It’s no secret that pets aren’t just pets anymore. Pet owners today consider themselves pet parents – esteeming their four-legged friends to a human level. They’re family – and what do families do better together than eat good food? Premium pet food is definitely on trend.
For today’s pet owner, it is of utmost importance to provide their fur-children not only proper nutrition, but also ensure their food is protected at the highest degree of food safety standards. Most of these consumers research pet food brands, ingredients, and industry safety standards to make sure they are choosing the best nutritional option for their furry friend. Many are turning to fresh, premium pet food options, including pre-cooked, raw refrigerated and freeze-dried pet food formulations. Fresh pet food delivery and subscription services are gaining popularity as well. And as with anything perishable, we know these items can bring some concern of bacterial contamination. So how can there be fresh, nutritious pet food options that are also guaranteed to be safe for all end users?
Some premium pet food brands are turning to high pressure processing (HPP) to protect their customers and maintain brand integrity. This non-thermal preservation method uses only water and extreme pressure to break down foodborne pathogens, while retaining nutritional aspects of the product. HPP enables cleaner labels, fresher products, extended shelf-life and an added layer of pet food safety. HPP is all natural and eliminates the need for antimicrobial or other chemical additives.
By extending product safety and shelf-life, direct-to-consumer (DTC) pet food companies can provide their customers with high quality pet food, and also achieve a wider distribution range. Fresh pet food delivery is a growing market, and HPP provides a competitive advantage for pet food brands looking to enter and grow within the DTC pet food space. The convenience of pet food delivery should also be met with the confidence of product quality and safety.
Not only does HPP support expanded distribution, it also reduces waste and promotes sustainability. The benefits of HPP for pet food provide pet food manufacturers the ability to gain market share in a safe and responsible manner, all while giving pet owners confidence in the foods they feed their furry family members.
At Universal Pure, we love helping America’s pets stay healthy and safe through our pet food HPP services. You can learn more about high pressure processing (HPP) for pet food here.
