Quality of ingredients used in pet food production and their impact on animal health
- Ecommercy
- 2026-09-23
- 09:19
- 0 comments
In recent years, the pet product market has grown rapidly. The number of companion animals, particularly dogs and cats kept in households, continues to increase. There are currently approximately 7.6 million dogs and 6.4 million cats in Poland, resulting in steadily growing demand for commercial pet food.
Regulations governing pet food production
Following Poland’s accession to the European Union in 2004, the food production sector underwent numerous changes. New legislation covered the entire food chain, from crop cultivation and plant production, animal husbandry and breeding, and feed production through to the marketing of processed products of animal origin.
The new legislation was primarily intended to ensure a high level of product safety, reduce the negative environmental impact of food production and ensure appropriate welfare standards for farmed animals.
Pet food production forms part of this chain and is closely linked to the production of food of animal origin and the sector responsible for handling by-products generated during animal production.
Legislation governing pet food production covers not only basic requirements relating to product quality, identification and labelling, but also detailed rules concerning the use of animal by-products not intended for human consumption.
One of the key pieces of legislation is Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of 21 October 2009. It regulates processes associated with the processing, transport and storage of these materials, as well as the operation of pet food manufacturing facilities, primarily those producing food for dogs and cats.
Under this regulation, both feed materials consisting of animal by-products and pet food containing them are classified as Category 3 material until they reach the retail stage.
Not all animal by-products may be used in pet food production. The following may not be used:
- catering waste,
- hides and skins, hooves, feathers, wool, horns, hair and fur from dead animals that showed no signs of disease transmissible to humans through those products,
- adipose tissue from slaughtered animals meeting EU requirements relating to animal slaughter and meat intended for human consumption.
Rendered fat obtained from adipose tissue may, however, be used in pet food production.
Separate regulations govern the transport of raw materials and the conditions under which they must be stored.
In Poland, the authorities responsible for enforcing veterinary legislation relating to pet food production include the Veterinary Inspection and the Trade Quality Inspection.
The Veterinary Inspection supervises the pet food production process from the sourcing of raw materials through to the finished product. Once the finished product is placed on the market, it is subject to inspection by the Trade Inspection.
Products available on the market
A large number of new pet food brands and products enter the market every year.
Regardless of whether we choose wet or dry food for our pets, it is important to understand what the product actually contains beyond its marketing claims.
What should we look for?
The primary ingredient in a good-quality complete food for both dogs and cats should be meat, which is an important source of protein in their diets. In addition to meat, pet food may contain organ meats, animal fats and appropriate feed additives, commonly referred to as supplements, as well as vegetables in dog food. In many commercial foods, carbohydrates are provided by cereals, legumes or potatoes.
Pet food manufacturers are required to list ingredients on the label in descending order by weight. In a high-quality food, meat should therefore appear first.
However, the percentage of each ingredient should always be checked where this information is available. Meat or products of animal origin may appear first on the ingredient list without necessarily representing the majority of the product.
Manufacturers have considerable flexibility in how ingredients are declared, and detailed information is not always required. As a result, analysing a product label may not always provide precise information about the amount of individual ingredients present in the food.
The analytical constituents should also be checked. Manufacturers are not required to declare the carbohydrate content of pet food, meaning that high carbohydrate levels may not be immediately apparent. An approximate carbohydrate content can be calculated by subtracting the declared analytical constituents and moisture percentage from 100.
It is also useful to understand what certain claims on pet food labels mean.
Pet food labelling uses four main claims relating to the content of a named ingredient:
- “flavoured with…” – the food does not have to contain meat from the animal named in the claim,
- “with…” – the food must contain at least 4% of the declared ingredient,
- “rich in…” – the food must contain at least 14% of the declared ingredient,
- “dinner with…” – the food must contain at least 26% of the declared ingredient.
Why is this information important for dog and cat owners?
Firstly, the amount of meat in a food can provide some indication of the type of product being purchased and whether it belongs to a premium or economy segment. If the impression created by the label does not correspond with the actual contents, it may also be difficult to determine whether the food contains an ingredient capable of triggering an adverse food reaction in a dog or cat.
Cereals are frequently used as major ingredients in economy pet foods. Cereal proteins may trigger adverse food reactions in some animals.
Cats are obligate carnivores, and their digestive system is adapted to obtaining nutrients from animal-based foods. Excessive carbohydrate intake may contribute to metabolic disorders such as diabetes.
Dogs are better able to utilise carbohydrates from cereals, although excessive amounts may contribute to digestive problems, flatulence and excessive energy intake, potentially promoting overweight and obesity.
Why are cereals so common in commercial pet foods?
They are relatively inexpensive and energy-dense ingredients. They also facilitate the manufacturing process of many dry foods, particularly extruded products, where starch helps maintain kibble structure.
Beef vs beef meat
When looking for an appropriate food for an animal, particular attention should be paid to the way ingredients of animal origin are described.
For many consumers, the claim “with beef” simply means beef meat. In reality, this description may also include organ meats and other animal-derived ingredients obtained during the slaughter of cattle.
