Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product

Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product is a dried culture of a lactic acid bacterium, the same species used in many yogurts and human probiotics. Tufts veterinary nutritionists say there is not yet evidence that probiotic supplements improve overall wellness in animals without illness. The sources we checked name no specific risk for cats. A cat with a medical condition should have its diet set with a veterinarian.

Source: sites.tufts.edu

It is added as a probiotic. Makers coat it onto kibble after cooking because Lactobacillus does not survive the heat of extrusion. The idea is that the live bacteria help keep the gut's microbes in balance. Tufts veterinary nutritionists say there is no evidence that probiotic foods give pets a benefit over foods that do not contain them.

Source: sites.tufts.edu

Yogurt is a poor stand-in. Tufts veterinary nutritionists note that yogurt contains lactose and some cats do not tolerate lactose well, so it can upset their stomachs. Even yogurts with active cultures carry limited amounts and types of bacteria, and Tufts says there is no evidence that human foods such as yogurt benefit pets. If your veterinarian thinks your cat would gain from a probiotic, a pet product with proven quality control is the usual route.

Source: sites.tufts.edu

Fermentation product means the bacteria were grown in a fermenter and dried before going into the food. When the label says dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, it is naming a probiotic. The phrase does not tell you how many bacteria are alive in the bag. A fermentation extract is a different thing, the enzymes collected from a microbe.

Pettings gives dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product 4 out of 5 and lists it as a probiotic or enzyme ingredient. It appears on 20 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. The ingredient score reflects the ingredient alone, not the amount in any one recipe. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.