For pet owners, the top priority is ensuring their furry friends live a healthy and long life. The cornerstone of this health is undoubtedly quality nutrition. However, with thousands of options available on pet store shelves or online platforms today, choosing the "right and original" pet food can sometimes be challenging. Counterfeit or improperly stored pet food can pose risks to your pet's health, from their digestive system to their coat.
So, how can you tell if a pet food is original, fresh, and reliable? Here are critical points to consider before and after opening the package.
The most critical point: Where did I buy it?
The first way to determine the authenticity of a pet food is to check where you bought it. If you purchased the product from www.kito.pet, Kito stores in marketplaces, or reliable sellers like Petimo, Tazedirekt, Makro Center, Carrefour, there is no chance of a problem.
The Language of Packaging: A Trust Test at First Glance
The first way to determine the authenticity of a pet food is to carefully examine its packaging. Professional and reliable brands invest heavily in packaging technology.
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Print Quality and Fonts: On original products, graphics are clear, colors are vibrant, and text is legible. Faded logos, misaligned prints, or typos are serious warning signs.
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Sealing System and Vacuum: The package should be perfectly sealed to prevent air entry. New generation wet foods like Kito Fresh use Pantry Fresh technology, offering 24 months of freshness at room temperature without preservatives, thanks to special packaging. If the package is bulging or leaking, it means the storage conditions of that product have deteriorated.
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Expiration Date and Lot Number: The expiration date and lot number are usually printed later. Ensure that this information has not been tampered with.
Content Analysis: The Art of Reading Labels
An original and high-quality pet food is transparent about its ingredients. Our "Human Standard Content" (human-grade) philosophy at Kito proves how vital the list on the back of the package is.
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Protein Source: The first item on the label list should be clear definitions like "fresh lamb," "fresh salmon," or "beef" instead of vague terms such as "chicken derivative" or "meat meal."
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Scientific Basis: Reliable pet foods are often developed through academic collaborations. For example, Kito recipes are formulated with scientific foundations in collaboration with the Istanbul University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Such a reference indicates that the food has biological value, not just commercial.
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Analytical Components: Moisture, protein, fat, and ash ratios should be checked for compliance with standards.
Physical Control: Kibble Structure and Odor
When you open the package, the form of the food tells you a lot. Every brand has its unique formula and production technology.
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Color and Shape Consistency: The kibbles within a package should be consistent in size and color. Excessive crumbling, pulverization, or oil leakage are signs of staleness or low quality.
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Odor: Original pet foods have a natural odor specific to their protein source. You should be cautious if you detect a sharp spoiled smell, sourness, or an excessively chemical odor.
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Oiliness: In dry foods produced with technologies like FMIS (Fresh Meat Injection System), natural oils from fresh meat are homogeneously distributed within the kibble. If it feels excessively sticky or, conversely, extremely dry when you pick it up, it might raise doubts about its authenticity.
Supply Chain and Source Verification
The origin of the food determines the quality of the meat it contains. An original and healthy pet food should be traceable. The meats used in Kito foods are sourced from Karkas Farm, which produces antibiotic-free and GMO-free. Such supply chain transparency guarantees that the product you receive is not counterfeit and that its ingredients match what is declared.
Your Furry Friend's Reaction Is the Best Proof
Sometimes, even if all checks pass, the suitability of the food is understood by your pet's reaction. If your dog or cat suddenly refuses to eat food they normally love, it could be a sign that there is a problem with that batch or that the food is not original.
Remember; not only the authenticity of the food but also its suitability for your pet's specific needs is important. Every paw has a different metabolism. If you are sure of the food's authenticity but observe hair loss or digestive problems in your pet, you may need to review your feeding plan. In such cases, consulting a veterinarian would be the correct step.
On this journey we embarked on with the slogan "His health, your peace of mind," we want to remind you that you need to find not only original but also the most suitable content for your pet's age, weight, and activity level.
Would you like to create a customized nutrition route that fully meets your pet's needs?
By using the "Create a Nutrition Plan" feature on the Kito website, you can discover the most suitable and freshest ingredients for your furry friend in seconds.
Kito Research Team