As a nutrient-rich dairy product with unique flavor, cheese has always been favored by Western people, and its flavor substances mainly include compounds such as acids, esters, alcohols and aldehydes. The sensory impression of cheese quality is the result of the comprehensive and synergistic action of multiple flavor chemicals, and no single chemical component can fully represent its flavor components.
Cheese is also found in some pet foods and treats, perhaps not as a primary ingredient, but certainly as a flavor or ancillary property to appeal to pets and their owners. Cheese brings fun and variety to their bland taste options.
Nutritional value of cheese
Cheese is a milk product whose composition depends on the animal species (cow, goat, sheep) from which the milk is obtained, their diet and the process by which the milk is converted into curds and then solidified. All of these can have an impact on the taste, color, consistency and nutritional content of the final product. The final cheese is a concentration of the proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins in milk as well as some unique compounds created during the making process.
The protein in cheese is mainly casein (curd) with small amounts of other biologically active proteins such as beta-lactoglobulin, lactoferrin, albumin, immunoglobulins and various dipeptides and tripeptides. It is also rich in essential amino acids like lysine, and sulfur-containing amino acids may be the first limiting factor. The vast majority of fats in cheese are medium chain triglycerides, conjugated linoleic acid, butyric acid, and phospholipids with some saturated amount. Cheese is relatively low in lactose, and dry cheese is even lower.
Cheese is rich in bioavailable calcium and phosphorus, and high in sodium and potassium. Concentrations of trace elements are very low, so they are not a good source of supplementation. The vitamin content mainly depends on the small amount of vitamin A. Many cheeses contain beta-carotene and carmine to enhance their color (orange), but cheeses have a limited role as antioxidants.
Potential benefits of adding cheese to pet food
Cheese is a valuable source of bioactive protein and fats, essential amino acids and fatty acids, and certain bioavailable minerals such as calcium and phosphorus.
Cheese is a source of high-quality protein; it is rich in calcium, which is better absorbed; it is rich in fatty acids, which promote metabolism, enhance vitality, protect pets' eye health and keep skin healthy, and have a hair-beautifying effect; there is more fat and heat in cheese , but its cholesterol content is relatively low, which is also beneficial to pet cardiovascular health; British dentists believe that cheese can help prevent tooth decay, and eating foods containing cheese can greatly increase the calcium content of the tooth surface, thereby inhibiting tooth decay. For pregnant dogs, middle-aged and elderly dogs, and juvenile and young dogs with vigorous growth and development, cheese is one of the best calcium supplement foods.
In the academic literature on feeding cheese to pets, some reports on the "bait" theory state that dogs are very fond of cheese, but little information is available about cats' interests.
Types and ways of adding cheese to pet food
Cottage cheese has always been the first choice for pets, and some veterinarians in foreign countries often squeeze cheese out of jars to encourage pets to take medicine. Cheese-containing products, such as freeze-dried and Himalayan Yak Cheese, can also be found on pet shelves.
There is one commercial pet food ingredient on the market - dry cheese powder, commercial cheese is a powder that adds color, texture and product appeal. The composition of dry cheese powder is approximately 30% protein and 40% fat. Cheese powder can be used in combination with other dry ingredients in recipes when making dough for baked pet treats, or added to semi-moist colored, dry, and canned foods for some blends. Many pet foods require a lot of cheese for added nutrition and color because the color of the base ingredients is diluted. Another use is to coat treats or food with powdered cheese to add flavor and color to the appearance of pets and their owners. Dry cheese powder is externally added by dusting the powder on the surface in the same way as other flavoring agents, and can be dusted at about 1% or more, depending on the desired visual effect.
The most common method of addition is by spray drying or, in other cases, drum drying, where the dried cheese is added to pet food as a dry powder that has been checked for safety and quality.
Post time: May-16-2022