Not enough lysine in commercial cat food
New Zealand scientists say commercial cat food might give domestic cats much less lysine than thought.
Shane Rutherfurd and colleagues at Massey University
used a new method to analyze the amounts of lysine actually available for
nourishment in 20 commercial cat foods. Lysine is an “essential” amino acid
important in a range of body functions, including absorption of calcium and
building muscle protein.
used a new method to analyze the amounts of lysine actually available for
nourishment in 20 commercial cat foods. Lysine is an “essential” amino acid
important in a range of body functions, including absorption of calcium and
building muscle protein.
The researchers found older, traditional tests
significantly overestimate the amount of nutritionally available lysine. “This
overestimate ranged from 41% to 143% for the moist food and from 18% to 90% for
the dry foods,” the scientists said.
The study appears in the May 2 issue
of the American Chemical Society’s Journal of
Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Related link:
Massey University
