Food-grade special Pet Food Binder adopted in formal pet food production features no peculiar smell and will not interfere with the intrinsic flavor of raw materials. Under normal circumstances, it will not change the original smell and taste of pet food at all. This is one of the core criteria for raw material selection in the pet food industry. Currently, the three major categories of compliant mainstream Pet Food Binder include starch-based binders, plant gum binders and animal protein binders. All of them go through food-grade purification and deodorization processes and have no irritating odors. Some starch and pectin binders carry an extremely light natural grain or fruit and vegetable fragrance, which highly matches the scent of main pet food ingredients and will not produce inconsistent strange smells.
In terms of addition proportion, Pet Food Binder accounts for a tiny share in pet food formula. For conventional extruded kibble and low-temperature baked pet food, the adding dosage ranges from 1% to 3%, and will not exceed 5% at maximum. Compared with core main materials such as meat, grains, fruits, vegetables and grease, its proportion is negligible. Such a trace dosage cannot cover or dilute the inherent meat and grain aroma of main raw materials, nor will it react with main ingredients to generate new smells. It can retain the natural original flavor of pet food to the maximum extent and guarantee normal appetite of pets.
Abnormal odor, flavor change or strange smells of pet food on the market are not caused by compliant Pet Food Binder. The root cause mostly lies in the abuse of low-grade industrial binders. Some small unqualified manufacturers cut costs by illegally using industrial glue powder and chemical binders. These products are not purified and deodorized, and carry sharp chemical odors, bitter tastes or musty smells with high impurity content. Meanwhile, low-grade binders are added in chaotic proportions. Excessive addition will directly cover the meat aroma of pet food itself. They will also undergo oxidation reaction with grease and moisture inside kibble to produce rancid odor and severely damage the flavor of pet food.
Besides, odor changes caused by improper storage are often mistakenly attributed to Pet Food Binder. When pet food gets damp, exposed to high temperature and strong sunlight or stored without tight sealing, grease in main raw materials will oxidize and turn rancid, and mold may grow, creating rancid or musty smells. These issues have nothing to do with Pet Food Binder itself. Qualified Pet Food Binder features stable properties, good storage resistance and low tendency of oxidative deterioration, and will not actively alter the smell of kibble. Pets have an extremely sensitive sense of smell. Qualified odorless Pet Food Binder will not affect their palatability, while low-grade smelly binders will directly lead to pet food refusal, picky eating and even harm gastrointestinal health. Therefore, there is no need to worry about odor changes for pet food from formal brands. Kibble with strange odors usually results from inferior raw materials and substandard production techniques.
