Source: Forbes
Cats are known for being picky eaters due to their acute sense of smell and preference for umami (savory) flavors over sweetness. Researchers from Northeast Agricultural University and the Shanghai Institute of Technology are investigating how to create more appealing cat food through flavor sprays. They developed four different chicken liver-based food sprays, each containing a variety of volatile flavor compounds, by breaking down proteins in homogenized and heat-treated chicken livers.
To test the sprays, they coated cat kibble with chicken fat and applied the attractants, presenting these to a panel of 10 cats alongside a control food with a commercially available attractant. The study found that cats preferred kibble with sprays containing higher levels of free amino acids, enhancing savory and fatty flavors, such as mushroom notes, while rejecting foods with acidic or sweet tastes. The findings suggest that savory, umami-rich flavors could make cat food more appealing to finicky felines.
Read the full story HERE: https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2024/08/26/what-makes-some-cat-foods-irresistible-to-our-finicky-felines/