The Nutritional Value and Functional Application of Fruits and Vegetables in Pet Food (Dried Vegetables)

Just like humans, animals require a variety of foods and nutrients for a balanced diet. Foods such as fruits and vegetables provide important nutrients, including fats, carbohydrates, and fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables can provide a healthy nutritional balance for your pet's diet, and specific fruits or vegetables can substitute allergenic ingredients or improve the overall digestibility of the formula and reduce waste cleanup.

1. The Nutritional Value of Fruits and Vegetables in Pet Food

Fruits and vegetables are familiar ingredients in our daily lives. Pet parents know they should eat more of them, and they believe their furry friends should too. Research on fruits and vegetables supports this belief. Studies on the regular consumption of fruits and vegetables primarily focus on chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, cataracts, and the risk of age-related functional decline. For these chronic diseases, prevention is often more effective than treatment, and many epidemiological studies reflect this.

2. Nutritional Value of Fruits and Vegetables in Pet Food

Due to their good fermentation characteristics, fruit fiber is an important source of soluble and insoluble fiber in pet food formulas. It can promote the health of the pet's gastrointestinal tract and achieve the benefits of intestinal fermentation without affecting nutrient digestion rate, fecal quality, or palatability. The effective dosage of fruit fiber needs to be evaluated, considering the ratio of insoluble fiber to soluble fiber in the finished product.

In addition to providing fiber, fruits and vegetables are also a source of antioxidants, including flavonoids, polyphenols, carotenoids, as well as vitamins C and E. Antioxidants slow down oxidative damage to cells by scavenging free radicals and unstable molecules produced by the body. The type and function of antioxidants vary depending on the plant species. For example, anthocyanins found in blueberries and strawberries can cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the cortex and hippocampus, affecting cognitive abilities. Blueberries, rich in anthocyanins, have functional antioxidant properties that can support the cognitive health of pets. Furthermore, the scientific understanding of the efficacy of plant ingredients in pet food is still evolving.

3. Functional Application of Fruits and Vegetables in Pet Food

According to Mintel's report "Pet Food: Impact of COVID-19 and Beyond," 75% of people believe it is worth paying more for premium pet food. Fruit and vegetable ingredients not only look good on pet food labels or packaging, but they also serve as indicators for pet owners in choosing food that is beneficial for their pets' health and well-being.

Typically, the main fruits and vegetables consumed in human diets are also used in pet food formulations. This list includes sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, blueberries, and cranberries.

Adding powdered, granulated, or thinly sliced Dried Fruits and vegetables to coarse-ground food is the most cost-effective method. For canned, refrigerated, and frozen pet foods, semi-dried, fresh, or individually quick-frozen ingredients are usually preferred. Potatoes and sweet potatoes have been proven to be highly digestible, making them an excellent solution for "sensitive digestion" formula pet food packaging, which is favored by small dog owners.

More and more brands are attempting to eliminate the use of synthetic vitamins and minerals and provide more natural trace nutrients by adding fruits and vegetables. Another trend is the removal of carbohydrate-based fillers, which provide calories but no nutrition.

In addition, fruit powders offer a range of benefits for pet food formulations. This includes not only enhancing flavor but also aiding in moisture retention, controlling water activity, increasing yield, reducing fat, inhibiting microbial growth, and providing antioxidants. Fruit and vegetable powders are typically produced through drum drying or freeze drying. They may contain a carrier that helps maintain the nutritional value of the ingredients and improves convenience in usage and storage.

4. Enhancing Pet Food Nutrition

Pet parents are concerned that feeding their pets the same food day after day may harm their health, which is why the ingredient and mixture market is gaining attention. A new category gaining momentum in the pet food industry is dietary ingredients and mixtures, which provide personalization, customization, and diversity. More importantly, they address health and well-being issues.

Just as more and more people realize that what they eat affects their overall health, this awakening also applies to their furry friends. Good pet nutrition can help pets stay healthy and happy, and avoid costly veterinary expenses. Dietary ingredients and food mixtures serve as excellent carriers for components such as fruits and vegetables, providing benefits for digestive health, fur health, joint health, stress relief, cognitive health, and more.

By focusing on different combinations of fruit purees, vegetables, and grains that maximize nutritional content, such as berries, pears, oats, organic fruit and vegetable mixtures, they are rich in nutrients - antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber - as well as attractive label ingredients that enhance the nutritional diversity of pet food.

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