The Effect of Processing and Ingredient Interactions on Thiamine Degradation in Canned Cat Food: A Modern Nutrition-Health Dilemma

Authors:

Molnar L², Aldrich CG¹*, and Trible SD³

Volume 2, Issue 2

Abstract

Water soluble vitamins play an integral role in normal metabolic function in cats. Thiamine deficiencies are a common issue in the pet food industry because thiamine degrades easily during processing. Specifically, when cats are fed a diet low in thiamine they may develop life threatening health issues including anorexia, ventroflexion, neurological impairment, and possibly death within a few weeks if not treated. However, little research has been published using a pet food matrix regarding what specific factors in pet food processing result in the most losses and whether these can be controlled. Thiamine can be degraded in a canned food due to heat, moisture, long-term storage, sulfites, pH, and thiaminase enzyme activity. Thermal processes used to produce wet pet foods sold in cans, pouches, and trays are required to be heat treated for extended periods of time. This is detrimental to thiamine retention. Because the cat, like other carnivores, has a very high metabolic requirement for thiamine, they are susceptible to these losses. For this reason, supplementation is often a logical step. However, survival of more than 10% of the thiamine may not be assured. This review summarizes the prevailing literature on the topic with application to pet food. Further, suggestions regarding potential investigations to remedy the issue are discussed. Finding an optimal time x temperature x pH x ingredient combination is a real possibility that has the potential to save many cats in the future.

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