Yes. Many dehydrated vegetables and herbs are used in dry pet food, treats and toppers, and India can supply several of them. The key exceptions are onion and garlic, which are toxic to dogs and cats and should be kept out of pet formulas.
Whatever you buy must meet your country's rules for pet food or feed materials, and should meet a food-grade microbial standard, since people handle the product at home.
Pet food buyers also tend to want steady colour and particle size, because owners notice changes. That makes plant consistency as important as the price.
Onion and garlic: do not use
India is a major source of dehydrated onion and garlic, processed around Mahuva in Gujarat. But onion, garlic and other Allium plants contain compounds that damage red blood cells in dogs and cats. Veterinary sources treat them as toxic in all forms, including powder.
If your supplier also makes onion and garlic products, ask how other vegetables are kept separate on shared lines. Cross-contact matters more in pet food than in many human foods.
Ingredients pet food makers do use
Check each item with your formulator and vet adviser. Common choices include:
- Vegetables such as carrot, pumpkin, spinach, beetroot and sweet potato, as flakes, granules or powder.
- Moringa leaf powder, used in some treats and supplements. See whether organic moringa is available from Gujarat.
- Turmeric, used in some dog supplements and treats.
- Herbs such as parsley, in small amounts, often for breath or appearance.
- Psyllium husk, used as a fibre source. See whether psyllium is used in pet food and what grade is needed.
Rules to check
In the EU, pet food is regulated as feed, so ingredients must be permitted feed materials and meet the limits on undesirable substances. In the US, pet food is regulated by the FDA, and many states use the AAFCO ingredient definitions and label rules. The UK has its own feed rules. Ask your regulator or trade association which rules apply to the ingredient and the claims you plan to make.
What to specify
- Form and particle size, matched to your kibble, treat or topper process.
- Moisture, to keep the product stable and free flowing.
- Microbiology: total plate count, yeast and mould, Enterobacteriaceae and salmonella.
- Pesticide residues and heavy metals against your market's limits.
- Steam sterilisation if your process does not include a kill step.
- No ETO treatment.
- A statement that no Allium species are processed on the same line, or a cross-contact control.
How we help
We find dehydration plants that suit pet food buyers, check line separation from onion and garlic during the audit, and have samples tested at an NABL-accredited lab for microbes and residues. Ask for a free sourcing review.