[Public Voices] "Is Dog Food Still Grain-Free?"

FDA Raises Concerns Over Grain-Free Pet Food
Korean Market Still Focused on Grain-Free Products

Heesu Kim, CEO of Limpid

The domestic pet market is rapidly growing. The market is becoming so specialized that there are dedicated dog chairs, dog strollers, dog-only grooming salons, dog kindergartens, and more?practically nothing is missing.

However, the pet food market is not keeping pace. The domestic pet food market is still regulated under the same standards as livestock feed, and thus fails to meet the 40 to 50 detailed nutritional criteria defined overseas in the US and Europe.

Nutrition is not the only issue. Dog owners are likely familiar with the term "Grain free." In Korea, the pet food market is centered around grain-free foods that do not contain grains. However, overseas, grain-free pet food has become controversial. The grain-free market is declining, replaced by grain-inclusive lines such as Supergrain, Grain Inclusive, and Amazing Grain. This shift is due to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement linking grain-free diets to the development of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Why did grain-free diets gain attention in the market? It started in 2010. Among owners, the opinion arose that dogs only need meat and do not require grains. The pet food industry capitalized on this for marketing, leading to rapid growth of the grain-free market. However, pet food companies did not insist on only "meat" in the food. Instead of grains, they began using alternative carbohydrates like soybeans, potatoes, and sweet potatoes due to cost considerations. By 2015, grain-free diets accounted for about 30% of the US dog food market.

Concerns about grain-free diets began to surface in 2017. Owners started raising voices about a possible link between grain-free diets and DCM, and in 2018, the FDA announced that "grain-free diets may be associated with DCM." DCM is a serious disease where the left ventricle of the heart abnormally enlarges and weakens, preventing the heart from pumping blood effectively, eventually leading to heart failure.

One notable point is the outcome depending on the dog breed. DCM was mainly found in large breeds, but according to the FDA, cases in exceptional breeds such as small dogs are increasing. This supports the hypothesis that grain-free diets are a cause.

More than 30 research papers on grain-free diets and DCM have been published recently. These studies point to legumes such as peas and lentils?the main protein sources in grain-free diets?as the problem. These are sources of "meat protein" chosen by pet food companies for economic reasons. It is hypothesized that grains interfere with the absorption of taurine, an amino acid essential for dogs, potentially causing DCM.

Veterinary associations such as the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) also recommend avoiding grain-free or legume protein diets. Due to these opinions, overseas markets have already launched grain-inclusive pet food lines. However, domestically, the market is still stuck on grain-free diets. There is little information on grain-free diets, and official guidelines are lacking.

The Korean pet food market must now engage in in-depth research, provide information, and manufacture pet food accordingly to meet international issues. As the dog market grows and diversifies, the dog food market should keep pace. The FDA’s warnings should never be ignored.

Kim Hee-su, CEO of Limpid