Nutrition Pet Food Labels

What is a main advantage to gourmet type canned pet food?

useful for anorexia patients, and as added protein source for working dogs (mixed with dry)

Crude fiber equation (6 fractions of proximate analysis)

wt. of sample after/wt. of sample before x 100= % crude fiber

Give some examples of dietary fibers.

-BRAN, a milling by-product that consists of the outer coarse coat of cereal grains (wheat bran, oat bran) -PULP, the solid residue that remains after juices are extracted from fruits or vegetables (pomace from fruits) and beet pulp

What is the limit of storage for each type of pet foods?

-DRY foods- use within 6 months of manufacture -SEMI-MOIST foods- use within 6 month-1 year of manufacture -CANNED foods- use within 1-3 years of manufacture

What 3 factors do lipids contribute to pet foods?

-essential fatty acids -calories -palatability

Know how to determine the nutrient content of pet foods on a dry matter basis.

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List the 5 items that must be included on the information panel.

1- INGREDIENT LIST 2- GUARNATEED ANALYSIS 3- NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY STATEMENT 4-STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY 5- FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS

What are the 2 main panels on a pet food label?

1- PRINCIPAL DISPLAY PANEL (PDP)-1st line of communication to consumer, attracts attn. 2- INFORMATION PANEL(IP)- communicate specific info about the product, includes UPC

Explain why biscuits cannot be used as a sole source of food for an animal.

It is dough baked in a cookie form usually consisting of wheat flour, soybean flour, meat meal, milk products, yeast, and vitamin and mineral supplements

Crude protein equation(6 fractions of proximate analysis)

Kjeldahl method= sulfuric acid(H2SO4) + dry matter = nitrogen (NH4)2SO4 -cooled, diluted, and neutralized with NaOH to change nitrogen into ionized ammonium -nitrogen content is multiplied by 6.25 -Example: 16%= 16 g N per 100 g protein

What is the most important consideration when choosing a pet food? Explain.

Nutrient content.

What is the importance of vitamins and minerals in pet foods?

They are essential for proper metabolism and various physiological processes **They can be TOXIC if over-supplemented

Why are generic and private label food less expensive than the premium pet foods?

They are processed as "variable formula diets" which means the ingredients in the food will vary from batch to batch depending upon ingredient availability and market prices.

What is the importance of preservatives in pet foods?

They help prevent the breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates

Why was the development of the extrusion process called the "pet food breakthrough of the century"?

This allowed manufacturers to create a homogenized product where the meats, grains, and fats were gelatinized which increases the digestibility and palatibility of the dry food.

Why is the caloric distribution of a pet food important?

To ensure adequate energy levels to meet their needs without deficiency or toxicity

USDA

United States Department of Agriculture

Define proximate analysis. What does it tell you about a pet food and what does it not tell you about the pet food?

a chemical analysis that is based on the seperation of a food into nutritive factions by a series of chemical determinations that will reflect the materials feeding value. -It determines the nutrient content of pet foods, but does not account for the nutrient balance, digestibility, specific amino acids and minerals, and vitamin content

Define meal(quality and bioavailability)

a product that has been ground or reduced in size

Define by-product(quality and bioavailability)

secondary products are included along with the principal product; vary greatly in digestibility (lungs, spleen, kidney, liver, brain, blood, bone, fatty tissue, stomach, and intestines)

What is textured vegetable protein? Why is TVP used in pet food?

the "meaty" pieces in canned food which are actually extruded soy or wheat product

Define poultry (quality and bioavailability)

the clean combination of flesh and skin with or without bone exclusive of feathers, head, feet, and entrails

Define meat(quality and bioavailability)

the clean flesh of slaughtered mammals (pork, beef, sheep, or horse)

Why are canned foods higher in fat and digestibility?

the ingredients that are used in pet foods are not dried

What is rancidity?

the oxidation process which causes the food to be unpalatable and harmful if consumed

Ash equation (6 fractions of proximate analysis)

wt. after combusting/ wt. before combusting x 100 = % ash

Crude fat equation(6 fractions of proximate analysis)

wt. of sample after/wt. of sample before x 100 = % crude fat

Moisture and Dry Matter equation (6 fractions of proximate analysis)

wt. of the sample after drying/wt. of the sample before drying x 100 = % dry matter

What is the typical moisture content of dry pet foods?

