Taurine concentrations in animal feed ingredients; cooking influences taurine content

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the taurine content in a variety of animal feeds. There is very little information on the taurine content of ingredients used in home-prepared diets for dogs and cats, and foods fed to wild animals in captivity. This study reports the taurine content of both common and alternative feed ingredients, and compares taurine loss as a result of different methods of food preparation. Foods were selected based on their use in commercial and home-prepared diets. Animal muscle tissue, particularly marine, contained high taurine concentrations. Plant products contained either low or undetectable amounts of taurine. The amount of taurine that remained in a feed ingredient after cooking depended upon the method of food preparation. When an ingredient was constantly surrounded by water during the cooking process, such as in boiling or basting, more taurine was lost. Food preparation methods that minimized water loss, such as baking or frying, had higher rates of taurine retention.

Effects of dietary moisture content of extruded diets on physical feed quality and nutritional response in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

“…Nutrient content of the experimental diets was not affected by drying time, except for taurine, which was marginally reduced with drying time. Loss of taurine during processing has been described previously and was suggested to be caused by either leaching or Maillard reaction upon heating (Larsen et al, 2007, Spitze et al, 2003.…”

Retention of health-related beneficial components during household preparation of selenium-enriched African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fillets

“…Seafood, especially invertebrates such as molluscs and crustaceans, are high in taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) [3][4][5]. Fish muscle has a higher digestibility and gives increased concentration of serum taurine when compared to beef and chicken [6].…”

The importance of additives in feeding dogs and cats: Literature review

“…A taurina é altamente solúvel em água, quando os tecidos animais são cozidos em água, podem ocorrer reduções das quantidades de taurina da proteína animal (Zanghini & Biagi et al, 2005;Spitze et al, 2003;Case et al, 1998) mas, esta perda não ocorre quando os tecidos são assados (Spitze et al, 2003).…”