Pet foods for companion animals: II. Choice of ingredients and applicationto premium food

Over the last 10 years the number of premium foods is increasing in the pet food industry for companion animals. It is often difficult for the vets in practice to compare different premium foods. The ingredients sources used i n diet formulation remain a criterion to indirectly evaluate the quality. A judicious choice of feedstuffs directly influences palatability and digest ibility of each diet. The present paper aims to describe the different nutr ient sources used in the premium foods industry. Each nutrient and its sour ces are presented separately starting by protein, fat and carbohydrates and ending with vitamins and minerals. Labelling according to the offical reco mmandations is also reported.