Food additives

What are food additives?

Food additives are substances that are added to the feed or water of animals in order to fulfill certain functions. They are not feed materials, i.e. they are not natural components of the feed. A distinction is made between different types of food additives:

• Sensory additives: these are intended to appeal to the animal's senses and make the feed tastier or more attractive. These include flavorings, flavor enhancers and colorants.
• Technological additives: These are intended to improve the shelf life, consistency or quality of the feed. These include preservatives, antioxidants, gelling agents and emulsifiers.
• Nutritional additives: These are intended to cover or supplement the animal's nutritional requirements. These include vitamins, minerals, trace elements and amino acids.
• Zootechnical additives: These are intended to positively influence the animal's well-being and performance. These include enzymes, probiotics and coccidiostats.

Are food additives harmful to dogs?

Food additives are not harmful to dogs per se. They are strictly regulated by the European Union and must be approved before they can be marketed. This involves checking whether they have undesirable effects on animal and human health or on the environment. It must also be proven that they have a benefit for the feed or the animal.

However, some food additives can also have undesirable side effects or lead to intolerances. For example, some dogs can react sensitively to certain flavorings or flavor enhancers and develop diarrhea or vomiting. Preservatives can also trigger allergic reactions or put a strain on the liver. In addition, some additives can disrupt the natural intestinal flora or impair the absorption of other nutrients.

It is therefore important that you read the label of your dog food carefully and find out about the ingredients. If you are unsure whether a particular additive is suitable for your dog, you can consult your vet or seek advice from a dog nutritionist.

How do you recognize food additives in dog food?

Food additives must be listed on the dog food label. They are labeled either with their name or with an E number. The E number is a code that is assigned to a specific additive. For example, E 300 stands for ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and E 621 for monosodium glutamate (flavor enhancer).

The E numbers are not always easy to remember or decipher. That's why you can download a list of the most common additives from the internet or print it out and take it with you when you go shopping. This way you can quickly look up what is behind the numbers.

To explain the E numbers in more detail, you can divide them into four groups:

• E 100 to E 199: Colorants that are intended to make the food more colorful. They have no effect on the taste or quality of the food. However, some colorants can trigger allergies or impair the activity and alertness of dogs.
• E 200 to E 299: Preservatives that are intended to extend the shelf life of the food. They prevent the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria or molds. However, some preservatives can damage the intestinal flora or put a strain on the liver.
• E 300 to E 399: Antioxidants that protect the food from spoiling. They prevent the oxidation of fats and vitamins, which can lead to a rancid taste or a loss of nutritional value. Some antioxidants are of natural origin, such as vitamin C or E, others are synthetically produced, such as BHA or BHT.
• E 400 to E 499: Emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners and gelling agents to keep the food in shape. They ensure that different components of the feed do not separate or clump together. Some of these additives are of natural origin, such as pectin or agar-agar, others are synthetically produced, such as carrageenan or xanthan gum.

Complete list