10 to 12% water

AAFCO

Association of American Feed Control Officials(most important in the pet food industry)

NRC

National Research Center

PFI

Pet Food Institute

Why are dietary fibers important to pets?

dietary fibers (insoluble and soluable carbohydrates) are necessary 1-as an energy source for enterocytes, 2-for smooth gastrointestinal transit, and 3-for stool bulk for colonic stimulation

What is the most useful method of pet food evaluation? Why is this method the most useful?

-FEEDING TRIALS -Most thorough and reliable -Run a minimum of 6 months -If a change is made in the product, trail MUST be repeated - Foods listed for "all stages" have undergone the most rigorous testing/foods listed for "maintenance, nonreproducing" have undergone the least stringent -The inclusion of the terms "feeding trial", "AAFCO feeding test protocols", or "AAFCO feeding studies" validate the product has undergone complete series of testing with dogs/cats

Why are flavorings and coloring agents added to pet foods? Give some examples.

-FLAVORINGS enhance acceptability and palatability (Examples: digests, liver meal, dehydrated cheese, monosodium glutamate -MSG, garlic powder, onion powder -COLORING AGENTS make the color of food more uniform (Examples: iron oxide, noanzo dyes, caramel color) * anthropromorphic

Where should the protein source of a pet food be listed in the ingredient list?

-In DRY food- protein is best if listed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd as long as different forms of the same ingredients are not listed separately. -In CANNED food- water should be 1st and protein 2nd

How are the ingredients listed on a pet food label? How can a manufacturer manipulate the ingredients to make the product look better?

-Ingredients are in DECREASING order by weight "as -fed" starting with the ingredient that is in the highest quality. -The manufacturer can list different forms of the same ingredient; for example, An ingredient list may include ground wheat, wheat flour, flaked wheat, wheat middlings, and wheat bran. These ingredients are "split ingredients" and may represent 2 or more forms of the same product.

How useful is the guaranteed analysis by itself?

-It insures SOME degree of nutrient content to the consumer -It lists the maximum/minimum values for certain nutrients BUT NOT the ACTUAL values; the values are listed on an "as-fed" basis -It may include other values at the discretion of the manufacturer

What is the nutritional adequacy statement?

-It specifies whether the food is nutritionally COMPLETE or COMPLEMENTARY (intended for supplemental feeding). -It is required on all pet food labels with the exception of: snacks, treats, and special diets (prescribed by vet to treat medical conditions)

What is the advantage of the calculation method of nutrient content? Disadvantage?

-Less costly and less time consuming -Less accurate and does not take into account nutrient losses during processing and storage

Differentiate btwn natural and artificial preservatives.

-NATURAL PRESERVATIVES are less stable and more expensive (Examples: vitamin C and E) -ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES are less expensive (Examples: BHT, BHA, and ethoxyquin). Some think ethoxyquin caused reproductive failure and other abnormalities but these claims were unsubstantiated.

When are feeding instructions required to be on the pet food label and when are they not required?

-REQUIRED- on all pet food labeled "complete and balanced" -NOT REQUIRED- on those labeled "for intermittent feeding only"

What is the statement of responsibility?

-This communicates the party responsible for the manufacture and/or distribution of pet food. -It is required on the label along with an address complete enough to allow the consumer to contact them with questions/concerns. -Many include a toll-free number for customer service

List some examples of lipids used in pet foods.

-animal fats (beef fat, chicken fat) -vegetable oils ( corn oil, soybean oil)

What is the most common form of carbohydrates in pet foods? Should this form of carbohydrates be raw or cooked? Explain.

-complex carbohydrates in the form of starch -dogs and cats cannot digest raw starch; therefore COOKING greatly enhances its digestibility; heat treatment during processing is necessary to ensure maximal use

What is the highest quality natural protein?

