Natural dietary fibers as an important and versatile functional ingredient in pet food

December 14 2021

Dietary fibers are increasingly recognized as an important functional ingredient in pet food. The main distinctions in functionality are between soluble versus insoluble fibers and fermentable versus non-fermentable fibers. These different kinds of dietary fiber are equally important to cats and dogs, and can be found in many different plant-based sources and ingredients. Different kinds of dietary fibers have specific functionality and unique benefits that should be taken into account, such as health benefits, total fiber content and composition, palatability, and technical properties. Realizing the health benefits, including good gut health and a lower risk of different kinds of disease, depends on the kinds of fiber, their physical structure, the total fiber content, and fiber composition from different kinds of ingredient.

In the latest white paper by Geert van der Velden, IQI Trusted Petfood Ingredients’ Innovation Manager, he discusses the differences between and the specific benefits of different kinds of dietary fiber for pet food applications.