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Can you imagine eating the same thing Every. Single. Day? A bowl of dry kibble or a can of mush. That would get really boring! Believe me your dog thinks so too. But by putting your dog on a fresh diet you provide a delicious variety of real meats, bones, fruits, and veggies. Real food not only tastes better, it’s nutritionally superior. So, here’s the truth about kibble.
A lot goes into the processing of kibble, and I believe it’s important for people to know what they’re feeding their pets. I know most people just scoop their dog’s food out of the bag and don’t even think twice about what is in it or how it is made. I was guilty of the same thing.
Processing Kibble
Kibble is processed using a method called extrusion, which is similar to how breakfast cereals are made. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:
1. Ingredient Mixing – Ingredients such as meat, grains, vegetables, animal byproducts, vitamins, and minerals are mixed into a dough-like consistency. These ingredients can be fresh, dried, or rendered (processed into a meal form).
2. Grinding – The mixture is finely ground to create a uniform texture, which helps with consistent cooking and digestion.
3. Cooking & Extrusion – The dough is cooked under high pressure and temperature inside an extruder. This machine pushes the dough through shaped openings, cutting it into small, bite-sized pieces.
4. Drying – The freshly cut kibble pieces are sent through a drying oven to remove excess moisture, ensuring a longer shelf life.
5. Coating – After drying, the kibble is coated with fats or other flavor enhancers to make it more palatable and provide additional nutrients. Otherwise, this so-called pet food would be tasteless.
6. Cooling & Packaging – The kibble is cooled to prevent moisture buildup inside the packaging, then sealed in bags to maintain freshness.
This process ensures kibble is shelf-stable and easy for pets to eat. Some premium kibbles use baking instead of extrusion, which operates at lower temperatures to preserve more nutrients. Some kibbles are better than others but nothing compares to fresh, real food.
Remember, anything that can sit on a shelf for months and not go bad is full of preservatives.
Where Did Kibble Come From?
Kibble, the dry, pellet-like pet food commonly seen today, has its origins in the mid-19th century. Before commercial pet food, domestic animals were typically fed table scraps, raw meat, or whatever their owners could spare. The shift toward processed pet food began in the 1860s when an American electrician named James Spratt developed the first commercial dog biscuit. Inspired by ship’s biscuits, which were hard, dry, and long-lasting, Spratt formulated a mix of wheat, vegetables, beetroot, and beef blood into a biscuit that was easy to store and transport. His product became popular among dog owners, and other companies soon followed suit.
By the early 20th century, pet food production had evolved further. The 1920s saw the rise of canned wet food, particularly horse meat, which was widely available due to the surplus of horses after World War I. However, canned pet food faced shortages during World War II due to metal rationing, which pushed manufacturers to explore alternatives. This led to the widespread production of dry pet food, which was cheaper to produce, easier to store, and had a longer shelf life.
The real breakthrough in kibble came in the 1950s when the Ralston Purina company developed the process of extrusion, a method already used in cereal production. Extrusion involves cooking ingredients under high pressure and temperature and then forcing them through a specialized die to create uniform shapes. This process not only made kibble more palatable but also allowed for better control of nutritional content.
How Do They Make Kibble Balanced?
Standards set for pet food through AFFCO, which is The Association of American Feed Control Officials, are in place to make sure our animals get the nutrition they need. But I really don’t feel they have your pet’s best health at heart. I mean look what the FDA and USDA allow in human food, harmful things most other countries have already banned.
Just like humans all animals are different and have a wide variety of nutritional needs. For AFFCO balanced means a certain amount of protein, carbs, necessary vitamins and minerals, moisture, etc. It’s kind of like the food pyramid for pets but I don’t even trust the food pyramid for humans!
Did you know many dog food companies use cheap fillers like corn and wheat to increase the amount of food and, of course, increase their profit? The problem is corn and wheat are among the most common genetically modified foods. These grains are also filled with molds and pesticides.
