The Importance of Minerals for Dogs and Cats and Their Effects During Extrusion Process and Shelf Life
For a diet to be deemed complete and balanced, it needs to encompass all the essential nutrients necessary to fulfill the unique nutritional requirements of each species.
The formulation of foods involves ingredients that supply all essential nutrients, categorized into groups:
Macronutrients comprise proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and fibers;
Micronutrients are represented by minerals and vitamins.
Moreover, a food may contain ingredients in its formulation with functional properties, providing additional benefits to the animals.
Minerals can be categorized according to their biological role and/or content found in animal tissues, playing numerous crucial roles in the organism, such as: [register]
- Maintenance of body tissues.
- Influence in the musculoskeletal and endocrine systems
- Contribution to nutrient digestion and absorption
- Maintenance of the nervous system.
Macroelements include Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, Sodium, Chlorine, and Sulfur, while microelements are composed of Iron, Copper, Cobalt, Iodine, Manganese, Zinc, Selenium, Molybdenum, and Fluorine.
In the context of Pet Food, it’s crucial to consider the quality and sources of minerals to determine the amount available for absorption and utilization, in other words, their bioavailability.
This process is influenced by various factors, including the rate of intestinal absorption, which depends on elements such as the mineral content, food matrix, interaction with other nutrients, chemical form, and processing.
There are discrepancies regarding the availability of minerals in organic and inorganic forms, especially in the case of trace minerals like Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic.
The response to this availability is influenced by the specific mineral, dietary conditions, and the physiological state of the animal.
The most commonly used mineral sources in animal nutrition are inorganic, including oxides, sulfates, chlorides, carbonates, and phosphates.
At absorption sites in the digestive tract, competitions occur in which both macro and microelements are involved (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Intestinal absorption of inorganic and organic minerals.
Chelated minerals have been extensively studied due to their higher bioavailability compared to inorganic sources.
In a study conducted by França et al. (2008), testing various zinc sources for adult cats, it was observed that the organic zinc source showed higher deposition in the fur compared to the inorganic source of zinc oxide.
| The processing of ingredients or food can also affect the bioavailability of minerals. |
Excessive heat treatment can reduce the bioavailability of certain minerals, and interaction with other ingredients in the formulation can interfere with mineral absorption.
Organic mineral sources not only provide better absorption but also exhibit beneficial effects during the shelf life of Pet Food, delaying the oxidative process of feeds.
This phenomenon was evidenced in a study conducted by Silva (2021), in which different sources (inorganic vs. organic) and levels (1x and 2x the FEDIAF recommendation, 2021) of minerals were tested.
During the 12-month shelf life, feeds supplemented with the inorganic source showed 8.413 mEq/100g of peroxide, while the organic source registered 4.816 mEq/100g of peroxide.
This index reflects the primary products of lipid oxidation, indicating that the use of organic sources can prevent lipid oxidation during the shelf life.
At 360 days, the authors also noted a tendency towards a decrease in fatty acids, with lower retention observed when the inorganic source was utilized at twice the recommended level (74.4%).
Losses were more pronounced in polyunsaturated fatty acids due to their lipid structure being more susceptible to oxidation.
Furthermore, the retention of antioxidants after 360 days of shelf life ranged from 29.8% to 42.3%, with a treatment effect trend, showing higher retention when minerals were provided in organic form at twice the recommended level.
Antioxidants play a crucial role in protecting fatty acids during extrusion and preserving them throughout the shelf life.
Thus, the authors concluded that the levels and sources of trace minerals do not significantly impact the oxidative stability of the feed during processing but rather throughout its shelf life.
Notably, organic sources in the form of proteinates, when compared to supplementation of iron, copper, and zinc in the sulfate form, contributed to greater oxidative stability of the food.
In summary, when formulating a diet, it is crucial to seek high-quality sources to ensure better bioavailability.
| Additionally, it’s important to provide minerals in easily absorbable forms and quantities, taking into account process variables to minimize adverse effects during the manufacturing and shelf life of Pet Food. |
Bibliographical references available upon request [/register]
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