Pet Food Processing - January 2024 - 44

FORMULATION
brand also offers a Digestive
Probiotic Supplement Powder
for dogs that also supports
immune health.
Overall, having a robust
fiber blend is important
for digestive health as difRoyal
Canin has a full line of Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal
products for dogs and cats that include dry and wet food,
liquids and treats.
Royal Canin
Developing innovative ingredients
BSM Partners works with its clients to create highly digestible
diets and supplements with functional ingredints
in the right balance. Streeter said these ingredients
include prebiotic fibers, probiotics and postbiotics.
In addition to using those ingredients in the right portion,
BSM Partners also looks at the whole diet and the
digestibility of macronutrients
including protein, fat and
carbohydrates. Fat, for
example, can be challenging
for dogs to
digest, so keeping the
fat moderate or low
in the diet can help
with overall digestive
health, Streeter said.
BSM also conducted
research that shows
grain-inclusive and
grain-free dog diets
have no negative impact
on digestibility.
ADM offers a variety
of pre-, pro- and
postbiotics, including
its DE-CA9 probiotic
that improves protein
and lipid metabolism.
Plant components and
Cooper & Friends'
line of functional dog
treats include humangrade
protein, such as
salmon, and are produced
using a gentle
process that preserves
nutrients from protein,
vegetables and
supplements.
Jim Greipp Pau Hana Productions
extracts including pumpkin, ginger root and turmeric
can also be beneficial to the intestinal tract, Adolphe
said. ADM offers Fibersol as a prebiotic soluble dietary
fiber to support healthy digestion that can be used in applications
from treats to kibble. Beta-glucans from the
cell walls of the company's Versity dried yeast also provide
a source of soluble fiber for cats and dogs.
St. Louis-based GREENIES, also a Mars Petcare
brand, offers a digestive health supplement soft chew
with a blend of pro-, pre- and postbiotics to support
a healthy digestive system and stool quality. The
44 PET FOOD PROCESSING | January 2024 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
ferent fibers function differently, East said.
" Supporting healthy microbiome results in short
chain fatty acid production, which can assist in intestinal
health and help regulate immune function, " East
said. " Less fermentable fibers, like beet pulp, pea fiber,
psyllium and cellulose, can help support healthy stool
quality and regularity. "
Overall, feeding studies by food companies are a useful
measure of a food's digestibility and demonstrate
what percentage of a food's nutrients are available to the
pet, Streeter said.
We can't change the DNA of
pets, but we do have the ability
to affect the longevity of pets
through the digestibility of foods. "
Gili Wizen, Cooper & Friends
" Total digestibility of a pet diet should be at least 80%
but many highly digestible diets may be over 90% digestible, "
Streeter said.
Continuing to develop the market
Increasing awareness among pet owners of why digestibility
is important will be critical going forward, Wizen said.
More transparency regarding claims on packaging is also
important to help reveal the product's true digestive benefits.
She said this is especially crucial to disclose if the product
was produced in a way that truly promotes digestibility.
More scientific research is also needed to drive the
market for digestive health products in the future.
" The science of digestive health as it pertains to the
microbiome is still in its infancy, though we are learning
so much all the time, " Streeter said. " As we begin to
understand what a healthy microbiome is, we can begin
to manipulate it for the best outcome. "
East agreed with the need for further understanding
of the microbiome.
" There is a lot we can learn from genetics and identifying
biomarkers that will help us to optimize the nutritional
formulation based on the DNA of the cat or dog, "
East said. " We are still learning about the complexities
of the gastrointestinal microbiome of cats and dogs and
how to best maintain a healthy gut with prebiotic fibers
and other functional nutrients. "
PFP
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