Brown Alga Used For The First Time In Local Pet Food Brand Burp!

Brown alga may sound like an odd ingredient to add into pet food, but the exotic seaweed, Padina Pavonica, is possibly the next big thing in pet nutrition.
Pets Team 16 October 2016

If you’ve never heard of Padina Pavonica— a brown alga found in the temperate waters of Malta—it’s about time you got up to speed. Used as a feedstuff (called Calcium Booster) for chickens over the last 18 years and as an ingredient in premium skincare for a decade, the alga’s rich calcium carbonate content hardens egg shells and strengthens chicken bones in the former and delivers collagen-boosting properties in the latter.

It’s now finding its way into pet food formulas such as Burp!’s senior cat and senior dog kibble formulas.

What Is Padina Pavonica? 

Padina Pavonica is a type of brown algae that was discovered in the coastal waters of Malta. The white markings seen on its fronds are actually calcium carbonate or aragonite deposits, which are what a baby’s bones are composed of. It’s what makes the bones of an infant or toddler more flexible than an adult’s.

When consumed, Padina Pavonica helps to improve calcium metabolism and collagen synthesis in living organisms. The key component in Calcium Booster, which is also found in Burp!’s dry food formulas for senior cats and dogs, is an active molecule extracted from Padina Pavonica called Maltanedienol.

Padina Pavonica— a brown alga found in the temperate waters of Malta

Approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for use in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetics and veterinary industries, the algae has been proven to aid calcium uptake, maintain bone density in both humans and animals, support bones, joints and cartilage, help maintain the protein framework of the bone, help prevent bone loss in older dogs and improve flexibility and mobility. Hence, it works wonders for growing kittens and puppies, elderly cats or dogs with stiff joints, or any animal that’s just not walking as well as it used to.

Great Match

For the first time in Singapore, Padina Pavonica has been introduced into pet food. The introduction of the ingredient into pet nutrition was initiated by Jill Angell, an influential player in the pet food industry and product developer of Burp!’s new dry food range, after she personally benefited from the ingredient.

“A few years ago, I had some nerve ending problems and the doctors couldn’t figure out what the condition was. After I heard about Padina Pavonica, I decided to try it. Subsequently, I stopped all my medications and my symptoms have since completely disappeared,” shares Jill.

Jill figured that since Padina Pavonica has been safely and effectively used in animal husbandry for years and worked wonders for her condition with no side effects, it would be helpful for cats and dogs as well. Hence, she decided to collaborate with Pet Lovers Centre to develop Burp!’s first dry food range.

“I felt that the two products ‒ Burp! and Padina Pavonica ‒ were a great match. I also felt that Singapore was a great market after the UK to launch a product with this ingredient because Singaporeans are research-savvy and very open to trying new, innovative products of a high quality,” says Jill.

In October, Pet Lovers Centre rolled out Burp!’s first dry food range for dogs and cats. It comprises four products: Complete Food for Adult Cats; Complete Food for Senior Cats — with Padina Pavonica; Complete Food for Adult Dogs; and Complete Food for Senior Dogs — with Padina Pavonica.

The entire range is manufactured in the UK and uses fresh ingredients like salmon from Scotland. The senior range is particularly effective for furkids with bone or joint issues or that are recovering from an injury. According to the brand, results are visible after three months of consumption.