Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 47 December 2024

ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE December 2024 53 protective functions. Prebiotics have beneficial effects on pets, such as modulating the immune system, helping to reduce stress, protecting against pathogenic bacteria, and supporting healthy growth. Mycoprotein, like PEKILO®Pet, also contains high amounts of gut-health-enhancing biogenic polyamine called spermidine. When pets age, the amount of good polyamines decreases – therefore, senior pets would benefit hugely from extra spermidine. The digestibility of mycoprotein is over 80%, ensuring that our beloved pets actually benefit from the diet they consume. Besides being conscious of the CO2 pawprint of the kibble, dog owners also struggle with soaring numbers of dog allergies. As the industry continues to produce kibble made with animal-based protein, finding the right hypoallergenic kibble can be a challenge for owners – and often comes as a significant cost. PEKILO®Pet is hypoallergenic for pets, making it the perfect solution for dogs with various allergies – without making the kilo price unsustainable for pet owners and feed producers alike. Finally, and maybe most importantly, early studies also show that the palatability of food with fungi-based food is excellent and doesn’t change the fecal quality of dogs, so it seems like our pets don’t mind the responsible and sustainable protein source! IN SHORT… Pet food manufacturers should seriously consider fungi-based proteins when planning their next winning kibble brands. Mycoprotein is a sustainable protein source with basically bottomless possibilities for local production, hypoallergenic qualities, and compounds that enhance pet health in various ways, particularly by promoting gut health. This could be the winning formula in navigating the significant global shift in human and pet food consumption habits. About Heikki Keskitalo Heikki Keskitalo is the Co-founder and Business Development Manager at Enifer. He is a molecular biologist, plumber, guerrilla (Lapland’s Border Guard), and firefighter by training. He has ten years of experience in protein chemistry and fermentation.

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