Glossary
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Antioxidants: These are substances that aim to prevent oxidation and reduce the action of free radicals. They can be of synthetic origin (e.g., BHA, BHT, etc.) or natural (rosemary extract, beta carotene, etc.). Antioxidants can act in two ways:
a) protects the product by preventing deterioration
b) protects cells from damage caused by free radicals.
Assurance Levels: Packaging information that guarantees maximum levels or minimum number of nutrients present in food.
Beta-carotene: Or carotenoid is an orange-yellow pigment. It is found in fruits and vegetables and serves as a source of vitamin A for dogs and antioxidant, preventing the action of free radicals in cells.
Beet Pulp: Source of moderately fermented fiber that helps transit and intestinal health. It acts in synergy with prebiotics.
Biological Value: A concept related to proteins. It is related to how many essential and non-essential amino acids and their absorption capacity. The biological source considered as a reference is the egg.
B Complex Vitamins: Composed of nine vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12, pantothenic acid, folic acid, niacin, biotin and choline) grouped together because they have similar characteristics and functions, they are related to energy metabolism.
Citric Acid: Natural preservative responsible for inhibiting the growth of microorganisms in food such as bacteria, fungi, and bacilli.
Complete Feed: Feed that has all the necessary nutrients for animals.
Calcium: Mineral necessary for the formation of bones, teeth, muscle contraction and nerve transmission.
Chromium: A mineral that works together with insulin, stimulating the use of glucose.
Chicken Fat: Source of energy and mainly Omega 6.
Chelated mineral: A mineral attached to another substance (e.g. amino acid) with the aim of improving its absorption and consequently its use by the body.
Carbohydrates: These are the main energy constituents present in vegetables. Depending on the chemical bond present in their molecules, they are classified into starches or fibers.
Copper: An important mineral for the synthesis of collagen, in the skin it participates in the formation of melanin, responsible for the pigmentation of the skin and coat.
Chondroitin: Chondroitin sulfate acts on the joints, inhibiting the action of the enzyme (hyaluronidase) responsible for the degradation of the joint layer.
Cassava Extract: Cassava is a Mexican plant that has tiny protein fermentation properties in the gut reducing the odor of feces.
Canola Oil: Ingredient used as a source of energy and source of linoleic acid, a fatty acid of the Omega 6 family.
Chelate: See Chelated Minerals.
Dry Food: Food characterized by having a maximum of 12% moisture in its formulation.
Dental Calculus: Commonly called tartar, it is the mineralization caused by salivary calcium in the bacterial plaque attached to the tooth.
Diabetes: An endocrine (hormonal) disease characterized by loss of the ability to produce (type 1 diabetes, more common in dogs) or defects in the action (type 2 – more common in cats) of insulin.
DHA: Docosahexaenoic acid, a fatty acid of the Omega 3 family and is important for improving learning ability. Fish oils are sources of DHA.
Digestion: Change that the food undergoes to transform into small particles and thus have the correct absorption.
Digestibility: Percentage of ability to use the feed or ingredient.
Digestible Energy: Chemical energy present in the food minus the energy contained in the feces.
Dry Matter: Consists of the portion of the food minus the moisture content (water) present in it.
Extruded Foods: Foods that go through a cooking process (extrusion) with high temperature and pressure, leaving them with better digestibility.
Energy: Supply of calories for the body to use in its body activities. There are 3 sources of energy in food: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Energy is measured in Kcal (kilocalories). An animal's energy needs. It depends on several factors such as physical activity, age, climate temperature, metabolism, among others.
EPA: Eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid and important for immune response, limits the risk of inflammation. Fish oils are sources of the EPA.
Ethereal Extract: Laboratory tests to determine the amount of fat present in a food. It is only necessary to analyze a few substances from which capillary ether (hence etheric extract) was extracted. These substances are classified as fat.
Fatty acids: the largest component of fat serves primarily as a source of acid to the stomach, some are considered essential, i.e. they must be present in foods such as some fatty acids belonging to the families Omega 3 and Omega 6.
Food: A substance used by an animal as a source of energy and nutrients to maintain its vital functions.
F.O.S.: Fruit-Oligosaccharide, fiber responsible for providing nutrients to the hair for the beneficial intestinal flora, increasing its quantity and maintaining or treating the digestive system in balance. Inulin Fountain.
Free Radical: An unstable molecule constantly produced by the body. In some situations, such as stress and disease, their production increases, they are involved in the aging process and cell death.
