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The effect of gamma‐irradiation and pasteurisation on the composition of dry cat food formulation
Author(s) -
Caulfield Catherine,
Kelly John,
Cassidy Joseph
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.6.lb60-c
Subject(s) - pasteurization , food science , chemistry , irradiation , gamma irradiation , hydrogen peroxide , vitamin , zoology , biology , biochemistry , physics , nuclear physics
Removing microbial contamination (e.g. by irradiation) in diet is vital for housing animals in a barrier facility such as in an SPF environment. Relatively little is known about the long term feeding of gamma‐irradiated diets to cats. This study investigated the effect of gamma‐irradiation (28.9–34.3 or 38.4–48.7 KGy) and pasteurisation (107°C for 15 min) on nutrients in a dry cat diet. Fat, protein, carbohydrate, taurine, vitamins A, E, B 1 , B 2 , B 6 and B 12 , and peroxide were measured using established analytical methods. Irradiation reduced vitamin A content to 42% (lower dose) and 31% (higher dose) of its untreated value, as did pasteurisation (to 50%). Peroxide was increased to 1,100% (lower) and 2,100% (higher), whilst pasteurisation modestly increased this parameter (117%). It can be concluded that gamma‐irradiation, at the doses employed in this study, has profound effects on vitamin A and peroxide content in dry cat food, and that caution should be employed when such diet is considered for long‐term feeding. It would be recommended that pasteurisation of cat diet should be considered as a viable alternative.