How Flavor Migration Is Shaping Palatability in Wet Pet Food

What happens when a palatant is added to only one part of a wet pet food recipe? Yolandi van der Vyver, AFB International’s Wet Technical Application specialist, explores this question in the September issue of PETS International. In a chunks-in-gravy cat food model, six palatants were added exclusively to the gravy before retort. NIR spectroscopy and GC–MS analysis, combined with feeding trials, revealed that volatile flavor compounds migrated between the gravy and chunks. Most notably, the samples grouped according to palatability performance rather than matrix, showing that a palatant’s influence can extend well beyond its point of addition. The findings highlight why flavor distribution, processing, texture, and appearance all need to be considered when developing high-performing wet pet food.

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AFB International brings deep technical expertise in palatability, flavor chemistry, and wet-product applications, but our role goes further than supplying solutions. We work as a strategic partner, collaborating with customers to understand their challenges, evaluate matrix interactions and processing conditions, and create practical paths to better-performing products. If you are exploring new wet formats or looking to optimize an existing recipe, connect with AFB to start building a partnership that turns technical insight into market-ready innovation.