Consumer Acceptance of Dry Dog Food Variations

How Dog Behavior Influences Pet Owner's Perceptions of Dog Preference for Dental Chews

American pet owners spend billions of dollars on food and treats so it is important to understand what products they want and what they think their dog would enjoy. This study analyzed video recordings of dogs engaging in dental chews in their home environment and compared the observed appetitive behaviors to owner preference and owner-reported dog preference. Overall, appetitive behavior differed significantly between some dental chews. Owner preference for the chews correlated significantly with dog appetitive behavior, but the effect was small (r (702) = 0.22, p = 0.001), whereas owner-reported dog preference correlated significantly with dog appetitive behavior and showed a moderate effect size (r (702) = 0.43, p = 0.001)-similar in magnitude to findings when parents are asked to report on their children's behavior. By merging objective behavioral observation of owner-recorded videos with their survey responses, we were able to preliminarily parse out what factors owners may use to assess preference and encourage the future use of in-home video recordings to better understand dog and owner engagement and interaction with pet products.

Biogenic Amine Content Analysis of Three Chicken-Based Dry Pet Food Formulations

The pet food market is constantly expanding, and more and more attention is paid to the feeding of pets. Dry foods stand out and are often preferred due to their long shelf life, ease of administration, and low cost. In this context, dry foods are formulated from fresh meats, meat meals, or a mix of the two. These raw materials are often meat not fit for human consumption; they might be subject to contamination and proliferation of microorganisms which, by degrading the organic component, can lead to the formation of undesirable by-products such as biogenic amines. These nitrogenous compounds obtained by decarboxylation of amino acids can therefore be found in high-protein foods, and their ingestion in large quantities can cause intoxication and be harmful. This study aims at analyzing the possible presence of biogenic amines in three different formulations of chicken-based kibbles for pets: one obtained from fresh meat, one from meat meal, and one from a mix of the two. This study is also focused on the presence of free amino acids as they represent the key substrate for decarboxylating enzymes. Mass spectrometry (Q-TOF LC/MS) was used to analyze the presence of biogenic amines and free amino acids. The results show that fresh-meat-based products have a lower content of biogenic amines, and at the same time a higher quantity of free amino acids; on the contrary, meat-meal- and mix-based products have a greater quantity of biogenic amines and a lower concentration of free amino acids, suggesting that there has been a higher microbial proliferation as proved by the total aerobic mesophilic bacteria counts. It is therefore clear that fresh-meat-based kibbles are to be preferred when they are used for preparing dry pet food due to the lowest concentration of biogenic amines.

Total aflatoxin, aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A and fuminosin in dry dog food: A risk assessment for dog health

The aim of this study was to measure total aflatoxin (AFT), aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), ochratoxin A (OCA) and fumonisin (FUM) concentrations in dry dog feed and to evaluate the risk to animal health posed by their increased levels. A total of 90 dry food samples, which were commercially available to the owner, were collected from different shops in Turkey. Some of the food samples were collected from open packages, from which the dry food was sold in smaller amounts. Using commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay test kits, all samples were examined for AFT, AFB₁, OCA, and FUM concentrations. High-performance liquid chromatography was used for confirmation of measured parameters in 30 samples. The ELISA tests found AFT, AFB₁, OCA, and FM concentrations (ng g ^-1) as 1.66, 0.64, 2.14, and 87.06, respectively. In terms of risk assessment, consumption of the dry foods, which are contaminated by AFT, AFB₁ and OCA due possibly to the fact that the dry foods are produced from inappropriate raw material or sold in open packages in smaller amounts, poses a significant health risk for dogs. As a result, it is necessary to monitor the mycotoxin load in dry dog food as the use of raw materials of poor quality and selling the feed in smaller amounts from open packages over an uncertain time period predispose the dry feed to the growth of mycotoxin, especially when the storage conditions are favorable.

The Hard Choice about Dry Pet Food: Comparison of Protein and Lipid Nutritional Qualities and Digestibility of Three Different Chicken-Based Formulations

Simple Summary

The majority of pet food currently on the market is represented by dry food thanks to its practicality and long shelf life. Dry pet food production consists of several processes that can have different effects on nutrient bioavailability and digestibility. The aim of this study was to analyze the nutritional quality of three different chicken-based formulations, consisting of fresh meats, meat meals, or a mix of these two from a protein, lipid, and in vitro digestibility point of view. The results show that the fresh chicken-meat-based formulation appears to be the preferable choice when proteins, lipids, and in vitro digestibility are taken into account. Moreover, the soluble protein content estimated by the Bradford assay is found to correlate well with the total protein content and in vitro digestibility.

