BENEO presents its toolbox for vegetal proteins in pet food

Figures show that 1 in 3 pet food shoppers think that using plant-based ingredients makes pet food seem a lot healthier. ⁽ⁱ⁾  At the same time, pet food manufacturers are increasingly being faced with lower availability and price volatility, such as for meat (co)products. As a result, many producers are willing to explore new protein sources and diversify their portfolio. Here Dr. Maygane Ronsmans, Product Manager Animal Nutrition at BENEO, discusses the interest in hybrid and plant-based pet food and how producers can meet changing consumer requirements with vegetal functional ingredients.

Meeting consumer needs

Around one in four pet owners globally say they like to see plant-based or vegan claims on pet products. This is mainly due to the fact that they perceive such products as healthier and better for the environment.⁽ⁱⁱ⁾  At the same time, pet food producers are being faced with rising concerns around prices, the environmental impact of raw materials and supply chain issues. This is driving pet food producers to increasingly seek plant-based proteins, that still deliver in terms of their nutritional profile and technical properties.

A range of options for every formulation

As demand for plant-based, sustainable and clean label pet food gathers pace, BENEO has expanded its vegetal protein range to meet producers’ needs. They are well received by pet food producers, as they represent concentrated and non-GMO sources of high-quality protein and provide excellent amino acid profiles, which can beneficially be blended. These vegetal proteins enable the development of plant-based or hybrid pet foods and offer high to very high digestibility. According to an internal analysis, the company’s rice protein and faba bean protein concentrate reach (ileal) digestibility scores close to 90% and vital wheat gluten well above 90%.

Besides its high protein density of approximately 80%, BENEO’s rice protein offers great nutritional benefits. It is hypoallergenic and highly digestible, making it suitable for pets with allergies, as well as sensitive pets such as puppies and older animals. Therefore, it is a particularly attractive solution to target the approximately 6 in 10 cat and dog owners who are interested in allergen-free pet food. ⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾  It is also a good source of several essential amino acids (methionine, cysteine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine) that are involved in some major metabolic processes and support a pet’s normal and healthy growth. In addition, rice protein is a clean label ingredient that is perceived as (very) natural by 61% of pet owners globally.^(iv)

Similar to the rice ingredient, BENEO’s vital wheat gluten also offers a high protein density of approximately 80%. It delivers an interesting amino acid profile, as it is rich in glutamine, which is the preferred fuel for intestinal cells that can help repair damaged cells, as well as tyrosine, which plays an important role in maintaining fur color. Vital wheat gluten also has strong viscoelastic properties that can improve the texture of different types of pet food and offer great technological and application benefits. For example, it can positively affect the extrusion behavior in dry pet food, as well as the chunkiness and meat structure in wet pet food. Thanks to its excellent water absorption capacity, it also increases juiciness in semi-moist or wet pet food and is therefore a valuable alternative to spray-dried plasma.

Harnessing the power of faba beans

Finally, BENEO’s faba bean protein concentrate^(v) is a concentrated source of vegetal protein that serves as a good alternative to animal and soy proteins and is suitable for “no grain” claims in pet food. Its amino acid profile is relatively rich in lysine and can nicely complement cereals’ protein, meaning it can notably be blended with rice protein or vital wheat gluten. It also contains quite high levels of glutamine, which improves palatability and supports the growth of intestinal cells, as well as arginine, which is considered to be important for cognitive health. BENEO’s range of faba bean ingredients for pet food also includes starch-rich flour and hulls, offering a good source of starch and dietary fibre.

When it comes to sustainability, faba beans help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at farm level. The faba beans can capture nitrogen from the air, to provide it for themselves and subsequent plants, which reduces the need for fertilizer input. Also, the faba beans are grown in a region with good rainfall and soil with good water retention capacity, so that irrigation is not necessary. BENEO strives to source its faba beans at Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) Gold level from German farmers with long-term contracts, to ensure production and supply stability. Furthermore, the production process, being done locally in Germany, has been chosen for its low energy and water consumption in comparison to alternative processes; overall contributing to BENEO’s sustainability targets. These elements are key, considering that more than half of pet owners say they pay attention to sustainability and the carbon footprint as part of their pet food purchasing decisions.^(vi)

Manufacturers looking to meet growing consumer demand for more sustainably sourced and plant-based pet foods are increasingly faced with the challenge of finding ingredients that deliver the necessary nutrients for their formulas. BENEO’s vegetal protein range offers producers sound nutritional and technological alternatives for their pet food recipes.

 

i. BENEO Consumer Research on Attitudes towards Pet Food in US, Brazil, UK, Germany & China 2021
ii. FMCG Gurus Global Cat Health and Dog Health Survey 2022
iii. BENEO Consumer Research on Attitudes towards Pet Food in US, Brazil, UK, Germany & China 2021
iv. BENEO Consumer Research on Attitudes towards Pet Food in US, Brazil, UK, Germany & China 2021
v. Commission Regulation (EU) No 68/2013 of 16 January 2013 on the Catalogue of feed materials – Faba bean protein concentrate is listed under entry 3.7.5: “Horse bean protein”
vi. BENEO Consumer Research on Attitudes towards Pet Food in US, Brazil, UK, Germany & China 2021