After four years of development, the National Academies’ National Research Council (NRC) has released its new comprehensive report, Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. The 450-page report by an international team of experts is the most comprehensive assessment of publicly available research on canine and feline nutrition. Although it is intended primarily for scientists, pet food manufacturers, and veterinarians, the report also includes tips on how to recognize when dogs and cats are overweight, and on what and how to feed the animals to keep them healthy.
The report provides an extensive review and summary of thousands of scientific papers published on cat and dog nutrition over the past 25 years and makes science-based recommendations on specific nutrient requirements. Energy, protein, fat, vitamin, and mineral nutrition are covered in detail; carbohydrates, fiber, and factors influencing nutrient needs, such as physical activity and environment, are given special attention as well. The report includes a comprehensive discussion of pet food additives and numerous tables detailing the composition of ingredients typically used in pet foods. These dietary guidelines update recommendations last made by the NRC in the mid-1980s.
The report states that because cats are descended from carnivores, their gastrointestinal system is well suited to digesting and absorbing nutrients from animal-based proteins and fats and should not be fed a vegetarian diet because it could result in harmful deficiencies of certain amino acids, fatty acids, and vitamins. Although dogs may prefer animal-based food, they can survive on a vegetarian diet as long as it contains sufficient protein and other nutrients, the report notes.
But while the members of the Pet Food Institute (PFI), a trade association representing manufacturers who produce 95 percent of the dog and cat food made in the United States and a key sponsor of the report, applauded the work undertaken by the volunteer committee members and the National Academies, a preliminary review by pet food industry nutrition experts led them to caution that the evaluation of the new report will take time.
“The committee has done an excellent job reviewing the research on dog and cat nutrition,” stated Duane Ekedahl, PFI executive director. “As the report will serve as a worldwide reference document, it is critical that any conclusions are accurate and not misleading.
“Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats combines the nutritional needs of both species into one large document – it will take time to determine the overall value of the report,” he added.
Nancy Cook, PFI vice president of Technical and Regulatory Affairs, said, “We agree with the committee that numbers in tables are only one small part of correctly formulating a pet food. However, since nutritional research is of vital importance to maintaining the health and well-being of pet dogs and cats, we need to make sure all of the data presented in the report is clear and accurate.”
After the report’s release, PFI submitted their concerns to the NRC Committee on Nutrition of Dogs and Cats:
• The safe upper limits do not work because they are neither “safe” issues nor “upper levels;”
• Because of the format of the tables, regulatory problems are certain and formulation problems are very likely;
• Single analysis of ingredients on which to establish data is not scientifically or statistically significant;
• The report is not a good representation of the work of the committee or of the research that exists and is constantly followed by the industry.
The report was also sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. The NRC is the principal operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. It is a private, nonprofit institution that provides science and technology advice under a congressional charter.
Newsline - October 2003 Render