Water Activity: A Better Moisture Metric for Pet Food Pet food manufacturers use water activity to monitor their products because:   • It accurately predicts safety and quality. Water activity predicts whether microbes will grow on or in a product. It also has a direct relationship with many reactions (lipid oxidation, vitamin degradation, texture changes) that end shelf life.   • It’s a test anyone can run to precise scientific standards. If you can microwave a burrito, you can measure water activity to ±0.003.   • It’s standards based. Unlike other moisture measurements, water activity has...

Water Activity and Growth of Microorganisms in Pet Food* Water Activity and Growth of Microorganisms in Pet Food Range of aw Microorganisms Generally Inhibited by Lowest aw in This Range Pet Foods Generally within This Range Pseudomonas, Escherichia, Proteus, Shigells, Klebsiella, Bacillus, Clostridium perfringens, some yeasts Pedigree - Little Champions Meow Mix - Tender Favorites Pedigree - Little Champions Purina - Beneful Prepared Meals Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, C. botulinum, Serratia, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, some molds, yeasts (Rhodotorula, Pichia) Canine Carry Outs - Beef...

Water Activity: Pet Food Moisture Super Spec Production   • Measure at the line with the      scientific accuracy of an R&D      or QA/QC lab   • Ensure that packaging will maintain product safety and quality      over shelf life   • Predict impacts of storing or shipping under abuse conditions   • Set accurate sell by/use by dates   • Determine storage requirements Incoming Ingredients   • Test incoming ingredients      for safety and quality   • Ensure that ingredients to be      mixed have compatible      moisture (aw) levels Research and Development    •  Prevent multi-component moisture...