Retorting conditions affect palatability and physical characteristics of canned cat food

Green banana flour as a novel functional ingredient in retorted feline diets

Green banana flour (GBF) is a novel ingredient that is high in resistant starch and could be a dietary fiber source in companion animal nutrition. In addition, with its light brown color and pectin content, GBF could potentially serve as a natural color additive and thickening agent in pet food manufacturing. The purpose of this research is to evaluate different sources of GBF, the effect of GBF on texture and color in canned foods, and its effect on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), fecal characteristics, and fecal fermentative end-products in healthy adult cats. Prior to the feline study, different sources of GBF were analyzed for chemical composition, manufacturing properties, true metabolizable energy, and fermentability. For the feline feeding trial, all treatment diets were formulated to meet or exceed the Association of American Feed Control Officials (Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) 2020. Official Publication. Champaign, IL.) guidelines for adult cat maintenance. There were five dietary treatments: rice control (4% rice flour), potato control (4% dehydrated potato flakes), 1% GBF (1% GBF and 3% rice flour), 2% GBF (2% GBF and 2% rice flour), and 4% GBF. All treatment diets were analyzed for texture and color. The animal study was conducted using a completely randomized design with 39 adult domestic cats. There was a 7-d diet adaptation period followed by a baseline fresh fecal collection to determine fecal score, pH, short-chain fatty acid, branched-chain fatty acid, phenol, indole, ammonia, and microbiota. The treatment period lasted for 21 d and a total fecal collection was performed during the last 4 d of this period to determine the ATTD. A fresh fecal sample was also collected during the total fecal collection to evaluate fecal score, pH, metabolites, and microbiota. The MIXED model procedures of SAS version 9.4 were used for statistical analysis. Treatment diets containing GBF had a lower hardness from the texture profile analysis (P < 0.05). For color analysis, the 4% GBF diet was darker in color compared with the rice diet (P < 0.05). There was no difference in food intake, fecal output, or ATTD of macronutrients among the treatment groups (P > 0.05). There was no interaction of treatment and time or main effects shown in fecal score, pH, metabolites, or microbiota diversity (P > 0.05). In conclusion, adding GBF to canned diets may affect the texture and color of the product, but GBF was comparable to traditional carbohydrate sources, rice, and potato, from a nutritional aspect.

Drivers of Palatability for Cats and Dogs-What It Means for Pet Food Development

The pet food industry is an important sector of the pet care market that is growing rapidly. Whilst the number of new and innovative products continues to rise, research and development to assess product performance follows traditional palatability methodology. Pet food palatability research focuses on the amount of food consumed through use of one-bowl and two-bowl testing, but little understanding is given to why differences are observed, particularly at a fundamental ingredient level. This review will highlight the key differences in feeding behaviour and nutritional requirements between dogs and cats. The dominant pet food formats currently available and the ingredients commonly included in pet foods are also described. The current methods used for assessing pet food palatability and their limitations are outlined. The opportunities to utilise modern analytical methods to identify complete foods that are more palatable and understand the nutritional factors responsible for driving intake are discussed.

Phospholipid Fatty Acid Profiles of Plasma and Erythrocyte Membranes in Dogs Fed with Commercial Granulated Food

Intake of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) benefits human and animal health. Our study aimed to analyze the long-chain n-3 PUFA content of two types of food and their effect on plasma and erythrocyte phospholipids of Belgian Shepherd dogs. A total of 10 dogs were fed commercial granulated food (Food 1), and another 10 were provided commercial Premium granulated food of high quality (Food 2). All the analyses were performed using gas-liquid chromatography. Our results showed that Food 1 contained more n-3 PUFA than Food 2, which was reflected in higher n-3 PUFA in plasma and erythrocyte phospholipids. Because long-chain n-3 PUFA in phospholipids are precursors for antioxidative molecules, further studies should investigate the effects of the analyzed commercial granulated food rich in n-3 on oxidative stress parameters in dogs.

The Effects of Select Hydrocolloids on the Processing of Pâté-Style Canned Pet Food

Hydrocolloids are commonly used in canned pet food. However, their functional effects have not been quantified in this food format. The objective was to determine the effects of select hydrocolloids on batter consistency, heat penetration, and texture of canned pet food. Treatments were added to the formula as 1% dextrose (D) and 0.5% guar gum with 0.5% of either dextrose (DG), kappa carrageenan (KCG), locust bean gum (LBG), or xanthan gum (XGG). Data were analyzed as a 1-way ANOVA with batch as a random effect and separated by Fisher's LSD at p < 0.05. Batter consistency (distance traveled in 30 s) thickened with increasing levels of hydrocolloids (thinnest to thickest: 23.63 to 2.75 cm). The D treatment (12.08 min) accumulated greater lethality during the heating cycle compared to all others (average 9.09 min). The KCG treatment (27.00 N) was the firmest and D and DG (average 8.75 N) the softest with LBG and XGG (average 15.59 N) intermediate. Toughness was similar except D (67 N·mm) was less tough than DG (117 N·mm). The D treatment showed the greatest expressible moisture (49.91%), LBG and XGG the lowest (average 16.54%), and DG and KCG intermediate (average 25.26%). Hydrocolloids influenced heat penetration, likely due to differences in batter consistency, and affected finished product texture.

Investigating the Palatability of Lamb and Beef Components Used in the Production of Pet Food for Cats

The pet food industry continues to utilise large amounts of inedible meat components from the human food industry. Although used extensively in pet food formulations and as palatants, little is known about the palatability of individual meat components. The objectives of this study were to investigate the palatability of raw meat components commonly used in the production of pet food, using acceptance and preference testing. Those examined were lung, heart, kidney, tripe, liver and mechanically deboned meat (MDM) from lamb and beef. Two-bowl acceptance tests were used to develop an overall ranking of components within each species. Two-bowl preference tests between equivalent beef and lamb components were then used to determine whether a preference was exhibited for one species over the other. For the acceptance of components from lamb and beef, liver was the most palatable within both species, with kidney equivalent to liver when testing lamb components. The MDM was identified as the least palatable component from both species. When examining the preference between equivalent components between species, cats showed preferences for lamb over equivalent beef components, except for heart and liver which showed no difference in intake between the two species. Overall, cats were able to clearly rank the palatability of different components from lamb and beef, as well as between equivalent components from the two species. Selecting highly palatable ingredients whilst still meeting pet food manufacturing guidelines may play a role in improving overall diet palatability and acceptance by cats.