Combination of symbiont and natural enterosorbent
Today, the most common way to feed pets is commercially prepared ready-made food, as it is an easy, balanced and inexpensive way to meet the needs of dogs and cats for nutrients at different stages of their lives, both for healthy animals and in cases of pathological conditions.
The most popular pets are cats and dogs, and although they are carnivorous, the extruded feed contains a relatively high content of cereals and side products containing starch, which gelatinizes during the extrusion process and increases its digestibility. The most common cereals used for feed are corn, wheat, rice and barley. Their negative impact on the gastrointestinal tract is a violation of the microbiota and contamination of food because they are a substrate for various microorganisms. Therefore, among the recent issues of pet food safety, mycotoxin contamination is a well-known problem.
In addition, it should be noted that other feed components, such as meat, fish or bone meal, are also a breeding ground for microorganisms that can release toxins.
There are several stages when pet food can be contaminated with mycotoxins, including pre-collection, storage and handling. Unfortunately, high-temperature treatment and extrusion cannot kill all toxins.
Reducing the potential threat of mycotoxin contamination is certainly a challenge for the pet food industry. Compared to the agricultural sector, less attention is paid to the threat to domestic animals. However, the danger is genuine, and the potential risks of feed contamination are the same for both industries.