Egg

List and describe the 5 pet food segments. Be familiar with the selling points of each

1- PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS *These are "store" brands. Popular in large national and regional supermarket chains. *Identified by word such as "Distributed by___" or "Manufactured for __" rather than "Manufactured by__" bc these brands are produced by a third party according to the specifications of the chain/pet retail outlet. *Ingredient selection/quality varies from poor to good (most use least cost formulation which reduces quality) **selling point= convenience, palpatability, anthropomorphic appeal, and lower price 2- POPULAR BRANDS *Sold in grocery stores with high exposure to advertising *"All-purpose" foods. Balanced for growth/lacation. Trend toward specific purpose foods. EX. Purina **selling point= palatability, flavor varieties, relatively comparable to premium brands (higher quality products), moderate price 3-PREMIUM BRANDS *Emphasize superior ingredients/quality nutrition * Distributed through pet retail outlets, vet clinics, and feed stores. (EX. Science Diet, Iams) *Formulated for specific purpose (life stages/special needs). Differs from feeding a single product for all life stages. *These companies regularly analyze their product and conduct numerous feeding trials to ensure quality. *Daily feeding costs are less than grocery, private, and generic brands/cost per unit is higher. **selling points= superior ingredient quality/digestibility 4- VETERINARY THERAPUETIC FOODS * A very small segment of pet food industry, but extreme importance to veterinarians * These foods have unique nutrient profiles that provide therapeutic synergisms with medical treatment for a wide variety of diseases (Should only be used under professional supervision). 5-

List the 3 items that must be included on the principal display label.

1- PRODUCT NAME *if the ingredient is included in the name - must contain at least 70% of that ingredient *if the food is designated with the term "chicken dinner", "chicken platter", "chicken entrée" it must contain 10-70% of that ingredient-chicken *if the food is designated with "with beef" it must contain at least 3% of that ingredient *if "flavor" is used the flavor only has to be detectable by the animal *if the food is designated with several ingredients then the total must be 10-70% of the product and each ingredient must constitute at least 3% of the food 2- STATEMENT OF INTENT (designator)-identifies the target animal species with words or pics, must be clearly identified 3-NET WEIGHT STATEMENT-highly regulated and inspected by AAFCO, print size and unit of measurement are controlled by fed. govt

Be familiar with the 9 marketing concepts of pet foods.

1- SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOODS ("niche-marketing" *Provides a specific nutrient profile for a particular feeding application *Divided into life stages special needs groups -life stages: growth (puppy/kitten), adult/maintenance, and senior/geriatric -special needs: working (high protein), obesity (light), specific growth (large/giant puppy foods modified to control the nutritional risk factor for orthopedic disorders) 2- ALL-PURPOSE FOODS *One product satisfies all nutritional needs at all times *Supports most demanding life stages (growth/lacation), so nutrients are in excess of allowances for maintenance and geriatric pets *General grocery store distribution (require little explanation for use) *Private label food, regional-brands, national-brands 3- LOW PRICE *Consumers compare cost (the unit price) *Often used incorrectly because the actual feeding cost evaluation reveals there is only small price differences between "expensive" and "inexpensive". It may be less expensive on a yearly basis to feed the more expensive food. 4- PEOPLE FOOD *Pet owner think their pets like and need the same foods as people eat so the development of products resemble human food (chunks of meat, stews, bacon, gravy, pasta, burgers, etc.) 5- FLAVORS AND VARIETIES *Based on anthropomorphic appeal. If the owner likes a variety of tastes, they assume their pets will enjoy a variety of flavors (liver flavor or salmon flavor) *Offering many flavors and varieties increases the brand's potential for shelf space and purchase opportunities 6-INGREDIENTS *Generally implies that the highlighted ingredient(s) provide unique benefits to the pets; however, nutrients and ingredients are not the same. -presence of an ingredient ("meat" or "fish") -absence of an ingredient ("No corn--Only Wheat!") 7-MORE IS BETTER *A variation of the ingredient. Preying on the concept that if "some is good, more is better" 8-PRODUCT NAME *Amusing, easy to remember, or authoritative EX. Happy Cat, Cycle 3, Vet's Choice 9-NATURAL FOODS *Indicates a pet food that contains or does not contain certain ingredients or additives. To pet owner, a natural food is nutritious and free of artificial preservatives and colors which appears to be the most important feature

What are the optional display items that can be added to the principal display label?