If the ingredient list specifically states “beef meat”, however, this indicates muscle meat.
The same principle applies to other ingredients. A declaration of 60% duck does not necessarily mean that the food contains 60% duck meat.
A useful general rule is that manufacturers using clearly identified ingredients are able to provide more detailed information about what their products contain.
Organ meats should not automatically be regarded as undesirable ingredients in dog and cat diets, but they should not necessarily form the main component of a complete food. Their high inclusion in some commercial foods is partly associated with their lower cost.
Although organ meats can provide valuable nutrients, excessive quantities may contribute to gastrointestinal problems and loose stools. Excessive amounts of liver in commercial diets may also result in an excessive intake of vitamins A and D and potentially contribute to disorders associated with their overconsumption.
Human grade
As awareness among dog and cat owners has increased, higher-quality – and often considerably more expensive – products have entered the market.
Many manufacturers seek to distance themselves from the perception that pet food production is simply a way of using waste generated by the meat industry.
Some pet foods, particularly wet foods, are produced using ingredients comparable in quality to those intended for human consumption.
A “human grade” claim is generally intended to communicate that the product is made from high-quality ingredients suitable for human consumption rather than animal by-products not intended for human consumption.
However, although ingredient quality is important, the quantity of individual ingredients, the overall formulation and the nutritional value of the complete product are equally significant.
Quality control
Complete foods for dogs and cats are subject to inspections by the relevant authorities. In the third quarter of 2018, the Polish Trade Inspection conducted inspections assessing the quality and correct labelling of pet food products.
A number of irregularities were identified.
Some products contained completely different meat species from those declared on their labels. For example, one cat food labelled as beef and declaring 70% beef (lung, meat, liver and kidney) and 28.8% beef broth was found to contain no beef, while pork was detected.
In one dog food declaring beef and chicken, neither of these ingredients was detected, while pork was present.
The results of these inspections demonstrate the importance of effective supervision of pet food production in maintaining appropriate product quality.
Pet food quality and animal health
The vast majority of dogs and cats are fed commercial diets, including both dry and wet foods. Dry food remains widely used because of its convenience and economic advantages.
The type of food, its quality and the overall feeding strategy have a direct impact on animal health. The underlying principle is similar to human nutrition: an appropriate diet is an important foundation of health and well-being.
This is particularly important because the owner is entirely responsible for what their dog or cat eats.
Wet food may offer advantages over dry food in certain circumstances, although feeding large dogs exclusively with wet food can be more difficult for economic and practical reasons.
For cats in particular, dietary moisture is an important consideration. Dry foods are more highly processed than wet foods and have a much higher energy density, making it easier to provide excessive calories and contribute to overfeeding and weight gain.
The manufacturing process for many dry foods also requires a greater proportion of carbohydrates, which can result in higher carbohydrate intake.
Cats naturally obtain a substantial proportion of their water from food. Feeding exclusively dry food may therefore make it more difficult for some cats to achieve adequate total water intake, potentially contributing to urinary tract problems over time.
Poor-quality nutrition may contribute to nutrient deficiencies and a range of health problems. An inappropriate diet can affect not only physical health and well-being but potentially behaviour as well.
Persistent diarrhoea may be associated with nutritional errors, while recurrent dermatological problems may sometimes be associated with adverse food reactions.
Packaging and storage conditions are also important.
Opened bags of dry food, particularly those containing large amounts of cereals, may under inappropriate storage conditions provide an environment in which mould and mycotoxin contamination can become a concern. Mycotoxins can cause poisoning and damage internal organs.
Dogs and cats are monogastric animals, and exposure to mycotoxins originating from contaminated plant ingredients, including cereals used in dry foods, may pose a health risk.
Another potential concern is the lining used in some metal cans, which may contain bisphenol A (BPA) or other substances capable of migrating into food.
So how should owners choose a good-quality food for their pets? And does such a product exist?
There is a wide range of high-quality pet foods available on the market. High-quality ingredients are generally more expensive, but price alone is not a reliable indicator of quality. Some expensive products may still have formulations or ingredients that do not meet an individual animal’s nutritional needs.
Labels should therefore always be read carefully. When in doubt, nutritional values can be calculated and manufacturers should be asked for additional information.
Ultimately, choosing an appropriate diet is one of the most important ways owners can support their pet’s long-term health.
References:
- Z. Osiński, K. Kwiatek, Z. Sieradzki. “Aktualne wymagania weterynaryjne w zakresie karm dla zwierząt domowych”. Życie Weterynaryjne, 2014.
- Informacja z wyników kontroli jakości i oznakowania karm dla zwierząt towarzyszących. Inspekcja Handlowa, 2018.
- Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down health rules as regards animal by-products.
- FEDIAF. Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs. October 2021.
- M. Ceregrzyn, R. Lechowski, B. Barszczewska. Podstawy żywienia psów i kotów.
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/354 of 4 March 2020 establishing a list of intended uses of feed intended for particular nutritional purposes.