Abstract

Dry pet food, made of fresh meats and especially meat meals, represents one of the main types of complete food available on the market by virtue of its practicality and long shelf life. The kibble production process includes mixed thermal and mechanical treatments that help to improve the palatability and durability of the final product but may have undesirable effects on nutrient bioavailability and digestibility. An analysis of the protein and lipid content of different dry pet food formulations, together with an in vitro digestibility analysis, can reveal which formulation can provide a more nourishing diet for pets. In this study, a quantitative and qualitative analysis was performed on three different formulations of chicken-based dry pet food, consisting of fresh meats, meat meals, or a mix of these two. The soluble protein concentration was determined by the Bradford assay, while the crude protein content was assessed through the Kjeldahl method. Quadrupole time-of-flight liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (Q-TOF LC/MS) was used to analyze the amino acid (AA) and lipid compositions. Finally, a gastric and small intestinal digestion simulation was used to determine the in vitro digestibility. The results show that dry pet food consisting only of chicken fresh meats has the highest content of soluble protein; it also contains more Essential AAs, Branched-Chain AAs, and Taurine, as well as a greater quantity of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, its in vitro digestibility was the highest, exceeding 90% of its dry weight, in agreement with the soluble protein content. These findings thus make the fresh-meat-based formulation a preferable choice as dry pet food.

Physicochemical Parameters of Raw Pet Food and Dehydrated Pet Treats Developed from Beef Processing Co-Products

Pet humanization and premiumization of pet foods have led to significant changes in the co-product market, as pet food companies are looking for more profitable protein sources for their products. Co-products such as beef liver (BL) and beef heart (BH) can be combined to generate restructured pet foods rich in vitamins and nutrients. Sodium alginate and encapsulated calcium lactate (ALGIN) can improve the acceptability of meat pieces by transforming them into a singular shape. The objective of this experiment was to assess the physiochemical parameters of co-products for utilization in raw pet foods and restructured pet treats generated from BL and BH by using ALGIN as a structure-forming agent. Results demonstrated increased cooking loss as ALGIN inclusion decreased, but cooking loss decreased as BL proportions increased (p = 0.0056). Expressible moisture of raw pet food decreased as ALGIN inclusion increased, but more moisture was released from treats when BL proportions increased (p < 0.0001). Increasing ALGIN and BH led to increased water activity of cooked treats (p < 0.0001). Thus, we suggest that BL and BH combinations with ALGIN inclusion produces a viable platform for higher inclusions of co-products in pet treats. Additionally, these ingredients improved the finished product quality characteristics of raw pet foods.

Shelf-Life Evaluation of Ingredient Combinations and Technologies for Use in Pet Food Formulations

Simple Summary

Creation of new meat-based pet food and pet treats continues to grow at a steady annual rate within the pet food industry. Poultry co-products are often overlooked due to their poor quality and low customer acceptance. However, poultry co-products pose great potential and added value to the pet food industry. Two of the most common poultry co-products (wooden breast and carcass frames) often directed towards pet food were used in a fresh pet food formulation. Due to variations in meat quality because of the wooden breast and carcass frames, a hydrocolloid was utilized to improve fresh pet food characteristics. A hydrocolloid is a type of protein that when added to meat products aids with binding and stabilization of the pet food. For the current study, the combination of sodium alginate and encapsulated calcium lactate pentahydrate (ALGIN) was used. Due to the perceived poor quality of wooden breast and carcass frames, it is plausible that the addition of hydrocolloids can combat the undesirable characteristics. Results from the current study suggest that the impact of ALGIN in poultry co-product pet food combinations does not severely alter shelf-life characteristics of a fresh pet food. However, the inclusion of varying amounts of wooden breast and ground carcass frame can impart a greater impact on shelf-life characteristics in fresh pet food by altering surface color and lipid oxidation.

