FORMULATION prepping the PALATE P Pet food palatants help satisfy the taste and nutrition needs of dogs and cats. By Keith Loria | petfoodprocessing@sosland.com Pet food manufacturers understand that appealing to a pet's natural taste instinct is one of the main keys to creating an enjoyable eating experience - which is why palatants, or flavor enhancers, are applied to pet foods to improve their inherent palatability and increase pet acceptability. Today, there are a wide variety of palatants available for pet food and treat formulations designed to help satisfy the pet both through taste and nutrition. However, palatants are designed with specific food formats in mind - a palatant designed for wet cat food will function differently than one designed for a cat kibble or treat. What's trending in palatability mirrors what's trending in food, according to industry experts. For example, sustainable sourcing has become more prevalent in recent years. Non-meat options are also a big topic of discussion; they perform just as well as meat-based palatants but can be more sustainable and used across multiple chassis. Supply assurance is a big theme among manufacturers as well. Ingredients that are difficult to source - such as unique animal proteins - have become less favored since the pandemic. Not only do palatants for cat and dog foods differ, but a palatant designed for wet food will function differently than one intended for a kibble or treat. ©kozorog - stock.adobe.com www.petfoodprocessing.net | May 2023 | PET FOOD PROCESSING 47http://www.petfoodprocessing.net