petfood pro 4/2021

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Ingredients Growing Demand for Rice Starch and Protein in Natural and Premium Pet Foods An exchange between Karel Thurman, Commercial Director BENEO Animal Nutrition, and Ian Healey, Petfood PRO, about pets, trends, proteins and rice starch Karel Thurman has worked in animal nutrition for 15 years, having studied at the University of Leuven in Belgium. He works for BENEO in Tienen in the animal feed section, which includes livestock, aquafeed and pet food nutrition. Each sector has different demands, although the needs are similar. Many scientific tools are available to find and ensure the best appropriate nutrition for animals. Trends in pet nutrition are dynamic Pet food has changed a lot during and because of Covid. People have more time for their pets and have become more aware of their nutrition. More attention has been paid to a healthy diet and good animal health in general, with some premium brands profiting from this. The digestive well-being of our animals has grown in importance as has an awareness of allergies. Producers are starting to pay more attention to clean label ingredients, especially where allergies are concerned. Other human consumer trends that continue to crossover to the pet food category include increasing demand for added protein, digestive wellness, and plant-based products. “Adding protein” is a claim that makes pet food seem healthier to 4 in 5 owners 1 . Digestive wellness is also an increasing concern. Figures show that 81% of European cat and dog food buyers believe that actively looking after their pets’ digestive health is essential for their overall health 2 and natural, easy to digest ingredients are therefore a key purchasing decision driver for pet owners 3 . A more unexpected trend that is growing in popularity in dog nutrition is that of plant-based pet foods. Despite them being seen as carnivores, 34% of UK dog food buyers believe it is good for their pets to regularly have a plant-based meal instead of a meat-based one 6. A belief which is supported by many vets and scientists, with the proviso that plant-based ingredients form part of a balanced and suitably nutritious diet. The humanization of pet foods Consumers want to make healthier choices for their own food and drink and are projecting this onto their furry children. People have started reading labels more: A recent BENEO survey claims that 51% of consumers read the labels on their food products. With pet food products, this increases to 73% of dog owners and 66% for cats. Vegetable proteins are finding interest in human nutrition, and pet parents reflect on this trend for their loved ones. Around a third of pet owners believe plant based meals are suitable for their pets, at least some of the time. The survey also underlined that consumers are looking for pet food with less or no artificial colors, flavors as well as fewer additives in general 1 . If it is good enough for the pet parents, it is good enough for the animals themselves. There are openings in the premium pet food sector as demands from pet owners reflect the trends in human nutrition. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): “Trends in companion animal nutrition often mirror trends in human nutrition, reflecting the desire of pet owners to feed them diets they consider healthy and beneficial for the well-being of their pets”. The increasing use of rice starch in pet food With approximately 3,3 million MT of wet cat and dog pet food currently sold in Europe, creating clean label alternatives of common texturizing additives could prove very profitable for manufacturers. When it comes to premium wet pet food products, rice starch offers an ideal replacement for modified starches. This is due to the fact that it is a high quality ingredient that is recognized as natural by consumers. Functionally, rice starch is able to create soft gel structures and creamy 6 Technology & Marketing
Ingredients textures. BENEO’s portfolio of rice starches is produced from different rice varieties (indica, japonica and waxy), with different ratios of amylose and amylopectin, allowing manufacturers to create a wide range of different textures, from soft gravies to firm jellylike textures. Due to the branched structure of the amylose in rice it also has excellent stability during shelf-life and temperature fluctuations (offering freeze-thaw stability). It also prevents the syneresis 6 that can occur with other starches. Rice starch is ideal for wet pet foods and can be used as a technical aid in extrusion of snacks and treats, as well as baked products. Rice is highly digestible, taste and color neutral and will not change the organoleptic properties. For younger and sensitive pets as well as those with allergies, rice starch is highly