nutrition lecture 9

what are the myths and misconceptions concerning organic pet food diets

organic food is better for pets when compared to conventional food

what are the myths and misconceptions concerning raw diets

raw diets are better for dogs and cats then diets containing cooked products

what is the nutritional truth concerning raw diets

raw diets have known risks and unproven benefits

what are the myths and misconceptions concerning gluten-free diets

wheat gluten intolerance is common in dogs and cats

what is the nutritional truth concerning by-products

by products provide high quality protein, fat, vitamins and minerals

what are raw diets a public safety risk

cats and dogs can carry infection without showing signs and can pass pathogenic bacteria to people even when they do not have clinical signs of infection

what are the myths and misconceptions concerning "meal" vs "real meat"

consumers believe that "real meat" should be the first ingredient in a pet food and the "real meat" is better for their pet vs a "meal"

what is a common ingredient found in pet food?

corn

what is the nutritional truth concerning gluten free diets

gluten sensitivity has only been documented in a family of Irish setters and some border terriers (otherwise intolerance is very rare in dogs and cats)

what is the nutritional truth concerning "meal" vs "real meat"

having meat as the first ingredient r having meal in a pet food does not indicate anything about the pet foods quality

the FDA is currently investigating the correlation between feeding a grain free diet and what type of disease in dogs?

heart disease

products containing animal by-products include what?

internal organs such as liver, lung, spleen, and kidney

what does having meat as the 1st ingredient followed by a meal indicate

most of the protein and other nutrients in the pet food is coming from the meal, not the meat

what are the myths and misconceptions concerning natural pet food

natural indicates a safe, healthy, and nutritious product

what are the top common food allergens in dogs

beef, dairy products, chicken

what are the top common food allergens in cats

beef, fish, chicken

what are by products

-"secondary products produced in addition to the principal product" -parts of food producing animals not generally eaten by American consumers -can be plant based or from animal sources

if food is labeled as natural, what should it not contain

-added color -artificial flavors -synthetic substances

what vital roles do nutrients from by-products play in the body

-build and renew organs and muscles -support the immune system -supplying energy

what is a raw diet

-contains uncooked meat and/or other animal products, whether the meat is freeze dried, high pressure pasteurized, or completely raw -con contain: raw muscle or organ meat, bone, fat, vegetables, and/or fruit

what is the nutritional truth concerning corn in pet food and its nutritional value

-corn has high nutritional value -highly digestible once very finely ground -high quality protein source -linoleic acid (essential omega-6 fatty acid) -readily available energy from carbohydrate -vitamins and minerals

what are the myths and misconceptions concerning corn in pet food

-corn is a "filler" or an ingredient with little to no nutritional value -corn causes food allergies

what is the nutritional truth concerning corn in pet food and its ability to cause food allergy

-corn is responsible for less than 5% of food allergy cases -animal proteins are much more common food allergens -food allergies cause only 10-15% of total dermatology cases, making corn allergies responsible for less than 1% of skin disease

what questions should you ask yourself about a manufacturer when finding a high quality pet food

-does the company employ full-time qualified nutritional scientists and/or board certified nutritionists -does the company perform research using their products? what does that involve and how long do the trials last? -how does the company practice quality and food safety on the raw materials and finished products? -does the company perform nutritional research and are the studies published in peer-reviewed journals

what is wheat gluten

-gluten is the protein remaining from wheat once the starch has been removed -is highly digestible and provides essential amino acids

what are the nutritional truths concerning grain-free diets

-grain free diets contain alternative carbohydrate sources (may not be lower in carbohydrate content) -less than 1% of dogs and cats are sensitive to grains (allergies to animal based proteins are more common) -no current scientific evidence that grain-free pet foods are superior to those containing grains

what are the myths and misconceptions concerning grain-free diets

-have a low carbohydrate content -help prevent signs of adverse food reactions -are superior to pet foods containing grains

what is a "meal"

-meat/ poultry. fish that is dried with the fat +/- bones removed prior to inclusion in a pet food -meal is lighter weight, concentrated source of protein when compared to meat

what are the myths and misconceptions concerning by-products

-most consumers believe that by-products are "not fit for human consumption"

what are the nutritional truths concerning natural pet food

-no pet food can be 100% natural -common label: natural with added vitamins, minerals, and other trace nutrients -pet foods designated as "natural" are not necessarily safer, healthier or more nutritious compared to products not labeled as natural

what are the proposed benefits of raw diets

-no tartar buildup on teeth -no skin allergies or ear infections -no diarrhea -lean, fit body weight and condition -stronger immune system -long life

what are the known risks of raw diets

-nutritional inadequacy (excesses and/or deficiencies) -risk of obstruction and/or perforation from bones -food safety risk

what does organic mean?

-organic refers to the methods used to grow crops and raise livestock -standards are set by the USDA national organic program

what are the nutritional truths concerning organic pet food diets

-pet food companies describing their food as organic may include some ingredients not listed as organic -organic pet food does not necessarily contain more nutrients than conventional food -companies may also say "made with organic X" when the product is at least 70% organic

grains are cereal based carbohydrates including?

-rice -wheat -corn -barley -oats

grain free diets contain?

-tapioca -potato -sweet potato -beans

how do you determine if a pet food is high quality

-use foods produced by reputable companies -call the manufacturer and discuss the products with them

plant protein allergies account for approx. what % of food allergies

20%

for a product to be labeled as "organic" it must contain what % of organic ingredients?

95%

what does natural mean

a feed or ingredient derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources, either in its unprocessed state or having been subject to physical processing, heat, processing, rendering, purification, extraction, hydrolysis, enzymolysis or fermentation, but not having been produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process and not containing any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic except in amounts as might occur unavoidably in good manufacturing practices