top of page
Search

Pet Food Industry: A Hidden but Emerging Sector

  • Writer: The Edible Science
    The Edible Science
  • May 9, 2021
  • 4 min read

Being a food technologist, we always talk about food for humans. New variants are put forward to please the taste buds of the consumers on a regular basis. The technologies developed so far aimed for the development of food products with good taste and nutrients. Some of the most common technologies are retort processing, extrusion technology, baking, freeze-drying, etc. All such technologies have not only increased the number of new products in the market but have also enhanced the nutritional value of the product.


But humans are not alone on this planet. We live with animals. In fact, a wide percentage of the population loves to keep pets. Pet keeping comes with a great sense of responsibility. Taking care of pets starts with providing a good nutritious diet to them. What do you all think; is the food we eat suitable for animals too? Do they have same dietary requirements as we do? There are various pet food brands and varieties available in the market, claiming to provide good health to pets. Did you wonder how these products are made? Is there a role of a food technologist in it? All such questions came into my mind when I searched for pet food for the first time. It made me curious to know how a food technologist can contribute in this sector. Does it really worth working in this sector?


Globally, pet food market was valued at 83.02 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.5% from 2019 to 2025. One of the major reasons for the increase in demand of pet foods is the rising consumer awareness about pet health. Enhancing the weight of the pets and maintaining their overall health are the major concerns of the pet owners for which manufacturers have launched various premium products in the market. Generally, the processed pet food is described in three forms: Canned food, semi-moist, and dry food.

  • Canned food is high moisture food (70-85%), loved by all pets. This product is cooked at high temperature for the sterilization (retort process). It has a long shelf life and comes in cans, trays, or pouches in the form of meatloaf or chunks in jelly or gravy. The major drawback of canned food is the low nutrient density as high moisture content of the food results in a low amount of nutrients available in the product henceforth; it’s generally mixed with other products before serving to pets.

  • The semi-moist food contains comparatively less moisture (15-30%) but this product is generally not preferred. The reason behind this is the presence of a high level of additives and flavours. In order to protect the product from spoilage, humectants are added such as glycerol, propylene glycol or sugar which tie-up the water and prevent the spoilage of the product even at the room temperature storage.

  • Dry food is generally known as kibbles with a moisture content of 5-12%. It is a complete food with a good shelf life. In these products, nutrient density is high, henceforth adopted by a wide range of customers.

Among all the three forms, the processing of dry food requires extrusion technology. The product development occurs in 4 steps:

  • Ingredient preparation: It requires mixing of the grain flour, meat flour, and other nutrients as per the standard recipe.

  • Extrusion Cooking: This process provides shape and texture to the product along with proper cooking. The cooking process causes the sterilization as well as increases the digestibility of the product by triggering protein denaturation and starch gelatinization.

  • Product processing: Once the product is cooked, it is cut in the desired size to make it suitable for further processing and packaging

  • Drying and Cooling: The product is dried at high temperature followed by rapid cooling to prevent the loss of flavour, aroma, and quality of the product.

Like various regulatory bodies, FSSAI, CODEX, European Union, etc., there are organizations that take care of pet foods. Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) writes all the rules for feed and pet food, which include all the allowed ingredients, labelling laws, and nutrient requirements. Moreover, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the overall quality and safety attributes of the pet food, similarly as other food items.


The nutrient requirements of pets are very different from humans that need to be taken care of while having pets. As per the AFFCO, the nutritional requirements for cats and dogs are different, as described in table mentioned here. All these requirements need to be considered while formulating a food product for them.








In India, various organizations have their brands of pet food. Mars Pet Nutrition, Indian Broiler Group (Drools), Stylam Sydney, Cargill Inc., Nestlé (Purina Petcare) and Himalaya Drug Co. are some of the leading brands in the category.

These are just the glimpses of the pet food industry. There are many things to learn and analyze if someone is interested in being a part of it. Various technologies have already been developed for the pet food manufacturing but this industry still require research and development to produce more nutritious food for the pets. It can be a good scope for the food technologists in future.



References:

 
 
 

コメント

5つ星のうち0と評価されています。
まだ評価がありません
評価を追加

© 2020 by The Edible Science

bottom of page