By Mitchell Clute
pet food guide
NATURAL Choose the best nutrition for your companion
sweet potatoes) for the allergy prone to added nutrients (omega-3s, probiotics, antioxidants) and virtuous label claims (organic, vegetarian, human grade). “Manufacturers typically look at trends in human foods,” says Mukund Parthasarathy, PhD, a pet-food industry columnist and consultant to companies formulating products. “We want our pets to follow our own healthy lifestyles.” Choosing the right food can be a complex equation, combining cost, personal values, and your
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animal’s unique health issues. As a baseline, all pet foods labeled “complete and balanced” meet the standards of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), an industry trade group that mandates minimum requirements for protein and key nutrients. Beyond that, there is little research to commend one food over another. “Some ingredients certainly sound better than others, but there’s no comparative research, so it’s
really a matter of faith,” says Marion Nestle, PhD, professor of nutrition at New York University and coauthor of Feed Your Pet Right (Free Press, 2010). Shoppers should look at what’s important to them, Nestle says. Organic ingredients? Few or no grains? Vegetarian options? Your preferences may have as much to do with values as with nutrition, but once you know what you want, Nestle says, buy the best product you can afford.
24 deliciousliving | july 2012
ough economic times haven’t taken a nip out of the natural and organic pet food business: Sales hit $1.3 billion in 2010, according to Nutrition Business Journal. And the products on offer go way beyond kibble and cans—from raw frozen meals and novel ingredients (emu,
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