This article is brought to you in collaboration with Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend dog food. Discover our comprehensive review of this freeze-dried product to get insights into its making and our personal experience with it.
Although our feature revolves around a freeze-dried food brand, it’s crucial to discern the nuances between freeze-dried and dehydrated options. By outlining the advantages and drawbacks of each, we aim to guide you in selecting the ideal food type for your canine friend.
Both these options are superior to traditional kibble, potentially enhancing your dog’s well-being. Before tweaking your pet’s diet—whether switching entirely, incorporating new varieties, or seeking healthier meal toppings—it’s wise to recognize the distinguishing factors between these foods.
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Which One Resembles Fresh Food More? When it comes to dehydration, dog food is subjected to approximately 120 degrees Fahrenheit, eliminating living entities like bacteria and enzymes. While it’s not raw, it’s not entirely cooked either.
Contrastingly, freeze-dried dog food undergoes a freezing process where moisture transforms from a solid to a gaseous state via sublimation. This method retains all essential vitamins and nutrients without any cooking. Given the lack of moisture, freeze-dried food hinders bacterial growth, though rehydration can reactivate some surviving bacteria. I perceive freeze-dried food as “raw,” especially since its characteristics change upon rehydration.
Which One is More Beneficial for Dogs? Both freeze-dried and dehydrated options typically align with AAFCO standards, ensuring a complete and balanced diet. If a product displays the AAFCO certification or states “complete and balanced,” it’s apt for regular feeding, eliminating the need for any supplementary meals.
Though dehydration slightly affects the food’s nutritive content, such products must still adhere to set guidelines. Nevertheless, it’s essential to remember that these standards don’t necessarily reflect how a dog’s system processes these nutrients. Prioritizing easily digestible food allows dogs to optimally utilize the nutrients, instead of merely excreting them. Given that freeze-dried dog food closely resembles dogs’ natural raw diet and retains enzymes post-rehydration, it’s likely more digestible for them.
Shelf Life Comparison Dehydration reduces the food’s moisture content by 70%-95%, with commercial dehydrators being more effective. Freeze-drying, conversely, eliminates 98-99% of moisture.
Moisture triggers bacterial growth and spoilage. Therefore, storing in a cool, dry environment can significantly prolong the shelf life of both food types. Freeze-dried food, being drier, tends to last slightly longer—though the difference could span over a decade, making it a negligible factor for most households.
Storage Ease While dehydration compacts the dog food, freeze-drying maintains its volume, only shedding water weight. A month’s supply of both food types may weigh similarly, but dehydrated food occupies lesser space, making it a preferred choice for those with limited storage or while traveling. However, freeze-dried food is as compact as kibble, and thus, standard storage solutions suffice.
Preparation Time Freeze-dried foods reconstitute faster, but the exact duration depends on factors like preferred food consistency, form (powdered or pellet), and water temperature. To rehydrate freeze-dried food, lukewarm water is ideal, avoiding extremely hot temperatures to prevent cooking. It’s feasible to prepare a three-day batch and refrigerate any leftovers.
In contrast, dehydrated chunks demand prolonged rehydration—retaining a tough consistency for nearly ten minutes. Yet, dehydrated powdered variants reconstitute roughly as quickly as freeze-dried pellets like Nature’s Blend.
Flavor Factor Given that freeze-dried foods rejuvenate to a texture and taste akin to fresh food, they usually appeal more to dogs. They also serve as a delightful enhancer for other food forms, boosting their appeal. However, dogs generally have an affinity for dehydrated foods as well. From my experience, my dogs relish both varieties.
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