We will delve into the science of ‘Nutriciology’ and its impact on your pet’s diet. But first, what is ‘Nutriciology’? Essentially, ‘Nutriciology’ is the science of food and proper nutrition. This science studies the composition of food, eating habits, combinations, consumption quantities, and digestibility. Today, based on this, we will try to explore the issues of natural feeding, ready-made feeds, diets, and composing a diet for your pet. The right balance and meeting of your pet’s needs throughout its life is essential. Therefore, when visiting a veterinary clinic, the doctor (or dietitian) learns about your pet’s diet and provides recommendations or adjusts it. Why is this necessary? Your pet’s diet consists of daily recommended norms and considers the animal’s needs for microelements and nutrients. We also calculate and compose the animal’s diet based on its weight, breed, and health. Often, for your pet’s healthy lifestyle, a veterinary dietitian advises gradually transitioning the animal to natural feeding (if there are no contraindications). We develop a plan to transition your pet from a regular diet to a balanced natural composition. When transitioning to a new diet, the regular food is replaced with 30% natural products and 70% familiar food.
Day by day, gradually increase the percentage of natural foods and reduce the familiar ones. Also, remember that more than 70% of the food should be animal proteins, and the remaining 30% should be vegetables, grains, and greens. You might ask, Why do I need all this? Why should I know it? You care about your health in one way or another; you want to live a long and healthy life. Same goes for pets—they deserve it, and you can help them. A healthy lifestyle is the motto of the new generation. More and more people and pet owners are immersing themselves in the natural world. They study the habits, characteristics, and diets of animals. People have stopped consuming mindlessly and are increasingly leaning towards a healthy lifestyle and diet, and they don’t forget their smaller brothers. By studying the issues of proper pet nutrition, people inevitably encounter ‘Nutriciology.’ Thanks to this, the pet owner begins to study and learn more. They visit the veterinarian with their pet more often, get the necessary vaccinations, and monitor the animal’s weight and diet. The pet owner becomes selective and takes responsibility for choosing the diet, increasingly preferring a natural diet for the animal (or one that is as close to natural as possible). The only thing is, we are still at the dawn of natural, healthy nutrition in the animal world. Constant research and scientific discoveries are being made about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle for pets, but there is not a large enough feed base, specialists, or pet owners studying natural diets. Why? This is due to the unique characteristics and needs of each animal. Ideally, the feed or proper diet should correspond to them 100% and provide a long and happy life. But what to do if industrial feeds can suit one pet but not be digested by another animal? While most animal nutritionists recommend portioned industrial feed due to its composition and balance, But veterinary dietitians, some nutritionists, and pet owners studying the issue of nutrition lean towards an animal-based diet, so to speak, ‘RETURNING TO THE ROOTS.’ There are also pure ‘Vegans’ among them, advocating for the benefits of a plant-based diet for predatory animal breeds (such as cats—they are obligate carnivores, meaning strictly meat-eating). In any case, debates and battles on this topic continue to this day.
Against this backdrop, some industrial pet food manufacturers have begun to speculate with terms like “natural products,” classifying their feeds as a healthy diet. But let’s try to understand. Often, when choosing one product or another, both for ourselves and for animals, our attention is drawn to labels such as: 100% natural product, no additives, ECO, bio, natural meat, natural, non-allergenic, holistic, no artificial additives and flavorings, etc. In 2020, a study in China revealed that 40–50% of pet owners started choosing “natural products” for their pets. Similar studies in Europe showed that “natural pet foods” affect the animals’ overall well-being, gastrointestinal tract, and health. Industrial pet food manufacturers are increasingly labeling their products as “100% natural,” changing the composition of feeds, leaning toward accessible natural resources, and excluding artificial additives like cellulose, sugar, salt, starch, etc. Currently, only 20–25% of feeds worldwide meet the “100% natural” criteria. Looking at global trading platforms like eBay, Amazon, and 1688, the leading searches are for: organic feeds, natural frozen pet products, low-calorie and holistic feeds, and 100% natural pet diets. This trend is growing and signaling industrial pet food manufacturers, but as we wrote earlier, some manufacturers “fudge” the composition of their feeds, changing only the packaging or adding magical words like: 100% natural product, no additives, ECO, bio, natural meat, natural, non-allergenic, holistic, no artificial additives and flavorings, etc.
Therefore, in developed countries, there are standards and bodies regulating the activities of industrial pet food manufacturers. They also set compliance standards and oversee the adherence to all rules regarding the feed composition on the packaging. Such feeds receive a certificate of compliance and the EC logo.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is a very influential American integration organization whose main goal is to protect human and animal health, ensure equal trading conditions for industrial feeds, and protect consumers.
The Fédération Européenne De l’Industrie des aliments pour Animaux Familiers (FEDIAF) is a similar organization in the European market. Additionally, in the American trade market, feeds labeled “Organic” are regulated by the US Department of Agriculture and must consist of 90–95% organic products, be non-GMO, pesticide-free, free of artificial additives, and be suitable for human consumption. Human grade refers to pet foods associated with terms like “healthy eating” and “beneficial diet.” Industrial pet food manufacturers often use abbreviations like food quality, food grade, and human grade on packaging to indicate that these feeds can be consumed by humans. AAFCO sets clear standards for such feeds: they must be entirely edible for humans, properly manufactured and packaged, and comply with storage rules.