1- a BURST or FLAG is allowed on the PDP for specific info that is not otherwise communicated 2- "NEW" and "NEW AND IMPROVED" are permitted for 6 months 3- COMPARISONS (ex. 3 to 1) can appear up to 1 year 4- PICTURES are not specifically regulated and can be used to grab the consumers attn.

What are 6 advantages to nuggets?

1- convenient (easy to store, easy to use) 2-can be fed free choice 3-economical 4-does not require refrigeration after opening 5-more nutrient dense compared to other types 6-helps keep teeth clean

What are the 4 items that must be included in the guarnteed analysis?

1- crude protein (minimum) 2- crude fat (minimum) 3- crude fiber (maximum) 4- moisture (maximum)

What are the 3 main pet foods?

1- dry food 2- semi-moist, semi-dry foods 3- canned or moist foods (ration type canned food, gourmet type canned food)

List the 2 types of dry pet foods.

1- pelleted or expanded nuggets 2- biscuits

What are the 3 main rules of storing pet foods?

1- prolonged storage is not desirable 2-keep cool (avoid high temperatures) 3-keep dry (avoid high humidity)

List the 2 types of canned pet foods.

1- ration type canned food 2-gouromet type canned food

What are 2 other methods of evaluation manufacturers may use? Why are these methods less useful?

1-PROFILE COMPARISON BY CALCULATION *The food was analyzed after processing in a laboratory to determine nutrient amts; it does NOT account for BIOAVAILABILITY of the nutrients or the interaction of the ingredients that affect digestibility 2-CALCUALTION OF NUTRIENTS LEVELS *The calculations of nutrients are based on standardized tables without conducting laboratory analysis or feeding the food to the animal. This method does NOT reflect actual product values, processing, or bioavailability.

What are 5 advantages of semi-moist pet foods?

1-contains the highest digestible energy 2-more palatable than dry foods 3-convenient 4-does not require refrigeration after opening 5-longer shelf life compared to dry foods

Briefly describe the canning process in making canned pet foods.

1-frozen ingredients go to a tempering area 2-the meat products are ground into various sizes of chunks 3-uncooked/cooked ingredients (grains, vitamins, minerals, fats) are added to form a liquid 4-the mixture is heated (25-85C) to gelatinize the starches and begin protein denaturation which affects texture and flavor as well as viscosity (enables =distribution throughout the batch) 5-cans are filled with the liquid then go into the retort system which cooks the food and sterilizes the can 6-the cans are cooled to 37-49C which causes rapid evaporation of exterior moisture; any can with a convex lid is rejected 7-the cans are sorted, labeled, and inspected for damage or broken seals before they are packed or shipped

List 6 disadvantages of ration type canned pet food.

1-high caloric value 2-expensive 3-spoils after opening 4-requires refrigeration after opening 5-sticks to teeth therefore greater risk of periodontal disease 6-must feed 2-3 times as much canned food as dry

What are 5 disadvantages of semi-moist pet foods?

1-higher priced than dry foods 2-cannot feed free choice 3-spoils after opening (not sealed) or if it gets wet 4-contains sucrose therefore not for diabetic pets 5-may contain propylene glycol as a preservative and a calorie source; propylene glycol shortens the lifespan of RBCs; Heinz bodies are routinely found in cats fed semi-moist foods

What are 6 disadvantages to nuggets?

1-less palatable compared to other types 2-lower digestibility (due to the drying techniques) 3-greaster fecal output 4-lower in essential fatty acids and protein compared to canned 5-spoils when wet 6-insects/vermin can get into the bag if not in a container

Briefly describe the extrusion process in making dry pet food.

