Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Real Science Exchange - Companion Animal

This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Guests introduce themselves and their backgrounds (00:59)

Nicole’s presentation at Petfood Forum was based on two surveys her company conducted in March and April 2025, asking 1200+ dog parents and 1200+ cat parents about species-specific decisions they make for pet nutrition and care, focused on novel proteins. They asked which novel proteins of a comprehensive list would pet parents be willing to offer their pet a sample of as an ingredient in a pet food. Options ranged from bison and elk to alligator, ostrich, insects, and cultivated meat. From there, the surveys asked what other drivers and purchase considerations were important and if pet parents would be willing to pay more for foods containing those novel proteins. (8:06)

Nicole goes on to define novel proteins and discusses consumer familiarity with that term. She also explains why novel proteins might be in demand as a pet food ingredient. Allison notes that there is interest in the carbon footprint of novel proteins as well. (11:14)

Survey results indicated that dog parents were most interested in bison, rabbit, and elk, while cat parents were most interested in rabbit, bison, and quail. Nicole and Bob talk about technical challenges and opportunities in the novel protein space, including supply chain, palatability, nutraceutical aspects, and raw product variability. They also discuss if certain novel proteins are better suited to a particular form of food (kibble, wet, minimally processed, etc.). (15:06)

Nicole and Allison talk about how companies might evaluate the social and environmental impacts of a novel protein ingredient. Allison mentions her company uses an ingredient database called HowGood that measures ingredients against eight different impact categories. (24:04)

The panel talks about the humanization of pets and how pet parents align their values with purchases for their pet. Bob talks about some of the nutraceutical trends he’s observed. Allison notes that Gen Z and millennial consumers are very aware and concerned about their pets’ health and wellness. (27:37)

Nicole talks about current marketing trends, including video format as a source for pet parents to get inspiration about pet health and wellness. The group then dives into the topic of influencers, misinformation, and the role that science can play in providing accurate information to consumers. (35:31)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (45:39)

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This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Alexandra and Jim begin by introducing themselves and their backgrounds, as well as sharing what they do in their current roles. (00:58)

Dr. Ranovic gives an overview of her presentation at the conference, including a review of how dogs and cats metabolize fatty acids, current recommendations for EPA and DHA requirements, and alternative fatty acid sources like algae oil. She notes some of the differences in fatty acid metabolism between dogs and cats and whether or not adult animals really have a recommended requirement for omega-3 fatty acids. Some of her research has found that algae oil is less shelf-stable than fish oils, and perhaps feeding excess omega fatty acids does not benefit pets. (12:13) 

Jim shares the Pet Sustainability Coalition has software called How Good, which is the world's largest ingredient database for sustainability. He explains how it works and ties in with diet formulation software. (22:53)

Jim gives some insight on how pet owners make decisions about sustainability. (25:51)

Dr. Rankovic details what future fatty acid research still needs to be done in dog and cat nutrition. She notes another longer chain, plant-derived fatty acid, SDA, might be one avenue of investigation, both for its use in conversion to EPA and DHA and for its merit alone. (28:26)

The panelists wrap up the episode talking about balancing formulation and pet owner education to achieve the best outcomes possible for pet health and wellbeing. Lastly, they give some recommendations for where pet parents can go to find more information. (32:50)

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This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Panelists introduce themselves and their backgrounds (00:56)

Angelique shares about her company, Montego Pet Nutrition, and what they do. They are located in the Karoo area of South Africa which is famous for large herds of springbok. Springbok meat was a major export to the EU; however a foot and mouth disease outbreak resulted in an export ban in 2011, which had a major impact on the springbok industry. South Africa published a game meat strategy in 2023, but made a major oversight by not including the pet food industry. Byproducts from game meat for human consumption is a major focus of Montego Pet Nutrition. Angelique’s presentation at Petfood Forum detailed how Africa can be a contributor to the evolving pet food protein landscape. (6:48)

