 As customers continue to demand more from their pets’ food, functional ingredients are making their way into all types of pet food formulations
Functional ingredients have been around in the human food sector for a long time. Touting all sorts of health and nutrition benefits, the novelty of each ingredient has come and gone depending on consumer preference, but there’s no doubt that they’re a staple in human nutrition.
It’s unsurprising, then, that functional ingredients have also become a staple in pet nutrition. “The distinction between human food and pet food is continually decreasing as pet owners are looking for more nutritious food for their pets and desire to know where their pets’ food comes from,” said Tara Froemming, marketing coordinator for Healthy Food Ingredients. “The human food trends have been a prominent driver of pet food. In addition, consumers are looking for the quality of their pet food to be at or above human food.”
Expanding beyond veterinary or premium specialty diets, it’s no longer difficult to find at least one functional ingredient claim on pet food bags at all price points. What qualifies as a functional ingredient has expanded, too, as formulators look to old classics and novel ingredients to fulfill customer requests.
“Functional foods include fruits and vegetables, botanicals, whole grains, dietary supplements (including pycnogenol, collagen, coenzyme Q10, low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate), beverages, probiotics and prebiotics,” according to “Functional foods in pet nutrition: Focus on dogs and cats,” a research study published in the June 2017 issue of Research in Veterinary Science. Novel ingredients, according to the study, have been identified as functional because they provide health benefits “beyond the provision of essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, water, proteins, carbohydrates and fats.”
While the bias is still towards smaller, niche pet food formulations that are traditionally known for focusing on those health benefits, functional ingredients are being seen everywhere. “People are trying to differentiate themselves from others in the marketplace by either providing a unique ingredient or using an ingredient in a unique way,” said Trevor Faber, nutritionist for Trouw Nutrition. “[Pet food manufacturers] are really trying to provide formulas with different blends or different ingredients that deliver a benefit.” |
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