Which Pet Food is Right for You? Breaking Down the Differences between Canned Pet Food & Fresh Frozen Gently Cooked!

At Identity Pet Nutrition, we’re often asked about the differences between our canned and fresh frozen gently cooked dog and cat foods. Both are excellent feeding options that provide pets with high-quality, meat-rich diets in a safe and wholesome manner—especially compared to kibble, which typically contains only 10% moisture.

Canned diets are a fantastic way to increase moisture in your pet’s diet. They’re convenient, shelf-stable, and offer a safe, complete, and balanced feeding option that supports hydration while delivering great nutrition.

Fresh frozen gently cooked diets, on the other hand, elevate nutrition even further. We believe gently cooked diets stand at the pinnacle of pet nutrition! These meals are nutrient-dense and crafted with premium, highly digestible ingredients. They offer exceptional value by supporting long-term health and reducing the overall cost of feeding over time, all while maintaining a moisture-rich diet. 

No matter which option you choose, both are designed to meet your pet’s nutritional needs and fit seamlessly into their lifestyle as well as yours.

FDA Regulations and Temperature Requirements

• Canned Pet Foods:
  Per FDA (21 CFR Part 113), canned pet foods must undergo high-temperature processing to achieve commercial sterility, typically at 240°F (116°C) or higher, to eliminate pathogens like Clostridium botulinum.
• This high-temperature process disqualifies canned pet food from being "gently cooked," which is generally defined as cooking at temperatures between 160°F and 210°F.
• Gently Cooked Diets:
  Gently cooked pet foods are not subjected to FDA thermal processing standards for canned foods. Instead, they use lower cooking temperatures, preserving nutrients and texture closer to their natural state.

Nutritional Differences

1. Canned Foods:
• Canned pet foods typically rely on synthetic vitamins and minerals to meet AAFCO standards for complete and balanced diets. This is due to:
• Process Variability: The high heat and vacuum pressure involved in retort processing can degrade some natural nutrients. To address this, synthetic supplements are often added as a safety net to maintain nutritional consistency. It’s important to note that nutrient loss during canning is less significant compared to other heat-based preservation methods. This is because the can is sealed before the retort process, preventing steam and nutrients from escaping. In fact, in some cases, this process can even enhance certain nutrients within the can.
• Volume Constraints: A standard 13 oz can limits the amount of whole foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables) that can be included.
• Texture Concerns: Using dried or concentrated fruits/vegetables may produce an unpalatable, clay-like consistency.
2. Gently Cooked Diets:
• Fresh frozen gently cooked diets are versatile & often achieve complete and balanced nutrition through whole food ingredients instead of relying on synthetic vitamins and minerals. Additionally, the packaging options of fresh frozen products can allow for a wider range of ingredients, diverse portion sizes and formats, accommodating pets with different needs and preferences.

Moisture Content

• Canned Foods:
• Canned foods are predominantly moisture (water content is necessary for retorting and preserving the product). Pets typically need more volume of canned food compared to gently cooked diets to meet their nutritional requirements.
• Gently Cooked Diets:
• Gently cooked diets contain less moisture, offering a denser nutritional profile. This allows smaller portion sizes compared to canned foods.

Key Differences at a Glance

This distinction highlights the unique roles of canned pet foods and fresh frozen gently cooked diets in pet nutrition. Canned pet foods are an excellent way to increase moisture in your pet's diet, while gently cooked diets prioritize nutrient density. Both options provide high-meat, minimally processed solutions to enhance your pet’s bowl. Gently cooked diets deliver a whole-food, minimally processed approach, whereas canned foods offer a shelf-stable alternative that depends on synthetic fortification and high-temperature processing.