Nutrient composition and porcine based fat detection in super premium cat foods in Malaysian market.

There are varieties of commercially imported pet foods in Malaysian market with ranging prices of RM6.00/kg to RM50/kg. Majority of these commercially available cat foods are not conforming to standard in terms of nutritive values and believed to contain porcine residues (non-halal). This study was aimed at determining nutrient composition that comprised of crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), ash, crude fiber (CF), macrominerals, microminerals, heavy metal, vitamins, pH, moisture and gross energy (GE). Apart from that porcine materials in Super Premium products of cat foods in the Malaysian market were also investigated. Besides, to compare the nutritional compositions between dry and wet super-premium cat foods and ascertain whether these available cat foods meet the standard established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) for its nutrient requirement. Three dry and three wet super premium cat food samples were subjected to proximate and mineral analyses. CP and EE contents for all brands of super premium cat food successfully meet the AAFCO Minimum Level Requirement for Adult Maintenance and Growth and Reproduction. However Moisture, CF, Ash, GE and pH are within the acceptable level, eventhough both levels were not listed by the AAFCO. Furthermore, Vitamin A and E and all macrominerals with exception of Ca, appeared to be above the AAFCO standards. Conversely, all microminerals were extremely lower than the AAFCO standards. The concentrations of heavy metals were below the detection levels except for Pb and Cr. There are significant differences (p < 0.05) between all the nutrient compositions in all brands of wet and dry super-premium cat food, except for Mg. Whereas, p-values for P, Ni, Vitamin A and E are impossible to be calculated as no variation in their means. Lastly, 2 samples of cat foods were positively tested for exists of the 152bp fragment of porcine leptin gene. In conclusion, all dry and wet super premium cat foods were differ in all nutrient composition and two brands were positive porcine detected.