recommended. Aside from its clean label and functional benefits, rice also offers a range of nutritional benefits. These include being highly digestible - compared to traditional gums and modified starches - thanks to the small granule size of the rice starch, and being free of most common allergens. This means it is ideal for use in products aimed at young or sensitive pets and in hypoallergenic pet foods. Also, as a pure carbohydrate source, rice starch can be included in conjunction with a single protein source to create complete diets, or as treats for allergic pets. The rise of rice protein in veterinary and premium pet foods Rice protein is a recognizable ingredient which has become attractive to both pet owners and pet nutritionists. With pet owners becoming increasingly conscious about what is in their pets’ food, it is no surprise that demand for hypoallergenic, highly digestible and plant-based veterinary and premium diets is on the rise. To meet this need, more and more manufacturers are incorporating rice protein into their pet foods. This is largely due to the fact that it is a high quality, concentrated protein source with an excellent amino acids profile. In addition, 63% of consumers say that rice protein sounds natural or very natural to them, making the rice Karel Thurman, Commercial Director, BENEO Animal Nutrition protein a very appealing ingredient for pets owners. 3 Pet food manufacturers are also showing more interest in vegetable proteins. There are different reasons for this: vegetable proteins are more easily available and the quality is more stable and constant than meat proteins. The sustainability aspect is also important to both pet food manufacturers and consumers. Investments are ongoing to meet future trends. The variety of pet food is also changing, moving away from large kibble-type products to a much wider variety. A visit to a regular supermarket or specialist pet food store can confirm this. Pets with food allergies / sensitive pets In pet foods where high digestibility is required, rice protein is also the ideal ingredient. It has shown an apparent digestibility of 87% in dogs 8 , making it not only attractive for pets with allergies, but also for sensitive pets such as puppies and older animals. In addition, BENEO’s rice protein is produced in alkaline conditions, which leads to significantly better digestibility than other rice proteins that have been isolated using an acidic treatment 9 . Amino acids are essential for keeping any pet in optimum health. Contributing to numerous metabolic functions including maintenance and immune responses, it is important that the protein source used in the pet food has a well-balanced amino acid profile. Among plant proteins, the rice protein has the highest essential amino acids (EAA) content. When BENEO’s rice protein EAA profile is compared against the requirements of adult dogs 10, it delivers a well-balanced profile and what is required to promote long-term health. Furthermore, it is also a good source of the EAA methionine/cysteine and phenylalanine/tyrosine that are involved in some major metabolic processes, as well as supporting a pet’s normal growth. Recognizable ingredient lists are of key interest for pet owners as they are carefully watching out for potentially hazardous ingredients for their pets. Add to this trend the increased concern for digestive well-being and food allergies, and it’s no surprise that more manufacturers are increasingly looking into clean label, hypoallergenic and highly digestible solutions such as rice protein to meet this consumer demand. BENEO’s rice protein is well-placed to deliver a high quality, plant-based alternative that can help manufacturers Issue 4 2021 7
Page 1 and 2: International Magazine November 202
Page 3 and 4: editorial Teaching a New Dog Old Tr
Page 5: Departments 3 Editorial 42 Upcoming
Page 9 and 10: WE MAKE PET FOOD TASTE GREAT. TM PA
Page 11 and 12: Ingredients predisposing to increas
Page 14 and 15: Ingredients CBD Oil for Animal Heal
Page 16 and 17: Ingredients Premium Pet Food Requir
Page 18 and 19: Ingredients Lockdown’s Peanut But
Page 20 and 21: Marketing Learning from Turtles At
Page 22 and 23: Marketing What do the pond turtles
Page 24 and 25: Marketing ADM Unveils Nutrition Lab
Page 26 and 27: processing Goodbye, Salmonella: Bac
Page 28 and 29: processing Versatile Filling & Pack
Page 30 and 31: processing Dairy ingredients Small
Page 32 and 33: processing manage incoming raw mate
Page 34 and 35: Packaging Recyclable Dog Food Packa
Page 36 and 37: Packaging Label Innovations offer M
Page 38 and 39: Packaging Shipment of Healthier Dog
Page 40 and 41: Packaging Healthy and Sustainable -
Page 42 and 43: Last Page Upcoming Events March 10

petfood pro 4/2021

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?