Pet Food Manufacturing: Wolfing Down the Profits — Katana

Pet food manufacturing process

Regulations for US pet food manufacturers  

Be sure to read up on the AAFCO’s regulations, and the US Food and Drug Administration’s regulations.

In broad terms, however, the safety standards expected from pet food tend to be related to:

• Reliable suppliers

• Products must be free from harmful substances

• Products must be labeled truthfully and correctly

• Clear specifications when it comes to nutritional value, ingredients used, technical parameters, etc.

• Appropriate chemical analysis/studies to verify the nutritional content of the product

• Products meeting the same low-acid canning regulations as canned food made for human consumption

In essence, you can expect many of the same regulations and standards that you might find in food made for human consumption.

Dry pet food manufacturing

The dry pet food manufacturing process usually involves a cooking process that removes the fat from the meat components of the product. Other dry ingredients, such as the grains and cereals involved in the recipe, can also be added, dried, and sieved to create a dry mix.

The dry mix is then combined with the wet ingredients of the pet food and hydrated, creating a “dough”. The dough is then pressure cooked in an extruder. The dough is then extracted into “ribbons” in a specific shape.

At this point, they can be cut up and sliced into the sizes and shapes they are meant to be in, whether that’s kibbles or little dog treats. After this, the product is dried to remove any remaining moisture and to ensure it can be stored without spoiling.

Finally, the product is placed in a revolving drum, where it gets mixed with any last bits of flavoring and preservatives, giving the product its final delicious taste.

Wet pet food manufacturing

In the wet pet food manufacturing process, the product is actually normally cooked in the can (or another container) that it comes in when your customers buy it off the shelves. The ingredients are carefully measured and added into the container — this includes the animal products, such as meat, and often grains, thickening agents, vegetables, and extra vitamins and minerals). This has to be done in accordance with the recipe and the nutritional needs of the animal.

The container is then sealed, and the product is cooked within. The cooking process has to be highly regulated when it comes to temperature and the length of time the product is cooked to ensure the nutritional content, taste, and shelf-life of the product remain intact.

Once the product has been cooked, it is cooled, so it can finally be labeled and stored.

Dry vs wet pet food

After learning a bit more about the pet food manufacturing process for dry and wet products, you might be wondering — which is better? The truth is, both come with their advantages and disadvantages, so there isn’t really a clear answer. But let’s go over some of them to help you figure out the type of product you want to focus on and how you might want to market it to your customers.

First things first, both are potentially healthy options, so there are no worries there. Different dogs and cats might have different nutritional requirements and preferences. But ultimately, the most important part is the actual nutritional content of the product.

Advantages of dry pet food

The advantages of dry pet food are similar for both dogs and cats — dry pet food is easy to store and generally cheaper. Chewing helps sharpen a cat’s teeth, as well as helping keep dogs’ teeth clean. This can be especially helpful when fighting the gum problems faced by certain dog breeds.

Disadvantages of dry pet food

The disadvantage of dry pet food is that it can be harder to break down and chew for older pets or those breeds with weaker jaws and teeth. Its lower fat content might also prove a little insufficient for more active dogs.

Advantages of wet pet food

Wet pet food can help cats and dogs with hydration issues to a degree due to the higher moisture content. It is also said to help cats and dogs with certain urinary tract conditions. It is also common for dogs to prefer the taste of wet dog food.

Disadvantages of wet pet food

Wet pet food does not help clean a dog’s teeth quite as well as dry dog food does, and once a can has been opened, it tends to go off fairly quickly (so it can’t be stored quite as easily as dry products).