Glycerol is an ingredient commonly used in human food and in animal food and their use is regulated to ensure complete safety. Their main function is to keep food safe where there is a need for a high level of moisture in the product.
Pet owners are looking for innovative pet food products in terms of texture and taste to please their pets. To create a product that offers chewiness, glycerol is used.
Glycerol:
European law allows the use of glycerol as a humectant (a substance that retains or preserves moisture) in pet food, serving to retain water in the food to prevent it from drying out and to maintain a level of consistency.
Glycerol is mainly in Dry pet food products (One, BENEFUL,PPVD, Proplan, Friskies, Bakers) to form a barrier around the pieces so they remain soft (with the softness varying over time). Likewise, glycerol prevents the humidity in the environment from affecting the kibble so that it does not lose its crunch or potentially become mouldy.
At Purina, we strictly comply with the maximum levels permitted by law to ensure our pet food products are completely safe for all pets.