OSCAR Featured Ingredient: Hydrolysed Protein
Hydrolysed protein
This month we are looking more closely at Hydrolysed Protein.
What does hydrolysed mean?
The word itself comes from the Greek words hydro, meaning water, and lysis meaning to unbind. Hydrolysed is the term used for the process of breaking the bonds and molecules of a particular substance into smaller particles using water.
What is hydrolysed protein?
Protein are made of long chains of amino acids. Hydrolysed proteins are the result of protein molecules that have been broken down into smaller chains of amino acids in order to make the end product more digestible and nutritious.
Why do we use hydrolysed protein?
The hydrolysis of proteins in hypoallergenic diets can help minimise dietary intolerances in cats and dogs.
Dogs and cats can only have an allergy to proteins, but by hydrolysing specific proteins (such as those in chicken or turkey, for example) this changes the structure and make-up of the protein itself by breaking it down into smaller molecules, and these smaller molecules are able to slip past the immune system without provoking a reaction.
For those of us who have sensitive pets, or those with certain allergies, a hydrolysed protein means that their digestive system no longer sees the protein as a threat and it is able to process and digest the food without any irritation or nasty consequences.
As we all know, not all of our pets have allergies or intolerances; some are just a bit particular about what they like! Luckily, the other benefit to hydrolysed protein is that it tastes really good!
OSCAR use hydrolysed chicken digest that acts as a tasty coating to our food that can tempt even the fussiest of our four-legged friends.
Is your dog sensitive to Chicken? Why not try OSCAR Adult Complete Lamb & Rice? It has a Lamb content of 40.1% and a tasty coating of chicken digest to entice even the fussiest Fido, but don't worry - its hydrolysed!
Do you need further advice?
If you need any further advice, please contact the OSCAR Helpline Team on our freephone number 0800 195 8000 or email helpline@oscars.co.uk.