Pet food manufacturers advertise images of plump whole chickens, fresh grains or choice cuts of beef that go into their products, offering the best nutrition to your dog or cat. However, pet food industry is an extension of human food industry and only uses by-products that result from the process of manufacturing human food. Slaughterhouse offal or grains that are unfit for human consumption together with other waste products are turned to profit by food manufacturers that cater to our pets' needs. The byproducts of meat packing, poultry and other food industries that produce food for human consumption are turned into a profitable source of additional income for farmers and food processors.
Although the pet food industry claims that it is more strictly regulated than human food, there are not enough standards to support such claims. Besides, although FDA has authority over pet foods across states, actual controls are being made in each state and the degree of accuracy varies widely.
Dry food for pets, for example is made with an extruder. Products are blended according to a recipe created with assistance from computer programs. The recipe is supposed to ensure sufficient nutrient content for each proposed ingredient. After the food is dried, it is sprayed with fat and other compounds which make it more palatable. The cooking process kills the bacteria, but the final product can pick up bacteria during the subsequent processing. Pet treats and semi-moist foods are also made using an extruder. In order for such foods to keep their texture, a lot of additives, preservatives and colorings are used.
Grain and vegetable products are substantially used in the foods created for our pets. Products from plants have replaced a high proportion of the meat content in earlier pet foods. Nutritional deficiencies can result from such a diet. Dry pet food contains plenty of cereal grain and starchy vegetables just because they provide texture and can be easily processed with extruders.
Canned food has ingredients mixed with additives. The mixture is cooked and then canned, and the cans undergo commercial sterilization. Canned foods contain by-products that are fresh and less processed, so they can be considered superior to dry foods. Sometimes they are frozen for the period in which they are transported and stored and these are the only way such food is processed. Wet foods are higher in protein and offer better quality than dry foods. The moisture in canned foods mostly benefits cats, which are used to get water from their food and not drink it separately.
You have to be aware that as pet foods vary in water content, it is useless to compare labels of different kinds of foods, as the numbers can be deceiving. Canned food that shows a lower number for protein can actually contain more protein than dry food showing a higher number.
A meat-based diet is beneficial for both cats and dogs, as they are carnivores. Lean muscle from cattle, swine, lambs or chickens is used for human consumption and what remains from the carcass of the animals is used to manufacture pet food. The nutritional quality of these by-products can vary widely so claims on the labels cannot be supported for each and every batch. Brands of pet food that are marketed as super-premium, natural or organic do not use such by-products. Their labels claim they contain turkey or lamb, however these are also leftovers.
It is difficult to decide on the best options for pet food as you cannot control the nutritional value of such products to a considerable degree.
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