Spray-Dried Animal Plasma as a Multifaceted Ingredient in Pet Food

Abstract

Plasma is a co-product from pork and beef obtained during the processing of animals for human consumption. The spray-drying process maintains the solubility of spray-dried animal plasma (SDAP) and its nutritional and functional properties, making this ingredient multifunctional in human and animal nutrition. In pet food, SDAP has been used in the production of wet foods (pates and chunks in gravy) as an emulsifying and binding agent, with the potential to replace hydrocolloids partially or totally, which have some negative implications for digestibility, fecal quality, and intestinal inflammation. From a nutritional point of view, SDAP has high digestibility and an amino acid profile compatible with high-quality ingredients, such as powdered eggs. Studies in companion animals, especially in cats, have shown that SDAP is an ingredient with high palatability. Despite the immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, prebiotic, and neuroprotective properties demonstrated in some animal models, there are still few publications demonstrating these effects in dogs and cats, which limits its use as a functional ingredient for these species. In this review, the potential use of SDAP in pet food, aspects related to the sustainability of this ingredient, and opportunities for studies in companion animals are discussed.