Gail asks about processing such a large diversity of game animals. Angelique explains that most harvest is done on-farm, with carcasses transported to plants for further processing. She goes on to describe regulatory oversight of harvest and processing, and goals for making better use of offal that is often left on-farm currently. (11:07)

Dr. Altom gives examples of why novel proteins like game meat are attractive in the pet food market for animals with allergy/inflammation challenges. The panel talks about other game meat species from around the world that have also been considered for the pet food market. (14:40)

The panel discusses sustainability and how these game meat efforts may play an important role in feeding a growing population in Africa. Unfortunately, the export ban is still in place for fresh frozen antelope meat; only ostrich, crocodile, and zebra can be exported at this time. The group goes on to talk about consumer perception of game meat. (25:05)

Angelique notes that they market the antelope product they are using as Karoo Wild, with the tagline of reward, revive and rewild. (32:46)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (35:32)

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This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Diana predicts the global pet industry to reach about $500 billion by the end of the decade, compared to $380 billion currently. The US will remain the largest market, comprising about 40%, and is predicted to reach $200 billion compared to $150 billion currently. Healthcare is expected to be the biggest driver over the next five years, and food will remain the largest expense. (5:37)

The panel discusses some of the drivers behind pet owner decisions, including the humanization of pets. Nicole notes in some of her company’s market research, most pet owners say either their pet is a member of their family or their pet is their best friend. When money gets tight, people are more likely to reduce expenditures on their own healthcare rather than trade down in their pet expenditures. The panel also talks about generational differences in pet owner decisions. Nicole notes pet longevity is a major driver in many decisions. (7:51)

Diana and Nicole discuss how pet trends tend to follow human trends. They cover ingredient quality, snacks/treats, supplements in a treat form and preventative veterinary care. (17:55)

Jeremy notes from a commercial perspective, more pet food/treat companies are requisitioning 100% human-grade ingredients. The panel talks more about customization trends in the pet industry, the movement of luxury brands into the pet sector, and the presence of large food companies at every price point for dog and cat food. (25:56)

The panel discusses how the large increase in pet ownership during the pandemic has impacted and continues to impact the industry (31:50)

Diana mentions e-commerce continues to be a significant driver, with 30% of pet owners in 2025 surveyed purchasing items through e-commerce, compared to 23% in 2023. Amazon and Chewy make up 70% of the pet e-commerce sector. (34:53)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (39:25)

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Welcome to our Real Science Exchange- Companion Animal Podcast, the podcast that opens up the bag and looks at what really goes into better pet nutrition. In this introductory video, you’ll meet the experts and the science behind Balchem’s ingredient solutions, and hear how they’re used by formulators to support digestion, skin & coat, energy metabolism, and overall well being. Subscribe to follow along as we unpack the latest research, practical formulation tips, and stories from across the pet food industry.

Dr. Shanoyan gave a presentation titled “Wishlist to Shopping Cart: Understanding Pet Food Buyers’ Preferences and Purchasing Behaviors.” Consumers were asked what they would like to buy (wishlist) and what they’re currently buying (shopping cart), and attributes were matched between the two sets of answers. What are the differences between someone whose wishlist and shopping cart match perfectly and someone whose wishlist and shopping cart do not?  (10:19)

Dr. Hobbs’ presentation was “Pet Food Perspectives: Exploring Customer Perceptions and Value of Sustainability and Other Product Attributes.” Do customers actually value sustainability? What are they looking for? What are they willing to pay for sustainability? (15:22)

The panelists discuss reasons for a disconnect between what people say they wish to do and what they actually do in regard to pet food purchases. They talk about personal definitions of sustainability as well as generational differences in perceptions and willingness to pay.  (19:21)

Dr. Shanoyan gives some key pointers for pet food companies to consider when developing new products. Dr. Hobbs covers some current trends for where consumers are purchasing pet foods, where they get information about pet foods, and how those differ among generations of consumers. (27:01)

