Feeds and Feed Additives, Pet Foods

Abstract The role of dogs and cats in the society has changed much over the past 50 years. They have migrated from the barn to the backyard and now into the house. As a result, our relationship has changed how we care and feed them. With that we have expanded our knowledge regarding their nutritional needs and idiosyncrasies as well as introduced a wide array of new foods and formats. Commercial pet food began in 1850, became more mainstream in the 1950s following human food processing technologies, and product offerings have expanded greatly since 2000. Most of the ingredients used to make these foods are the same or coproducts from the human food market, though an expanding array of nontraditional, alternative, and exotic ingredients are being considered. The three primary processes to produce pet foods include extrusion, canning, and baking, with several innovative technologies borrowed from the human foods industry to create products that mimic the pet owner's diet. Since most pets live in the home today and share family spaces, food safety has become a major concern for the pet food industry. The use of preservatives and pathogen controls have become more important. Where the future of pet food will lead us is a fascinating area to be discovered.