Do raw foods have a role in the pet food industry?
In COVID times, consumers are extra keen to keep themselves and their pets healthy. Many see raw and lightly processed pet foods as good for their pets, despite some concerns about pathogen contamination. Setting aside the latter issue for discussion elsewhere, our focus here is on the question: Does reduced heat processing have health benefits for pets?
Research focus
Published research evaluating the impact on health of lightly processed (heated) or raw products has focused on three areas: modifying the gut microbiome, impacting nutrient digestion and the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).
Improved microflora
Proper management of gut microbiota is known to help pets avoid gut-based maladies and improve overall health. Studies reporting findings from dogs consuming raw versus traditional kibbled diets have demonstrated changes in gut microflora similar to what one would expect with consumption of higher amounts of dietary protein. Further, a more diverse gut microflora is generally considered to be more likely to resist the occurrence of pathogenesis. Dogs consuming raw meat diets compared to a kibbled diet resulted in a more diverse microflora.
Improved nutrient digestion
Improved nutrient digestion is looked upon as evidence of higher quality diets. Lipid, energy, protein and fat digestibility have been shown to be increased, at times, when dogs consumed raw diets compared to a kibbled diet.
Effects on digestibility of raw or lightly processed diets do not appear to be exclusive to dogs. Digestibility of several nutrients (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, gross energy) was increased, stool output was decreased, and long-term (26 weeks) health status was maintained when kittens consumed raw diets compared to the control, a canned diet. The caveat to several of these studies is that the major ingredients in these diets varied, making it difficult to conclude whether digestibility differences were due to processing and/or ingredients.
Fewer AGEs
Heating during processing increases the formation of AGEs. AGEs have been implicated in promoting a number of health maladies such as cancer, obesity, diabetes and renal insufficiency. An analysis of several cat foods and dog foods reported AGEs being 38 times (cat foods) to 122 times (dog foods) the level of intake normally consumed by humans. Consumption of lightly processed or raw foods by pets would help avoid excessive consumption of AGEs.
More research needed
Raw and lightly processed diets deserve a closer look based on the current nutritional evidence as well as their consumer appeal. More research is needed regarding the effects of heat processing on dog and cat health.
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