Excluding well-trained parrots, most pets can’t verbally tell food scientists which products they prefer. Especially in the competitive dog and cat food markets, formulators must consider palatability when developing new products or fine-tuning existing pet foods. To evaluate which products appeal to pets, researchers have developed a wide range of experimental techniques. The Journal of Food Science published a literature review that identified key sensory attributes of pet food, summarized methods of evaluating pet food palatability and discussed those techniques’ utility for pet food makers. Researchers with the University of Arkansas and Simmons Pet Foods authored the study.
Important sensory attributes of pet food
“Because pet caregivers typically do not taste pet food products, sensory attributes related to ingestion, such as tastes, retro-nasal odors, and texture (mouthfeel), are less considered compared to appearance,” the study authors wrote. “For cats and dogs, however, these sensory attributes are closely related to their food preferences.”
The researchers identified four aspects of pet food that were particularly important to pets or their owners.
- Appearance: Shape, color, and texture impact pet food appeal, with lighter and multicolored kibble often being preferred by pet caregivers.
- Aroma: Olfactory cues significantly influence pet food preferences, particularly in dogs, which rely heavily on their sense of smell.
- Taste and Flavor: While dogs can detect all five basic tastes, cats lack the ability to perceive sweetness. Dogs prefer meaty and sweet flavors, whereas cats favor umami-rich foods.
- Texture: The mouthfeel of pet food is influenced by moisture content. While dry foods tend to be crunchy, wet foods have varying textures, such as chunks, loaves, or gravies.
Methods for measuring pet food palatability
“To assess the palatability of pet food, researchers have developed methods primarily focused on the pets themselves,” the researchers wrote. “Human input, whether from trained panelists conducting descriptive sensory analysis or untrained pet caregivers conducting consumer tests, has also been incorporated to characterize sensory attributes and predict palatability. In addition, instrumental analyses have been employed for objective measurements of sensory attributes and to indirectly predict palatability.”
Palatability testing methods can be divided into two categories: preference tests (two-bowl test) and acceptability tests (one-bowl test).
Acceptability Test (One-Bowl Test)
- A single food sample is presented to the pet, and consumption is measured.
- Used in home and laboratory settings.
- Offers insights into overall acceptance but does not determine preference.
Preference Test (Two-Bowl Test)
- Pets are given two different food samples to assess their preference.
- Intake ratio and first-choice selection are recorded.
- Requires trained pets to minimize bias.
Other Palatability Evaluation Methods
- Cognitive Palatability Assessment Protocol (CPAP): Uses object discrimination tasks to evaluate food preferences based on associative learning.
- Preference Ranking Test: Evaluates multiple samples simultaneously by ranking the order in which pets consume different options.
- Behavior Analysis: Observes pets’ actions, such as sniffing, licking, and grooming, to infer preference.
- Facial Expression Analysis: Uses facial action coding systems to interpret pets’ emotional responses to food.
While pets are the end consumers, human panelists and instrumental techniques can also be used to characterize pet food sensory attributes.
Descriptive Sensory Analysis
- Trained human panelists evaluate pet food samples using lexicons developed for appearance, aroma, flavor, and texture.
- Provides insights for product development and marketing.
Consumer Studies with Pet Caregivers
- Surveys assess pet owners’ purchasing behaviors and perceptions of pet food.
- Factors like health, nutrition, and ingredient quality often outweigh sensory appeal in buying decisions.
Instrumental Analysis
- Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS): Identifies volatile organic compounds influencing aroma.
- Electronic Nose and Tongue: Rapidly analyze odor and taste profiles to supplement human sensory evaluation.
After reviewing the range of palatability measures available, the researchers concluded that traditional methods like the one-bowl and two-bowl tests remain essential, but new approaches, including behavior analysis and AI-driven assessments, are expanding humans’ understanding of pet food preferences. They suggested that future research should focus on standardizing testing protocols, exploring multisensory influences and leveraging technology to enhance product development and pet nutrition.
“Both traditional and contemporary methods are valuable to the pet food industry, providing a better understanding of pets’ reactions and behaviors toward food stimuli, as well as insights into pet caregivers’ preferences,” the scientists wrote.