How to Store Opened Dry Dog Food. Storage of prepared animal feed

Of course, you can save a lot of money by buying a large pack of food. But when choosing a large pack, find out how to store it correctly in order to save useful material.

You can view the range and types of dog food at. Many manufacturers recommend storing food for up to six months in open form, but in fact there will be little benefit in such nutrition. And the taste will spoil, to say the least.

Some need to be carefully studied important conditions storage of this product, to avoid this.

Rules for storing dry dog ​​food Arden:

• When you buy several large packs of dry food at once, it is not recommended to open everything at once, since the animal does not require a variety dry food daily.
• Once you have opened the box of food, it is recommended that you pour it into a tightly sealed container with a lid. The diet that remains in the pack is responsibly and tightly sealed so that oxygen and moisture do not penetrate inside it. Since it is in relation to increased humidity that bacteria and microorganisms multiply well. As for humidity, in the storage room it should not be higher than seventy%. The edges of a slightly open bag of food must be tightly sealed with staples or tape. Be sure to remove the packaging with the product ration away from the rays of the sun, somewhere in a dark place.
• It is necessary to store a dry product under certain temperature conditions. In the room where it is stored, temperatures exceeding 20 degrees are strictly prohibited. at humidity up to 70%. Be careful not to expose the diet directly to the sun.
• It is forbidden to mix the remains of old food and new food in the container where the spilled ration is stored. After this, as soon as the next food is eaten, the container is washed with a washing solution and then thoroughly dried. After all these steps are completed, you can add the next portion of food for safekeeping.
• If you decide to buy loose Arden Grange dog food, then pay attention to the area where it is sold. It is wise not to buy food from stalls on the market, since they absolutely do not take into account temperature conditions. It makes more sense if it is a stationary pet store, where all safety conditions are maintained, where air conditioning works in hot weather, and heating is available in cold weather and there is no high humidity. Once you decide to purchase food online, make sure that the store has its own pet store in an offline format. As a result, you will choose truly high-quality and excellent food for your dog.

By following all these simple storage principles, you will present your beloved pet with a wonderful and healthy food, which he will like and will contain all the components necessary for health in the right quantity.

Dog foods are developed based on knowledge of animal physiology. Their nutrition should cover the body's need for nutrients, vitamins and minerals. There are dry and wet food.

Dry dog ​​food

Dry food is a granulated product with a moisture content of 10-12%, balanced in composition and enriched with vitamins and microelements.

Science Plan offers quality balanced diet for dogs of different physiological groups. Presciption Diet – makes food for pets with health problems. Hills produces a line of premium meat and grain foods. Other well-known manufacturers: Profine, Pro Pac, Orijen, Eukanuba, Acaha, Pedigree.

Wet food

Canned food is called wet food. The content of the liquid fraction is 75-80%. The product is nutritious as it contains a lot of fat. Wet food is produced in the form of kibbles with gravy or mince. This type of food is divided into products for daily use and gourmet portions.

A pet food manufacturer usually has both dry and wet food in its lineup. Royal Canin offers canned food for pets with kidney disease. Happy Dog and Purina Pro Plan have several wet canned flavor options. Quality canned food is produced as a treat, and there are also everyday options. Arden Grange releases hypoallergenic food without flavors and dyes.

How to tell the difference in a store?

Dry food is distinguished from wet food in the store by packaging. Dry food is sold in plastic or paper bags or bags. Their volume ranges from 900 g to 16 kg or more. Canned wet food packed in tin can or vacuum foil.

How to store dry food?

Dry dog ​​food granules are stored in a clean, ventilated room with a relative air humidity of 70-75%, at a temperature not exceeding 18˚C. The temperature indicator is not critical; rather, it is necessary to prevent sun rays and placing packaging near heating devices.

The manufacturer indicates the shelf life on the packaging. Typically the shelf life is 1-2 years. Feed containing vitamin E as a preservative can be stored for no more than six months.

An open bag of food is stored tightly tied or closed using special clips. The industry offers special tanks, the use of which will prevent drying out or moistening of feed. When purchasing a tank, pay attention to the presence of the marking - “Suitable for food products”.

How to store wet food?

Canned food is sealed, so it remains suitable for feeding longer than dry food. Their shelf life is 2-3 years. Store them avoiding direct sunlight, away from heating devices, following the recommendations on the packaging.

Opened wet food should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day. After opening, the canned food is transferred to glass jar or a special container. Freezing wet food is allowed.

