Tweet
Corn is an excellent ingredient vastly used in pet foods due to its nutritional profile. Corn is a good source of Omega-6 Fatty acids, which promotes a healthy skin and shiny coat; minerals; vitamins, including Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Niacin; and starch. There have been concerns that corn cannot be digested by cats and dog. However, corn is a digestible ingredient, vastly used in pet foods, and a great source of several nutrients for cats and dogs. Starch digestion in cats and dogs occur in the small intestine with the help of pancreatic enzymes.
Corn has received bad publicity as a “filler” ingredient and this misconception can be widely found in online blogs and pet food reviews. Traditionally, most pet food diets were corn-based and the need for innovations may have contributed to the unfair negative reputation of corn. Corn-free diets became a simple innovation designed to set products aside from the competition, a mere marketing move not based on valid science.
It is possible that some pets will develop allergy to corn due to prolonged exposure, which is also true for ANY other ingredient vastly used in pet diets. Therefore, ingredients used in corn-free diets can also result in allergic reactions. If a pet is allergic to corn, there are many corn-free alternatives on the market. To find out if your pet is allergic to corn or you have any concerns with what food you are feeding, it is best if you talk with your veterinarian.
Corn has received bad publicity as a “filler” ingredient and this misconception can be widely found in online blogs and pet food reviews. Traditionally, most pet food diets were corn-based and the need for innovations may have contributed to the unfair negative reputation of corn. Corn-free diets became a simple innovation designed to set products aside from the competition, a mere marketing move not based on valid science.
It is possible that some pets will develop allergy to corn due to prolonged exposure, which is also true for ANY other ingredient vastly used in pet diets. Therefore, ingredients used in corn-free diets can also result in allergic reactions. If a pet is allergic to corn, there are many corn-free alternatives on the market. To find out if your pet is allergic to corn or you have any concerns with what food you are feeding, it is best if you talk with your veterinarian.