It’s also common practice to add synthetic vitamins and minerals to ensure a balanced final product. To me, it is a red flag when you have to add flavors and vitamins to food. Whole foods provide these naturally. I avoid overly processed foods for my family, so why would I provide a highly processed diet to my pup?
The Truth About Kibble
As I said above, corn and wheat are the top GMO offenders. Our FDA thinks GMO’s are fine for humans so of course our pets are included in this market as well. Even if they come from organic sources dogs do not need corn and wheat in their diet.
Many dogs have allergies or some kind of intolerance to cheap grains anyway. Think of it this way, if a dog was starving do you think their first instinct would be to head to a corn or wheat field? Um no. Dogs are meat eaters.
The truth about kibble… These large pet food companies have found a way to profit off of their waste by feeding it to our pets. Why? Because it’s super cheap and there’s less to dispose of. This is why kibble is popular all over the world. It also has a long shelf life compared to fresh dog food.
What to Look for in a Dog Food
Now I’m not saying this is every pet food company. But you know the saying “you get what you pay for.” DO NOT buy bottom-of-the-line dog food. Buy the best food you can afford for your dog.
I know pet food isn’t cheap and I am not here to judge what you feed your dog. A great source for information on commercial pet food is DogFoodAdvisor.com. Here you’ll find ratings and recall information as well as ingredients and nutrition information. It’s also a good way to research multiple brands and help you decide on your pup’s diet if you’re going to feed kibble.
Reading the ingredients is the best way to understand what is in that bag of processed food. If you see corn and wheat in the first few ingredients move on. Many of your veterinary-approved pet foods are full of cheap ingredients, including the so-called prescription diet foods found right in your vet’s office.
Their goal is not your dog’s nutrition, it’s profit. The number one ingredient should be a protein source. And preferably a whole protein source not a meat meal.
Meat meals are not necessarily bad but they should name a specific animal source. If it says meat meal it could be any combination of animal proteins from multiple sources. So look for beef meal, chicken meal, duck meal etc. Whole protein sources will simply say chicken, beef, and duck.
Synthetic Preservatives in Kibble
Pet food companies use chemical preservatives to prolong the shelf life of the kibble and also to stop the growth of harmful bacteria. Kibble sits in the bag for months possibly years while it gets exposed to different temperatures and elements. Preservatives are necessary but many are harmful, especially when fed for a lifetime.
The following is a list of chemical preservatives that have potentially harmful side effects.
- Ethoxyquin – used to keep fats from going rancid.
- Propylene Glycol – used to preserve moisture. Also used in industrial products like anti-freeze.
- Benzoic Acid & Sodium Benzoate – used as an antimicrobial preservative in pet foods and human foods.
- Ascorbic Acid – used to prevent the discoloration of foods exposed to air.
- BHA – Butylated hydroxyanisole. Used to preserve the shelf life of fats.
- BHT – Butylated hyroxytluene. Used to preserve colors and textures, as well as fats.
Consumed in the long term these preservatives can cause serious side effects. Ethoxyquin is also used as a pesticide and a hardening agent in the making of rubber. Does that sound like something we should ingest? It has also been under investigation by the FDA for causing potential liver problems.
BHA and BHT are both known as possible cancer-causing compounds. With that being said, why does the FDA not ban it in the use of pet food? It is still found in numerous commercial pet foods. Make sure to check for these two when reading the ingredients list.
What Are Better Pet Food Options?
If you are at all concerned about the toxic load on your pets you should consider a fresh diet. There are many options to improve the life and health of your dog. Even if you feed the best kibble you should add some whole fresh foods.
Things you can add are lightly cooked vegetables like zucchini and sweet potatoes; raw eggs, sardines, bone broth and goat milk. If it’s dog friendly, Laila gets to try it. Dog’s love variety too!
They have no choice but to eat what we give them so let’s make it as healthy as possible. You are what you eat! Let’s keep food real.
Now that you know the truth about kibble, please consider ditching that bag and check out all of the Benefits of a Raw Fresh Diet and give your dog the best life.
Wag on my friends.
