Do you know what they do to pet food every time it’s cooked, it is called heat-processed pet food. Most pet parents don’t realize that 95% of dry pet foods go through extreme heat processing called extrusion. Sure, this makes the food safe to eat. However, those temperatures, which are between 160°C and 200°C, destroy up to 80% of essential nutrients like lysine. Our pets desperately need these nutrients.

I have learned how this intense heating strips away vital nutrients our pets need to thrive. The process damages very important vitamins A, C, E, and B-vitamins, plus those precious omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These nutrients mean everything for our pets’ health, yet they’re getting lost in the processing.

Let me share what I’ve learned about heat processing and its effects on pet food quality. Our pets deserve better, and together we can make sure they get the nutrition they need. I’ll show you what really happens to their food. We can make better choices to keep them healthy and happy.

Why Pet Food Processing Matters

Pet food safety has taught me so much about the delicate balance between keeping food safe and preserving its goodness. The FDA ensures our pets’ food meets strict safety standards. However, pet parents should be aware that there’s more to the story.

Basic food safety needs

Safety always comes first – nobody wants their beloved pet getting sick from harmful bacteria. The FDA watches carefully to make sure pet food companies keep everything clean and safe. Let me share what I’ve learned about the different ways companies process our pets’ food:

• Sterilization: They cook the food in sealed containers at certain temperatures to kill harmful bacteria and keep the flavor
• Pasteurization: This gentler method uses lower heat but needs refrigeration
• High-Pressure Processing: This newer method kills bad bacteria without using heat – perfect for raw foods

Balancing safety and nutrition

I’ve discovered how challenging it is to keep pet food both safe and nutritious. The high-heat processing affects different nutrients in different ways:

• Proteins: The heat can make proteins harder to digest and create unwanted compounds
• Vitamins: We lose so many important vitamins – sometimes half of vitamins A, C, and B vitamins just disappear
• Omega-3 Fats: These precious nutrients suffer during processing and storage
• Probiotics: The heat destroys most of these helpful bacteria

Some fascinating research that really opened my eyes. The dogs eating highly heated food showed higher blood fat levels compared to those eating raw or gently processed food.

Here is what I recommend for our furry friends:

1. Gentler Processing: Look for foods that use milder processing to keep nutrients intact
2. Fresh Options: These usually preserve more of the good stuff our pets need
3. Frozen Foods: These can keep more nutrients, flavor, and texture

I’m happy to see pet food companies trying new ways to make food safer while keeping it nutritious. The AAFCO has also created new labels to help us make better choices for our pets. They deserve nothing but the best from us. Understanding how their food is made helps us give them exactly what they need.

Key Nutrients at Risk

Pet food processing has revealed some truly worrying facts about what happens to the nutrients our pets need. Let me share what I’ve discovered about these changes – it’s something every pet parent should understand.

Essential vitamins affected

The more I learned about pet food processing, the more concerned I became about vitamin loss. Studies show that vitamins A, D, E, K, vitamin C, and folic acid just can’t survive the harsh extrusion process. When temperatures climb above 100°C, we lose so many of these precious vitamins. I’ve learned that vitamins disappear faster when:

• Processing equipment runs too fast
• Equipment openings are smaller
• Less food moves through
• Moisture levels aren’t quite right

Mineral availability changes

While minerals seem tougher than vitamins, they still suffer from heat processing. Our pets desperately need minerals like zinc, copper, iron, and manganese for:

• Healthy cells
• Getting oxygen where it needs to go
• Many other body functions

What saddens me is that the inorganic minerals commonly used in pet food don’t work well in our pets’ bodies. Even worse, some minerals like iron, copper, and zinc can actually cause problems, making fats go bad and shortening how long food stays fresh.

Protein quality impact

The way heat affects proteins breaks my heart the most. High temperatures damage those precious amino acids our pets need and trigger something called the Maillard reaction. This means:

• Lysine becomes useless for our pets
• Harmful compounds form
• AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) develop

It pains me to share that up to 60% of lysine in pet foods gets trapped by these Maillard reactions. These changes don’t just hurt protein quality – they create substances that build up in our pets’ bodies, especially in their:

• Kidneys
• Intestines
• Lungs

Since protein makes up 25% to 70% of dry pet food, and our dogs and cats are natural meat-eaters, this protein damage really matters for their health. They deserve better than damaged proteins that can’t nourish them properly.