The panel agrees that reviews are of critical importance to successful e-commerce marketing and shares experiences from their individual perspectives. They also talk about the use of AI technology and the importance for pet food companies to have accurate information available to represent their products when those technologies are used by consumers. (34:34)

Dr. Hobbs talks about researching the price premiums of health benefit attributes in pet food and how marketing claims can influence consumer assumptions and perceptions. The group also discusses the value in creating a survey group to repeatedly gather information from consumers to assess long-term trends. (43:24)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (51:15)

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Dr. Pezzali gives an overview of the pet food program at K-State. Students can focus on any of the different disciplines essential to pet food, such as nutrition, safety, or processing. The program has a strong connection to industry through research, teaching, and outreach and prepares students for careers in the industry through their Feed and Pet Food Science major. Dr. Pezzali also introduces her two graduate students, Nayara and Amelia. (4:33)

The panel talks about the K-State conference, formerly known as KibbleCon, which has been rebranded as Pet Food Collab. The new name highlights the commitment to engage and collaborate with all segments of the pet food industry. Nayara and Amelia talk about their experiences at the previous year’s conference, and Dr. Pezzali gives a preview of the format and event lineup. (7:58)

Nayara shares about her background and describes the research she is doing for her PhD on red sorghum in dog diets. She hypothesizes that red sorghum will improve gut metabolism, gut health, and dietary polyphenol content. (14:03)

Amelia introduces herself and shares about her MS research at K-State. She is focusing on betaine supplementation in cat diets and the impact on oral and gut microbiome and fecal metabolites. The second half of her project will evaluate energy expenditure via indirect calorimetry in a weight loss study in cats supplemented with betaine.  (16:49)

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Panelists introduce themselves and their backgrounds (00:45)

Dr. Starkey describes the Auburn University pet food research and teaching program. Their goal is to teach students food science research techniques while upcycling low economic value meat processing co-products into high value, marketable pet products. (4:46) 

Leila shares about why she chose Auburn for her undergraduate career, how she got involved in the pet food program, and her experience at the Imaginarium event at Auburn. This event brought the pet food and poultry processing industries together for knowledge exchange and hands-on learning about the two industries. Leila looks forward to working in the pet food industry after graduation. (8:16)

Ileana talks about her graduate research using insect protein meal to create pet treats. She combined various ratios of cricket meal and chicken liver with structure-forming technology from sodium alginate and encapsulated sodium lactate from Balchem to create jerky-style pet treats. She will conduct sensory panels with pet owners to evaluate their perceptions of the treats for their animals. She goes on to talk about some of the challenges she experienced with using insect proteins. Dr. Starkey notes that while the cricket meal is high in protein, it remains to be seen how digestible it is given the high chitin content of the exoskeleton. (10:55)

Dr. Starkey gives some of the rationale behind including the chicken liver as an ingredient in the treats in Ileana’s research. She notes that the extra moisture from the liver binds really well with the structure-forming technology to yield a really nice, gelled product even with the high chitin content. (19:43)

Scott asks Dr. Starkey to talk a bit more about the Imaginarium event. It included speakers on the economic values of co-products and market survey data, among other topics, and hands-on stations for participants to make products that Auburn had previously worked with in their research. They also had a pet food vs human food challenge where participants had to choose whether a product was for pets or humans based on visual appearance alone. (23:54)

Dr. Starkey shares about the next steps in the Auburn pet food research program, and Ileana describes a graduate internship she did at Big Creek Foods. (32:17)

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This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Guests introduce themselves and their backgrounds (00:51)

Dr. Hobbs gives an overview of his presentation about pet owners’ perceptions, knowledge and willingness to pay for insect proteins. Insect proteins are currently a specialty product with some scalability and supply chain issues, resulting in higher prices than other proteins in the market. The panel discusses protein and lipid properties of insects, sustainability, and regulatory concerns. (8:17)

