Spray-dried plasma makes its debut in dry kibble

Today’s pet parents are choosier than ever, demanding high-quality, high-protein diets that mimic their pets’ natural food sources. But at the same time, issues with global supply chains mean some high-performing meat ingredients are now harder to come by. Spray-dried plasma, experts say, may offer a solution to both problems.

Health claims
Plasma has been a popular binder for use in wet pet food products for years, according to Javier Polo, Senior Vice President of Research and Development for functional protein manufacturer APC. But more recently, pet food manufacturers have been adding this protein to dry pet foods, supplements and treats as well. This is driven by emerging evidence that the inclusion of plasma may improve health and help to modulate the immune system.

Plasma may also help manufacturers cope with the low availability of other functional animal co-products triggered by the pandemic. Additionally, it fits well within current trends toward more natural pet food products, according to Roger Gerlach, APC’s Global Director for Pet Food.

“I think in today’s pet food world, manufacturers are just looking for new ingredients, novel ingredients, to talk about health claims, and plasma brings that,” he says. “People are really sitting up and taking notice, and it has gained more acceptance over the years. With the evolution of high-protein diets, high meat-content diets, plasma is very attractive because it is a high-protein product with added health benefits.”

Scientific research
Spray-dried plasma is collected from the blood of animals slaughtered for human consumption, cooled and then dried. It contains up to 80% protein, with some additional salts and fats. But it’s the specific proteins that plasma contains – especially the immunoglobulins – that are of particular interest.

Immunoglobulins are large, Y-shaped proteins produced by the immune system. When consumed, these proteins help to modulate the immune system, prevent disease and improve overall health in multiple species. However, the exact reason why they do so remains the subject of scientific research, according to Louis van Deun, Sales Manager at food ingredient manufacturer Sonac.

Their large size means that immunoglobulins cannot pass through the gut barrier. But inside the gut, it is thought that the proteins may bind to viruses and bacteria, preventing them from causing inflammatory reactions and disease.

However, when plasma is added to wet pet foods for the gelling and binding effects provided by another protein present in it, these health benefits are unlikely. This is because immunoglobulins are heat-sensitive and cannot survive the autoclaving sterilization process.

Multiple benefits
Spray-dried plasma is generally considered a clean-label ingredient and may therefore be attractive to consumers looking for natural pet food, especially food that is high in protein. However, some consumers have expressed skepticism about spray-dried plasma in pet food, either because they reject foods containing animal byproducts or out of concern that blood-related products may spread disease.

This latter concern has no real merit according to Louis van Deun, because spray-dried plasma is sourced from animals fit for human consumption and the spray-drying process is extremely effective in ensuring the final product is safe and free of pathogens. However, he admits that it may be hard to win over consumers who fall into the former camp.

Research shows that besides immune health, spray- dried plasma may boast even more health benefits to convince pet owners, according to Javier Polo. Pets that are fed plasma show signs of improved cognition, he says. It may help to balance the intestinal microbiome, and it contains helpful bioactive peptides and growth factors. He adds that it is also useful for increasing the palatability of pet food products for dogs and especially for cats, who show significant improvements when fed diets containing plasma. “When you are adding plasma, the improvement in palatability, as well as the health benefit, is easy to see in cats – because cats love plasma,” he states.