The petfood industry has come a long way in recent years. With new options being introduced each year, owners of dogs and cats can give their pets the best quality meals they deserve.

Meat powder is the backbone of many dry dog and cat foods. It can be listed as ‘meat meal’, or with an animal source like chicken, labeled as “chicken meat”. Meat powder is deactivated through heat treatment so dogs won’t get sick eating them by accident and won’t get digestive problems later on down the line.   

The parts of animals that aren’t consumed by humans can be a huge source of protein. These include remains such as offal, connective tissues and bones, which are also called meat meal in some countries like the UK where they regulate what goes into it.

How is meat powder made in the petfood industry?

The process of rendering meat and other animal by-products starts with the raw materials being ground. They’re then cooked for a period between 40 – 90 minutes at temperatures ranging from 115°F to 145°C, during which time moisture is removed until all fats are separated out into an oil form that can be pressed through a sieve or otherwise processed into powder form.

How nutritionally beneficial is meat powder?

Nutritionists are not in agreement about whether or how much the rendering process affects meat nutritional content. One point of view is that it may reduce certain nutrients, like vitamin C; however others disagree because there’s no proof to support this claim and fresh ingredients would be more difficult for your pet dog if you were making them primarily out of dry rendered meats instead.

Is meat powder an excellent source for bio-appropriate amino acids? Yes, it is. Furthermore, since this ingredient only constitutes 5-7% water in comparison to fresh meats that contain around 70%, you’ll need much less of the product. For example 20 percent of your dog’s diet could come from 1/2 cup dry food containing 6 1/4 tablespoons (48g) which equates to 25 calories per day versus 75 if he were eating 20 ounces or ~53 gms daily with 143 kcals per serving – saving about 50%.

What is meat meal exactly?

The general term ‘meat meal’ is often used by dog food manufacturers to refer to the source animal. This broad category includes any species of warm-blooded land animals, but it can also be difficult for consumers since ingredient names would not let them know exactly what they were buying (e.g., ground turkey rather than just “turkey”).

Why does the petfood industry add antioxidants to meat powder?

Antioxidants are used to prevent rancidity in meat meals. This includes natural antioxidants like vitamin E and rosemary oil, as well artificial ones such as BHTs (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHA/PA esters or propyl gallate that act similarly but can be potentially harmful if ingested by humans.