Abstract

Poultry co-product chicken frames (CF) and wooden breast (WB) along with ingredient technology use may bring enhanced value to the pet food industry. Therefore, the current study focused on evaluating CF and WB combinations along with sodium alginate and encapsulated calcium lactate pentahydrate (ALGIN) inclusion within a fresh pet food formulation under simulated shelf-life conditions. Fresh chicken frames (CF) and boneless-skinless wooden breast (WB) were ground and allocated randomly to one of ten treatment combinations with either 0.5 or 1.0% added ALGIN. Ground treatments were placed into a form and fill vacuum package and stored using a reach-in refrigerated case for 21 days. Packages were evaluated for instrumental surface color, lipid oxidation, water activity, and pH on days 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 of the display. Packages of pet food were lighter, less red, and more yellow (p < 0.05) with increasing percentages of CF regardless of ALGIN inclusion, whereas pH was greater (p < 0.05) and lipid oxidation was less (p < 0.05) with increasing percentage of WB. Water activity increased (p < 0.05) when WB and ALGIN inclusion increased. The current results suggest that the use of ALGIN in a poultry co-product pet food formulation can improve shelf-life characteristics such as surface color and lipid oxidation in fresh pet food.

Selected Quality Attributes of Freshwater Mussel Powder as a Promising Ingredient for Pet Food

Simple Summary

Bivalves such as clams, mussels, and oysters provide a good source of protein, glycogen, and minerals. The high-value compounds and bioactive properties of these organisms are well known and confirmed by numerous scientific studies. During the last two decades, the freshwater mussel Sinanodonta woodiana as one of the most invasive species, has penetrated into Europe along with fish shipments from Asia. Numerous studies indicate that both the soft tissues and mussel shells of this low-grade species may constitute promising biomaterial with potential processing ability. Due to growing interest in new raw materials having been observed recently in the pet food market, this study aimed to obtain and evaluate selected quality attributes of freshwater pond mussel powder. After initial ecotoxicity testing in vitro, powdered mussel tissue was evaluated with respect to its basic physicochemical and functional properties, such as solubility, emulsifying capacity, and gel-forming ability. The study also provides novel information about electrophoretic protein profile and amino acid composition, including taurine content. Based on the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that tissues of mussels available locally from lakes and ponds can be proposed as an interesting source of new ingredients for developing formulated pet food products.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the quality attributes of a freeze-dried preparation obtained from freshwater mussel Sinanodonta woodiana (SW) soft tissue in respect to its potential as a novel pet food ingredient. After ecotoxicological testing of the raw material with MARA (Microbial Assay for Risk Assessment), the basic physico-chemical properties of the powder, such as approximate composition, bulk density, color parameters, water activity, electrophoretic analysis (SDS-PAGE), solubility, gelling and emulsifying capacity, were analyzed. The powder with a water activity of 0.43 offers a toxically safe preparation that contains over 34% protein/100 g of dry matter (DM). The SDS-PAGE profile showed twelve protein bands with a molecular weight (MW) ranging from >250 to 10 kDa. Taurine content has been estimated at an essential amount above 150 mg/100 g of DM. The powder possessed desirable emulsifying properties with 230 mL per 1 g and demonstrated the ability to form a firmer gel with a strength of 152.9 g at a temperature above 80 °C with at least 10% protein content. The L*, a*, and b* values characterizing powder color were found to be 69.49, 16.33, and 3.86, respectively. The SW mussel powder seems to be a promising ingredient that can be added with other binding or gelling agents in order to improve both the taste and acceptance of the final pet food products.

Dry Pet Food Flavor Enhancers and Their Impact on Palatability: A Review

Pet foods are a vital component of the global food industry. Pet food’s success depends on its acceptance by both consumers (the pets) and purchasers (the pet owners). Palatability tests using panels of both trained and untrained pets are often used to measure the preference and acceptability of pet foods. Human perception of pet foods is usually determined by descriptive sensory analysis. Since dry pet foods (also known as kibbles), while being the most popular, are the least palatable, palatants as a flavor enhancer are generally added to dry pet foods to increase their acceptability to pets. Pet foods can also be prepared to be more appealing to pet owners if the chosen aromas and flavors are commonly associated with human food. With increasing demand, developing flavor enhancers to meet the needs of both pets and owners is becoming increasingly important. This review summarized the current state of flavor enhancers used in the pet food industry and their influence on food palatability from both animal and human standpoints.

Canine and Feline Obesity Management

Obesity and overweight have an impact on more than half of pet cats and dogs. Effective and team-based communication is essential for creating an effective weight loss plan. The diet should meet all essential nutrient requirements during energy/calorie restriction. There are several ways to initiate a weight loss plan, and regular monitoring is essential for determining if a plan is working or needs to be adjusted.

