The processing methods used to manufacture dog food can significantly impact the nutrients it provides. So while they give a longer shelf life, techniques like canning, baking, and extrusion can have the effect of degrading essential vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Let’s take a look at how different levels of processing affect nutrient levels, digestibility, and overall nutritional value.
What is Food Processing?
Food processing refers to any method that changes fresh foods before they are sold. It includes processes such as freezing, canning, baking, drying, and adding preservatives. And it allows foods to be stored for longer periods without spoiling. It also makes some nutrients easier or harder for dogs to digest.
Many parts of dog food are processed in some way today. But some types and amounts of processing are better than others when it comes to dog nutrition. Too much processing can reduce the natural nutrition dogs need. More minimally processed ingredients tend to be healthier. Understanding how different types of food processing work helps owners pick the best dog foods.
Effects on Nutrients
Heat, pressure, chemicals, drying, and freezing are all used in processing. However, they all affect the food’s nutritional makeup. Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are extremely sensitive to processing’s effects (for example, vitamins and antioxidants can actually be destroyed by too much heat or pressure). But freezing keeps them locked in.
Too much heat can damage protein during extrusion or canning. These high temperatures make dog food harder to digest. There are some processing methods that add vitamins and minerals too. Even if processing removes some, the total amount might be increased.
Cold Pressed Dog Food
“Cold pressed” is a type of processing. It presses ingredients through a machine without heat. This gentle pressing keeps more nutrients intact. Cold pressed dog food includes raw food diets. The experts at Nextrition say they have become more popular recently because they provide less processed whole food nutrition.
Effects on Digestibility
Processing changes more than just vitamins and proteins. It also affects how well dogs absorb nutrients from food. Heavily processed kibbles use starch gelatinization and extrusion to puff up dry nuggets. This destroys digestive enzymes dogs need to properly break down food in the gut.
Minimally processed foods keep these enzymes intact. That makes their nutrients far more digestible and bioavailable to dogs. Their bodies can make full use of the proteins, fats, carbs, vitamins, and minerals.
Common Types of Processing
- Canning: Canning cooks the ingredients at high heat before sealing in cans. The temperature damages proteins, vitamins, and digestive enzymes. But the moist food is still highly palatable.
- Extrusion: Kibble production uses a high heat extrusion process to form the dry, crunchy bites. It damages many nutrients but also kills bacteria and extends shelf life at a low cost.
- Freeze Drying/Dehydration: Gentler than extrusion, these remove moisture to halt bacteria growth and preserve nutrients. Dehydration uses less heat but still affects vitamin levels.
- High Pressure Processing (HPP): This cold pasteurization uses extreme water pressure to kill pathogens. No heat means vitamins are retained. HPP lets food be shelf-stable but still raw.
Effects on Ingredient Quality
Processing methods themselves impact nutrients. But so do the quality of ingredients used. Lower grade ingredients lead to less nutritious dog food overall.
Cheap grains, fillers, and by-product meals reduce nutritional value. They can also trigger allergic reactions. Premium brands focus more on quality whole food ingredients. Minimally processed ingredients provide better nutrition, too.
Conclusion
Processing makes dog food safe, affordable, and convenient. But too much destroys vital nutrition. The healthiest diets use processing judiciously. This retains vitamins, enzymes and bioavailability. It also avoids bacteria and spoilage. Understanding processing methods helps owners provide the best diet possible.