The panel talks about pet owner perceptions of insects as an ingredient in pet food. Dr. Hobbs notes that many consumers associate insects with the word “icky” and are uninformed of the form that insects would appear in pet foods. Consumers are aware that insects are a high-protein ingredient and have lower greenhouse gas emissions than some other protein sources. However, they were unaware of the health and wellness benefits of insect proteins, such as being hypoallergenic and having immune support characteristics. (17:43)

Dr. Gross details some of the fatty acid characteristics of insects and notes that there is a lot of research yet to be done to understand all the nutritional properties. Dr. Hobbs remarks that this is a key challenge for marketers right now - how should insect proteins be positioned and what terms are customers familiar with? He suggests educating consumers about the benefits of insects as an ingredient, but educating them in a way that’s attractive to them. (22:49)

Dr. Hobbs’ survey found that 80% of pet owners were open to purchase, currently purchasing, or willing to purchase insect-based proteins. While respondents as a whole were more willing to pay for animal- or plant-based proteins than insect-based, millennials and GenX respondents were willing to pay more for insect-based proteins than plant-based. (31:11)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (40:15)

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This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Guests introduce themselves and their backgrounds (00:56)

Dr. Gross gives an overview of her presentation, including the rise of pet obesity and the lack of industry response in providing products for today’s less active pets. Upwards of 60% of dogs and cats in the US are considered overweight or obese. Her talk focused on what the industry can do to help pet parents battle obesity issues in their pets. Options include creating new pet foods, using different ingredients in pet foods, and educating about underlying health issues to help pet parents find better solutions. (6:51)

Dr. Gross and Dr. Hobbs talk about body condition scoring pets and how pet parents perceive whether their pet is overweight or not. Dr. Gross notes there are artificial intelligence models being trained to evaluate pet body condition from photographs. (10:31)

Nicole notes that her company’s research has shown about 15% of dog parents in the prior 12 months have purchased either a food, treat, or supplement for weight management, and about 13% of cat parents have done so. The panel discusses pet owners may not always take into account all the calories they’re feeding their pet. Dr. Hobbs mentions while there are some opportunities for pet food companies to take advantage of, a lot of what is needed is consumer education on how to manage your pet properly for their age, stage of life, and activity level. The panel goes on to talk more about how veterinarians play a critical role in this educational effort. (13:40)

Dr. Gross would love to see more choices for pet parents so they don’t have to be an expert in nutrition. She sees a need for pet food manufacturers to design products for pets to help them avoid gaining excess weight. She notes AAFCO only has recommendations for growing animals and adults; there are no nutritional guidelines for pet food companies to follow to create foods with controlled calories, low fat, added fiber, etc. Dr. Hobbs suggests that pre-portioned foods may be another opportunity for pet food manufacturers, as well as foods specialized for spayed and neutered pets. (25:47)

The panel discusses the impact of obesity on the lifespan of pets, if obesity increases with age in pets, how hormone profiles impact weight gain in pets, and if breed type plays a role in the development of obesity in pets. The guests go on to talk about how artificial intelligence and technology could be used to help pet parents manage their pets’ weight and make more informed decisions. (29:48)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (49:04)

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Dr. Larson gave a presentation about the two new pathways for ingredient approval. She gives an overview of the background of ingredient approval, including the recent dissolution of the MOU between FDA and AAFCO, which had been a partnership for the old AAFCO ingredient definition process. The two new pathways are AFIC (Animal Feed Ingredient Consultation) and SRIS (Scientific Review of Ingredient Submissions). AFIC is a temporary FDA program launched in 2025 while the Food Additive Petition and Generally Recognized as Safe programs are under review. SRIS is a collaboration between AAFCO, which is made up of state feed control officials across the USA,  and Kansas State University that provides a scientific review of new ingredient dossiers. (9:26)

