Evaluation of the Chemical Composition of Dry Feeds for Dogs and Cats

Cat and dog feed production has increased worldwide, and much emphasis has been placed on the importance of determining the mineral composition of pet foods. In this work, the concentrations of Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Sr, V and Zn in dry feed for cats and dogs employing inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) were determined and evaluated according to regulatory agencies. Forty-one dry feed samples (24 dog feed and 17 cat feed) were analyzed. The obtained concentrations ranged from 2.3 mg kg-1 (Ba) to 2.8 g kg-1 (Ca) in cat feeds, and from 3.8 mg kg-1 (Cu) to 3.4 g kg-1 (Ca) in dog feeds. The concentrations of P are in accordance with the Brazilian legislation, and Mn and Zn contents met the American legislation. The concentration values of Cu, K and Mg presented in some samples were below the limits established by American regulatory agency. Based on multivariate data analysis evaluated from flavors of the products and brands, it was concluded that the feed samples were uniform since there was no trend to group formation and classification according to their mineral composition, except one dog feed brand, which had a significant content of Al and Cu.