PET Food Processing - September 2019 - 42

FORMULATION

Top: Pulses are successfully paired with
animal-based proteins in formulations to
boost the nutrition, fiber and sustainability
of the final product.
Nestlé Purina

Peas are highly attractive as a pet food
ingredient because of their functional processing attributes, antioxidant properties,
wide availability and low cost to processors.
American Pet Nutrition

says Gary Davenport, companion animal
technical manager, ADM Animal Nutrition,
a division of Archer Daniels Midland
Company (ADM), Chicago. "While cats
do have some ability to use plant-based
ingredients, the long-term feeding of a strict
vegan food is not biologically appropriate for cats due to their specific nutritional
needs. Vegan cat owners should not mimic
their personal dietary choices when selecting a cat food if they are concerned with
the long-term health and wellness of their
feline companion."
Patrick Luchsinger, manager, marketing and business development, pet food,
Ingredion Inc., Westchester, Illinois, says,
"Plant material is more difficult [than animal protein] to break down, so conversely
herbivores have much longer intestines.
Dogs, on the other hand, have an intestinal
length just slightly longer than the cat."
That does not mean more plant-based
ingredients cannot be included in a cat's
diet, especially if the food is properly fortified. Plant-based proteins may be used
in combination with animal proteins to
achieve a highly palatable, high-protein
food or treat for both cats and dogs.
"Pulses have a 50-plus year history in the
pet food world, helping to provide many
pets with a healthy and well-balanced diet
when included in properly formulated
food," says Tim McGreevy, chief executive officer, American Pulse Association,
Moscow, Idaho. "The addition of pulses to
pet foods has added a plant-based source
of nutrition that is packed with protein,
fiber, vitamins and minerals. To top it off,
they are a sustainable crop, which makes
them better for the planet."
"The nutritional content and physical
characteristics from one pulse crop to another can slightly differ within a narrow
range," McGreevy says. "Combining the
different pulses can complement their individual nutritional profiles to help meet
nutritional needs. Although there are
some nutritional differences among pulse
crops, the ingredients provided to formulators are constant, stable and measurable."
"In general, pulses are versatile and serve
as a flavor sponge, so they comfortably fit
into formulations across the spectrum,"

PET FOOD PROCESSING | September 2019 | www.petfoodprocessing.net

he adds. "They serve as a perfect solution for a plant-based protein source in
vegetarian or vegan diets, but also create
a perfect pairing with animal-based proteins in formulations and are successfully
integrated into both. No matter the diet or
flavor profile, pulses boost nutrition, fiber
and sustainability of the final product."
Something that must be considered when
formulating pulses into pet foods is the presence of anti-nutrients, which are natural
compounds produced by plants to protect
their seeds from animal consumption. They
earned the name anti-nutrient because they
can interfere with absorption of nutrients
needed for an animal - including humans
- to maintain optimal health.
Most anti-nutrients are present in the
hull, skin or coat of plant seeds. There are
different types of anti-nutrients that can
disrupt the digestion and absorption of different nutrients. Phytates, for example, are
compounds that bind minerals, preventing
their absorption by the body. Carnivores
cannot break down phytates because they
lack the enzyme phytase. Other anti-nutrients present in pulses include tannins, as
well as protease, lipase and amylase inhibitors, the latter being compounds that prevent enzymes from respectively breaking
down proteins, fats and carbohydrates for
proper digestion and nutrient absorption.
The good news is that "anti-nutritional
factors in pulses are largely addressed with
cooking and processing, such as extrusion," Marinangeli says.

Focusing on protein

The rise in grain-free diets places the
focus on protein. Therefore, protein quality must be considered. This includes protein content, amino acid composition and
protein digestibility.
"In each of the pulse crops there are
varying levels of the different amino acids,"
McGreevy says. "The level of these compounds, as well as other nutrients, in each
pet food or treat will really depend on the
formulation of the product."
Luchsinger adds, "Pulses may not be
completely utilized for swapping out animal proteins due to pet owner preference
to have animal protein sources as the first

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PET Food Processing - September 2019

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