How to determine that food is not suitable for feeding?

The suitability of food for feeding to a pet can be judged by organoleptic characteristics - appearance, consistency, color and smell.

The presence of lumps, rot and mold is not allowed in dry food. Color and smell must match this species products. Food with signs of spoilage and a musty, unusual or rancid odor should not be used in the dog’s diet.

In wet food, putrefactive inclusions and mold are excluded. If there are poor-quality impurities, an unpleasant or rancid odor, the product should not be used in feeding.

Food contaminated with insects and their larvae is not suitable for consumption.

Poisoning from poor quality food

Poisoning is always a consequence of poison entering a living organism. Spoiled food accumulates toxic substances that can cause poisoning in pets. Signs to contact veterinary clinic serve:

• depressed or overexcited state of the animal;
• weakness;
• diarrhea;
• vomit;
• convulsions;
• excessive salivation;
• shiver.

In dogs, symptoms develop rapidly and the condition quickly worsens, so when the first signs appear, you should immediately contact a veterinarian.

Errors when storing food

Improper storage of feed leads to deterioration of its quality, diseases and poisoning of animals.

1. Storing large packages on the balcony or in the yard under a canopy. Convenient for the owner, but often changing weather and humidity lead to premature spoilage of feed.
2. Pour dry food into the tank. The entire bag of feed is placed in a special container, rather than poured out of the packaging. This way the food will retain its freshness, aroma and nutritional properties.
3. Leaving the package or container open. The food spoils and nutrients are destroyed upon contact with air.
4. Storing opened canned food outside the refrigerator. Already 4 hours after opening the package of wet food, pathogenic microflora begins to actively develop.

Dog feeding dishes

Among the necessary accessories for caring for dogs, it is worth highlighting feeding bowls and storage containers. It is important that the material used to make anything that comes into contact with the feed is safe and food grade. Special bowls are more convenient for feeding dogs than adapted dishes.

It is better to purchase 3-4 bowls. Water is poured into one, dry or wet food is poured into the second. The third will be needed for feeding broth or milk.

The dog's bowl is washed immediately after feeding. wet food, since bacteria develop in its remains. With dry feeding, it is enough to keep it clean every day.

Feeding utensils are selected from durable materials and should not be used if cracks or chips appear.

What volume of packaging is better to choose?

For feeding pet Choose the package size based on the size of the dog. It is hoped that the packaging will last no longer than a month.

Canned food is purchased in portions so that your pet eats the package at one time or within 24 hours.

Storage conditions for food of different brands

Most dry food can be stored for more than a year; wet food in a sealed package can be stored for more than 2 years. The timing varies depending on the composition and the preservative used by the manufacturer. The production date and expiration date are indicated on the packaging.

Acaha feed is stored under the above conditions, shelf life is 15 months. The production date and expiration dates are indicated on the packaging. Pedigree retains its properties for 18 months from the date of manufacture.

The question of where and how to store dry food worries many. Every owner wants to feed their pet quality food that has everything they need. We recommend keeping food in a cool, dark place. Special attention It is worth paying attention to tightness. If the packaging is equipped with a zip fastener, you can store the granules directly in the original bag. If there is no fastener, use a clothespin, or purchase a special tank made of inert material, such as plastic. Compliance with these simple rules will help maintain the nutritional properties of the food and its attractiveness to the animal.

The expiration date (EX) is indicated on the back of the package at the top in the format: day, month, year - it is advisable to use the food before this point. After this date, subject to the right conditions After storage, the product remains safe for consumption, but some indicators of the guaranteed analysis may not correspond to those stated, for example, vitamins.

How long can dry food be stored?

The shelf life from the moment the food is produced and packaged at the factory is 18 months. Greatest influence Temperature and humidity may shorten this period. For example, long-term storage at temperatures above 10-20℃ increases the oxidation of feed, which reduces shelf life.

How long can opened dry food be stored?

If you are going to choose food for your pet High Quality, then it should be remembered that in order to preserve the nutritional value and taste qualities it should be stored properly.

How long can the shelf life of food be?

Before purchasing in mandatory check its expiration date. For high quality food, this date is legibly and clearly indicated on the packaging. Canned foods typically have a shelf life of about two years, while the vast majority of dry foods are good for up to a year. Be sure to make sure that the product you are purchasing has not expired.

Do the types of preservatives matter?

