Fresh pet food diets typically consist of cooked human-grade* ingredients and are a growing portion of the pet food industry. Because fresh does not have a regulatory definition, diets marketed using this or related terms have some variation. Most marketed fresh pet food diets are sold directly to pet owners on a subscription basis and are delivered refrigerated or frozen at regular intervals. Marketing descriptors often include free from preservatives and made of real food and may contain unsubstantiated claims (eg, increased life span, easy weight loss, superiority to canned and dry pet foods, other health benefits).
Although fresh pet food diets currently represent a small portion of the total US pet food market ($50 billion),1 their market share is growing rapidly with availability of many new products and increasing visibility. According to one market research firm, the total US fresh pet food diet market was estimated to be $5.9 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $11.2 billion by 2027.2 Based on these findings, a growing number of owners are likely feeding or considering feeding fresh pet food diets, especially those in affluent metropolitan areas. In a recent survey, 95% of owners in the United States indicated they are aware of fresh pet food diets.3 Knowledge of considerations unique to these diets is therefore important for clinicians.
Storage & Food Safety Considerations for Fresh Pet Food Diets
Although unused dry or canned foods can be stored in a temperature-controlled room for extended periods of time (until the expiration date), fresh pet food diets require refrigeration or freezing. Owners may need an additional refrigerator or freezer to store large shipments or be limited to smaller and more frequent shipments, which can increase the environmental impact and cost of feeding.
Owners must be available when shipments are delivered, especially during summer months or in warm climates, because fresh pet food diets need to be maintained at cold temperatures for safety and to retain quality.
Feeding fresh pet food diets also requires planning and proper storage during travel, veterinary hospitalization, and boarding. Access to a cooler with ice or cold packs or a refrigerator may not be convenient or possible in some situations (eg, long road trips, hiking, camping, evacuation due to a natural disaster). A disruption in power or refrigeration can result in food safety concerns and loss of expensive foods.
Health Aspects of Fresh Pet Food Diets
There are scant data to support health benefits of fresh pet food diets over more traditional diets. Human-grade pet foods are held to a different set of minimum manufacturing guidelines than other pet foods but are not necessarily healthier or more nutritious.4 Human-grade foods can lack essential nutrients or, if not formulated appropriately, include ingredients that may be harmful in cats and dogs. Nutrition and food quality are affected by diet formulation, ingredient selection, interactions between ingredients and nutrients, and type of cooking (ie, processing).
Fresh pet food diets and other diets that use less processed whole foods may have higher digestibility than commercial dry or canned foods.5,6 Digestibility refers to the percentage of calories and nutrients available from a particular food or diet and is affected by the ingredients, processing, and amount and type of fiber included. High digestibility is a benefit for some cats and dogs and can result in better stool quality, fewer GI signs, and reduced stool volume. In the author’s experience, however, digestibility can be too high for some cats and dogs, with a lack of fiber resulting in constipation or diarrhea.
Some fresh pet food diet companies anecdotally use high digestibility as a rationale for recommending lower calorie intake per pound of pet weight than most traditional foods. Although higher digestibility affects how calorie content is calculated for a pet food (ie, higher calories provided by each gram of protein, fat, or carbohydrate), it does not alter individual energy needs.5
Control of Calories in Fresh Pet Food Diets
Manufacturers of fresh pet food diets sold on a subscription basis typically calculate how many calories are needed based on age, sex, and activity level (provided by the owner). Shipments are then designed to provide adequate preportioned food for a certain number of days. The methodology (ie, equations) behind these calculations is often unknown, as labels and websites typically contain individualized, portion-based feeding directions (eg, feed 1 package of food each day) rather than general weight-based guidelines that can typically be back-calculated to determine the equations used. Clinicians and owners may have difficulty specifying the number of calories a cat or dog should receive in daily food packages (if different from the manufacturer’s calculations). With preportioned shipments, if a cat or dog is losing or gaining weight and needs a calorie adjustment, the company must be contacted and the amount of food per shipment and/or the frequency of shipments altered, which can be more inconvenient than adjusting the amount of dry or canned food fed.
