Pet Food Processing - November 2023 - 46

INGREDIENTS
Pet parents shop
with their eyes,
which is why pet
food with visually
identifiable ingredients
can be
more appealing.
Maev
is an ambient kibble product that includes
freeze-dried,
recognizable
chunks of
salmon or chicken and broccoli, along with
air-dried carrots. Freeze drying enables the
retention of more than 60% of vitamins and
minerals compared to dehydration or cooking,
according to the company.
" We pride ourselves in being the only kibble
product you can take a picture of and recognize the
ingredients, " said Julie Chen, head of strategy at A Better
Treat. " Seeing the chunks of meat or fish helps speak to
the quality of the food one is feeding their pet. It helps
make pet parents feel more at ease knowing that their
pet is getting high-quality, nutrient-dense protein. "
The kibble component functions as the carrier for
added nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fiber and
Platefulls homestyle meals from Natural Balance Pet
Foods Inc. feature beef, chicken or duck with identifiable
vegetables, such as carrots, kale, peas, potatoes and
pumpkin, cooked in bone broth.
Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc.
probiotics. These nutrients are often added as isolated
compounds.
New York-based Maev spent three and a half years
working with veterinary nutritionists to formulate its
human-grade raw food for dogs. The product contains
flash-frozen identifiable pieces of raw food, including
beef, green beans, zucchini, kale and blueberries, and
does not require thawing prior to feeding.
Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc., Burbank, Calif., has
developed Platefulls homestyle meals. Recipes feature
beef, chicken or duck with identifiable vegetables, such
as carrots, kale, peas, potatoes and pumpkin, cooked in
bone broth. The wet ambient stews come in pouches and
require refrigeration after opening.
Ingredient toolbox
Including whole pieces of animal protein is not always
feasible from a cost perspective, or even from a sustainability
angle, as doing so could take proteins away from
the human edible market. Formulators have several options
for creating the appearance of authentic meat or
fish chunks in both wet and dry pet food formats.
" In wet pet food manufacturing, texturizing ingredients,
such as functional proteins, gums and starches, can
be added to ground meat mixtures to create a texture
that is more similar to real meat or fish, " said Brittany
White, senior director of product development, applied
research and innovation, Simmons Pet Food
and Simmons Animal Nutrition, Siloam Springs, Ark.
" Another option is textured vegetable proteins, which
are often made from plant-based materials, such as soy,
wheat or pea. These can be processed to mimic the texture
of meat or fish pieces and are commonly used in
both wet and dry pet food formulations. "
Mason said, " You can use trim meats, scraps and other
off-cuts that are typically underutilized. Our structure
and forming materials offer a way to bind or form these
materials into whole-muscle-like formats that can be processed
into finished particles that market to pet parents.
46 PET FOOD PROCESSING | November 2023 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
raw
http://www.petfoodprocessing.net
Pet Food Processing - November 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pet Food Processing - November 2023
