petfoodpro 3/2023

INGREDIENTS
High-quality, Functional, and
Sustainable: the Current Trends in
Natural Dog Nutrition
Just as human diets are different, so are those of our pets: True to the motto "what's good for me can't be bad for my dog",
owners (unconsciously) adapt their pet's diet more and more to their own. Preferably fresh and natural ingredients find
their way into the bowl – with a demand for quality and positive health effects. The nutritional spectrum ranges from
regional, vegan, and protein-rich food components, to selected organic products and individual oil blends.
1. High-quality and natural pet
food components
The pet food market is becoming
increasingly "green": more and more pet
parents are paying attention to natural,
sustainable nutrition and care about
the health and well-being of their furry
friends. This also reflects the owners’
increased awareness of environmental
protection and animal welfare.
They increasingly value high-quality
ingredients for pet food made from
natural raw materials and unprocessed
ingredients. "Clean Feeding" serves
this trend: the concept envisions dog
foods that are as natural as possible and
usually consist of half animal protein,
30 to 40 percent plant-based products,
10 to 20 percent carbohydrates, and
a small number of high-quality oils.
Additives such as artificial colors, flavors,
and preservatives as well as genetically
modified ingredients (GMOs) are largely
avoided.
Pet owners are paying more attention to
the origin of food and are turning to organic
products, meat from species-appropriate
farming, and fish from sustainable wild
catches. Many manufacturers are already
responding to the demand for organic pet
food: with organic-certified ingredients
and products, they assure their customers
of an organic standard that excludes the
use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or
antibiotics. The menu also more often
includes local fruits and vegetables
from certified organic cultivation. Local
products usually have shorter transport
routes and can be consumed or processed
more quickly. This has a positive impact on
product quality and freshness, but also on
the environment thanks to the reduced
carbon footprint. Buying these products
also supports local farmers and promotes
the local economy.
In addition to the origin of raw materials,
pet owners are also interested in their
sustainable processing: They demand
transparency and prefer environmentally
friendly manufacturing processes that
gently preserve the valuable nutrients of
the raw goods. Transparent label design
helps them understand the composition
of products better. In this way, pet
owners ensure that the food chosen
meets their dog's nutritional needs and
can also identify and avoid undesirable
ingredients in case of allergies and
intolerances.
2. Healthy and functional
ingredients
The demands on animal nutrition have
become more complex in recent years
– besides qualitative and sustainable
criteria, it should be functional and
healthy. According to a Mintel study,
there is a clear trend in this direction: 63
percent of German pet owners would
like to know more about their pet's brain
health and 57 percent are interested in
food components that promote their
pet's intestinal health. Functional food
contains selected ingredients that, on the
one hand, meet the pet's basic nutritional
needs and, on the other, support its
general well-being.
Recently, there has been increasing
demand for grain-free pet food to avoid
potential allergies and intolerances and to
improve intestinal health. Generally, grains
are a good plant source of carbohydrates
and fiber that most dogs can digest well.
However, some have sensitive reactions to
certain grains such as wheat or soy.
This approach goes hand in hand with
the trend to feed purely plant-based
components. Following the example of
vegetarian and vegan diets among us
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