredients for dry Dog Food? Duynie Ingredients is your partner in this field. Our pet food ingredients are 100% sustainable and of high quality. You can make various pet foods with our wide range of ingredients. Got any special requests? Contact our experts, we are happy to customize the ingredients for you!

 

Source: Duynie Ingredientes


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