PetFood PRO 4/2024

INGREDIENTS

How to Transition to more Plantbased

Pet Food?

by Catharina Nieuwenhuizen, Technical Director Pet Food at Barentz

Many of us feel the urgency

to move towards more

sustainable pet food. But

how can we achieve this?

While part of the change

involves improvements in

manufacturing plants and

processes, a significant

impact can be made through

ingredient selection. Pet

owners increasingly expect

sustainable and nutritious

ingredients in their favorite

pet food choices. In both

human and pet food markets,

vegetarian and vegan options

remain relatively small but

are growing rapidly. Beyond

the vegan market, there

is also a rise in hybrid meat products,

which help advance the plant-based

revolution. Transitioning from meatbased

to more plant-based diets presents

many challenges. Let’s discuss some of

these challenges and explore potential

ingredient solutions.

Taste

It’s well-known that dogs, and especially

cats, love the taste of meat. Introducing

more plant-based proteins will inevitably

affect the taste of the final product.

However, for every challenge, there is a

solution. Various ingredients can provide

an umami taste or enhance flavour. Yeast is

a prime example. Different yeast extracts

offer a range of taste experiences, from

various umami flavors to roasty notes.

Nutrition

It is crucial to maintain the same

nutritional value of the pet diet when

incorporating more plant-based proteins.

A mixture of various plant proteins is

essential to ensure all amino acids are

included. One effective combination is

pea and rice. However, there is much

more to explore. Including yeast proteins

can supplement B-vitamins and boost

palatability. Have you considered insect

protein? Insect proteins are a nutritious

alternative with an excellent amino acid

profile, and significantly reduces your pet

food environmental footprint.

Color

The selection of ingredients will naturally

affect the final product’s colour. Adding

more vegetables to the recipe can

contribute to a more sustainable and

natural healthy appearance, such as using

carrots and whole peas. However, for

kibbles and some wet foods, achieving the

desired colour can be more challenging.

Barentz can assist you in selecting the

right shade of brown, from light to dark,

using natural ingredients like cooked

apples and malt extract.

Structure

The structure and texture of pet food

changes when incorporating more plantbased

or alternative proteins. While the

relevance of this change for dogs might

be debatable, it’s important to keep pet

parents satisfied by making the product

resemble meat, especially in wet pet food.

By using a range of different binders and

fibers, you can achieve a texture very

close to meat. Finding the right synergy,

in combination with other functional

ingredients, is key. We have the expertise

to help you achieve this.

Select Your Ingredients and

Create Value

Ingredient selection is key in finding

the best solutions for the plant-based

revolution. By selecting the right

ingredients, you can add significant value

to your product. Barentz offers a range of

plant-based, insect, and yeast proteins.

Additionally, we have the expertise to

combine these proteins with binders and

fibers to mimic meat-based pet food. Our

know-how extends to creating value for

your pet food products. Our technical

team is ready to collaborate with you to

find the best solutions for more plantbased

diets.

Meet us at FIE

We are exhibiting at FIE, Food Ingredients

Exhibition in Frankfurt (www.figlobal.

com/europe/en/home.html). Come and

meet our pet food experts to discuss

your challenges and explore innovative

solutions for transitioning to more plantbased

pet food. To schedule a meeting,

please email Catharina Nieuwenhuizen at

Catharina.nieuwenhuizen@barentz.com.

Technology & Marketing

For more information

www.barentz.com/humannutrition/pet-food/

Photo: Shutterstock 2334266773

6

Technology & Marketing