petfood pro 3/2022

INGREDIENTS
The Power of Peptides
in the Pet Health Journey
Photo: Biomega
The history of humans and domestic pets
are inextricably linked. In fact, the term
‘animal connection’ may have played
a significant role in human evolution –
especially when you consider how some
animals transitioned from being seen
purely as food to that of a friend, and the
significance of this relationship.
This animal connection, or the process
by which pets or livestock become
companions and members of a human
family, started about 2.6 million years
ago, when we started studying animals,
Biomega®is a producer of premium
Norwegian salmon-based innovative
ingredients, both for premium petfood
and human nutrition. Biomega’s
business model is fully sustainable and
uses proprietary biotech to transform
high quality raw material into premium
food and petfood ingredients. In its
modern food grade biorefinery in
Norway, Biomega produces salmon oil
and peptides using enzymatic hydrolysis.
Biomega continuously invests in R&D
to ensure best-in-class technology and
respond to customers’ needs, including
traceability and sustainability.
and this close contact eventually led to
regular social interaction.
A new term, coined by highly regarded
anthropologist John Bradshaw, refers
to ‘anthrozoology.’ It describes the
interaction between animals and
humans and how in this two-way street
of interaction, pets and humans provide
each other with company, assist with
physical and mental health - crossing the
pet/human divide.1
Building on this close relationship, it is our
duty as the human caregivers of domestic
pets to ensure that they have access to the
right nutrition that will contribute to their
optimum physical and mental health.
As pets become a more natural part of a
household, they often suffer from health
problems normally associated with
humans, including obesity, depression,
and a decline in joint health.
Modern day pet health
Statistics released by the Pet Food
Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA)
confirms that 3.2 million households in
the UK acquired a pet since the start of
the pandemic with two thirds (59%) of
new owners aged 16 to 34. It is the belief
of Nicole Paley, PFMA deputy CEO that
while many people are benefiting from
pet ownership, they need to consider the
welfare of these new pets by ensuring
that they get enough exercise, attention,
and the right food.2
With a return to post-pandemic routines,
with normal office hours and kids at
school, pets are left on their own more
often, without the requisite exercise and
companionship. While sedentary lifestyle
could have an impact on joint health,
there are other factors as to why pets
might need extra joint support.
These include old age, being overweight,
trauma and injury. During the colder
months, joint stiffness can appear more
pronounced in pets, and it is especially
important to support joints in senior pets,
as they may feel the cold more. If your pet
has had any broken bones, this may also
mean they are more sensitive to the cold.3
Another factor that could impact on
joint health in pets is the cost-of-living
crisis across the UK and Europe. This
has resulted in a situation where pets
are potentially not getting the best
food available to them, purely due to
economic constraints.
The ability to offer optimum nutrition
in petfood at affordable prices means
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Technology & Marketing