Pet food producers, ingredient suppliers and others in the industry continued construction and expansion of facilities in 2020.

Pet food producers, ingredient suppliers and others in the industry continued construction and expansion of facilities in 2020. In some areas of these plants, established food security protocols evolved into human health measures. However, the pandemic did increase the use of automation in other parts of the operations, such as offices and cafeterias. Likewise, fewer visitors came to the offices and conference rooms as digital communications replaced potential passing of pathogens. Read more.

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Wall, Tim. “Automation, Human Health Get Attention in Pet Food Plants.” Petfoodindustry.com, Petfoodindustry.com, 6 Oct. 2020, https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/9636-automation-human-health-get-attention-in-pet-food-plants

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is in the process of issuing a draft enforcement policy on cannabis-derived compounds, including cannabidiol (CBD). That draft is currently at the White House for review.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is in the process of issuing a draft enforcement policy on cannabis-derived compounds, including cannabidiol (CBD). That draft is currently at the White House for review. Pet product companies that formulate with CBD, or are considering it, should mind the outcome of that policy, Emily Lyons, lawyer with Husch Blackwell, said during her presentation at Petfood Forum CONNECT. Read more.

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Wall, Tim. “CBD Pet Products May Face More FDA Warnings, Lawsuits.” Petfoodindustry.com, Petfoodindustry.com, 29 Sept. 2020, https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/9602-cbd-pet-products-may-face-more-fda-warnings-lawsuits

However, if those feeding trials aren’t conducted carefully, they can be a waste of time and money.

Scientists have many discoveries yet to make about the roles of trillions of microbes dwelling in pets’ bodies. Ongoing research into those communities of bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoans, known as microbiomes, has uncovered connections between diet and health mediated by microbes. As consumer interest in pets’ gut microbiomes increases, pet food companies can gain insight into their products by monitoring the microbiome in feeding trials, Jessica Jarett, computational biologist for AnimalBiome, said during a roundtable discussion at Petfood Forum CONNECT. Read more.

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Wall, Tim. “Testing Pet Microbiome Validates Diet Marketing Claims.” Petfoodindustry.com, Petfoodindustry.com, 21 Sept. 2020, https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/9601-testing-pet-microbiome-validates-diet-marketing-claims