EXPERTISE NEEDED FOR THE BEST PET FOODS

Although nutrition is one of the most complicated sciences, virtually anyone who can make toast or fry an egg thinks they are a nutritionist. Today's world of contract manufacturing and easy access to the world of Internet customers make it easy to start a pet food business. There are no credentials required to produce a pet food for sale. A six-year-old, with a little help from parents who know nothing about the science of nutrition or food manufacturing, can create a brand.

Some foods are even produced by hand in small scale kitchens. But sooner or later, if there is sales success, larger production facilities must be used. Most start ups do not have the knowhow or the ten million plus dollars to build even a modest modern processing facility. Thus they employ one of many <<private label contract manufacturers>>. These manufacturers can provide formulas off the shelf that startups can tweak with some "<<special feature>>" to set themselves apart in the market. However, the new brand is going to be produced essentially the same as all other brands manufactured at the facility.

This has resulted in hundreds of brands for consumers to choose from. And it is impossible for anyone to sort <<through the hype>> to determine what the best pet foods are. Simply reading labels and marketing blurbs cannot be reliable. Relying on <<self-appointed>> Internet advisors, rankers, and reviewers doesn't help either since all they do is read labels. Labels can be misleading, deceptive, downright false, and confusing for anyone other than those well versed in the manufacturing field.

What is missing and what is needed is information about the <<ethics, motives>>, and capabilities of the person(s) who create the food. How can a food be better than the expertise of the producer?

The criteria to use in making this determination include the following:

• The leaders should be learned and experienced in the disciplines important in formulating and producing the healthiest and best pet food, including:

  Biochemistry Microbiology Nutrition Nutraceuticals Nutrigenomics Epigenetics Food preservation science

  Health sciences Pathology Food Science Processing technology Toxicology Packaging technology Processing toxicology

• The company should teach and provide consumers with competent educational materials so they are equipped to achieve the best pet food, even by preparing meals at home. In that regard, they should not be advocating the health destructive complete and balanced claim.
• The company should be, itself, manufacturing or closely controlling (not just visiting) the manufacturing facility.
• The company should be innovative and first with health <<advancing improvements>> for healthy nutrition.
• The products themselves should be <<state of the art>> in terms of nutrition, processing, packaging, preservation, and health promotion.

Granted, it is not easy for a consumer to determine if this level of competence is possessed by the company. However, asking questions about the above to the producer will give a good sense of whether expertise, or hot air is behind the products.

Also, reviewing their website and literature will be helpful.

Most people can sense when they are being sold, as opposed to intelligently informed. If the best pet food is the goal, this communication with the producer is essential.