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Freeze-Dried, Air-Dried or Dehydrated?
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Freeze-Dried, Air-Dried or Dehydrated?

perroEditorial
Sep 14, 2021
8 min
729 views

These days, we are seeing all types of pet food on the market. Apart from the regular kibbles, freeze-dried, air-dried and dehydrated food have been gaining popularity among owners around the world. These terms have left many a pet owner scratching their heads wondering which is the best choice for their beloved canine or feline friend. Here, we breakdown what these terms mean and explain the manufacturing process behind them.

Freeze-Dried Food

primal freeze dried dog food

Freeze drying is a sophisticated method that involves freezing raw food before removing the moisture content from it. Raw meat is put in a pressurised chamber till it freezes. The pressure and temperature are then carefully monitored so that the moisture in it transforms from the solid to the gaseous phase, skipping the liquid state entirely, in a process called sublimation. All this is done without any changes made to the food. Freeze drying preserves natural nutrients, enzymes and protein structures. It also improves the shelf life of food exponentially. On the downside, it is an expensive process that also causes food to crumble more easily. Popular brands for freeze-dried pet food are Primal, Northwest Naturals, WOOF or MEOW, K9 Natural or Feline Natural and Small Batch.

Read more: The Benefits of Freeze-Dried Dog Food

If you are not ready to make such a huge change in your pet’s diet, fret not! There are many freeze dried treats that perromart carries. Some popular brands include Absolute Bites, WOOF or MEOW, and Kit Cat!

An interesting fact about WOOF and MEOW is that the treats are actually made with the exact same ingredients as its’ food! This would make a transition to freeze dried food a breeze, especially when your cat or dog has already been accustomed to the food, making their tummy less senstive!

Air-Dried Food

Absolute Holistic Air Dried Dog Food

Air drying is the process of exposing food to unheated air (usually at low temperatures) to remove the moisture through evaporation. This is a fairly cost-effective process that preserves the nutritional value of the food. Air-dried food has a relatively long shelf life of about 18 months, but falls short of the 24 to 26 months that freeze-dried foods have. This is also considered as raw food as the food is not exposed to a high enough temperature to be considered cooked. A popular brand for air-dried pet food are Absolute Holistic.

Similar to freeze dried, there are many brands that have air dried treats and Absolute Holistic has these treats available! Like WOOF and MEOW, Absolute Holistic treats are actually made with the exact same ingredients as its’ food as well!

ziwipeak air dried food for dogs and cats

Dehydrated Food

If you have made beef jerky, meringue or kale chips before, you would be familiar with the process behind dehydrated food. Dehydrating food is the most traditional and simple of the mentioned methods for removing moisture. This is done at a low temperature to avoid breaking down the naturally-occurring proteins and nutrients, such as enzymes, in the food. Dehydrated foods do need to be rehydrated before feeding, and the shelf life is significantly shorter. A popular brand would be Addiction.

Which should I feed my pet?

All three aforementioned types of food have their own benefits. There is no one type that is better than the other. Every pet responds differently to different food, so it really is a process of trial-and-elimination. It is best to consult your vet to ensure the food you select meets all of your dog’s nutritional needs. It is also good to find out if your pet has any allergies. Do give your pet plenty of water when feeding such food as these foods have been removed from their moisture. Check out our dizzying selection of freeze and air-dried foods at www.perromart.com. 保存

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