Beef meal and chicken meal are common ingredients in many pet foods, but what they really are are is a popular question from many pet owners. We help dispel some of the myths associated with beef meal and chicken meal and explain what they do. Really are.
Why are beef meal and chicken meal used in pet food?
First of all, it tastes great – well, for our pets it does. But perhaps most importantly, beef meal and chicken meal are easily digestible, nutrient-dense sources of protein and minerals that help keep your pets active and fit. Additionally, since beef meal and chicken meal are dried and ground into uniformly sized particles, they can be easily incorporated into dry pet food.
AAFCO guidelines define chicken meal and beef meal
The definition of what beef meal and chicken meal are and how they are processed and labeled comes from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Although AAFCO itself has no regulatory authority, AAFCO members are government employees who are responsible for enforcing animal feed regulations within their jurisdiction, including those related to pet food.
Beef Meal Definition
If a product is labeled as containing “meat meal”, then the meal can be from any mammalian species (or a combination of mammalian species). But if the product label says “beef flour”, the flour comes only from cattle. The AAFCO general definition for meat meal (which also covers beef meal) is a product processed from mammalian tissue. These tissues may include meat deemed unfit for human consumption but acceptable for pets. Other sources are animal parts that many people don’t eat. These include organ meat such as spleen, liver, kidney, stomach and intestines from which the contents have been removed.
Chicken Meal Definition
The AAFCO defines poultry meal as a dry rendered product from the flesh and skin of clean poultry that is suitable for use in animal feed. He can contain bone. If the product is labeled “chicken meal”, the meal comes only from chicken and not from other poultry species (eg turkey or duck).
What’s NOT in Beef and Chicken Meal
Some people may think that beef meal or chicken meal is the ground whole animal, but that’s not true. Meat meal does not contain blood, hair, hooves, horns, skin trimmings, manure, stomach contents or rumen contents except such unavoidable amounts as may occur during good processing practices. Similarly, poultry meal does not contain feathers, heads, legs or innards.
How are beef and chicken meals made?
The contents of beef or chicken meal are ground, mixed and cooked to separate proteins from fats. This process also kills any microorganisms present. The separated fat is then processed and purified for other purposes, including use as a pet food ingredient. The protein mixture is dried and ground to a fine consistency to form flour.
Although they may not look appetizing to us, beef meal and chicken meal are tasty ingredients for our pets. And they have high nutritional value to help keep pets healthy.
RELATED POST: Busting Pet Myths: Is Pet Food ‘Thinly Regulated’?