KILLS STEPS COMPROMISE BACTERIAL BALANCE While the word “probiotic” has become somewhat of a buzzword, both in the human health industry and in the pet health industry, we still have an aversion to the word “bacteria”.
Our culture is very afraid of pathogenic bacteria - so much so that the US government has a “zero tolerance” policy regarding the presence of it in any pet foods. That has led many raw food manufacturers to introduce a “kill step” before the food hits our shelves. While this may sound like a good idea off the bat, a slightly deeper look shows that it might actually do more harm than good.
Kill steps - measures to ensure the eradication of pathogens - can’t distinguish between healthy and unhealthy bacteria. Therefore, an attempt to eliminate pathogens also eliminates probiotics. This not only does no good for the population of your pets’ microbiome, but also leaves the final product a blank slate, to be populated by whatever is in the air when you crack the seal on the bag.
If the meat had been left alone, or fermented, it would have a healthy bacterial base with which to fight off or crowd out any introduced pathogens. In its sterile state, however, it cannot do so, and so quickly becomes compromised.