The type of preservative used by the manufacturer is great importance for the shelf life of the feed. Artificial species preservatives (BHA, BHT or ethoxykin) can be preserved for a longer period of time than natural ones, for example, vitamin E. In this regard, you should not be surprised if you see that the shelf life of food containing artificial preservatives is several months longer than those feeds that use natural preservatives. This difference can be compensated by purchasing food in smaller bags, but more often.

How to properly store food at home?

It must be remembered that the main sources of danger to feed are humidity, heat, oxygen and light. Open packaging that allows oxygen to penetrate, as well as heat in the apartment, lead to the oxidation of fats in food products. Oxidation is chemical process, making food taste rotten and destroying nutrients and vitamins, which can ultimately result in poisoning or serious illness. The air temperature in the room in which canned or dry animal food is stored should not exceed thirty-two degrees Celsius. If you store canned food for a long time at a temperature below ten degrees, this will slightly deteriorate the taste, but will not affect the nutritional value product. After you open the jar canned food, close it with a tight lid and place it in a cool place. The food must be used within three days. Dry food should not be stored in the bathroom or other damp areas, as they can absorb moisture very quickly, as a result of which they become moldy. The food must be stored in its original packaging, placed in a dry and clean container, tightly closed with a lid that protects the product from air, light, insects and small rodents.

Dry food is the choice of millions of pet dog owners around the world. Which brands of dry food are considered the best can be found out from. But in order for this type of nutrition to be as safe and correct as possible, please adhere to following rules storage

Proper storage of dry food is not only protection from rodents, insects and dust mites, but also from their possible traces of vital activity: for example, bacteria that cause leptospirosis in dogs; or insect eggs. And if moisture gets into the food, it can harbor mites and toxic mold (when the food appears to be covered in dust). Improper storage of dry dog ​​food can cause gastrointestinal problems and even lead to severe food poisoning.

Main condition proper storage- dryness and tightness. Immediately after opening the bag, pour the food into a dry, clean, tightly sealed container. If the bag is small and equipped with a zipper, then it is not necessary to pour out the food, the main thing is to always close it tightly. Oxygen, all kinds of bacteria living in the air, sunlight - all this has an extremely negative effect on the taste and quality of food. As it oxidizes, it becomes tasteless, and the animal may simply refuse to eat it. That is why we do not recommend buying dry food by weight, especially in stores where open bags are simply left on the floor. If dry food is exposed to direct sunlight and air, this threatens the loss of all useful properties, taste qualities and makes it unsuitable for consumption.

- one of the best solutions, especially if you purchase large bags. As a rule, such containers are made of inert material that does not in any way affect the taste and chemical characteristics of the food, and can protect the food from possible rodents, insects, mold and oxidation. And in the case of particularly mischievous dogs that chew food bags, also from them.

So, the basic rules for storing dry dog ​​food:

• The main condition for proper storage is room or slightly cool temperature (18-20 degrees is considered optimal), darkness, dryness and tightness.
• If the manufacturer's packaging has a reliable zip fastener, then using an additional container is not necessary. In all other cases, store food in a glass, plastic or tin container, giving preference to reliable and proven brands.
• DO NOT store the bag open and exposed to oxygen, dust, sunlight, bacteria, rodents, etc.
• The container or package with dry food should NOT be exposed to direct sunlight or be near heat sources.
• DO NOT store dry food in the refrigerator: moisture and odors from your refrigerator, as well as possible bacteria and microbes found on thermally untreated food, once in dry food, can be dangerous for your pet.
• Always read the manufacturer's recommendations for storing food on the packaging.

How to choose the right food container?

• Give preference to well-proven brands: for example, the Polish brand, or the Italian Stefanplast. The materials from which such containers are made will be 100% safe for your pet's food. Remember, not all plastic is safe, not all plastic is food grade.
• The safest material for storing feed is - glass containers. The only problem is that there are almost no such containers on sale. For a small volume, you can use a glass jar, but it must be stored strictly in a dark place.
• Tin containers are also suitable for storing dry food, but such containers are very rare.
• Choose the container volume that you really need. If you have one small dog, then you shouldn’t buy in 25 kg packages. Based on the figure, how many kg of food your pet eats in 1 month, or what packages you usually take food in. No matter how good the container is, it is always better to give fresh food rather than one that has been open for several months.
• Containers on wheels, or with an internal scale in grams, with a convenient measuring cup or spatula. All this is selected based on your needs.