Palatability of Horse Treats: Comparing the Preferences of Horses and Humans

Despite its importance to product development, few data compare preferences for horses with human consumers. The objectives of this research were to compare treat preferences of horses against horse owners. Product A was a disk-shaped cinnamon-flavored flax-based treat, and product B was a textured apple-flavored oat-based treat. Horses were presented with two treat products in a paired preference test which comprised separate olfaction and consumption periods. Consumers evaluated the treats separately for purchase intent as well as hedonic testing of sensory attributes. No difference was observed for first product sniffed, consumed, or finished during the horse preference test. However, moderate positive correlations were observed between first product sniffed and consumed (P = .01, ф = 0.40) as well as first product consumed and finished (P < .01, ф = 0.48). Horse owners rated product A lower in appearance, texture, size, and purchase intent (P < .01) than product B. These results indicate that consumer testing for animal food should be considered during product development.

Acceptability of Dry Dog Food Visual Characteristics by Consumer Segments Based on Overall Liking: a Case Study in Poland

Simple Summary

The present work aimed to explore the response of dog owners to the appearance of pet foods. The objective of this study was to understand the impact of the visual characteristics of dry dog food on the human consumers’ acceptance and beliefs they associate with the products. The acceptability of the appearance of dry dog foods by consumers is influenced by the number of different kibbles present, color(s), shape(s), and size(s) in the product. The results indicated that dry dog food manufacturers should take special consideration with the appearance of the kibbles to enhance the acceptability of their products. These findings can help dry dog food manufacturers meet the consumers’ needs with increasing benefits to the pet food and commodity industries.

Abstract

Sensory analysis of pet foods has been emerging as an important field of study for the pet food industry over the last few decades. Few studies have been conducted on understanding the pet owners’ perception of pet foods. The objective of this study is to gain a deeper understanding on the perception of the visual characteristics of dry dog foods by dog owners in different consumer segments. A total of 120 consumers evaluated the appearance of 30 dry dog food samples with varying visual characteristics. The consumers rated the acceptance of the samples and associated each one with a list of positive and negative beliefs. Cluster Analysis, ANOVA and Correspondence Analysis were used to analyze the consumer responses. The acceptability of the appearance of dry dog foods was affected by the number of different kibbles present, color(s), shape(s), and size(s) of the kibbles in the product. Three consumer clusters were identified. Consumers rated highest single-kibble samples of medium sizes, traditional shapes, and brown colors. Participants disliked extra-small or extra-large kibble sizes, shapes with high-dimensional contrast, and kibbles of light brown color. These findings can help dry dog food manufacturers to meet consumers’ needs with increasing benefits to the pet food and commodity industries.

Processing traits and digestibility of extruded dog foods with soy protein concentrate

Soya bean protein concentrate (SPC) with two particle sizes were evaluated on extrusion parameters, kibble formation, digestibility and palatability of dog foods. Eight diets were extruded: PBM-control diet based on poultry by-product meal (PBM); GM-a diet in which corn gluten meal (GM) replaced 45% of the diet protein; cSPC15%, cSPC30% and cSPC45%-diets in which SPC of coarse particle size (600 μm) replaced 15%, 30% and 45% of the diet protein; and sSPC15%, sSPC30% and sSPC45%-diets in which SPC of small particle size (200 μm) replaced 15%, 30% and 45% of the diet protein. The digestibility of nutrients was evaluated for the PBM, GM, cSPC45% and sSPC45% diets, using six dogs per food. The PBM, GM and cSPC45% diets were compared for palatability. Data were submitted for analysis of variance, and the means were compared by polynomial contrasts or Tukey's test (p < .05). The cSPC increased the specific mechanical energy (SME) application, extrusion temperature and pressure linearly, resulting in lower kibble density and higher expansion and starch gelatinization (SG) (p < .01). When comparing the PBM, GM, cSPC45% and sSPC45% diets, higher SME, extrusion temperature and pressure, SG and kibble expansion were verified for the cSPC45% diet (p < .05). The DM, fat and crude protein digestibility were similar among diets. Faecal pH, ammonia and lactate did not differ, demonstrating that the removal of oligosaccharides and soluble non-starch polysaccharides of SPC produces an ingredient with mostly non-fermentable fibre. Dogs preferred the PBM to the GM diet (p < .05), but consumed the PBM and cSPC45% foods equally. In conclusion, SPC exhibited good extrusion functionality, favouring kibble expansion and SG, with high digestibility, similar to that of PBM. The removal of soluble compounds from soya beans resulted in an ingredient with low fermentable fibre content, which did not alter faecal formation or characteristics.

