PET Food Processing - June 2019 - 30

INGREDIENTS

Ingredient

Encapsulation Matrix

Chelated minerals
are more effectively
absorbed by animals,
which can result in
physical health benefits such as mobility
and clear eyes.
Zinpro Performance Minerals

One of the most common reasons to use chelation is to make the mineral more bioavailable
to the animal. Bioavailability enhances
absorption in the gastrointestinal (GI)
track and in other organs in the body.
A fraction of the dose is absorbed, escaping first-pass elimination. Trace
minerals, or micronutrients, play an
essential role in many metabolic functions. Micronutrients benefit an animal's growth and development, skin and
coat quality, reproductive performance,
energy, metabolism, paw pad integrity and
overall health.
"Besides delivering highly bioavailable mineral nutrition, the chelation provides some protection," Ashmead
says. "This means that there can be less interaction with
naturally occurring substances in the food that would
diminish the bioavailability. Since the mineral is bonded
to the ligand in the chelate, unwanted interactions with
other ingredients are diminished and provide for a more
nutrient-dense food."
The choice of an inorganic form of a mineral over a
more bioavailable chelated form results in less availability for the animal to use the mineral. To compensate, a
processor must use a larger amount of the inorganic material, creating the possibility of imbalance. The excess
mineral can accumulate in the organs, which affects the
ability of the animal's body to produce energy.
While some consumers, particularly those who make
their own pet foods, have concerns about the use of chelated minerals, Tomlinson offers assurance that companies such as Zinpro, a global manufacturer of organic
trace minerals in a 1:1 ratio (1 amino acid: 1 metal),
have done the research and have the peer-reviewed
information to support their recommendations. Zinpro
metal amino acid complexes are stable through extrusion and can be an excellent source of trace minerals for
pet foods.
Tomlinson points out that depending on the source,
extrusion can damage vitamins by up to 50% and an

MOLECULAR STRUCTURES
1:1 Complex
H2
N

H
C

Zn
0

CH2

CH3
S

H2
N

H
C
CH2

Zn
0

HSO4

ZinPro

PET FOOD PROCESSING | June 2019 | www.petfoodprocessing.net

additional 10% to 20% can be lost in the drying process.
Once the food sits on the shelf at the warehouse or store,
it can lose another 20% to 45%.
Successful formulation of pet food and treats
demands understanding the functionality of the minerals supported by the necessary background and research.
Marcie Campion, Ph.D., nutritionist and pet technical
lead, Cargill, Wayzata, Minnesota, says important discoveries for pets can sometimes originate from the
human side of technology, as in the case of omega-3
supplementation. Findings can also move from pets
to humans, as in the case of DHA supplementation.
Scientists knew that DHA made puppies smarter. Years
later, DHA became relevant for humans because of the
benefits it offers in the brain development of children.
Proper absorption of chelated minerals can stimulate mechanisms to perform better in the animal.
Campion cited a study using a zinc complex to prevent
cloudiness in the eyes of chickens. Attributes such as
clearer eyes and improved mobility are outward indicators to a pet owner that an animal is healthy. Seeing the
benefit of supplementation in this instance, Campion
questioned if such a study could also benefit dogs.
"At Cargill, we have the benefit of having crosspollinating research conversations about what's
happening with livestock and with pets," Campion says.
"These conversations help trigger ideas on how we can
make the lives of pets better."
Similar conversations are also a starting point when
creating a new formulation to improve the life and
longevity of pets. Often the process differs for each processor. Campion says some processors come in with
existing information and know what they can and want
to put into a formulation. Others arrive looking for what's
new and unique, and interested in the possibility of
making a new claim.
Campion recommends processors always work
with a qualified team that includes a nutritionist when creating a new formulation. Knowing too
much of a mineral can be toxic to an animal, a nutritionist can articulate the thresholds for toxicity in the premix or the total mineral use. Lastly,
she encourages processors to have multiple people
review each formula.
When it comes to choosing chelated or nonchelated
minerals in a formulation, cost is a consideration. In
many instances, however, chelated ingredietns can be
much more cost-effective than expected.
"Adding Zinpro zinc, manganese, copper and iron to
a dog food product is $8-$10 per ton," Tomlinson shares.
"For a 20-lb. bag, that's only 8 to 10 cents of potential cost
for the added benefits of skin, coat, foot pads, gut health,
immunity and overall better wellbeing."

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PET Food Processing - June 2019

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