Pet Food Processing - September 2024 - 46

INGREDIENTS
While the saying
goes, " there are
plenty of fish in the
sea, " that might
not be the case
when it comes
to fish-supplied
Omega 3 fatty acids.
Overfishing and
climate change have
affected the supply
of this valuable
resource.
©leonardogonzalez-stock.adobe.com
composition delivers all the health benefits for our pets
usually associated with fish, algal, evening primrose and
flaxseed oils combined. "
Ahiflower works by delivering Omega 3 fatty
acid SDA and Omega 6 fatty acid GLA to a pet
through Buglossoides arvensis seed oil. The oilseed
crops are grown using regenerative and traceable agricultural
practices in the United Kingdom. After harvest,
the oilseed is then minimally processed, filtered, and refined
at low temperatures which results in an oil with a
clear pale-yellow appearance and a clean, nutty aroma.
Attributes of the ingredient lend themselves to palatability,
traceability and sustainability. According to
Hebard, every acre of Ahiflower produces as much
oil as 500,000 anchovies. Additionally, Natures Crops
International leverages vertical integration to manage its
Ahiflower supply chain.
Building on its unique oil offering, Natures Crops
International recently introduced Omega Crumbles,
which is the result of the company's own method used to
process seeds of the Ahiflower plant. This new ingredient
delivers both Omega 3 fatty acids alongside minerals
and amino acids.
" Diversifying our sources of Omegas also introduces
a wider array of Omega 3s into our pets' diets, which
from a health and wellness perspective is a good strategy, "
Hebard said. " Broad spectrum 'multi-Omegas' like
Ahiflower offer a much closer match to dietary needs
than a single source of EPA and or DHA can do. "
Anchor Ingredients offers flaxseed and chia seed ingredients
as vehicles for delivering Omega 3 fatty acids
to pets through plants.
" Both flaxseed and chia seed are plant-based alternatives
that help mitigate concerns about oceanic depletion,
ensuring a more inclusive approach to both pet nutrition
and environmental responsibility, " Backowski said.
Flaxseed is not a newcomer to the pet food space, but
is getting new attention for its ability to deliver Omega
3 fatty acids through environmentally friendly practices.
Anchor Ingredients offers flaxseed and chia seed
in whole and milled formats, allowing them to be included
in various pet food formulations, according to
Backowski.
Both flaxseed and chia seed are key sources of
ALA, which is a precursor to EPA and DHA. This
means pets can synthetize EPA and DHA on their
own through the digestion of ALA, although natural
conversion rates are relatively low. For this reason,
Backowski suggests pets that require Omega 3s for
therapeutic reasons may be better off getting them
from marine sources, like fish oil or microalgae, or
through a combination of marine and plant sources,
rather than just from plants alone.
Anchor
Ingredients'
flaxseed and chia
seed ingredients
are also grown regeneratively through its
AnchorREGEN program, through which the company
works with grower partners to implement sustainable
farming practices.
Ahiflower is a plant-based source of Omega 3 and 6 fatty
acids that offers pet health and sustainability benefits.
Natures Crops International
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Pet Food Processing - September 2024

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