Agriculture & Feed

Industry News Tracker | Pet Food Processing | November/December 2025Read Original Full Article at Pet Food Processing Executive Brief Pet food formulators are navigating an increasingly complex binder landscape as they balance the demands of high-meat and clean-label diets, diverse processing methods and the premiumisation trend driving humanisation of pet nutrition. As outlined by experts from Ingredion, Symrise Pet Food, Cargill, ADM, Balchem and others, binders are far more than passive holding agents — they directly influence extrusion expansion, wet-food texture, water activity, retort stability and freeze-thaw integrity. From native corn starch and modified starches to egg proteins, alginate-calcium systems and gums, the right binder selection is tightly linked to the finished product format, target consumer and manufacturing process, with no single ingredient offering a universal solution. Keywords: Pet Food Binders, Extrusion Binders, Wet Pet Food, Clean Label, High-Meat Formulation, Starch, Egg Protein, Alginate. Technical Intelligence 1. Core Technology / Process Extrusion (kibble and dry treats): Binders facilitate mixing and cohesion of proteins, carbohydrates and fresh meats in the preconditioner before extrusion. Carbohydrate-based binders can increase expansion or produce softer textures; protein-based binders support structural integrity of air cells during expansion but may limit expansion. The balance of amylose and amylopectin content is critical: high-amylose starches produce firmer textures but require higher water injection, elevated barrel temperatures and increased shear; amylopectin has higher water-holding capacity, is more susceptible to gelatinisation and requires lower shear and cook temperatures. Wet pet food (shelf-stable / retort): Modified, highly cross-linked starches are the primary choice for retort products — they build pre-retort viscosity for effective heat transfer, suspend particulates and resist breakdown throughout shelf life under wide temperature ranges. Gravies and chunk-style formats require distinct binder strategies: gravies need viscosity-building agents; chunks need gelling agents to maintain structure and firmness. Refrigerated pet food: Water binding is the priority function, making bound water unavailable for microbial growth and slowing spoilage. Cold tolerance is essential to maintain product integrity throughout the refrigeration chain. Frozen pet food: Binders mitigate texture, colour and palatability losses caused by repeated freeze-thaw cycles by tightly binding water and reducing water activity. Alginate-calcium microencapsulation system (Balchem): Combines sodium alginate with microencapsulated calcium lactate to form a calcium-alginate gel that is thermo-irreversible and stable across a wide pH and temperature range. Microencapsulation controls the gelation rate, introducing a delay between mixing and product set to prevent premature gelling under shear — enabling both ingredients to be added in a single mixing step with no specialised equipment (no calcium bath or spray step required). Specifically designed for high-meat and co-product-rich formulations. 2. Key Ingredients / Specifications Starch-based binders Native dent corn starch: Widely used in extruded kibble; cost-effective. High-amylose starch (50% or 70% amylose): Used for firmer kibble textures; demands higher process intensity. Modified cross-linked starches: Preferred in retort/shelf-stable wet food for heat stability and viscosity maintenance. Ancient grains: Amaranth, quinoa, millet, rice and tapioca used in kibble and dry treats. Protein-based binders Egg (whole egg / egg white / dried whole egg): Egg white albumin coagulates on heating, binding kibble particles and improving structural integrity. Egg yolk lecithin emulsifies fats and water, improving texture and palatability. Egg white products (high albumin) offer maximum binding in grain-free or high-meat kibble, with observed benefits in yield, appearance, texture and shelf life. High nutritional value: highly digestible, bioavailable protein. Wheat gluten, corn gluten meal, gelatin: Structural binders for extruded formats. Soy protein, pea protein: Provide binding and structural integrity in extruded kibble while supplying digestible protein. Hydrocolloid / gum binders Carrageenan, cassia gum, guar gum, xanthan gum: Used in shelf-stable wet pet food for gel strength and moisture control. Sodium alginate + microencapsulated calcium lactate (Balchem): Thermo-irreversible calcium-alginate gel system for high-meat formats; no special equipment required. Lecithin: Natural emulsifier used in wet pet food for ingredient compatibility. 3. Performance Data Egg white in high-meat kibble: Reported improvements in yield, product appearance, texture and shelf life versus standard binder approaches. Calcium-alginate system: Calcium-alginate gel is thermo-irreversible and stable across a wide pH and temperature range; microencapsulation prevents premature gelation under shear during mixing. Modified cross-linked starches in retort: Maintain viscosity and structure through the full retort process and commercial shelf life without gelling excessively or breaking down. High-amylose vs amylopectin: Formulators must calibrate amylose/amylopectin ratios alongside water injection levels, barrel temperatures and shear intensity to achieve target shape, size and density in extruded kibble. 4. Market / Sustainability Premiumisation and humanisation: Pet parents increasingly seek products resembling human food, favouring natural, label-friendly and "kitchen-friendly" ingredients such as egg. This category pressure limits ingredient options, particularly in the refrigerated segment. Clean label and plant-based trends: High-value human food ingredient technologies — including plant proteins and naturally derived starches — are being adapted for pet food to support clean-label positioning. Sustainability and alternative proteins: Pet food manufacturers are incorporating upcycled protein side streams and alternative proteins not destined for human consumption. These co-products present processing challenges and require tailored binder approaches. Innovation outlook: Industry experts highlight the importance of leveraging processing aids in novel ways and exploring new ingredients to address evolving product development challenges while ensuring regulatory compliance and safety. Entity & Keyword Index Category Items Companies Ingredion; Symrise Pet Food; Cargill; ADM; Balchem Corp.; Ingredients Native dent corn starch; High-amylose starch; Modified cross-linked starch; Sodium alginate; Calcium lactate (microencapsulated); Egg white / albumin; Egg yolk lecithin; Carrageenan; Guar gum; Xanthan gum; Wheat gluten; Corn gluten meal; Gelatin; Soy protein; Pea protein Formats Extruded kibble; Crunchy treats; Shelf-stable wet food; Retort; Refrigerated pet food; Frozen pet food Concepts Water binding; Water activity; Extrusion expansion; Retort stability; Freeze-thaw resilience; Clean label; Premiumisation; Humanisation; Upcycled protein Disclaimer This content is an independent analysis and summary of public industry news for research purposes. All trademarks and brand names belong to their respective owners. We are not affiliated with the original publisher. Copyright of this article by Pet Food Processing. The copyright and all other rights in the original work reproduced here remain with the original author and/or publisher. Our company republishes this material strictly to facilitate professional information exchange and advance discussion of industry innovation, without any commercial exploitation or intent to infringe. If you like this article, kindly to subscribe www.petfoodprocessing.net.