Fat: Also known as lipid, it is the main source of energy for dogs and cats, it is a source of fatty acids, it has a structural function for skin and hair and it also has the function of transporting fat-soluble vitamins. It works as an excellent tasty.
Functional Nutrients: Also called nutraceuticals, these are those that, in addition to their intrinsic nutritional value, contain one or more compounds that have biochemical and physiological functions beneficial to health.
Flaxseed Oil: Ingredient used as a source of energy and source of alpha linolenic acid, a fatty acid of the Omega 3 family.
Fish Oil: Ingredient used as a source of energy and source of EPA and DHA, fatty acids of the Omega 3 family.
Fiber: A portion of carbohydrate that has a chemical bond ß1-6 to which it is not broken down by the intestinal enzymes of cats and cats, rather than undergoing fermentation in the large intestine. Its function is to regulate the transit and supply of intestinal substrates for the intestinal microbiota. They are classified in second or second grade fermentability and solubility. Examples of fiber include beet pulp, sugarcane fiber, pea shells, and prebiotics such as F.O.S.
Feed: Feed characterized by containing nutrients in quantities adequate to the needs of the animals.
GMP: Good Manufacturing Practices covers a set of measures that must be adopted by the food industries to guarantee the sanitary quality and conformity of products according to the established technical regulations. Some principles of GMP:
1- Personnel – personal hygiene, uniforms and appropriate accessories (footwear, gloves,
coat).
2- Buildings and installations: wall cladding, flooring, painting, preventive and corrective maintenance.
3- Storage and Distribution – storage and care of the product, finished products and raw materials, storage and conditions of transport vehicles.
4- Cleaning and Disinfection – process (chemical or physical), product and method of cleaning and disinfection.
5- Sanitization – control measures to exterminate and control pests.
Gross Energy: Chemical energy present in food.
Glucosamine: Glucosamine sulfate, helps preserve the integrity of the joints as it is the largest component of the joint layer.
HACCP: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, a set of measures that, together with GMP, aims to prevent the appearance of problems at all stages of the process, from the reception of raw materials to the arrival of the product to the final consumer.
Hairballs: Also known as "hairballs" or trichobezoar. It is a group of hairs that forms mainly on the stomach of a cat. Because of cats' habit of licking themselves, ingesting hair, which makes it difficult to remove. Once ingested, they end up clumping together and forming hairballs.
Iron: An essential mineral for the formation of hemoglobin, responsible for hair, transporting oxygen in the body.
Ingredients: Raw material used in food with the aim of providing the necessary nutrients.
Inulin: See F.O.S.
Insulin: Hormone responsible for controlling blood glucose, its lack or defects in its action characterize diabetes.
Intestinal Flora: This thermos is no longer common, or what is correct is the gut microbiota. And it is composed of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, protozoa) that are not used in the intestine. There are bacteria that contribute to gut and overall health (e.g. Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus) and others that can cause harm (Clostridium, E. coli). There is a direct relationship between gut flora and diet composition.
Intestinal microbiota: See Intestinal flora.
L-Carnitine: A non-essential amino acid that, when incorporated into food, optimizes the burning of stored fat, helping with weight loss (obesity) and energy supply (animals that exhibit intense physical activity).
Lipid: See Fat.
Lean Body Mass: The animal's body is basically made up of two components, lean body mass and fat mass. The mass component of the lean body is the fat-free fraction, made up of bones, muscles, and viscera.
Metabolizable energy: Chemical energy present in food minus energy lost and contained in feces and urine. It is usually expressed on some packaging labels.
Minerals: Inorganic matter that serves various functions in the body. On the packaging it is expressed as a maximum percentage and is defined as mineral matter.
Magnesium: A mineral that, like calcium and phosphorus, is one of the components of the skeleton. In addition, it is related to the activation of several enzymes.
Manganese: A mineral related to the immune system, bone growth, reproduction, and enzyme activity.
M.O.S.: Mannan-oligosaccharides, prebiotics that inhibit the binding of bacteria. potentially pathogenic pathogens in the intestinal mucosa, preventing their multiplication and maintaining the balance of the intestinal microbiota.
Net Energy: Energy actually used by the body. It consists of metabolizable energy minus energy lost as heat in metabolic reactions. Obtained by the animal after caloric losses due to the process Metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates.
