PET FOOD INGREDIENTS 

Pet foods include protein, carbohydrates, fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Animals’ digestive systems break these ingredients down into nutrients-glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals-that supply energy and keep the body healthy.

Protein

Protein is critical for:

• Muscle and organ growth and maintenance
• Digestive enzyme production
• Antibodies that help fight disease
• Healthy hair coat maintenance

Proteins are made up of amino acids. Animals need carbohydrates and fats to provide the energy needed to make, break down and reform proteins. Essential amino acids cannot be manufactured by the body and must be directly supplied by food ingredients.

Animal proteins include:

• Meat, meat by-products and meat meals
• Fish, fish by-products and fish meals
• Shellfish and shellfish meal (most commonly from crabs or shrimp)
• Whey, cheese, and other dairy products and by-products
• Eggs

Plant proteins include:

• Corn gluten meal
• Soybeans and soybean meal
• Cottonseed, cottonseed flakes and cottonseed meal
• Canola, safflower and sunflower meal
• Yeast
• Beans (dried) and peas
• Algae meal

Chicken, beef, lamb, fish and egg are commonly used sources of animal protein in pet food; corn gluten meal, soybean meal and wheat gluten are the most common plant proteins.

Fat

Fatty acids:

• Supply energy
• Support brain function and development
• Help keep skin and coat healthy
• Promote healing by controlling inflammation and the immune system
• Make food taste better

Fats contain over twice as much energy as carbohydrates or protein, and are the principle type of energy stored by animals. Fats are also an important source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 series fatty acids help animals heal by reducing inflammation or swelling, while omega-6 helps support healthy brain development and function in growing animals.

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are sugar and starches that:

• Provide energy
• Help maintain healthy weight
• Affect blood sugar levels
• Improve extrusion of dry food

Carbohydrate is an important source of energy for your dog or cat, supplying the building blocks (glucose) for cellular energy, which spares protein to support other body functions. Carbohydrate also provides the fiber in pet diets which is important for gut health and gut motility. Carbohydrate sources in pet food can include whole grain corn wheat, brown rice, oats, potatoes for energy, and wheat bran, rice bran, soybean hulls, beet pulp, and fructooligosaccharides, for fiber.

Vitamins & Minerals

While vitamins and minerals are added in very small amounts, they account for close to half of the ingredients in a pet food, and make up the longest part of the ingredient list on the label. The AAFCO Nutrient Profiles contain 23 and 25 essential vitamins and minerals for dogs and cats, respectively. Again, the sources of these vitamins and minerals are required to be listed on the label by their true chemical name. Some pet foods will contain additional essential amino acids, such as lysine and methionine.