Health Impacts on Your Pet

The more I learned about pet food processing, the more worried I become about our pets’ health. Studies have found something truly alarming – our dogs get 122 times more Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) than humans do, and cats get 38 times more. These harmful compounds build up in their bodies and cause inflammation.

Digestive system effects

My heart aches when I see how processed food hurts our pets’ digestion their skin. Research shows dogs eating highly processed, carb-heavy foods often develop serious bowel problems and itchy skin. The good news is that dogs eating natural foods like meat, berries, and raw bones stay healthier.

The food we choose affects everything about our pets’ digestion:

• How healthy their stools look
• How well they absorb nutrients
• The good bacteria in their gut

Long-term health concerns

Over my years of studying pet nutrition, I’ve seen how processed foods lead to serious health problems:

1. Metabolic Issues: The numbers sadden me:
   • More than one-third of our pets struggle with obesity – 34% of dogs and 35% of cats
   • Many develop diabetes
   • They might live 5-10 years less than they should
2. Organ Health: Those AGEs I mentioned earlier hurt our pets’:
   • Kidneys
   • Hearts
   • Brain function

Something that gives me hope – research shows we could prevent 74.7% of common dog diseases and 63% of cat diseases just by changing their diet. Many veterinarians have said they heal about 75% of their patients through better food alone.

The answer lies in real, fresh food. These natural diets help our pets digest and use nutrients better. Pet parents should read labels carefully and avoid foods with added salt, sugar, and artificial preservatives. Our pets deserve food that keeps them healthy and helps prevent problems like joint pain, weight issues, and bad teeth.

Making Smart Food Choices

My years of caring for pets have taught me how important food choices are for their health. I’ve learned that regular pet foods lose too many nutrients during processing.

Minimally processed options

Let me share something exciting I’ve learned – minimally processed pet foods keep more nutrients and digest better. Studies show us that pets can use up to 98% of these foods, while regular dry food only gives them 80%. The best ones include:

• Real meat first
• Whole grains that give lasting energy
• Natural fruits and vegetables

Fresh food alternatives

Fresh pet foods make my heart happy because they focus on keeping nutrients intact. These foods need gentle cooking and stay in the fridge to keep fresh. I love that they offer:

• More nutrients staying intact
• Better digestion
• Cleaner ingredients

When choosing natural pet food, I always check for the AAFCO statement on labels.

Look for human-grade ingredients and proper food handling too.

Transitioning pet diets

Switching your pet’s food needs lots of love and patience. I’ve learned that dogs usually need about a week, but our cat friends need up to 40 days. Here’s what works best:

1. Days 1-3: Start with just 25% new food mixed with 75% old food
2. Days 4-6: Move to half and half
3. Days 7-9: Use 75% new food
4. Day 10+: Give all new food

Watch your pet carefully during the change. You’ll know it’s working when you see:

• Their usual happy energy
• Normal bathroom habits
• A shiny, healthy coat

If your pet’s tummy seems upset, slow things down. Sometimes adding digestive helpers like probiotics makes the change easier. For our fussy cat friends, remember they like their food at body temperature.

Conclusion

Studies have shown that, high-temperature processing destroys up to 80% of the nutrients our pets need, while creating harmful compounds like AGEs and acrylamide. Our pets deserve better than this.

Changing your pet’s food takes time and love. Every pet is different, but the rewards make it all worthwhile. Your patience will pay off when you see their improved digestion, brighter energy, and better health shine through.

I’m happy to share that natural pet food gives us hope. Natural pet foods, like The Farmer’s Dog, Unkibble, Purina Beyond, and I and Love and You make pet food without extreme heat processing. These foods keep more nutrients intact, helping our pets live longer, healthier lives.

Taking care of our pets means making smart choices about their food. Whether you choose natural pet food or carefully picked commercial options. Remember that good nutrition helps them live their best lives. Our pets us such joy and companionship, they deserve the very best we can give them in return.

Please come back again and learn more about natural pet wellness.

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