Two essential parameters for the launch of dog and cat food

In recent years, the pet food industry has experienced exponential growth, driven by the increasing awareness of owners regarding the importance of proper nutrition for their pets. This dynamic and expanding sector, however, is rapidly becoming a highly competitive field, where companies relentlessly seek innovations to offer high-quality products that meet the specific demands of consumers.

The fierce competitiveness in the pet food market not only highlights the need for differentiation and excellence in pet food formulation, but also emphasizes the importance of validating the efficacy of these formulations. One of the crucial methods for assessing the nutritional quality of pet food is conducting digestibility trials and fecal score evaluation.

Two essential parameters for the launch of Dog and Cat food

The digestibility trial is a crucial tool in evaluating the efficiency with which animals utilize and absorb the nutrients contained in food. This method provides a deep understanding of the capacity for digestion and absorption of essential nutrients, being fundamental for optimizing diet formulations and ensuring the proper nutrition of living beings. By analyzing the digestibility rate of various components present in food, such as proteins, fats, and starch, the digestibility trial contributes significantly to the development of more efficient and sustainable feeding strategies, benefiting pet food products.

The evaluation of the fecal score in dogs and cats is a practical and valuable method for monitoring the digestibility of the food consumed by these animals. The fecal score refers to the consistency and appearance of the feces, being a visual indication of gastrointestinal health and digestive efficiency. This method involves assigning an appropriate score to the feces, usually on a scale ranging from 1 to 5, based on characteristics such as consistency, color, and shape.

When applied to dog and cat food digestibility studies, the fecal score plays a crucial role. Well-formed feces with adequate consistency indicate good nutrient absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. On the other hand, excessively soft feces, diarrhea, or other abnormalities can be attributed to poor diet digestibility.

Fecal score evaluation is frequently performed in experimental feeding studies, in which animals are subjected to different diets. By comparing fecal scores over time, researchers can infer the relative digestibility of different ingredients or food formulations. Diets that result in better-formed and more consistent feces generally indicate better utilization of the nutrients present in the food.

Visual evaluation of the fecal score can complement the digestibility assessment. This approach offers a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of food on the gastrointestinal health of dogs and cats, allowing for adjustments in formulations to optimize nutrition and digestibility, thus promoting the health and well-being of pets.

Evaluating these parameters before launching a pet food product to the market can give you advantages in comparison with competitors, evaluate if the processing was done correctly, and identify the need for changes in formulations in time.

A practical demonstration would be an excess of carbohydrates in the diet, for example, which leads to marked lactic fermentation, and the feces appear pasty with a light color and acidic smell (without a rotten smell). The same occurs when the kibble is poorly processed. Normally, for the manufacture of dry food, a process called extrusion is used, which consists of applying steam and pressure to a meal mass, forming those granules that we technically call “kibbles”. In this process, starch is fundamental, as it is what makes the kibble expand; however, if the starch does not undergo good cooking (or gelatinization) in this process, there is a risk of causing osmotic diarrhea in the animal fed with the food in question.

The use of ingredients with lower digestibility directly impacts the fecal score. Ingredients such as soybean meal, widely used in the manufacture of standard or economy foods for companion animals, contain 20% of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). Soluble NSPs can reduce the digestibility of nutrients and energy in the diet due to increased viscosity of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and reduced food passage time, hindering the access of digestive enzymes to the food bolus and interfering with the diffusion and transport of nutrients, resulting in softened feces and in large quantities.

To minimize the adverse effects of ingredients with lower digestibility, their use can be restricted to small inclusions, or additives such as enzymes and/or adsorbents can be used. In the case of diets with raw materials rich in NSP and their influence on the fecal characteristics of dogs and cats, for example, the inclusion of an adsorbent additive like CELPEC® adjusts the fecal score of the diet, since this additive, while passing inertly through the GIT, adsorbs water and gases and reduces the elimination of ammonia, which improves the fecal characteristics and odors of the animals.

CELPEC® – Food Additive for Companion Animals

The animal’s fecal score after consuming a food plays a significant role in consumer satisfaction and can directly influence the decision to repurchase. Thus, the digestibility and consistency of the fecal score reinforce consumer confidence in the product. If the food provides healthy and regular digestion, owners tend to associate this quality with the brand, thus strengthening customer loyalty.