I found this article: http://purinaproclub.com/sportingdo...h-quality-nutritious-pet-food-ingredient.aspx
Animal by-products are a combination of organs, bone and meat trimmings, and their composition is defined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). According to their guidelines, by-products, when used as ingredients in pet foods, may include the heart, lungs, liver or other organs; and bone and meat trimmings from poultry or mammals. Some of the by-products used in pet foods are ingredients that are intended for human consumption, and are considered to be delicacies by many people. These include liver, kidneys and tripe. Items such as feathers, hair, hide, hooves, manure or stomach contents are NOT included in meat by-products.
Animal digest gets its name from the digestive process used in production. Purina produces its own animal digest from striated muscle and soft tissue supplied by USDA-inspected facilities. The ingredients are slowly cooked and enzymatically digested to break the protein down into peptides. The digest is initially in the form of a liquid or paste, but can also be dried to a powder. A somewhat similar process is utilized to create bouillon, a common flavoring ingredient used in human foods. Animal digest is an excellent source of high-quality protein and it is extremely palatable. It is most often used as a flavoring agent on dry diets. It can be sprayed on the kibble or mixed with the food.
Just as wheat gluten is used in human foods, such as baked goods, to provide a desired consistency and texture, wheat gluten is used in pet foods for similar reasons. Many pet foods use wheat gluten to help other ingredients combine,enhancing texture to form nutritious, palatable and appealing foods. It’s also important to note that the wheat gluten used in most pet foods is the same quality wheat gluten used in human food.
Wheat gluten is an excellent source of protein that can be used in pet food, providing a 75% concentration of protein by weight. This is higher than other grain-based protein sources such as corn gluten meal and soybean meal, and it also exceeds the protein content of chicken and fish meals. When used with complementary protein sources, the protein in wheat gluten contributes to high quality, highly digestible protein in complete diets.
Increasing numbers of pet owners are asking their veterinarian about feeding Bones and Raw Food (BARF) diets. BARF diets consist of a combination of raw meat, raw meaty bones, vegetables, raw eggs, and other assorted ingredients. The reasons for increased interest in these diets are wide-ranging and include an owner’s desire for greater involvement with their pet, the appeal of natural ingredients, and the belief that variety will enhance the animal’s acceptance of the food. This Nestlé Purina Nutrition Brief discusses the key safety concerns associated with BARF diets, including complications from raw bone ingestion and contamination of raw ingredients by bacteria, parasites and protozoa.
One myth surrounding commercial pet foods concerns the digestibility and nutritional value of corn. A common misconception regarding corn is that it is a low-quality food ingredient, or filler, which contains minimal nutritional value. This Nutrition Brief will address the topic of corn as a valuable ingredient of pet food and show why this diverse grain is an excellent source of protein, carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids.
What do you think?Many health benefits have been associated with regular consumption of soy products in humans. For instance, soy has been found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer (breast and prostate cancer in humans); relieve a number of problems in post menopausal women including hot flashes, osteoporosis, and decline in cognitive function; reduce cholesterol and triglycerides in plasma; improve symptoms of hypertension, and prevent abdominal fat
accumulation. Soy has a long history of safe use in both humans and animals, including dogs and cats. On the following page, you'll discover how soy isoflavones can produce benefits for the health and well-being of pets.
This is what addicts pets to kibble - this fat sprayed on to make it more palatable. Kudos to Purina for using only USDA-facility tissue garbage rather than any 4D animals.
