Unlocking the power of plants in pet food innovation

While vegetal proteins are increasingly embraced in plant-based and hybrid diets by dog food manufacturers and consumers, their utilization in cat food remains less prevalent. 

In this article, Dr. Maygane Ronsmans, Product Manager Animal Nutrition at BENEO, delves into why incorporating vegetal proteins, such as those sourced from faba beans and rice, present appealing opportunities for producers of both dog and cat food.

Carnivore cat protein requirements

Cats require higher dietary levels of protein and amino acids compared to dogs, largely due to their nature as obligate carnivores. Traditionally, they depend on nutrients found exclusively in animal tissue, with their bodies specifically adapted to process these nutrients efficiently. 

As a result, cats cannot thrive on a fully plant-based diet without the addition of specific supplements. However, despite their carnivorous tendencies, several studies suggest that vegetal proteins are quite digestible for cats, indicating a potential role for these ingredients in cat food production.

Consumer purchasing drivers for cat food

Research shows that “high in protein” is the top ingredient claim to impact the likelihood of a consumer buying a pet food product, with 7 in 10 cat owners citing protein quality and content in their cat’s food as (very) important to them. 

Also, there is a growing tension for some cat owners concerning the environmental credentials of the pet food they’re purchasing. Like the human plant-based market, pet owners like to see more plant-based choices in pet food. 

Notably, more than half of pet owners consider plant-based proteins to be better for the environment. Including high-quality vegetal proteins with nutritional benefits into cat food formulations hence offers manufacturers great potential to meet consumer demand.

Digestibility of plant protein

While there is concern in the cat food space that plant proteins are not as well tolerated or digestible as animal proteins, recent scientific research suggests interesting potential. 

A case in point is a study by Golder et al 2020 with 296 healthy short hair domestic cats, that showed that the more plant protein that was included in dry cat food, the higher the protein digestibility amongst the cats in that sample group. 

The research also demonstrated that plant proteins are a satisfactory source for meeting the amino acid needs of pets without compromising protein digestibility.

A versatile portfolio for every formulation

As demand for plant-based, sustainable, and clean-label pet food gathers pace, BENEO has expanded its vegetal protein range in recent years to meet producers’ needs. It is being well received by pet food manufacturers, as our vegetal proteins represent concentrated and non-GMO sources of high-quality and provide excellent amino acid profiles.

They enable the development of plant-based or hybrid pet foods and offer high to very high digestibility. According to an internal analysis, our rice protein and faba bean protein concentrate reach (ileal) digestibility scores close to 90% and vital wheat gluten well above 90%.

Making the most of faba beans

For producers looking for a vegetal protein that delivers nutritional benefits, exceptional technological assets in many applications, and the ability to make ‘no grain’ claims in their pet foods, faba bean protein concentrate is a suitable option.

Listed in the EU Catalogue of Feed Materials under entry 3.7.5 as “horse bean protein”, it is a concentrated source of protein that can serve as a good alternative to animal or other plant proteins like soy or pea proteins. Its amino acid profile is relatively rich in lysine and can nicely complement cereals’ protein, meaning it can be combined 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. Our range of faba bean ingredients for pet food also includes starch-rich flour and hulls, offering a good source of starch and dietary fiber.

Sustainability targets

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 sources 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 consumption in comparison to alternative processes and requires no water resources, overall contributing to BENEO’s sustainability targets. These elements are key, considering that sustainability claims are considered to some extent by 4 in 5 pet owners when choosing food for their pets.

BENEO’s rice protein specialty ingredient

For pet food producers looking for an additional clean label plant-based protein option, rice protein is a valuable solution that is included in the EU Catalogue of Feed Materials under entry 1.6.20. BENEO’s rice protein offers a guaranteed protein content of a minimum 79% on product basis and almost 90% on dry matter basis, making it a highly concentrated source of protein. 

When BENEO’s rice protein EAA profile is compared against the requirements of adult cats, it delivers a well-balanced profile and what is required to promote long-term health. According to a recent internal digestibility trial in cecectomized roosters – a recommended animal model for pets – BENEO’s rice protein reaches (ileal) digestibility scores close to 90%, confirming its good digestibility and overall high quality. Especially in adult cats, it has shown DIAAS-like scores >100% compared to FEDIAF reference and no limiting amino acid. 

In addition, this hypoallergenic, clean label ingredient is free from the most frequent food allergens, making it suitable for the most sensitive cats and dogs, like seniors, puppies or kittens, as well as those with allergies. Rice protein is also perceived as natural by almost 9 in 10 pet owners globally. 

Growing consumer demand

Thanks to exceptional nutritional assets and its overall excellent acceptance by pet owners, BENEO’s rice protein can fulfill the most demanding and specific requirements of (super) premium or veterinary dry and wet cat and dog food products.

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 recipes.

BENEO source references for this article are available on request.

For further information on BENEO and its ingredients, please visit: www.beneo.com and www.beneo.com/news or LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/beneo