Table 2.
Vitamin and nutritional components in dry cat food before and after gamma irradiation or pasteurization
| Vitamins |
Other nutritional components |
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| A (retinol; IU/kg) | E (tocopherol; mg/kg) | B1 (thiamine; mg/kg) | B2 (riboflavin; mg/kg) | B6 (pyridoxine; mg/kg) | B12 (cobalamin; mg/kg) | Fat (g/kg) | Protein (g/kg) | Carbohydrate (g/kg) | Taurine (mg/kg) | Peroxide (mEq/kg fat) | |
| Untreated | 20,700 | 207 | 8.6 | 8.8 | 5.6 | 0.2 | 133 | 355 | 357 | 2050 | 0.6 |
| Irradiated (28.9–34.4 kGy) | 8710 (42%) | 181 (87%) | 7.1 (83%) | 8.5 (97%) | 4.3 (77%) | 0.2 (100%) | 134 (101%) | 353 (100%) | 354 (99%) | 1890 (92%) | 6.6 (1100%) |
| Irradiated (38.4–48.7 kGy) | 6500 (31%) | 181 (87%) | 6.0 (70%) | 9.2 (105%) | 4.3 (77%) | 0.2 (100%) | 135 (102%) | 354 (100%) | 345 (97%) | 1820 (89%) | 12.6 (2100%) |
| Pasteurized | 10,300 (50%) | 173 (84%) | 5.8 (67%) | 8.5 (97%) | 5.4 (96%) | 0.2 (100%) | 136 (102%) | 348 (98%) | 343 (96%) | 1760 (86%) | 0.7 (117%) |
| AAFCO | 9000 | 30 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0.02 | 90 | 300 | – | 1000 (E) 2000 (C) | – |
| NRC | 6666 | 31 | 6.3 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 0.02 | 90 | 300 | – | 1000 (E) 1700 (C) | – |
–, not reported; C, canned; E, extruded
Samples of dry cat food (500g) were analyzed for the content of the above nutrients after gamm a irradiation at 2 different doses (typical, 28.9–34.4 kGy; high end, 38.4–48.7 kGy) and pasteurization at 107 °C for 15 min. The values in parenthesis are the percentage change from preirradiation levels. Also included are the recommended minimal daily intake values of each nutrient for growth and reproduction for cats from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO; 2007) and National Research Council (NRC; 2006), based on dry matter.