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Careful consideration of taurine as a conditionally essential supplement in pet food

October 04 2021 - News

Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid that is essential for the proper functioning of the bodies of mammals, such as cats and dogs. While taurine is widely distributed in animal tissues and therefore plentiful in the diet of true carnivores, the processing of animal-based raw materials into pet food products can result in taurine loss. In IQI’s white paper on taurine as a conditionally essential supplement in pet food, we discuss the many factors to be considered when adding taurine as a supplement.

The most important considerations

Low levels of taurine in pet food can lead to taurine deficiency in cats and dogs. Cats, unlike dogs, can’t synthesize sufficient amounts of taurine from other amino acids in their diet. They rely on supplementation. While dogs generally have no need for taurine supplementation, certain breeds of dogs, senior dogs, or dogs suffering from health issues run the risk of developing dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) related to taurine deficiency. In such cases, the effects of DCM can be partially or completely reversed by supplementing taurine. For a more in-depth look at the risks of taurine deficiency for cats and dogs, as well as the benefits of supplementation and the most important considerations, please refer to our white paper.

Dedicated solutions

IQI is a global partner to the pet food industry that specializes in premium pet food ingredients. IQI offers dedicated solutions for the entire process from sourcing ingredients to warehousing, quality checks and improvement, logistics and distribution. Together with our partner Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., we supply reliable, high quality taurine supplements containing no less than 99.0% pure taurine.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

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