Dog and cat food stored in the wrong way will lose a lot of nutrients and harm the health of the pet. Dog and cat food after exposure to air or light will occur oxidation that makes the food can become rancid quickly. So how to store dog and cat food simply, properly? The article below will help you solve this problem.
1. Mistakes when storing dog and cat food
There are many pet owners today who are very interested in choosing good, nutritious food for their dogs and cats but forget that proper storage is an important factor to maintain and promote all the nutrients in the food.
Check to see if you make the following mistakes when using dog food.
Throw away food packaging
The type of food for dogs and cats especially dry food particles will pack in different types of packaging materials can be paper bags or plastic bags. However, when feeding pets, many of you often throw away and instead will use plastic or glass boxes to store dry seeds.
Did you know, some types of high-end dog and cat food packaging have zip bags designed extremely carefully to prevent moisture, mold, you just need to store them in a clean, clean space, avoid direct sunlight.
In addition, on the packaging there is information about the nutritional composition of the food or the shelf life, in case you mistake the type of food or it has expired, it will be necessary for the return of the product.
Let the seeds dry too long in the air
Dry seed food for dogs and cats is a popular food, providing adequate nutrition for cats and quite easy to use. Therefore, many Sen often pour dry seeds into the bowl so that dogs and cats can eat all day.
However, if the seeds are dry, there is a risk of spoilage, mold and can reduce the quality of the product, some nutrients will be evaporated or even the food is susceptible to bacteria and is not safe for pets anymore.
The light shines directly on the food
Thinking dry food grains for cats left in the sun will not get moldy and kill bacteria is wrong. High temperatures can increase moisture and spoil food faster.
Besides, some dry seeds need to be stored in a cool place, the temperature is too high to make the food lose its inherent nutrients. In addition, direct exposure to the sun makes dry food seeds at risk of Salmonella infection, the bacteria that infect dogs and cats.
Use of food near or overdue
In fact, cat and dog food that has just passed its shelf life of a few days, the texture and appearance have hardly changed, but the quality inside has been affected.
The type of pet food is recommended to use for a certain time, after that time, the nutrients are no longer valuable, even the bacteria that cause poisoning have appeared because the effect of preservatives in the food is no longer available.
2. Instructions for properly storing dog and cat food
When buying dog and cat food from stores, check the product packaging carefully, making sure the food has not been opened and torn or expired.
For dry grain feed:
Dry grain food for dogs and cats after opening the bag must not be directly exposed to the sun, must be stored in a cool, moist and wet environment. If it is a small food bag, you only need to clamp it tightly after each use so that the grain does not come into contact with the environment or zip if the food bag has this design.
Old food may give rise to some bacteria or germs, or old grease prepares to go rancid and if you add it to new food bags it will spoil the new food.
Therefore, it is best to let your dog eat all the old food before opening a new bag. This will help the new food to be completely sealed for as long as possible before being opened, keeping it fresh for longer.
If it is a large bag of food, you need to have items to divide the food and store it. The boxes with glass and plastic caps will be suitable to help the dog and cat food avoid direct contact with the air and no insects.
In addition, a better way for you to put the whole bag in and use a tight lid after each use is better than pouring seeds directly into the box.
For wet food:
For wet food such as Pate for dogs and cats, storage is simpler because it is packed into small packages or boxes that can be used up at each meal.
However, if the pet does not eat all at once or if you buy a large bag or box to save, after opening the lid, the leftover food must be refrigerated, but remember to let the pet use it all in 7 days.
In addition, you should not leave food out of the air for more than 3 hours because then the food may have been contaminated, causing poisoning to the pet.
If the Sen cooks for the Boss at home, the best way to preserve it is to divide it into boxes just enough for them to eat in one meal and freeze completely. Each meal, just take out and defrost and reheat the pet can use delicious.
The above are some ways that we suggest to help you preserve dog and cat food better. Wish our furry friends grow healthy!