N.R.C.: The National Research Council is a U.S. non-governmental body that reviews specific topics. In 2006 he reviewed the nutritional needs of dogs and cats.
Nutrient: Food component responsible for providing energy and essential substances for the functioning of the body.
Omega 3: Fatty acid, formed by a chain of carbons with a double bond on the third carbon (therefore 3). Examples of fatty acids of nutritional interest are those that make up the omega-3 family are alpha-linolenic acid, EPA and DHA.
Omega 6: Fatty acid, formed by a chain of carbons with a double bond on the sixth carbon (hence, 6). Examples of fatty acids of nutritional interest, those that make up the omega 6 family, are linoleic and arachidonic acids.
Obesity: A disease characterized by the accumulation of enough body fat to impair health. It is caused by the imbalance between energy consumption and expenditure.
Preservative: A substance intended to maintain the integrity of food, prevents rancidity of fats and the growth of microorganisms.
Phosphorus: A mineral that, along with calcium, is responsible for the calcification of bones.
Prebiotics: They are sources of substrate (food) for beneficial microorganisms (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteria) of the intestinal flora and promote positive effects on intestinal health. F.O.S. and M.O.S. are examples of prebiotics.
Premix: It is a base product used in the manufacture of processed dog and cat foods. Premixes can be vitamins, minerals, vitamins, and minerals and amino acids.
Probiotic: A living organism that is part of the gut microbiota, such as Lactobacilli and Bifidae.
Palatability: This is the ability of a food to attract the dog or cat to its food spontaneous consumption.
Palatalizing agent: An ingredient used in foods to enhance the appearance of urine. Urinary pH: An acronym that indicates the degree of acidity or alkalinity of the urine clues that an inadequate urinary pH favors the formation of urinary stones.
Psyllium: Soluble fiber that has a great capacity to absorb water, forming a gel, important for the consistency of feces and for cats to avoid hairballs.
Protein: Made up of chains of amino acids. It can be of animal and vegetable origin and the greatest importance lies in the ability to provide amino acids, the biological value and digestibility of the protein are important factors to consider a source of protein.
Rice: One of the sources of starch used in pet food, having an easy and fast digestion.
Rosemary Extract: Natural preservative that prevents the oxidation of fats.
Supportive Feeding: Feeding adapted to the needs caused by a disease, thus helping in its maintenance and/or cure.
Semi-moist Food: Food that is characterized by having up to 25% moisture, also known as soft food. Wet Food: Food characterized by having more than 60% moisture.
Starch: A fraction of carbohydrates that can be digested and transformed into glucose by dogs and cats. One of the functions is the power supply.
Sodium Hexametaphosphate: Salts that have the function of preventing the fixation of saliva calcium in the bacterial plaque of the teeth, preventing the formation of dental calculus.
Satiety: A term that defines the state of full satisfaction in the desire to eat and drink. It is a consequence of what is consumed. The intensity of the response. The satiety of a meal is measured by the time until the next meal or the amount of food consumed at the next meal.
Selenium: A mineral component of several enzymes.
Sorghum: A source of slow-absorbing starch, an interesting ingredient to use in foods intended for weight management and diabetes.
Tartar: See dental calculus.
Taurine: A sulfur amino acid synthesized from methionine and cysteine in dogs, however, it is critical for the cat. Its function is related to the cardiovascular system, vision and reproduction.
Tocopherol: Or vitamin E, used as an antioxidant, prevents the oxidation of food and protects cells against the action of free radicals.
Trichobezoar: See hairball.
Urinary stones: Formed in the urine by minerals and always associated with changes in their composition, the main ones are struvite, calcium oxalate and cystine.
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Vitamins: Chemical structures that have two classifications, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), which use fat for their absorption and use and for this reason, are stored in the body, increasing the risk of poisoning (with the exception of vitamin E) and reducing the risk of deficiency. The water-soluble vitamins (B complex and vitamin C) use water for absorption and use, this way there is no storage and there is no risk of poisoning and increasing the risk of deficiency.
Vitamin A: Important for vision and skin regeneration and integrity.
Vitamin C: It is not essential for dogs or cats, they can synthesize it through glucose, its use in food is as an antioxidant helping vitamin E for this function.
Vitamin D: Important for fixing calcium in the bones.
Vitamin E: See tocopherol.
Vitamin K: Responsible for blood clotting, used in calcification. Bone and protein metabolism.
Zinc: An important mineral for the integrity and action of the skin, an antioxidant.