Research Insights

The health impact of food processing is a relevant and timely topic in human nutrition as processed food constitutes a large part of the world’s food consumption. Approximately 60% of food in the US and UK is ultra-processed. The term ultra-processed food indicates formulations generally including five or more ingredients, mostly of cheap industrial sources of dietary energy, nutrients, and additives, using a series of processes to manufacture, and containing minimal whole foods. In humans, a direct association has been found between consumption of ultra-processed foods and specific diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, neurodegenerative disorders, etc. and with all-cause mortality. Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and advanced lipoxidation endproducts (ALEs) represent classes of pro-oxidants in foods, the presence of which is promoted by food processing at high temperatures. A large body of evidence supports that AGEs are involved in the pathogenesis of diseases and their complications. Dietary AGEs are linked to excess radical oxygen species, high oxidative stress, cytokine synthesis, and inflammation which can cause obesity, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, osteoarthritis, chronic kidney disease, and other diseases. Many commercial dog foods by definition are ultra-processed in that they include more than five ingredients, are manufactured using a series of processes, and containing minimal whole ingredients. In one study evaluating dog and cat foods, it was estimated that on a metabolic body weight basis compared to humans consuming a high ultra-processed Western diet, dogs consume approximately 120 times and cats approximately 40 times the amount of AGEs on average daily.

The objectives of this study are to evaluate the influence of food processing using three diets that are identical in composition but processed in three different ways. We hypothesize that dogs that consume a minimally processed diet when compared with highly processed diets will show lower dietary AGEs, plasma AGEs, urinary AGEs, urine protein-to-urine creatinine ratios, blood glucose, serum insulin, serum fructosamine, receptors for AGEs, and plasma inflammatory biomarkers. Thirty clinically healthy dogs that are relatively age-matched will be fed a standard dry (kibble) diet for 4 weeks. They will then be randomized into one of three diet groups for 8 weeks, and samples will be collected at the end of this period. Comparisons will be made between diet groups and between the start and end of the treatment period.

Funder: The Farmer’s Dog

Amount: $521,419

PI: Joseph Bartges, College of Veterinary Medicine