Drivers of Palatability for Cats and Dogs—What It Means for Pet Food Development

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The pet food industry is growing rapidly globally. Although new products continue to be developed, research into their palatability still largely uses traditional methods. Testing focuses on the amount of food consumed, but little consideration is given to why differences are observed and which ingredients are most important. This review will discuss the feeding behaviour and nutritional requirements of dogs and cats, the main types of pet foods produced currently, and the current methods used for assessing palatability. Finally, the opportunities to use better methods to develop foods that are more palatable and understand the nutritional factors responsible for driving intake are discussed. ABSTRACT: The pet food industry is an important sector of the pet care market that is growing rapidly. Whilst the number of new and innovative products continues to rise, research and development to assess product performance follows traditional palatability methodology. Pet food palatability research focuses on the amount of food consumed through use of one-bowl and two-bowl testing, but little understanding is given to why differences are observed, particularly at a fundamental ingredient level. This review will highlight the key differences in feeding behaviour and nutritional requirements between dogs and cats. The dominant pet food formats currently available and the ingredients commonly included in pet foods are also described. The current methods used for assessing pet food palatability and their limitations are outlined. The opportunities to utilise modern analytical methods to identify complete foods that are more palatable and understand the nutritional factors responsible for driving intake are discussed.