High-protein dog food with a certain amount of nutrition is called freeze-dried dog food. Although puppies can consume freeze-dried dog food, it is best to hold off until the dog is three months old.
How Is Freeze-Dried Dog Food Made?
The freeze-drying procedure consists of a number of steps and is so ancient that it can be traced back to 1200 A.D. D, when Incas freeze-dried their potatoes.
In the modern version, fresh food is first frozen solid. Then it is placed in a vacuum chamber where almost all of the solid water (ice) evaporates. A second drying phase zaps away any lingering water molecules. By the time it’s done, the food has lost about 97 percent of its moisture, but many of its nutrients are still there.
Potential Downsides of Freeze-Dried Pet Food Formulas
Roberts has two main concerns about freeze-dried dog food. First off, she claims that food is “never quite as easy to digest as it is in its original form” when it is removed from its natural state, in this case by drying it out and rehydrating it later. Second, she continues, “it’s hideously expensive, so the convenience comes at a cost.” ”.
According to Nielsen data, freeze-dried pet food clocks in, on average, at $33 per pound, compared to $10 or $11 for air-dried or dehydrated pet foods (4).
Many veterinarians also worry about illness-causing bacteria. Salmonella, E. coli, and other microbial pathogens cannot be effectively eliminated by freeze-drying alone without a prior heating or cooking step. coli and Listeria, says veterinary nutritionist Dr. Additionally a clinical assistant professor of nutrition at Virginia Tech’s Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Megan Shepherd Therefore, unless the manufacturer can certify that the finished product is pathogen-free, I advise avoiding raw and freeze-dried animal tissue-based products. ”.
AAFCO, which sets standards for pet foods in the U. S. , on its website, provides a similar warning, noting that the majority of nutritionally complete pet foods have been heated during production to prevent microbial contamination. AAFCO further cautions that feeding your dog any raw foods may expose people in the house to illness, particularly young children, the elderly, or anyone with a weakened immune system. And the same bacteria can make your dog sick, too.
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Given all of this, the best freeze-dried dog food will depend on your pet’s preferences, the foods you feel comfortable giving her, and the parts of her diet you intend to use it for.
A variety of prominent dog-food brands now offer freeze-dried formulas. Companies offering freeze-dried dog food include:
Primal uses the process for their raw poultry products, including the grain- and gluten-free freeze-dried nuggets that it also markets as complete and balanced, if you’re looking for food that has been specifically high-pressure processed in the pasteurization process described earlier. For its freeze-dried products, Stella & Chewy’s also uses HPP, as do Vital Essentials Raw, Northwest Naturals, and a growing number of other companies.
Is Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Dangerous?
Thus, whether dehydrated raw dog food is dangerous “depends. “If the food is pasteurized, it’s probably about as safe as any processed food, according to some raw food advocates, who claimed that doing so destroys the food’s raw nature.