Dr. Gross talks about some of the audience questions after Dr. Larson’s presentation, centered around old versus new approval processes. Dr. Ashabranner notes that the K-State group is amassing a database of subject matter experts to review dossiers in their area of expertise, which will provide a quicker turnaround than has been experienced in the past. Dr. Larson emphasizes the importance of these subject matter experts and provides information on how to apply to be included in the database. When a new ingredient submission comes, it goes to the AAFCO Ingredient Definitions Committee, which works with the firm to create the initial definition that will be passed to SRIS for subject matter experts to review. The reviewers provide their recommendations and Dr. Ashabranner writes a summary recommendation report that is then provided to the AAFCO membership for voting. (15:35)

Dr. Altom gives some guidance on choosing which pathway is appropriate for a particular ingredient. Dr. Ashabranner expands on what the application process looks like for SRIS. Panelists strongly emphasize the importance of having a complete and thorough application for a smooth review process that takes as little time as possible. (26:50)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (40:00)

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Leah gave a presentation titled “From Concept to Bowl: Translating Vision Into a Successful New Product to Market.” She describes the process at her company as a complex, highly collaborative technical process that requires cross-functional collaboration. Simmons uses a stage-gate new product development process, allowing all teams to co-own the initiative.  (5:45)

The panel talks through different stages of taking a new product to market and what each entails. Ideation and market research to establish a need lead to product development. Depending on timelines, palatability testing could happen during product development, but may have to wait until scale-up, and there are trade-offs with each option. (6:57)

Kim asks James and Leah to talk about their perspectives on nutritional needs and innovation in the senior pet space. They also talk about pet obesity and the importance of pet parent education on this topic. Leah mentions that a food log may be helpful in a multi-human household where many opportunities for feeding and treating may occur. (15:45)

Leah talks more about the post-launch reflection, review, and commercialization stage, which focuses on analytical and process capability. Is the process consistently repeatable in all conditions? She also notes that at her company, they look back to expected launch volume and see how well the product is doing a year or two post-launch. James chimes in that the reflection stage is also a great way to evaluate each stage and gate to see if any improvements are needed in the entire process of getting a product to market. (30:18)

The panel reflects on which stage each person finds most challenging in the process. They emphasize the importance of good communication and cross-functional teams. Lastly, they talk about common pitfalls and challenges both during and after the process of bringing a new product to market.  (33:25)

Scott asks about the demographics of pet parents and how that plays into new product innovation. The panel shares about their pets. (48:22)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (52:41)

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Allison gives some examples of how AI can be used in production facilities. Sensors on equipment, production schedules, product formulation, supply chain, logistics, and marketing were all mentioned. (11:24)

The panel talks about challenges for small and mid-size companies when it comes to deploying AI. Jay discusses how a company can go about adding AI to its production system.  (16:45)

Debbie details results from an online survey her group conducted about how many companies in the industry were using AI, and if not, what reasons they had for not using it. Scott and Jay share their perspectives about small and mid-size company barriers to deploying AI.  (25:13)

The guests talk about AI hallucination and drift, and the best ways to manage around it. Jay talks about some of the efficiency and quality improvements that can be expected when adding AI to a production facility. The panel talks about flexible versus frozen scheduling and using ingredients that are perishable, such as meat products. (30:13)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (47:03)

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Guests introduce themselves and their backgrounds (1:08)

Rachelle gives an overview of what industry partnerships can look like at K-State. Dr. Schuh notes that one of the best ways to understand partner needs is for content experts from both entities to be talking to one another. She highlights some of the one-stop-shop resources that a land-grant university can provide. (8:30)

Leah and Melissa give their perspectives as industry partners with K-State. Purposeful internships that meet a specific need, research collaboration with graduate students and faculty, hands-on learning, guest lectures, understanding university versus industry research, and university technical resources were highlighted. (13:47)

Leah expands on the robust internship program at Simmons. The panel talks more about student engagement and how industry-academia partnerships have fostered networking and employee pipelines. (21:14)

Dr. Weber commends the group at K-State for making partnerships easy to do. She notes that complicated agreements may sometimes discourage industry participants from partnering with universities, but that has not been the case for her company and K-State. Dr. Schuh and Rachelle talk about what partnership agreements can look like and what steps to take to inquire about partnership opportunities. The guests anticipate questions they might receive during their panel discussion at Pet Food Collab. (30:52)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (45:20)

