Kemin Nutrisurance United States

The problem: food allergies and intolerances

Food allergies and intolerances, like gluten or dairy intolerances, are common mealtime considerations
for an increasing number of families. Heightened awareness of intolerances in human health has increased discussions on the topic between pet owners and their veterinarians.

For dogs and cats, food intolerance and associated symptoms are linked to a reaction from a protein in the animals’ intestinal system, eliciting gastrointestinal issues or skin irritation. Common treatments for food intolerance in pets include medication or switching to a limited ingredient or prescription diet pet food. As humans and theirpets raise more awareness of these issues, the pet food industry is challenged with opportunities to create innovative solutions.

An opportunity: protein hydrolysates

Hydrolysis is the process of breaking down large, intact proteins into smaller molecular weight components that can be less reactive or have less of a negative impact on pets’ digestive system. While hydrolysis was historically developed to enhance flavour of pet food, hydrolyzed proteins that weigh less than 10 kilodaltons (kDa) have the added benefit of being less immunogenic.

“Our customers use Spray Dried Chicken Liver Hydrolysate as a cost effective, sustainable way to achieve a low molecular weight protein profile that compliments a low allergen diet,” says Dr Lynn Deffenbaugh, Principal Sales Manager at Kemin Nutrisurance. “Approximately 80% of the proteinsin Kemin’s Spray Dried Chicken Liver Hydrolysate are less than 10 kDa, making it an excellent source of high quality protein in diets for pets with food allergies or intolerances,” explains Deffenbaugh.

As a growing number of pets are diagnosed with food-related issues, pet parents will be turning to pet food marketers for less reactive ingredients, intestinally balanced or low allergen solutions. Ingredients that are compatible with these types of
diets, like hydrolyzed proteins, are an increasingly essential option for pet food formulators.