We also use “natural” as an abbreviation for feeds that use one or more natural products in their production. This term is given to feeds with plant, natural, mineral, or animal products that have not undergone chemical or thermal processing and are free of artificial compositions. “Holistic” is another abbreviation for “healthy” industrial pet food, with no clear boundaries for composition and ingredient processing. This type of feed is more akin to “premium class fees” than narrowly focused therapeutic feeds.
Consumers often misunderstand these feed abbreviations. While the general meanings of the words are clear, the feed composition, manufacturing method, additives, and storage can significantly differ from what is depicted on the packaging or expected from the pet food product. Therefore, it is crucial to approach the selection of industrial pet food for your pet’s diet carefully. Examine the feed’s composition, processing method, storage, manufacturer, and confirm if AAFCO or FEDIAF has approved it.
With a basic understanding of industrial feeds and their terms and abbreviations, let’s move on to the “Nutriciology of Raw Products,” or the so-called Fresh Diet. Unfortunately, industrial pet food manufacturers cannot provide a “pure” raw/fresh product, as such products are only ingredients that have not undergone thermal processing or preservation (they can be either chilled or frozen; this storage method is only applicable to raw feed). AAFCO and FEDIAF strictly regulate the standards for such feeds. Again, due to lack of knowledge, pet owners may fall for the tricks of industrial pet food manufacturers who try to label their feeds with raw/fresh abbreviations, claiming no preservatives or chemicals, which is not true. Such feeds may be part of a diet table but cannot bear the “Pure” (raw/fresh) abbreviation.
What is a diet table, and why is it necessary for pets? As mentioned earlier, all animals are different, with varying needs, interests, and health conditions. Diet table feeds do not have strict criteria and boundaries; they include foods that consider the animal’s specific needs for nutritional microelements and nutrients. Their nutritional value and composition help strengthen the pet’s body and stabilize its weight. This category also includes feeds with probiotics, phyto feeds, vitamins, and certain types of fats. You can include these beneficial feeds in your pet’s diet table.
In a pet’s natural diet, there can also be a natural/biological diet consisting of ingredients or recipes of natural (animal) origin, such as rodents, game, insects, etc. This diet is not supported by everyone due to the specifics of the feed and its impact on lifespan, as it is scientifically proven that domestic pets live much longer than their wild counterparts.
In pursuit of proper nutrition, feeds like GLUTEN-FREE, GRAIN-FREE, MONO-PROTEIN, etc. are emerging. This is done to provide variety in the pet’s diet and minimize adverse reactions to certain components in animals. Manufacturers, conducting research and tracking the dynamics of the popularization of “healthy pet nutrition,” strive to offer consumers increasingly individualized diets and narrowly focused feeds in dietetics. In the future, this may include veterinarian-prescribed diets for pets. Sublimated (dried) products in natural and industrial feeds are increasingly retaining their beneficial properties, vitamins, fats, amino acids, and microelements. Reducing the number of thermal or mechanical processes during production brings the product closer to “Natural Healthy Pet Nutrition.”
One such feeding system is BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food), or simply “Raw Food and Bone.” From the BARF system, derivatives like biologically appropriate raw food and raw meat-based diets have emerged. Biologically appropriate raw food is essentially biological raw feeding. Raw Meat-Based Diets is a diet based on raw meat and products.
Because it prepares natural food based on the biological needs of animals, the BARF system has become very popular. In the USA, Freshpet has become a leader in natural, raw feeds based on the BARF system. Pet owners are increasingly choosing accessible, natural, raw feeds, noting changes in their pets’ appearance, gastrointestinal system, overall health, and mood. People are choosing natural products for their pets’ diets. Natural diets/raw feeding is gradually replacing industrial feeds, and manufacturers of natural raw diets for animals are emerging. Petco, a pet retailer in America, has partnered with JustFoodForDogs to establish specialized kitchens that prepare natural, fresh meals for pets. Online services with recipes developed by veterinary dietitians are emerging, allowing pet owners to prepare natural, raw diets for their animals. A study by Packaged Facts showed a growth in online sales of “FRESH, NATURAL FEEDS.” This is a huge market, with research showing a significant increase in people choosing natural, fresh (raw) products for their pets’ diets. Remember the risks of “raw feeding” (we discussed the pros and cons in a separate article). In any case, nutriciological therapy is gaining momentum. Pet owners and veterinarians advocate for a full, healthy lifestyle for pets, and nutrition plays a key role in this puzzle. Whether choosing an industrial feed or a natural, home-prepared diet, we seek a balanced, nutritious, and safe diet for our beloved pets. Everything has its pros and cons; it is important to study and learn more. In our time, the availability of food products is vast, and the choice is enormous. A natural diet for your pet is what we are moving toward, what veterinary dietitians choose, and what the future holds. We urge you to study this topic more, consult with a veterinarian, stay healthy, and stay with us.
