Dried Pediococcus Acidilactici Fermentation Product
Our ingredient score: 4 / 5 · Probiotic or enzyme · How We Score
On the label these appear as "fermentation product" and are live bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus faecium and Bacillus, called probiotics. Bacillus spores survive heat; most other bacteria do not survive the heat of making dry food, so they are usually coated onto the kibble after cooking.
Common Questions
Is Pediococcus acidilactici safe for cats?
Dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product is a dried culture of a lactic acid bacterium used as a probiotic in animal feed. Tufts veterinary nutritionists say there is not yet evidence that probiotics improve wellness in animals without illness, and that pet probiotic quality varies. The sources we checked name no specific risk for cats. A cat with a medical condition should see its veterinarian about any probiotic food.
Source: sites.tufts.edu
Why is Pediococcus acidilactici in cat food?
It is added as a probiotic. Pediococcus acidilactici makes lactic acid, and makers include it on the idea that it supports a balanced gut. It is far less common on cat food labels than Bacillus or Enterococcus strains. Published evidence of its effect in cats is limited.
What is Pediococcus acidilactici?
Pediococcus acidilactici is a lactic acid bacterium, in the same broad family as Lactobacillus. Like its relatives, it turns sugars into lactic acid. On a pet food label it appears as dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product. That means the bacteria were grown and dried, then added as a culture.
How are probiotics added to dry cat food?
Most are sprayed or dusted onto the kibble after it is cooked and cooled. Bacteria such as Pediococcus and Lactobacillus do not form spores, so the heat of extrusion would kill them. Only spore formers such as Bacillus can go in before cooking. Tufts veterinary nutritionists describe a 2003 study in which none of 19 dry pet foods contained live bacteria matching the species on their ingredient lists.
Source: sites.tufts.edu
How does Pettings score dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product?
Pettings gives dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product 4 out of 5 and lists it as a probiotic or enzyme ingredient. It appears on 1 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.
How Foods With Dried Pediococcus Acidilactici Fermentation Product Compare
Dried Pediococcus Acidilactici Fermentation Product is on the label of 1 of the 149 dry cat foods we list.