Sensory Characteristics and Volatile Components of Dry Dog Foods Manufactured with Sorghum Fractions

Descriptive sensory analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with a modified headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method was performed on three extruded dry dog food diets manufactured with different fractions of red sorghum and a control diet containing corn, brewer's rice, and wheat as a grain source in order to determine the effect of sorghum fractions on dry dog food sensory properties. The aroma compounds and flavor profiles of samples were similar with small differences, such as higher toasted aroma notes, and musty and dusty flavor in the mill-feed sample. A total of 37 compounds were tentatively identified and semi-quantified. Aldehydes were the major group present in the samples. The total volatile concentration was low, reflecting the mild aroma of the samples. Partial least squares regression was performed to identify correlations between sensory characteristics and detected aroma compounds. Possible relationships, such as hexanal and oxidized oil, and broth aromatics were identified. Volatile compounds were also associated with earthy, musty, and meaty aromas and flavor notes. This study showed that extruded dry dog foods manufactured with different red sorghum fractions had similar aroma, flavor, and volatile profiles.

The Impact of Rendered Protein Meal Oxidation Level on Shelf-Life, Sensory Characteristics, and Acceptability in Extruded Pet Food

Simple Summary

Sensory analysis was used to determine the changes due to the storage time on extruded pet food prepared from two different rendered protein meals: (i) beef meat and bone meal (BMBM); (ii) chicken byproduct meal (CPBM). Extrusion is a process where feed is pressed through a die in order to create shapes and increase digestibility. Descriptive sensory analysis using a human panel found an increase in undesirable sensory attributes (e.g., oxidized oil, rancid) in extruded pet food over storage time, especially the one prepared from chicken by product meal without antioxidants. The small increase in oxidized and rancid aromas of BMBM samples did not affect pet owners’ acceptability of the products. CPBM samples without antioxidants showed a notable increase in oxidized and rancid aroma over storage time and, thus, affected product acceptability negatively. This finding indicated that human sensory analysis can be used as a tool to track the changes of pet food characteristics due to storage, as well as estimate the shelf-life of the products.

Abstract

Pet foods are expected to have a shelf-life for 12 months or more. Sensory analysis can be used to determine changes in products and to estimate products’ shelf-life. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate how increasing levels of oxidation in rendered protein meals used to produce extruded pet food affected the sensory properties and (2) determine the effect of shelf-life on pet owners’ acceptability of extruded pet food diet formulated without the use of preservative. Pet food diets contained beef meat bone meal (BMBM) and chicken byproduct meal (CBPM) in which the oxidation was retarded with ethoxyquin, mixed tocopherols, or none at all, and then extruded into dry pet foods. These samples represented low, medium, and high oxidation levels, respectively. Samples were stored for 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months at ambient temperature. Each time point, samples were evaluated by six highly trained descriptive panelists for sensory attributes related to oxidation. Samples without preservatives were chosen for the acceptability test, since the differences in sensory characteristics over storage time were more distinguishable in those samples. Pet owners evaluated samples for aroma, appearance and overall liking. Descriptive sensory analysis detected significant changes in oxidized-related sensory characteristics over storage time. However, the differences for CBPM samples were more pronounced and directional. The consumer study showed no differences in pet owners’ acceptability for BMBM samples. However, the noticeable increase in aroma characteristics (rancid aroma 0.33–4.21) in CBPM samples over storage time did have a negative effect on consumer’s liking (overall liking 5.52–4.95).

Assessing Food Preferences in Dogs and Cats: A Review of the Current Methods

Food is a major aspect of pet care; therefore, ensuring that pet foods are not only healthful but attractive to companion animals and their owners is essential. The petfood market remains active and requires ongoing evaluation of the adaptation and efficiency of the new products. Palatability-foods' characteristics enticing animals and leading them to consumption-is therefore a key element to look at. Based on the type of information needed, different pet populations (expert or naïve) can be tested to access their preference and acceptance for different food products. Classical techniques are the one-bowl and two-bowl tests, but complementary (i.e., operant conditioning) and novel (i.e., exploratory behavior) approaches are available to gather more information on the evaluation of petfood palatability.