ISSUE FOCUS 40 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE December 2024 Today’s pet owners are on the lookout for natural, health-promoting ingredients in their pets’ diets. Astaxanthin, a carotenoid known for its antioxidant properties and natural reddish pigmentation, offers a practical solution. It supports pet wellbeing while aligning with the growing interest in pure, clean-label and sustainable nutritional options. The pet food industry has seen a remarkable shift in recent years, with the increasing humanisation of pets reflected in their owners’ desire for healthy animal dishes. As a result, the sector is witnessing growing demand for premium, functional foods that are also “natural” and “clean label”. Moreover, sustainability concerns in the pet food segment are driving sales of plant-based and eco-friendly products. As brands seek to capitalise on this momentum, the range of pet foods promising an array of health benefits is growing exponentially. In this burgeoning market, it is crucial to educate and enable pet owners to better identify the products that best support the health of both pets and the planet. ANTIOXIDANTS AS A HOLISTIC APPROACH While core ingredients often support one specific health area, for instance, gut wellbeing, antioxidants allow for a more holistic approach. Their ability to fight free radicals makes them a versatile ingredient for a range of health benefits. Natural astaxanthin is increasingly recognised as a highly potent antioxidant, with a free radical quenching capacity 110 times higher than that of vitamin E. Various studies have found that astaxanthin has beneficial effects for different kinds of animals, including livestock, aquaculture, horses, cats and dogs. Research indicates that astaxanthin can support not only canine mobility, endurance and muscle recovery, but also the cardiovascular system, cognitive function, attentiveness and, at a cellular level, the mitochondria.1,2,3 Moreover, natural astaxanthin supplementation in dogs and cats could enhance their innate defence systems and improve both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses.4,5 Astaxanthin also has shown potential to improve impaired vision due to age-related conditions, such as cloudy lenses in dogs.6 Due to its unique molecular structure, natural astaxanthin can penetrate and traverse the bilayer of biological membranes and neutralise reactive oxygen species (ROS) in both the hydrophobic and hydrophilic layers, protecting cells and their powerhouses, the mitochondria, against oxidative stress. Unlike many other antioxidants such as β-carotene HEALTHY AND COLOURFUL PETFOOD WITH NATURAL ASTAXANTHIN Dr. Behnaz Shakersain Scientific Affairs Manager AstaReal Sweden
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