Evaluation of nutritional value and microbiological safety in commercial dog food

In addition to properly balancing nutritional value in accordance with the needs of a dog, estimating the microbiological quality of dog food is crucial in providing healthy and safe foods. The aim of this study was to examine the quality of dry food for adult dogs, with particular reference to: (1) evaluating the nutritional value and compliance with nutritional guidelines for dogs, (2) comparing the nutritional value of dog foods, with particular emphasis on the division into cereal and cereal-free foods, and (3) evaluating their microbiological safety. All thirty-six evaluated dry dog foods met the minimum European Pet Food Industry FEDIAF requirement for total protein and fat content. The total aerobic microbial count in the analyzed dry dog foods ranged from 2.7 × 10² to above 3.0 × 10⁷ cfu/g. In five (14%) dog foods the presence of staphylococci was detected; however, coagulase positive Staphylococcus (CPS) was not found. Mold presence was reported in one cereal-free dog food and in six cereal foods. In none of the analyzed foods Enterobacteriaceae were found, including coliforms, Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Bacteria of the genus Listeria and Clostridium as well as yeasts were also not detected. In conclusion, the evaluated dry dog foods had varied microbiological quality. The detected number of microorganisms may have some implications for long-term consumption of contaminated food. The lack of European Commission standards regarding the permissible amounts of microorganisms in pet food may result in insufficient quality control of these products.