INGREDIENTS Palatability

More Magazines

Recommendations

Info

INGREDIENTS Palatability in Wet Pet Food: Key Insights for a Growing Market With pet owners increasingly viewing their furry companions as members of the family, demand for nutritionally rich, flavorful, and sustainable pet food continues to surge, especially in wet formats. Across the EMEA region, Wet Cat Food has emerged as the dominant force in new product development, maintaining its lead since 2020. i This growth reflects not only shifting consumer preferences but also the industry’s ability to innovate in areas such as health-focused formulations, packaging solutions, and ingredient sourcing. One dimension remains crucial to both pets and their owners: palatability. Understanding the factors that influence flavor, aroma, and texture particularly through processing and formulation is key to creating wet pet food products that succeed in a competitive and rapidly evolving market. All Figures: Kemin Industries Wet Pet Food Takes the Lead: Trends, Insights, and Innovation In 2024, Wet Cat Food dominated new pet food product launches in the EMEA region, continuing a trend that has held strong since 2020. According to the Innova Database, this segment accounted for 25% to 30% of all new launches over the past five years. While Wet Dog Food trailed slightly, it maintained a steady presence, contributing between 12% and 18% of annual launches in the same timeframe. Combined, wet formats for cats and dogs have represented over 40% of new product development efforts since 2020, a testament to their enduring appeal (figure 1). In this context, understanding the key drivers behind consumer choices becomes essential for developing products with true differentiation. The wet pet food market’s sustained growth is powered by converging trends in premiumization, health-focused formulation, and sustainability. Today’s pet owners seek organic, grain-free recipes enhanced with visible functional benefits to support overall health and wellness. Figure 1: Innova Database New Pet Food Launches in EMEA <strong>2025</strong> ii Wet food has a high moisture content which helps with hydration and digestion. Convenient packaging is also a big advantage. Formats like single-serve trays and resealable pouches keep food fresh and easy to use. At the same time, ecoconsciousness is growing. Brands are now expected to use recyclable materials and source ingredients responsibly. iii Palatability has long been a cornerstone of product differentiation and premium positioning within the pet food industry. Wet food, in particular, is widely recognized for its superior palatability. However, in the face of intensifying competition, an expanding variety of products, evolving raw materials, and new processing techniques, manufacturers are now exploring ways to further enhance palatability offering added value and reinforcing brand loyalty in an increasingly crowded market. iv Palatability in wet pet food remains a complex and evolving field, with much still to uncover. However, recent research continues to reveal promising strategies to enhance flavor appeal and feeding enjoyment. In this context, two key areas deserve closer attention: the influence of processing techniques on palatability and the strategic use of palatants to elevate sensory experience. Time, Temperature, and Safety: The Role of F₀ in Wet Food Manufacturing To truly grasp how wet pet food processing influences palatability, it's essential to start with the parameters that control thermal treatment, primarily time and temperature. These two factors shape what’s known in the industry as the F₀ value. Figure 2: Formula of the retorting value vi In wet pet food production, F₀ is a key measure used during heat processing (called retorting) to make sure the food is safe. It tells us how efficient the heat treatment is to kill harmful bacteria. F₀ is expressed in minutes and represents, for a certain temperature and time, the equivalent duration of the sterilization at 121.1°C (figure 2). It was determined that to eliminate Clostridium botulinum in 12 logarithmic units (12D), foods must be exposed to a temperature of 121.1 °C (250°F) for 3 minutes. Thus, an F0 value of 3 minutes is generally regarded as the standard in the wet pet food industry, ensuring adequate reduction of most microorganisms to meet safety requirements. v However, many pet food manufacturers will choose to have higher values such as 5, 25, or even more. But safety is just one side of the equation. The F₀ value also plays a critical role in 8 Technology & Marketing
Pet Food Cutting Solutions Rely on Urschel, The Global Leader in Food Cutting Technology, to deliver cutting solutions for all types of pet food products. From slices and dices of chubs and preformed logs to flake cutting meat or emulsifying fish products, Urschel excels at meeting your processing goals. Explore pet food cutting solutions at urschel.com. #1 Best Selling Provider of industrial cutting machinery throughout the world. www.urschel.com ® Urschel, Urschel logo symbol, and The Global Leader in Food Cutting Technology are registered trademarks of Urschel Laboratories, Inc. U.S.A.
Page 1 and 2: International Magazine September 20
Page 3 and 4: EDITORIAL Trends & Innovations Pack
Page 5 and 6: Departments 3 Editorial 42 Upcoming
Page 7: MARKETING “Some People are having
Page 11 and 12: INGREDIENTS in the gravy? While fur
Page 13 and 14: MORE THAN PALATANTS. SERVICES. AFB
Page 15 and 16: INGREDIENTS Photo: Adobe Stock #495
Page 18 and 19: Come and see for yourself: www.harn
Page 20 and 21: PROCESSING More Performance & Flexi
Page 22 and 23: PROCESSING The facility also includ
Page 24 and 25: PROCESSING Trends, Processing Solut
Page 26 and 27: PACKAGING A Revolution in Sustainab
Page 28 and 29: PACKAGING Sustainable Flexible Pack
Page 30 and 31: PACKAGING Closing the Gap: Why Ethi
Page 32 and 33: PACKAGING Innovative Camelina Oil f
Page 34 and 35: PACKAGING Driving Innovation in Sus
Page 36 and 37: EVENTS Global Exhibitors Already Pl
Page 38 and 39: EVENTS Zoomark Hits the Target! A n
Page 40: EVENTS Pet Fair Asia 2025, Shanghai
Page 43 and 44: International Magazine September 20

PetFood PRO 3/2025

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

PetFood PRO 3/2025

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Delete template?

Save as template ?