23 Oct 2023 — The pet food business is “getting personal” as pet parents prioritize their companions’ health as much as their own and purchase healthier, more premium ingredients with functional benefits.
Over 80% of pet owners across Europe and the US rank their pet’s health as important or very important when purchasing pet food, and over 80% read the ingredient list, according to research conducted by Symrise.
Speaking to Food Ingredients First, Erica Franco, Corbion’s global marketing and communications manager, explains the company’s foray into pet nutrition.
“Preservation is and always has been an important business aspect to us,” she notes, “meaning that we are working on preserving the environment, human and animal health.”
Humanization of animals
If you think about how pets affect the quality of life of people, owners are emotionally connected to their pets, and the impact in someone’s life that a pet can have is huge in that sense, comments Franco.
“Consumers see them as part of their family and we see consumers evaluating and thinking about natural ingredients, something that is wholesome, something that is sustainable, not only for themselves but for their pets as well.”
Eighty percent of pet owners across Europe and the US rank their pet’s health as important or very important when purchasing pet food.This has then opened the door for opportunities and possibilities for enhancing the nutrition of pets, she underscores, adding that while “people want the best for themselves, they also want the best for their animal family members.”
According to Franco, these trends are prevalent “across the globe.” Interestingly, demand is also rising in Southeast Asia, South Korea, Japan, Europe and the US.
In line with market trends, Corbion recently launched its AlgaPrime DHA P3 ingredient, an algae-based omega-3-rich ingredient with the highest concentration of DHA with natural antioxidants on the market.
Not only do algae-based omega-3s promote pets’ health and wellness both physically and mentally, but they also reduce reliance on fish oil — a limited natural resource and the most common source of omega-3s in pet food.
Fermenting algae
Produced via precision fermentation and powered by renewable energy and cane sugar as a feedstock, Corbion’s latest innovative ingredient, AlgaPrime DHA P3, offers sustainable, high-quality DHA to pets, helping advance diets without impacting the carbon footprint.
“The ingredient has been developed successfully using precision fermentation, Franco tells us. “We’ve been fermenting things for over 100 years. We are a main producer of lactic acid globally and are looking into new ways of innovation,” she explains. “We noticed a gap in the market in terms of omega trends, and one of the solutions was to ferment algae.”
“If you look into traditional supplies of omega-3s, the most common sources in the world are fish oil or oil-based. Unfortunately, with the climate change, we’re seeing a reduction in these fish-based omegas, which puts pressure on the industry, ultimately leading us to find alternatives.”
Notably, these alternatives are plant-based derivatives: algae-based omega-3s, she shares. “We needed better ways to access omega-3s, which are crucial for human and animal health.”
The benefits go beyond just physical wellness, notes Franco.
“In puppies, Corbion has seen improvements in cognition, meaning that by supplementing with AlgaPrime DHA P3, puppies have shown to learn faster, be trained faster and so on. In senior dogs, this population is growing as species are living longer because their owners are investing in their health, and also DHA can help with cognition for dogs at a leather stage in life,” she comments.
Application usage and beyond
AlgaPrime DHA P3 offers approximately twice the levels of omega-3s as the fish oil included in typical pet food. It is suitable for multiple applications for pet food manufacturers, including dry, wet and injection molding. 
AlgaPrime DHA P3 offers approximately twice the levels of omega-3s as the fish oil included in typical pet food.
“This means there is a lot of flexibility for different applications, and we also have the option to add in other ingredients that offer a range of other health benefits, such as antioxidants, micronutrients and functional lipids,” Franco explains.
Corbion works with various algae species to bolster its position in animal and human health.
The company has a library of 9,000 species of algae, “out in nature, there are many more strains to be discovered,” she reflects.
At the core of Corbion’s message, sustainability plays a crucial role. Franco explains that the company will look beyond its incubator business in the next few years, and pet food is a critical area in which Corbion will progress. “Especially within our nutrition business, we’re setting up this business to serve both animal and human attrition. Now, we have a dedicated portfolio for each segment as we continue our journey producing alternative omega-3s.”
By Elizabeth Green
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