Nutraceuticals for pet food

What are nutraceuticals?

‘Nutraceutical’ is the commonly used term for herbal ingredients, plant and animal extracts, many of which have been used for millennia in both human and animal feed to achieve certain benefits, such as optimising organ function (liver, kidneys), aiding digestion, preventing joint degeneration and inflammation and even improving mood and behaviour.

In the last 20 years, there has been great interest in utilising various nutraceuticals in pet food to allow manufacturers to make specific claims. However, certain key issues – including animal safety, efficacy and legal considerations – must be addressed before they can be incorporated into pet food.

Do they work?

Manufacturers should select the nutraceutical ingredients based on what claims they wish to make (for example training, weaning, senior, coat, joints, et cetera). Research must always be available to back up those claims.

Nutraceuticals are typically divided into three forms: dry powder from a named part of the plant or animal, oil extract or water extract. These forms and the part of the plant used can influence digestion, uptake and efficacy, so it is essential to conduct a thorough search of published scientific data to ensure that the effective dose to produce the claim fits within the product formulation and the processing method. For example, more oil may make kibble crumble.

If pet food manufacturers are using more than one nutraceutical, they should make sure these are compatible. In addition, any contraindications with other ingredients or pharmaceuticals and LD50 toxicity values must be taken into account.

Legal situation and registration

Many nutraceuticals lack essential data to support them. These should be treated with caution and preferably avoided, especially those whose use in human products is restricted in some countries. In many countries, certain nutraceuticals are not on Generally Recognised As Safe (GRAS) lists or may need specific registration for claims beyond nutrient delivery.

Manufacturers should always check that nutraceutical suppliers have the correct documentation to ensure that the material is not contaminated (for example with heavy metals in the case of ocean-sourced material) and that it does contain the expected levels of active compounds.

If overconsumed, some nutraceuticals may cause severe problems (for instance valerian which slows down heart rate). To prevent this, any treats or food which contain nutraceuticals should be marked with appropriate cautionary labelling.