Recent reports from the American Pet Products Association have shown year-over-year double digit growth in the pet food industry. To support an estimated 50% sales increase by 2030, the industry will need to be agile and keep up with demand by adopting new technologies, formulations, and manufacturing strategies. When we talk about fermented foods, we rarely touch on how these products can be destined to help animals, but the rapid growth in this market sector has seen a slew of new research in fermented ingredients for the benefit of our four legged friends around the globe. Here are just a few examples:
- Researchers at Kansas State University have been looking at adding more nutritional value with corn fermented protein as an offshoot of ethanol production in dog and cat feed.
- Canadian researchers at the University of Saskatchewan have demonstrated several positive aspects of fermenting pea starch with Torula yeast including increased palatability over unfermented starch.
- A group from the National Institute of Animal Science in South Korea has looked into fermented oats in combination with other sustainable raw materials with favorable results.
What are your thoughts on using fermented materials or their byproducts in pet food? Does the scoop of kibble you feed your pet already contain fermented ingredients?