IIPTF PET FESTIVAL PUNE Vol 12 Issue No 10 October 2019 | Página 40

Pet Nutrition
Seaweed (gum) in petfood
Seaweeds are macroalgae, plant-like organisms without
specialized tissues. Production involves cultivated crops and
some wild seaweed. Marine vegetables can be found in foods,
treats and supplements for dogs and cats. They are declared on
the label as seaweed, kelp or rockweed/Ascophyllum nodosum.
Seaweed is lauded as micronutrient powerhouse, but this is
subservient when used in complete petfood, which by defi nition
meets the target-animals’ nutrient needs. Some dental treats
feature rockweed.
Dr A C Beynen
was professor of
veterinary nutrition
at the Faculty
of Veterinary
Medicine, Utrecht
University, Th e
Netherlands in the
period of 1993-2007.
As ingredient listed on petfood, seaweed is unspecifi c, while kelp
may refer to a mixture of brown algal species or actually denote
rockweed. The health claims made on seaweed in dog and cat
foods are unsubstantiated. However, rockweed-enhanced treats
may moderately slow the buildup of plaque and calculus, thus
reducing the necessity for frequent brushing and/or elongating
the interval between professional teeth cleanings.
Quite some wet petfoods contain seaweed-derived gums that
act as thickeners for optimum fl uid stickiness and particle
distribution. Those gums are carrageenan, agar and alginate,
consisting of different, heterogeneous carbohydrate chains.
Carrageenan is thought to cause bowel infl ammation and cancer
in dogs and cats (1-5). This has inspired some manufacturers to
market petfoods with a “no carrageenan” claim (6, 7).
In dry and wet petfood applications, that is at inclusion levels
below 0.5%, dried seaweed (gum) has no known, negative
effects on dogs and cats. Testing showed that dietary alginate
is harmless in dogs. Agar and carrageenan most likely are safe
petfood additives. Poligeenan, a research chemical in the form
of degraded carrageenan, produces bowel infl ammation and
cancer, explaining the confusion and unnecessary concerns
over whole carrageenan in petfood (8, 9).
LEGISLATION
European legislation designates
alginate, agar and carrageenan
as
technological
additives
in
feedingstuffs, falling within the
subclass
of
emulsifying
and
stabilizing agents, thickeners and
gelling agents (10-12). Seaweed meal
is listed in the catalogue of feed
materials (13).
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Creature Companion | October 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 10 • Noida
COMPOSITION
Both kelp and rockweed roughly
contain 8% protein in the dry matter,
3% fat, 30% ash, and 60% carbohydrates.
Up to half of the carbohydrates is
alginate, while both fucoidan and
laminaran account for one seventh
(14-17). Noteworthily, kelp is high in
iodine (0.14%, 15) and rockweed in
arachidonic acid (0.7%, 16).