Kibble with a crunch

Dogs have been man’s best friend for centuries. They used to eat meat or simply whatever was left over. In 1850, the English started feeding dogs a kind of dog biscuit. It was an easy way to feed them, which is why other countries soon followed suit. In the Netherlands, dogs were fed kibble in combination with meat after the 1930s. Instead of the crunchy kibble that is currently sold, this dry food was pressed.

Crunchy kibble became popular in the 70s. The process of making kibble is called extrusion. Yarrah started producing dry food in 1992 and faced the choice between pressed or crunchy dry food. Both kinds are suitable, but the fact that crunchy kibble is better for the teeth was the deciding factor. Yarrah opted for extrusion.

Extrusion

Extrusion is the process of making kibble under high temperatures, around 130 degrees Celsius. Doesn’t that cause a loss of vitamins? Yes, to some extent it does, but the final product contains enough vitamins and minerals to ensure kibble with all the necessary nutrients. For example, liver contains vitamin A and the ingredients include enough liver that the final product contains a sufficient amount of vitamin A.

After mixing and cooking, the ingredients are pushed through a mould under high pressure. A mould with smaller holes is used for small kibble and for large kibble we use one with bigger holes. The kibble is cut from the mould with a knife and as the pressure is removed the crunchy kibble is formed. The final step is to spray the kibble with organic fats or oils to protect it and add taste, among other reasons.

Energetic value of kibble

Crunchy kibble contains the energy sources protein, carbohydrates and fats. Organic meat is added when dried and forms the most important source of protein. Extrusion takes place under high temperatures, ensuring that the used carbohydrates are cooked. Once cooked, or released, the starches can be absorbed by dogs and cats. Finally, organic chicken fat or vegetable oil is added.

Crunchy vs pressed

Both crunchy and pressed kibble is suitable as complete food for dogs and cats; one isn’t better than the other. There are differences, but when it comes to nutritional value they both meet the requirements set for complete foods.

Would you like to know more about Yarrah’s crunchy dog and cat kibble? View the complete product selection in our webshop.