Toxic or not?

Label-conscious

In the August edition of Food Navigator, Nicholas Robinson discussed research that claims consumers are becoming more label-conscious when purchasing food. 

70% of those surveyed said they wanted clearer labelling and 55% asked for shorter labels. Over 53% of European supermarket shoppers, 64% US shoppers, 75% South American shoppers and 84% Asian shoppers look more closely at food labels than they did five years ago. 

Although this is a survey undertaken for human food labelling there is no reason why the same logic would not apply to pet food. However, current labelling legislation of pet food products requires how to use the product, analysis and list of ingredients. 

There is no need to mention the manufacturing processes on a label, but pet food companies are starting to add this where it is seen as a positive – for example ‘baked’ or ‘cold pressed’ dog food. 

Baking is claimed to improve palatability and is seen as a more gentle process. The cold pressed products are marketed as more natural in that there is no need to add extra vitamins and minerals. The nutritional composition of the ingredients remain in place due to lower cooking temperatures.