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Microbiological Hazards in Dry Dog Treats from dehydration/ freeze-drying processing
Along with healthy dog treats providing one of the widest ranges of HEALTHY SINGLE INGREDIENT meats/ offal’s and bones, comes the responsibility of providing HEALTHY Pathogen-free treats. And as this is our DAY JOB, we take this VERY seriously.
After publishing one of our previous articles on the dangers of Freeze drying raw meat (basic requirement of VERY low temperatures or pressures that many machines do not achieve), in 2017 we received threats from Australian players in those industries to remove our fact checked articles. Here is again here: https://healthydogtreats.com.au/freeze-drying-dog-treats-not-good/
However, we never feel that it’s just good enough to accept a competitor’s word that their inherently flawed process (according to the sources below) is safe for all dogs. We rely on our suppliers providing oven-dried treats for very good SAFETY reasons.
While some companies will try to suggest that oven-drying can reduce the quality of protein, we know that properly cooked animal-based treats (ie at the right temperature range) is VITAL for ensuring ZERO bacterial and pathogen survival.
Just like many dog owners won’t eat only raw meat, for food safety concerns, these should be the same people who ONLY allow oven-cooked dog treats for their dogs. We used to feed our dog raw chicken necks without issue for many years, but I knew with properly handling from butcher to our freezer what any potential issues would be. And we mitigated them, to provide them with the best bio available calcium/ phosphorus intake they needed. This is provided in mineral form in bones as calcium hydroxyapatite.
In the dog treat world, dog owners need to understand that there are often many companies between butcher and their pantry, and that a treat can be moved logistically for many weeks or months between the butcher and the final customer.
If a dog treat starts out with anything more than a zero count for a pathogen, it pretty much guarantees that with substandard drying procedures and lengthy logistic chains, that pathogen growth rate will grow considerably before their dog gets to have its first taste of a treat.
But rather than just provide words and a convincing argument, Here’s a small sample of expert views, including references of what can go wrong with any treat not provided with adequate specialised (ie our experienced suppliers and industrial ovens) cooking.
The case for oven dried dog treats
- “Persistence and Survival of Pathogens in Dry Foods and Dry Food-Processing Environments” (ILSI report)
- Describes how foodborne pathogens can survive for long periods in low-moisture (i.e. dried, dehydrated) foods. Even though low water activity reduces growth, it doesn’t guarantee destruction of pathogens. REF 2 Unless the treats are oven-dried to the correct temperature range, for the right length of time.
- “Recent development in low-moisture foods: Microbial safety and thermal inactivation”
- This article covers how outbreaks have been associated with minimally processed or dried foods, and that additional interventions (beyond dehydration) are often needed to inactivate pathogens. REF 3
- “How Microorganisms Survive in Dried Foods …”
- Discusses that while drying lowers moisture and inhibits many types of microbial growth, some bacteria, yeasts, molds, or spores may survive in dried conditions, especially if drying is incomplete or storage is not ideal. REF 4
And all of these papers above all lead to the conclusion of the next journal article
4 Dehydration/ freeze-drying/ frozen states are not reliable methods to kill bacteria in Dog treats.
- in “The Health and Safety Concerns of Raw Dog Food and Raw Treats,” it is stated: “Freezing, freeze-drying or dehydration are not reliable and effective methods of killing bacteria.” REF 5
IMPORTANT SAFETY CONCLUSIONS, for Dog Treat drying methods
Why dehydration and most freeze-drying methods doesn’t kill 100% of pathogens:
Removing moisture (i.e. reducing water activity) stops or slows bacterial growth, but many bacteria and especially bacterial spores are highly resistant and can survive in a dormant state when moisture is low. REF 1
If the dehydration process doesn’t reach sufficiently high internal temperatures (especially inside thick pieces), or isn’t maintained long enough, pathogens may not be fully destroyed. REF 1
Post-dehydration contamination is also a risk: handling, storage, humidity, re-absorption of moisture can allow surviving pathogens to grow. REF 1
“Pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli have been found in dried treats and chews in real world situations”. REF 1
So, you might be asking yourself, what are the odds?
How risky is using treats dried by methods that aren’t guaranteed to kill all pathogens?
