Pet Food Processing - January 2024 - 38

INGREDIENTS
Top: BENEO offers
vegetable proteins
made from rice, wheat
and faba beans to
manufacturers who are
formulating plant-based
pet food products.
BENEO
Bottom: Some pet
parents seek out
vegan and plant-based
dog food to avoid
animal-based proteins;
others see them as a
more environmentally
sustainable alternative
for their pets.
©JR Digital Art - stock.adobe.com
for the removal of certain performance ingredients.
" In our experience, plant-based ingredients are more
conducive to the baking process than animal ingredients
as many - like flax meal and oats - have natural binding
properties that enable the formation of a dough that
can be rolled into bite-sized pieces, " Buck said. " In addition,
many human customers prefer the texture of our
dehydrated sweet potato jerky over chicken jerky because
it creates less of a slimy mess when their dogs enjoy it. "
Vital wheat gluten can positively affect the extrusion
behavior in dry pet food, as well as the chunkiness and
meat structure in wet pet food.
" Thanks to vital wheat gluten's excellent water absorption
capacity, it also increases juiciness in semi-moist or
wet pet food and is therefore a valuable alternative to
spray-dried plasma, " Ronsmans said. " When it comes
to veterinary and premium wet pet food products, rice
starch offers an ideal replacement for hydrocolloids or
modified starches. It allows manufacturers to create a
wide range of different textures, from soft gravies to firm
jelly-like textures, and
due to the branched
structure of the amylose
in rice, which
binds water much better
than other starches,
it also has excellent
stability during shelf
life and temperature
fluctuations. "
Regarding aroma
and taste, Buck said
that formulating vegan
poses no obstacles, as
Petaluma does not try
to mimic the sensory
properties of animal
proteins through the
use of flavorings.
38 PET FOOD PROCESSING | January 2024 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
" It turns out that most dogs love many plant proteins
already, " she said. " For example, our food uses humangrade
organic peanut butter, a protein and healthy fat
source that most pet parents already know their dog
goes nuts for (pun intended). "
Some specialty plant-based ingredients can also offer
key benefits for health-conscious pet owners. For
instance, inulin and oligofructose derived from chicory
root fiber are recognized as prebiotic fibers, which can
support a dog's intestinal health and are linked with nutritional
benefits that go beyond the gut.
" For example, studies show that including our inulin
and oligofructose in a pet's diet can support mineral
absorption and bone health, and in the context of
weight management curb their appetite, improve satiety
and
decrease voluntary food intake, " Ronsmans said.
" Additionally, since they are non-digestible carbohydrates
and dietary fibers, they do not trigger a rise in
postprandial blood glucose or insulin concentrations. As
a result, they support blood sugar management in dogs. "
The low-glycemic carbohydrate isomaltulose, which is
derived from sugar beet, can also become a key part of
a plant-based dog food formulator's ingredient toolbox.
A recent study with dogs showed that isomaltulose significantly
lowered blood glucose and insulin responses,
compared to maltodextrin or sucrose, even after continuous
feeding. This property makes isomaltulose a particularly
interesting solution with the potential to support
metabolic health and weight management in dogs.
Going forward, Wymore believes that dog owners will
seek out high-quality plant-based ingredients and that
brands will adapt their formulations and marketing to
highlight these foods.
" The recent history of dog food innovation and marketing
has largely focused on animal-derived proteins, but
I don't believe that is sustainable or nutritionally justifiable, "
Wymore said. " Pet food has many recurring trends,
and we're eager to see the debunking and deterioration of
the 'filler' label for plant-based ingredients. "
PFP
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Pet Food Processing - January 2024

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