Spray-dried animal plasma
Spray-dried animal plasma used as protein in animal food has been shown to improve nutrient digestibility not only in pigs, poultry and fish, but also in dogs and cats.
A top-quality ingredient
Spray-dried animal plasma (SDAP) is a top-quality ingredient used as a binder in canned pet food products. Its primary function is to emulsify sometimes complex diets and maintain the appropriate structure of pet food chunks, for instance, giving them the right texture and palatability.
SDAP has excellent water-holding capacity and foaming and emulsifying properties as well as providing texture in the final product. The spray-drying technique used in the production of SDAP is a mild dehydration process that maintains the functional physicochemical and biological properties of the product, while guaranteeing the necessary biosecurity and needed shelf life of the final product.
Health benefits
SDAP is commonly used as a functional protein ingredient in the diets of farm animals. A complex mixture of many physiological components, it has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, improves intestinal barrier function, increases disease resistance, modulates the immune system and also enhances the immune response to any challenge. This results in better growth and health, and therefore better animal welfare in general.
In addition, the biological functionality of SDAP’s rich proteins, as well as its amino acid profile, has also been shown to improve nutrient digestibility in pigs, poultry, fish and dogs.
Improved digestibility
A recent publication by Rodríguez et al. (2016) demonstrated that the inclusion of SDAP as a binder in a wet pet food recipe also improved the digestibility parameters of the diet in adult healthy cats (Fig. 1). These results tally with previous studies conducted on dry pet food that also demonstrate that SDAP added before or after extrusion improves the digestibility of premium and super-premium kibbles in adult dogs.
According to the authors, improved digestibility may be caused by the great resistance and survival of some functional components of SDAP to high pressures and to thermal processing conditions, or to the bioactive components produced after the digestion of the plasma proteins. This is an important observation for diets designed for all ages, and especially for senior pets, as well as for young kittens and puppies, given the less developed functionality of their digestive tracts.
In conclusion
SDAP may influence gastrointestinal system function, and thereby enhance digestion. The addition of SDAP to canned pet food improves the digestibility of nutrients, and is consistent with better digestive function in animals.