Improving shelf-life and product stability Pet food processors and manufacturers need to prevent mi- crobial growth, control pH and use traditional or natural addi- tives to prevent oxidation to improve pet food shelf-life and stability.
Managing microbials Effective microbial shelf-life preservation is a critical factor in the long-term market success of pet food. The risk of microbial (yeast, mould, bacteria) growth is lower in dry products versus semi-moist products. Moreover, pH reduction is required to in- hibit microbial growth. Acid ingredients or acid salts can be used as feed additives to reach the target pH. However, major issues with using additives include identifying the most ap- propriate additive for the specific product, determining the proper dosage and finding the best location to add them to enusre good distribution. Antimicrobial agents include acids such as acetic acid, benzoic acid and citric acid, as well as non-acids such as nitrites and sulphites. Factors to account for when choosing the best antimicrobial agent for pet food products comprise acidity index, the presence of other inhibi- tors such as salt, smoke, sugar, moisture content, solubility, length of storage and temperature conditions.
Controlling oxidation Delaying the onset and rate of lipid oxidation by adding an- tioxidants is an effective, convenient and economical
strategy that can be used to improve product stability and shelf-life. Lipid oxidation can cause nutritional deterioration and produce undesirable flavours, colour and toxic com- pounds that often make food less acceptable to pets. Anti- oxidants work by scavenging free lipid radicals, controlling transition metals, quenching singlet oxygen and inactivat- ing sensitisers. Hydrogen atoms are donated by antioxi- dants to free radicals and as a result, convert them to more stable, nonradical products. Antioxidant activity depends on a variety of factors, such as temperature, pH, degree and amount of unsaturated fatty acids, and the presence of oxygen and metal ions.
Concluding remarks The goal of veterinarians, nutritionists, pet food manufactur- ers, and pet owners is long and healthy lives for dogs and cats, using healthy pet food. Extended storage and freezing time, multiple freeze-thaw cycles occurring during transport and storage of raw-frozen foods, and application of high tem- peratures during food processing may impact pet food quali- ty, increase the level of oxidation products, damage proteins and amino acids and make them less digestible. Safe and healthy pet food comes from safe ingredients sourced from well-monitored suppliers; therefore, a better understanding of the ingredients and application of methods that can be used to improve pet food shelf-life and stability is an important part of pet food production.
▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 30, No. 3, 2022 7
Poor storage and freezing cir- cumstances may impact the qual- ity of pet food ingredients.
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