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Claudia Anzini Annotation 1 “Nutritional Sustainability of Pet Foods”


 * Full citation. **

Swanson, Kelly S., Rebecca A. Carter, Tracy P. Yount, Jan Aretz, and Preston R. Buff. “Nutritional Sustainability of Pet Foods12.” //Advances in Nutrition// 4, no. 2 (March 6, 2013): 141–50. doi:10.3945/an.112.003335


 * Where does the author work, what else has s/he written about, and what are her/his credentials? **

Kelly S. Swanson – Associate Professor of Animal and Nutritional Sciences - Department of Animal Sciences, Division of Nutritional Sciences, and Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana,IL Rebecca A. Carter - The Nutro Company, Franklin, TN Tracy P. Yount – Global Commercial & Sustainability Manager - The Nutro Company, Franklin, TN Jan Aretz – Vice President of R&D - The Nutro Company, Franklin, TN Preston R. Buff – Chief Natural Nutrition Officer - The Nutro Company, Franklin, TN


 * What is the main topic or argument of the text? **

The main topic of “Nutritional Sustainability of Pet Foods” is the current state of the pet food industry. This industry tries to make a product that contains all the nutritional value of a balanced diet that a pet would need. In doing so, they have created food that is not entirely healthy for the pet and causes as much, if not more, carbon emissions as the human food industry.


 * Describe at least three ways that the main topic or argument is fleshed out. **

This article helps drive home one aspect of why owning a pet is unsustainable by emphasizing the impact that the current pet food industry has on the environment. Pet foods have a direct link to the human food industry, which itself is also very unsustainable. By trying to create a diet for pets that is “complete and balanced” while not taking away food from the human food system, the pet food industry has created an product with a large carbon footprint and poor nutritional value.

The article goes on to discuss that one of the major components in a pet’s diet is the protein content. Most of the protein found in pet foods comes from the by-products of the human food system. These by-products usually include the leftover part of the animal that humans would not normally consume. At first glance this seems to help reduce animal wastes, but since the livestock industry is a large contributor to carbon emissions, it increases the need for more livestock products. Additionally, there is a large disconnect between the protein requirements of pets and the protein content in pet food. By using better quality protein sources, this problem could be solved, but it again would require an increase in livestock production.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The article also heavily focuses on the idea of pet food being an all-in-one product. This means that one type of food is used to fulfill all nutritional needs of a pet. Although the quality of the product can suffer in an attempt to remain a complete and balanced diet, the responsibility of properly using this product falls on the pet owner. These pet foods can be used as a source of a balanced diet, but many owners neglect proper food and water recommendations that pet food companies list on their product. In doing so, owners can negatively impact a pets health. A food product with such negative impacts does not help contribute to making a pet more sustainable to own.


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What three quotes capture the critical import of the text? **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Many food systems may be nutritionally sustainable or provide safe, adequate nutrition to its users. The ecological, social, and economic aspects of sustainability, however, must <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">be balanced to support overall food system sustainability.”

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Because protein is the most expensive macronutrient in both economic and ecological terms, it is arguably the nutrient requiring the most attention as it pertains to sustainability. Pet food professionals need not only consider the total amount of protein to target, but also the quality, bioavailability, and ingredient source as well. A unique issue in the pet food industry (vs. livestock feed industry) is the large disconnect between the protein requirements of dogs and cats and the crude protein (CP) concentration present in the average pet food.”

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">“With increasing research and knowledge in sustainable practices, advances in technology, and increasing awareness and demand by consumers, there is an increasing ability to make an impact on pet food sustainability. Pet food professionals have the opportunity to influence the sustainability of pet foods through product design, manufacturing processes, public education, and policy change.”


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Explain how the argument and evidence in the text supports your research focus. **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">This article helps support the idea that it is currently unsustainable to own a pet. By owning a pet and purchasing industry produced pet food, a pet owner is sustaining an industry that has a similar negative environmental effect as the human food system. Owning a pet is similar to having another family member, the other difference is that sustainable food choices aren’t easy to make. Humans have the choice to eat foods produced in a sustainable manner. By purchasing pre-made food for their pets, they give up all control over where there pet’s food comes from or how it is made. Until changes are made within the pet food industry, this aspect of owning a pet will remain detrimental to the environment.


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">List at least two details or references from the text that you have used in your presentation and wiki post. **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pet food comes out of the human food system. While using the byproducts from this system helps to reduce waste, it takes away from the nutritional value of the food being produced.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pressure should be put on the food manufacturers to change their products, not the consumers.