Fermented dried seaweed: Four benefits for pet food manufacturers 

It’s Nutrient-Rich  

Fermented dried seaweed is high in K2, which boosts its vitamin and mineral content and, in turn, increases pets’ bone health. It also aids coat, skin, gut and dental health. Here’s how:  

• Dental Health: Fermented dried seaweed can be offered at a larger particle size to act as an abrasive for cleaning pets’ teeth. Plus, it strengthens teeth and reduces bad breath.   

• Skin and Coat: The unique fermentation process transforms hard-to-digest fibers into soluble fibers and oligosaccharides, a type of carbohydrate that acts as a prebiotic.  This transformation results in a powder that improves skin health and coat quality in pets.  

• Gut Health: Fermentation also promotes the growth of important microorganisms that aid digestion and boost overall gut health. With this ingredient, pets can easily digest their food and better absorb vitamins and minerals.

It’s Naturally Binding  

Fermented dried seaweed contains carrageenan, a common food additive extracted from red seaweed. Naturally occurring in fermented dried seaweed, it helps to thicken, texturize and bind pet food in the production process.  

Binding improves pet food texture, reduces waste and improves product quality. Binding also improves product yield – it controls factors such as shrinkage, moisture and fat loss.   

It’s Palatable  

As previously stated, this ingredient offers multiple functional benefits that aid gut health. While other seaweed products are harvested and ground into a product, this seaweed utilizes a unique fermentation process, which is key to palatability and digestion.  This process transforms seaweed fibers into oligosaccharides, which actively feeds healthy gut bacteria. Healthy gut bacteria aid nutrient digestion and produces key  vitamins.  

In manufacturing, fermented dried seaweed easily integrates into existing recipe formulations and enhances the flavor profile of food and treats for an overall pet-approved taste.  

It’s Sustainable  

Some seaweed products are wild harvested. Wild harvesting involves gathering seaweed from natural forests in the ocean. If seaweed is harvested more quickly than it grows back, its natural population decreases, promoting an unstainable environment 

However, our ingredient is farmed in Borneo, an island known for its rich, diverse seaweed varieties. Borneo has a tropical climate, which allows for a steady supply of seaweed. Growing and farming seaweed is a sustainable alternative to wild harvesting – it increases resources instead of depleting them. Sustainable seaweed farming puts economic drivers back into local communities and makes for a better, more consistent product.   

The pet industry is complex and ever-changing. Now more than ever, pet owners look for pet food and treats with multiple functional benefits and health boosters and are also good for the environment.   

To learn more about Fermented Dried Seaweed and its science-backed benefits view our recent white paper featured in Petfood Industry Magazine.