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The episode opens with introductions and background on Mississippi State’s poultry nutrition program, including Dr. Adakari’s research focus and Charis Waters’ work on layer nutrition and amino acid optimization. (00:00 – 05:15) 

The discussion then shifts into Charis’s research on branched-chain amino acids—leucine, isoleucine, and valine—and their role in laying hen performance, particularly across pullet, peak, and late production phases. (05:15 – 07:05)

A key theme of the episode is the importance of amino acid ratios rather than absolute requirements, as elevated leucine levels in corn-based diets may create imbalances that affect production, feed intake, and efficiency if not properly adjusted. (06:57 – 10:01) 

The conversation also highlights how this research reflects broader changes in the industry, including the impact of modern genetics and the limitations of outdated NRC (1994) recommendations, emphasizing the need for updated nutritional models. The panel further explores how BCAA nutrition influences not just performance, but egg quality, bone strength, and laying longevity, reinforcing the importance of balancing diets for both productivity and animal welfare. (12:03 - 19:55) 

The discussion also touches on egg composition and amino acid profiles, including how dietary changes may influence crude protein levels, albumen quality, and overall egg integrity. Attention is given to broader applications of this research, including potential implications for breeder flocks, feather quality, and stress indicators—suggesting that BCAA balance may have system-wide biological effects. (20:45 – 23:53) 

The episode concludes with practical insights for producers and nutritionists, emphasizing that fine-tuning amino acid ratios offers a cost-effective way to improve performance without drastic diet changes, aligning economic and biological outcomes. 

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The episode opens with an introduction to the panel and a high-level overview of AI’s rapid acceleration across food and feed systems, setting the stage for a discussion on separating real-world applications from hype. (00:00 – 00:50) 

The panelists then outline current AI trends, noting that while adoption in the pet food industry has lagged slightly, companies are increasingly leveraging AI for customer insights, marketing optimization, and early-stage operational improvements. (00:50 – 04:00) 

The conversation shifts into one of the most critical challenges: trust in AI systems, including issues like hallucinations, accuracy, and the need for domain-specific models to improve reliability and decision-making confidence. (06:22 – 10:09) 

From there, the discussion explores how AI is already delivering value in manufacturing and plant operations, particularly through tools that capture institutional knowledge, reduce downtime, and support faster root cause analysis. (10:09 – 13:58) 

The panel also highlights the role of AI in decision intelligence and supply chain optimization, where advanced models help companies respond to volatility, improve forecasting, and make faster, data-driven operational decisions. The conversation then turns to the consumer experience, explaining how AI quietly powers personalization—from e-commerce recommendations to pet health insights—often without users even realizing it. (16:36 – 19:59) 

The panel addresses concerns around job displacement and data security, emphasizing that AI is best viewed as a tool that augments human capability, while also acknowledging the growing importance of protecting intellectual property and proprietary data. (19:59 – 27:24) 

Looking ahead, the discussion explores the emergence of agentic AI systems, where autonomous agents can not only generate insights but also take action—executing decisions, optimizing processes, and closing operational loops in real time. (30:44 – 36:41) 

The episode concludes by reinforcing a key takeaway: companies don’t need to solve everything at once—the best way to begin is by identifying a meaningful problem and starting there, building capability, trust, and ROI over time.

