Pet Food Processing - November 2023 - 66

TRENDS
Pet's Best Life Yummy
Combs dental treats
for dogs have a unique,
patented shape and also
boast the Veterinary Oral
Health Council (VOHC)
Seal of Acceptance.
Pet's Best Life
sumer awareness. This means that the onus is on brands
to educate consumers.
" Despite the dental disease prevalence, many pet
owning households are not aware of the issue and, therefore,
do not purchase dental treats, " Padilla revealed.
" The oral care treat category has been relatively flat over
the past few years, and changing consumer habits has
been no easy task.
" However, the dental disease crisis is critical, and the
GREENIES brand is on a mission to drive more awareness
by educating pet parents on the importance of
building a holistic oral care routine to improve their pet's
oral health wellbeing, " he added. " As more consumers
become aware of this issue and understand the benefits
to addressing canine dental health, we expect many will
adopt daily dental treats. "
[Dog owners] will base buying
more on effective performance
data than unsubstantiated
marketing claims. "
Joe Roetheli, Pet's Best Life
Tyszka added, " The sector needs to continue to focus
on educating consumers about the importance of oral
care and how dental treats can contribute to their pets'
wellbeing. Pet parents also have high expectations for
the products they give to their pets and meeting these
expectations in terms of efficacy and safety is a constant
challenge. "
As consumer awareness advances, it will become even
more imperative for brands to ensure the safety and efficacy
of their dental treats, from the ingredients included in
treat formulas to the data used to back up product claims.
New ingredients entering this category will experience
higher levels of scrunity as safety and efficacy concerns
for consumers continue to rise.
" There will be a greater scrutiny of ingredients, "
Carlson shared. " This is ongoing in all sectors, so it
wouldn't be surprising to see it in the dental category as
66 PET FOOD PROCESSING | November 2023 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
well. New pet parents leverage online research regarding
the effects different ingredients can have on their pets.
As it should, the industry is being held to account on
each ingredient and Jiminy's is no exception. "
In addition to the careful selection of ingredients,
clinical trials are another way to demonstrate the safety
and efficacy of dental treats. According to Roetheli, consumers
are questioning how dental treat products perform
against their claims, leading many to turn to clinical
studies and third-party validation.
The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC), operated
by the American Veterinary Dental College,
Meridian, Idaho, serves as one way to assuage these consumers.
The VOHC offers a Seal of Acceptance, recognizing
products that " meet pre-set standards of plaque
and tarter retardation in cats and dogs. " The Seal of
Acceptance is awarded to a variety of dental care products,
including Yummy Combs and GREENIES dental
treats just to name a few, following a review of data conducted
in accordance with VOHC's protocols.
In addition to its VOHC Seal of Acceptance, Pet's Best
Life has conducted clinical studies on its Yummy Combs
to ensure efficacy, revealing that regular use can help remove
more than 25% of hardened tartar, as well as freshen
breath by 46%.
" Patents and clinical test results, such as required for
the VOHC Seal, provide dog owners with documentation
that a product works, " Roetheli explained. " Patents
have long been a proxy for innovation. "
Consumer conscientiousness on claims - and the
data used to support those claims - will prove a challenge
for the dental treat category as it progresses.
" Dog owners will continue to become more conscientious
about their selection of treats, " Roetheli said. " They
will base buying more on effective performance data
than unsubstantiated marketing claims... People [are]
grateful to see data to support the dental claims.
" I envision a new higher plateau where dog owners
want a treat to be more than providing validated dental
care; they also desire advanced safety and superior nutrition
to complement the pre-requisite of great taste, " he
concluded.
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