Archives: White paper
Developing a successful palatant requires expertise in both formulations and processing conditions. It also involves collaboration to identify a customer’s specific requirements. A clear understanding of our customers’ needs lays a firm foundation for success. Working together, AFB International will provide guidance on the best path forward to deliver…
Research Reveals Preference Differences In Dogs And Cats For Kibble Fat Sources And Concentrations Research & Development, AFB International Overview: Fat plays an important role in dog and cat food, providing nutritional, functional, and palatability benefits. The type and amount of fat used varies by the diet, the finished product…
People expend a great deal of effort making food taste good. In pursuit of palatability, we sprinkle spices, use flavorful fats, and choose varying preparation methods. Appetizing foods take center stage at parties, holidays, and family gatherings. We applaud superstar chefs, and dedicate television channels, magazines, websites, and countless books…
Aroma and taste are important variables in pet food palatability. However, our canine and feline companions can’t tell us what aroma they smell or flavors they taste, so how do we know which pet food they prefer? In addition to traditional feeding trials used to assess palatability with dogs and…
Several factors such as fat level, application rate, and coating systems affect uniform coating of palatants. This study focused on evaluating the coating consistency of palatants applied to kibble. Coating consistency is defined as the uniform application of the palatant on the kibble, leading to better product performance. Electronic tongue,…
One step in our development of a new palatant is to conduct a feeding trial against a control ration. This experiment is performed to test a null hypothesis that two rations are identical in preference versus an alternative hypothesis indicating that the rations are different in preference. Animals receive both…
How can you tell if your dog enjoys her new food? At AFB International, we develop new tasty flavors for dog enjoyment. We also pioneer new ways to interpret dogs’ feeding behavior to tell us about meal enjoyment in addition to how much they ate. One such behavior metric is…
Overview: For pet owners and industry professionals alike, it stands to reason that small dogs would prefer smaller- sized kibbles and large breeds larger-sized kibbles. This common belief has also influenced how dog food is produced and marketed to small, mid-sized and large dogs, with a general correlation between dog…
OVERVIEW: What common feeding personalities might dogs share? What implications might they have for pet food manufacturers? AFB International (AFB) recently partnered with behavioral geneticists at Stonehill College to answer these questions and learn more about dog feeding styles and their influence on dog food consumption and perceived enjoyment. A…
Pet food palatability is the result of what we at AFB International call “the triangle of palatability success”: ingredients, palatants and processing. Fats can provide important functions on all three sides of the triangle. At AFB’s European headquarters in Oss, The Netherlands, the research and development team’s job is to…
Paired Comparison assessments can tell us something different than Monadic assessments. Paired Comparison uses two bowls, where two different foods are presented. In Monadic testing, only one bowl of food is presented. Which one is better? It depends on what question is being asked. The protocols for each assessment provide…
Mealtime is one of the best opportunities for pet parents to interact with their cats and further enrich the human-pet bond. A pet parent’s perception of their cat’s enjoyment of a meal is important. The more a cat enjoys its food, the more likely the pet parent is to purchase…
DRY PALATANTS Dry palatants are flowable powders that are that are used inside or applied topically to enhance the flavor profile of pet foods, treats and supplements. These low-moisture powders range in color from light tan to dark brown, have an attractive food safety profile, and can be shipped economically…