1-raw ingredients are mixed in large bins 2-the mixture is ground into a powder and moves by a conveyor belt to the extruder; on the way to the extruder, the batch does through a preconditioning chamber which injects steam in the powder at 235F 3-the mixture arrives in the chamber at 4% moisture and leaves as a mash containing 35% moisture 4-the mash goes into the extruder barrel for 20-40 seconds and reaches a heat of 275-400F depending upon the product being cooked (this step is necessary to break down the starches as well as to eliminate most of the bacteria and moisture 5-after cooking, the mash is cut into kibble by forcing it under pressure through dies (4" in diameter) with shaped holes; the holes can be 4.5mm-10mm in diameter 6-the kibble continues on a conveyer belt through a dryer for 15-30 minutes to decrease the moisture to about 7% 7-after drying, the kibble travels through 2 screens *1st- removes oversized pieces and pieces stuck together *2nd-removes smaller to small broken pieces 8-the kibble enters the enrobing process in which fat or flavor coatings (liquid or dry) are sprayed unto the exterior of the kibble piece 9-the food is wrapped, bagged, sealed, and shipped

List 5 advantages of ration type canned pet food.

1-very palatable 2-very digestible 3-long shelf life 4-increased water amt for active animals 5-does not require preservatives

What are the 4 items that are required to be listed on a pet food label? Which 2 are listed as maximums? Which 2 are listed as minimums?

1. Moisture(maximum) 2.Crude fiber(maximum) 3.Crude protein(minimum) 4.Crude fat (minimum)

How can you estimate the caloric distribution of a pet food?

1.Protein x 3.5 kcal/g Fat x 8.5 kcal/g NFE x 3.5 kcal/g 2. Add all of them up. 3. Take the # you got and divide each category by that # -341.0 kcals -protein 91.0/341 = 26% protein

Nitrogen free extract equation(6 fractions of proximate analysis)

100 - (%moisture + ash + protein + fat + fiber)= % NFE

When was the first complete and balanced dry pet food produced and who produced it?

1926 and it was produced by Ralston.

What is the typical moisture content of semi-moist pet foods?

25 to 35% water

What is the typical moisture content of canned pet foods?

70 to 78%

"Complete"

ALL nutrients are present in a BIOLOGICAL form

"Complete and Balanced"

ALL the nutrients are present in the CORRECT proportion

What is metabolizable energy?

Amount of energy that is available for the animal to use

Differentiate between animal sources of protein and plant sources of protein in terms of quality and bioavailability

Animal proteins are more bioavailable and more complete (contain more essential amino acids); HOWEVER, animal proteins can range from excellent quality to poor quality Plant protein sources are more consistent in quality BUT must be balanced (combined with other plant proteins) to provide all the essential amino acids

List and describe the 2 types of analyses that can be performed on pet foods to determine the nutrient content.

Biological assay - uses spectrophotometers and chromatography instruments 1.more accurate, expensive, & time consuming Chemical analysis - used as a primary method by pet food industry; 1.cheaper and less time consuming 2.samples subjected to harsh conditions 3.not identical to biological utilization

How can you estimate the ME of a pet food?

By using guaranteed analysis using the percentage on the label and multiplying by 3.5 for proteins and carbohydrates and 8.5 for fats

Which nutrient supplies the majority of energy (by percentage) in dry foods?

Carbohydrates

Why is the digestibility of a pet food important?

Digestibility is important because it is the amount of the nutrients that are available for absorption in the body

How is ME determined?

Feeding trials or by calculation using standard values for protein, carbohydrates, and fats

FDA

Food and Drug Administration

What contribution did Dr. Mark Morris make to the pet food industry?

He started to make specialized foods for dogs with kidney dz; this started a new category of pet foods for creating dietary management of dz in companion animals

When was the first commercial pet food (biscuit) marketed?

In england by James Spratt in 1860

Why must the nutrient content of pet foods be converted to a dry matter basis in order to accurately compare foods of different types?

It allows more accurate comparisons to be made between different types of pet foods. High water content in wet food has it nutrients essentially "diluted". The nutrient level must be on an equivalent basis.

If a pet owner prefers to mix dry food with canned food, what is the rule concerning where the calories should come from?

calories should be SPLIT between the dry and canned

Why is raw soy not a good choice as a protein source in pet foods?

raw soy contains phytate and several metabolic inhibitors that affect an animal's ability to digest and absorb other nutrients; the inhibitors are destroyed during the heating process BUT the phytate is not

What intestinal disorder can result when feeding soy?

intestinal gas and flatulence

"Balanced"

nutrient concentrations are PROPORTIONAL to the total ENERGY density