PetFood PRO 2/2024
PetFood PRO is the international magazine for executives and specialists in the manufacture of food for domestic animals – the pet food industry. The magazine focuses on food and delicacies for dogs, cats and other small animals, ornamental birds and fish, as well as animals kept in terrariums. We publish feature articles, reports and announcements about new ingredients, technology, equipment and processes, packaging machinery and materials as well as marketing trends and developments. Readers are executives, product developers and specialists in the pet food industry, including process and packaging engineers. PetFood PRO will be published in English. Circulation is worldwide, with an emphasis on important growth markets.
PetFood PRO is the international magazine for executives and specialists in the manufacture of food for domestic animals – the pet food industry. The magazine focuses on food and delicacies for dogs, cats and other small animals, ornamental birds and fish, as well as animals kept in terrariums.
We publish feature articles, reports and announcements about new ingredients, technology, equipment and processes, packaging machinery and materials as well as marketing trends and developments. Readers are executives, product developers and specialists in the pet food industry, including process and packaging engineers. PetFood PRO will be published in English. Circulation is worldwide, with an emphasis on important growth markets.
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INGREDIENTS<br />
Functional Ingredients as a Natural<br />
Support for Weight Management<br />
in Pets<br />
Photo: Beneo<br />
For many years, being overweight or obese<br />
was a human concern. These days however,<br />
more and more companion animals are<br />
struggling with this condition. Here Dr<br />
Maygane Ronsmans, Product Manager<br />
Animal Nutrition at BENEO, explores how<br />
functional ingredients can help as a natural<br />
support for weight management in pets<br />
and why the choice of carbohydrate and<br />
fiber matters when it comes to long-term<br />
health.<br />
Pets are increasingly overweight<br />
or obese<br />
Numbers of overweight and obese<br />
companion animals have steadily increased<br />
over the last few decades and now exceed<br />
50% in Western countries. i Recent statistics<br />
from the US have even classified 6 in 10<br />
dogs and cats as overweight or obese. ii<br />
As with humans, there are many serious<br />
health consequences for overweight or<br />
obese pets. These include cardiovascular<br />
and metabolic diseases (e.g., glucose<br />
intolerance, diabetes), or skeletal<br />
associated disorders, leading to a negative<br />
impact on the pet’s - and owner’s - quality<br />
of life.<br />
Pet owners are well aware of the dangers<br />
surrounding having overweight or obese<br />
companion animals, and many like to opt<br />
for a preventive approach when it comes<br />
to managing their pet’s weight. A recent<br />
global survey conducted by FMCG Gurus<br />
on behalf of BENEO showed that 3 in 4<br />
pet owners worldwide were concerned<br />
with their pet’s weight iii and around 4<br />
in 5 agreed that an on-pack claim about<br />
helping to control their pet’s weight<br />
naturally affects their purchase intention<br />
of a pet food product to some extent. iv<br />
There is therefore a market opportunity for<br />
functional ingredients that can help with<br />
weight and blood glucose management.<br />
Functional ingredients as part of<br />
the solution<br />
Like in humans, prevention of obesity is<br />
always better than cure, and a balanced<br />
diet should remain the ‘gold standard’.<br />
Nevertheless, when weight loss is<br />
required, a multi-pronged approach that<br />
combines exercise along with energyrestricted<br />
diets is often key. In the context<br />
of obesity, the choice of nutrients in pet<br />
food can also make a difference, and<br />
12<br />
Technology & Marketing
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