The fact is, that most owners in Australia are just happy enough to pick up a bulk pack of heavily advertised NON-MEAT based treats on their next supermarket visit, because it’s convenient. Or cheap, or habitual. The branding and soothing supermarket music overcomes what our concerns should be, given enough time and desire to research the truth.
Many people just don’t care if the product isn’t Australian or not oven-dried. Because surely you can trust the profit-driven major supermarket chain?
But now there are even speciality treat companies based on freeze drying, or open-air drying, who claim how much better this is for you and your dog, rather than traditional cooking methods.
Done rightly with “bleeding edge” technology and very expensive machines that freeze below minus 70 C or use some other kind of break-through method might accomplish the same safety level as oven-drying (the same process that most human food is processed by).
To achieve zero pathogen levels (pathogen-free), a company must invest in costly advanced industrial technology or combine freeze drying with validated “kill steps” such as High-Pressure Processing (HPP). Commercial/Industrial Systems (High Pathogen Safety) require Specialized commercial systems, (eg Nutrieseal® or industrial GEA RAY® systems). These systems use precise, programmable temperature profiles to pasteurize product during dehydration, ensuring safety. But cost between $50k and $500K plus, each oven.
However, because these processes are not always guaranteed they need additional Validated Kill Steps: That is, they still need to apply heat treatments (cooking) prior to freeze-drying. And unlike regular, robust oven drying methods. These high-tech methods need Routine Testing. Another necessary additional cost to consumers. In America they need third party laboratory sanctioned to confirm “ microbial testing for Salmonella and indicator organisms to maintain compliance with FDA zero-tolerance policies”.
However, you might be shocked to find that “There is no single Australian government department that routinely tests all dog treats for “zero pathogens” (such as Salmonella or E. coli) at a national level. Pet food and treat safety in Australia is primarily self-regulated by the industry.
How deep is your faith in these high-tech systems that provide little if any advantage in protein sanctity, when the safety of the food has a much higher chance of being compromised – through profit motive and self-regulation.
The fact is that ‘freeze dried’ and similar substantially non-cooked dog treats (that are meat based) often cost more to produce, because of the machinery required. So, they will be sold in smaller batches for the same price, often in shiny foil wrapped bags to give the impression of being special.
At HDT, we aim to get the MOST we can provide of quality single ingredient meat to your dog, in an affordable manner. Not just tiny shiny bags.
Did you know that Dog food (kibble or wet food) is likely to only contain 40% meat, often of lower MDM origin, to meet the very low protein requirements of AAFCO. Aafco (the American standard seeded with volunteers, yet paid by large companies), only requires an absurdly low 19% minimum protein (and from any source, even lower digestibility plant material is included). To be called dog food.
We have written many articles discrediting that this is ideal nutrition levels for the vast majority of domestic dogs on this planet.
You will also see on most dog food packets that they include a couple of essential Amino acids at the bottom of their ingredient list, because there just isn’t enough meat to even provide these proteins in sufficient amounts to meet their individual minimum amino acid levels.
If single ingredient meat is closer to 60% protein when dried (ie Chicken, beef, kangaroo, fish, goat, crocodile etc), and we know that meat is a highly digestible food for dogs …. Then even if cooking meat and offal reduces the absolute protein amount, a tiny fraction, it will still be streets ahead of vegetable-based treats from the supermarket, and stored for long periods on boats or in massive warehouses). And you will get more meat for your dollar via oven drying than freeze drying methods, more than making up for any alleged degradation.
PS you might also consider how many humans happily cook meat for themselves and put up with the alleged degradation most days of the week. Because safety is their priority.
If cooking food is good enough for owners (and not even with the precision of industrial professional ovens like our suppliers use) – then not only is it good enough for your dog’s health, but it also comes with ZERO pathogen risk at the source.
THIS is unlike the other drying methods mentioned in these numerous safety reports we have provided. Even if freeze-drying caps bacteria at 5% of original population levels, knowing that amount will grow over time, should be a real concern for you.
This knowledge should be your point of difference and the reason why selecting healthy dog treats, oven dried, is and always was, the safest method available for providing quality meat protein to your dog!
DON’T believe (the others) hype.