Clinicians have reported weight loss (sometimes dramatic) in some dogs fed fresh pet food diets, even in dogs initially at an ideal weight. Many fresh pet food diet manufacturers prescribe daily calorie intakes well below conventional calculations—often close to the resting energy requirement—when evaluated for a standard dog.7 Although caloric needs of all cats and dogs should be evaluated after a diet change, these reports suggest owners should closely monitor their pet’s body weight after switching to a fresh pet food diet and make calorie adjustments (based on discussion with the clinician) before significant weight changes occur. The perception that higher digestibility decreases energy needs may explain the use of nonstandard calorie recommendations. The author notes lower calorie recommendations can make the food seem less expensive initially, which may affect purchase decisions, as owners report the main barrier to feeding fresh pet food diets is cost.3
Environmental Impact of Fresh Pet Food Diets
Ingredients of traditional pet foods often include by-products of the human food chain, including organ meats and other animal parts less appealing to human consumers, as well as rendered meat, poultry, and fish meal. Using by-products is cost-effective and environmentally friendly and reduces overall waste.
Many fresh pet food diets are marketed based on higher protein concentrations and use of human-grade meats. Animal protein is typically the most environmentally intensive component of pet foods.8 One study found both the amount and type of animal protein used in fresh pet food diets resulted in a greater environmental impact compared with dry pet foods.9 Another study found premium dog food diets created >3 times more greenhouse gas emissions compared with lower-cost, mass-market competitors, likely due to higher protein and less use of by-products in the premium diets.10 Calculating environmental impact is complex and uncertain, but data support that feeding more meat (especially human-grade meat and other ingredients) to cats and dogs can have a significant environmental impact.
Marketing of Fresh Pet Food Diets
Some marketing in the pet food industry can be misleading. Despite a lack of supporting data, fresh pet food diet manufacturers may advertise their products as nutritionally superior to traditional diets and use disparaging descriptions (eg, burnt) of traditional diets, imply associations between traditional diets and health conditions (eg, dental disease, obesity), and/or imply or directly state unsubstantiated health benefits of fresh pet food diets. For example, a manufacturer may advertise its fresh pet food diet on social media for dramatic weight loss benefits despite acknowledging in the advertisement that none of the products are formulated specifically to support weight loss, which is most safely achieved using diets with a higher nutrient:calorie ratio to compensate for caloric restriction.11 Companies may imply their products are associated with longer life span in dogs, can change a dog’s life, can cause dogs to regain youthfulness, or can provide a softer coat and optimized energy. These claims can be emotionally appealing but are usually supported by website testimonials rather than data.
This style of advertising may cause owners to feel guilt or concern that a more traditional diet could harm their pets, possibly resulting in reduced confidence in traditional pet foods, need for additional veterinary staff time to provide reassurance, and potential adverse health concerns if owners feed unbalanced homemade diets in an attempt to obtain advertised benefits at a lower price point.
Other Considerations for Fresh Pet Food Diets
Cost of feeding and limitations of products sold only on a subscription basis tend to affect owners more than clinicians.
Cost of Feeding
The cost of feeding fresh pet food diets is significantly higher than canned or dry pet foods and more similar to the cost of commercial raw foods. Some fresh pet food diets cost ≥4 times more than premium dry dog food and 1 to 2 times more than premium canned food. For example, feeding a fresh pet food diet to a 55-lb (25-kg) dog could cost $4,000 or more per year (see Suggested Reading). One study calculated a median cost of $459/month to feed fresh pet food diets to dogs between 11 and 88.2 lb (5-40 kg), compared with $54/month to feed commercial dry foods.3
Subscription Model Limitations
Most fresh pet food diets are sold online directly to consumers on a subscription basis. Many manufacturers offer a discount on the first order and require creation of an account to view prices and nutritional information. The account requirement can initially mask the cost and discourage comparison shopping, as an owner would have to create an account for each manufacturer. In addition, some manufacturers require an account to view any details about their diets, making it challenging for clinicians to obtain basic nutritional information.
Conclusion
Fresh pet food diets can be expensive but are often appealing for many pet owners. These diets are frequently sold directly to consumers on a subscription basis, which can result in challenges adjusting calorie intake and comparing products based on nutrients or cost for both owners and clinicians. Although fresh pet food diets may have higher digestibility than traditional dry or canned foods, there are scant data to suggest overall health benefits of these increasingly popular diets.
The preceding article is an opinion that reflects one specialist’s perspective.
*The Association of American Feed Control Officials guidelines define human-grade products as those that use only ingredients deemed edible for humans and are made in facilities licensed by the FDA to produce human foods.