Freeze-dried food for cats and dogs started becoming more widely available about a decade ago, but has exploded in popularity over the last several years. If you’re new to freeze-dried food and want to separate the facts from fiction, read on.
What is freeze-drying?
Freeze-drying works by sublimation, a process that involves freezing a food and then placing the food in a vacuum that turns the moisture in the food directly into vapor. By removing the moisture the food is naturally preserved and becomes shelf-stable for a longer period of time (it won’t rot on the shelf) without the use of high heat.
Is freeze-dried food raw?
Freeze-dried food can be made from either cooked food or raw food, though most freeze-dried products on the market today are made directly from raw foods.
While raw diet purists might say that freeze-dried isn’t raw, the process actually retains about 97% of the nutrition in the food. So while technically the food may not be raw since it doesn’t rot on the shelf, it has the same nutrition profile and digestibility as the raw foods you would find in our freezers.
Is freeze-drying a kill step for pathogenic bacteria?
No, it’s not. Freeze-drying alone cannot be considered a kill step because it isn’t using heat or high pressure in the process. Companies producing freeze-dried products still need to have the safety steps and processes involved in producing a frozen raw product, be that HPP (high pressure processing), a test and hold process, or both.
Freeze-dried food must be re-hydrated
I’ve seen many companies say that their freeze-dried food can be fed dry as a complete diet. I don’t recommend this. While feeding freeze-dried as a complete meal can be a great idea (I feed it to my own dogs all the time), you really need to add moisture back into the food via water, bone broth, or goat milk.
Freeze-dried food typically contains about 2% moisture, compared to 10% in a dry kibble and 70% in raw or fresh food. Moisture in the food aids in digestion and makes the food easier on the body.
There’s no need to re-hydrate if you’re using freeze-dried food as a topper or for treats. But as a complete meal for long periods of time, you definitely want to add some moisture back in.
Food safety when feeding freeze-dried
Just because a product is shelf stable doesn’t mean that safe handling practices can be ignored. As with any other type of diet you feed your pet, you want to make sure to:
- Wash your hands after handling the food
- Wash any utensils and surfaces that were used during food prep
- Wash their bowl or feeding platter after every meal
- Keep children out of the food bowl
These steps should be taken whether you’re feeding freeze-dried, gently cooked, raw, kibble, or canned.
What are the benefits of freeze-dried food for cats and dogs?
Nutrition
For starters, this way of feeding can be highly nutritious. As I mentioned above, freeze-dried retains about 97% of the nutrition found in the raw ingredients. Therefore you’re basically getting the same health benefits as feeding a balanced raw diet from a nutrient and digestibility perspective. For example, our Steve’s Real Food freeze-dried formulas are identical to the frozen raw formulas. The only difference is that one has had the moisture removed and the other hasn’t.
Most freeze-dried foods tend to be higher protein and fat, and lower in carbohydrates. Unlike extrusion, the process used to make kibble, starch isn’t required to help freeze-dried food keep its form. This makes it a great option for pets that need a lower carb diet. These foods typically range from just 2% to 7% carbohydrate, compared to the 30% – 60% carbohydrate content found in most dry kibble. But remember, carbohydrates aren’t always bad and many animals can even do better with a higher carb content. It all comes down to your pet’s individual needs.
Want to find out the carbohydrate content of your pet’s food? Try our our easy to use calculator.
Convenience
Many pet parents don’t have the freezer space to keep enough raw or fresh food on hand. Freeze-dried gets stored in the cabinet just like your bag of dry kibble would. Just add water at the time of feeding and you’re all set.
Great for travel
Again, this falls into the convenience category. But freeze-dried is a great option for travel if you otherwise feed a frozen raw or fresh food at home. This saves you from having to travel with extra coolers and ice packs. You also don’t have to hope and pray that wherever you’re staying has the necessary freezer space.
Highly palatable
In my experience, cats and dogs love freeze-dried food. It has a stronger smell than frozen food, which can be particularly handy for cats that might be finicky or uninterested in a raw or gently cooked cook.
So, should you feed it?
Maybe! Real helpful, I know. But the reality is that every situation is different.
You need to assess your pet’s current health state as well as your own lifestyle.
Cost
Assuming you’re using a reputable product, your pet enjoys the food, and they do well on it, the biggest downside to freeze-dried might be the cost. This type of feeding can typically cost 30% – 50% more than its frozen raw counterpart. This is due to the freeze-drying process taking so much longer than simply freezing raw food. With this type of feeding you are paying for convenience. This is why it’s important to honestly assess your own budget when choosing how to feed your pets.
Start slow and be mindful of individual needs
Also remember that freeze-dried food may be much higher protein and fat than what you’re currently feeding. Be sure to introduce it slowly, starting at just 10% – 20% of your pet’s calories. If your pet is prone to pancreatitis then this likely won’t be a great option to feed, at least not 100%, due it’s typical high fat content.
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing
If you’re interested in freeze-dried but are unable to feed it 100%, that’s ok! Freeze-dried can be fed alongside any other food type. It works a great as a convenient kibble topper, or even for occasional feeding if you otherwise feed a frozen raw or fresh food.
If you want to learn more or are interested in introducing freeze-dried food to your cat’s or dog’s diet, please reach out or stop in to chat with us.