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The episode opens with introductions to the Pet Food Institute team and an overview of the regulatory challenges facing the industry today, including shifting expectations for manufacturers and innovators. (00:00 – 01:02)

The conversation then introduces the role of the Pet Food Institute (PFI) and highlights leadership transitions, as well as the organization’s long-standing focus on food safety, regulatory advocacy, and industry support. (01:02 – 02:57) 

The panel also discusses the growing complexity of international trade and policy, including tariffs, import/export logistics, and the increasing importance of global market access for U.S. pet food companies. (02:57 – 05:35) 

Attention then turns to the evolving U.S. regulatory environment, including the impact of the MAHA initiative and leadership changes within HHS and FDA, which are driving renewed scrutiny on ingredient approval processes such as GRAS. (05:35 – 10:27) 

The discussion highlights the growing influence of bipartisan political pressure on regulatory change, raising concerns about long-term consistency and the cost implications for businesses navigating shifting regulatory priorities. (10:27 – 13:27) 

From there, the panel explores the Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform (PURR) Act, including its origins and the need to replace the current “patchwork” of state-by-state labeling requirements with a more unified federal system. (13:27 – 20:00) 

The conversation emphasizes how the current fragmented system creates inefficiencies, delays, and unnecessary complexity for manufacturers—often driven by minor labeling discrepancies rather than safety concerns. (20:00 – 22:31) 

The panel also examines how possible reforms to the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) framework could introduce greater federal oversight while improving consistency and predictability for ingredient approvals. (22:31 – 27:16) 

The episode then shifts to global opportunities, highlighting how PFI supports the industry through international marketing programs, regulatory engagement, and USDA-backed trade initiatives that help expand access to global markets. (27:16 – 32:56) 

The panel further discusses regulatory challenges in key countries such as Brazil, Australia, and South Korea, where import restrictions, taxes, and safety requirements create additional hurdles for U.S. pet food exports. (32:56 – 34:42) 

Finally, the discussion explores pet food label modernization, including upcoming changes to labeling formats, improved transparency for consumers, and the need for industry-wide education to support the transition. (34:42 – 39:53) 

The episode concludes with key takeaways emphasizing the importance of regulatory clarity, global market expansion, and continued innovation—reinforcing the role of strong, predictable policy frameworks in driving industry growth.

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The guests introduce themselves and talk a little about their research. Amelia is a MS student, and Katelyn and Larissa are working on their PhDs in the pet food program at K-State. Katelyn is researching raw versus thermally processed diets, looking at nutrient losses, oxidative stress, inflammation and immunomarkers. Larissa had two main projects: one to evaluate dry bakery products as an ingredient in extruded dog diets, and the other used a pine oil rich in resin acids at two different levels. Both projects evaluated gut health. Amelia’s research is looking at betaine supplementation in cats. She has a preliminary trial complete and is working on developing an indirect calorimetry system for her next project. (2:25)

Dr. Altom asks the students what they want to do after they graduate and what kind of work they’re interested in pursuing. He follows up with a question about how industry could be more involved or if there is something missing from the students’ programs that industry could provide. (11:59)

Lastly, Dr. Altom asks what advice each student would give to a high school student or college freshman who has an interest in pets, knowing what they know now. (19:16)

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Guests introduce themselves and their backgrounds. Dr. Pezzali’s nutritional priorities for cats are urinary health and obesity. William notes some of the important logistical considerations for APHIS export approval.  (4:09)

Dr. Pezzali estimates that about 60% of cats in the US are obese. She notes her group is researching nutraceuticals that may increase energy expenditure in cats to help combat cat obesity. Dr. Altom chimes in to remind listeners that cats are not just small dogs and that their behavior is very different. The panel talks about whether or not pet owners are aware of their cat being obese, how to communicate with pet parents about this sensitive topic, secondary diseases that might occur due to obesity, and how food processing might impact obesity. (09:15)

The panel discusses food additives for hairball prevention. Julianne hopes to conduct research in the future to assess if raw diets could help with hairball issues. (25:10)

Julianne and William share some of their experiences with export approval from APHIS. USDA is short-staffed, so planning ahead and having complete and accurate paperwork is even more essential than ever. The panel notes  the importance of keeping up on changes in international regulations, working with co-manufacturers and ingredient suppliers, and understanding the impacts that delays could cause in the nutritional value of pet foods. (27:58)

The panel talks more about urinary health, then touches on “indoor cat diets” and what that means, and upcoming trends in kibble production, particularly minimally processed products. (34:47)

Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (43:53)

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