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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).
There are several different types, or formats, of manufactured pet food including wet (can, pouch, tray), dry (extruded or baked), cold pressed and raw. The label will indicate if the pet food is ‘complete’ or ‘complementary’. ‘Complete’ means the product contains all the nutrients a pet needs for healthy bodily function in each daily ration, whilst a ‘complementary’ pet food e.g. treats will need to be fed along other sources of food to provide the right nutrition. The method of production and the ingredients used varies according to format.
Dry pet foods are made by mixing dry and wet ingredients together to form a dough. In the extrusion process, the dough is heated under pressure, then pushed through a die machine that cuts the kibbles while they are expanded due to the pressure change. Kibble size and shape varies according to the product specification. The kibbles are dried, cooled and spray coated. Some dry foods may also be produced by means other than extrusion, such as baking.
Many of the ingredients used in the manufacture of pet food are described as animal (or fish) derivatives or by-products. These ingredients are the parts of the animal surplus to the requirements of the human food industry. Examples of by-products include liver, kidney, lung and various by-product meals; they all are fit for human consumption as they have been through a veterinary inspection. These ingredients come from species also most commonly found within the human food chain. In dry pet foods, animal derivatives are commonly used in a meal form (such as chicken meal, poultry by-product meal) where they are cooked, the fat removed and the remaining material dried to create a dry meal. By-products may also be used in fresh or frozen form. Many of the other ingredients such as cereals, grains, and vegetables used in dry pet foods come in dry form and are milled or ground prior to mixing. A recipe is also likely to include oils and fats, vitamins and minerals required to ensure the product delivers all the essential nutrients.
Ingredients are carefully selected according to a pet food manufacturer’s specific recipe, formulated to deliver complete and balanced nutrition for cats and dogs. Dry ingredients are ground and sieved where required and then mixed.
The dry mix is combined with wet ingredients, water and steam in a preconditioner, which hydrates the powders, creates a dough and starts the cooking process. The dough then enters a machine known as an extruder, which cooks the dough under pressure. At the end of the extruder the dough exits under pressure through a die plate creating ribbons of pre-specified shape that are then sliced, while they expand, into the pre-specified size using a rotary cutter.
After extrusion and cutting the kibbles are air dried in an oven to remove water and then cooled. Reducing the moisture content is an important step in maintaining freshness and preventing food spoilage.
When baked, the dough is rolled out and cut into shapes, then baked in an oven (similar to cookies or biscuits).
After drying and cooling, kibbles often enter a revolving drum where they are evenly coated with a mix of flavours to enhance taste, and preservatives to prevent spoilage through the shelf life of the food. Flavours or other coatings may also be sprayed on baked foods as they exit the oven.
Packs are filled according to the declared weight and the packaging is appropriately sealed to prevent contamination.
Packages are stored in boxes or wrapped on pallets and stored in warehouses ready for distribution to customers.
Whatever the pet food format, all pet foods are subject to strict legislation to ensure safe, quality products. In addition to the legislation, FEDIAF members follow industry Codes of Practice such as the Guide to the Manufacture of Safe Pet Food.
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Please check out our video on how pet food is made here.
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