Best Dry Dog Food Freshtrusion™: The Science Behind
Freshtrusion™: A Next-Generation Approach to Dry Dog Food Production
By Ultimate Pet Foods Nutrition Team | September 2025
Best Dry Dog Food Introduction
Most dry dog food today is made using extrusion — a process that relies on high heat and pressure to turn raw materials into kibble. While effective for consistency and shelf-life, extrusion is also one of the most nutrient-destructive cooking methods (Rokey et al., 2010; Huang et al., 2022).
Freshtrusion™ was developed to solve this problem. By using a gentle steam cooking process at 82°C, Freshtrusion™ reduces nutrient loss, lowers starch dependency, and protects proteins and oils. The result is kibble that is nutritionally superior, naturally palatable, and closer to fresh food than any other kibble on the market.
This is why Freshtrusion™ is at the heart of what we believe is the best dry dog food available today. Just look for our Badge!
How Freshtrusion™ is Different — and Why It Matters
1. Fresh Ingredients, Not Over-Processed Meals
How: Most extruded foods rely on meat meals, flours, and powders that are heavily processed before they even reach the factory. Freshtrusion™ starts with freshly prepared meats, fish, and vegetables — quality ingredients you’d recognise.
Why it matters: Using fresh ingredients means fewer nutrient losses before cooking even begins. Dogs benefit from a food that starts fresher, with more intact proteins, vitamins, and natural antioxidants.
2. Gentle Steam Cooking at 82°C (Freshlock™)
How: Extrusion cooks ingredients at 120–160°C under intense pressure, often more than once. Freshtrusion™ uses a single gentle steam cook at just 82°C.
Why it matters: Lower temperature cooking preserves fragile nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin E, thiamine (B1), and omega oils (Morin et al., 2021; Galli et al., 2024). This means better skin, coat, immunity, and cognitive supportwithout needing to rely as heavily on synthetic supplements.
3. Protected Protein Quality
How: High heat extrusion triggers Maillard reactions — a chemical change that makes essential amino acids like lysine less available to dogs (Van Rooijen et al., 2014). Freshtrusion™ prevents excessive Maillard damage by keeping cooking temperatures low.
Why it matters: Dogs get more usable protein for muscle maintenance, recovery, and immune health — a key factor in producing the best dry dog food.
4. Lower Starch, Higher Protein
How: Standard extrusion requires 30–45% starch to form kibble structure (Pasqualone et al., 2020). Freshtrusion™ uses its gentler process to reduce starch dependency, allowing for higher fresh meat content.
Why it matters: Dogs thrive on protein, not carbs. By reducing starch, Freshtrusion™ produces recipes that are higher in protein, easier to digest, and closer to a dog’s natural diet.
5. Natural Flavour Infusion (FreshCoat™)
How: Extruded foods usually rely on sprayed-on palatants to make them taste good. Freshtrusion™ uses FreshCoat™ — a natural process that coats each kibble with its own oils and stocks.
Why it matters: Dogs love the authentic flavour of real meat and fish, without the need for artificial taste enhancers. This means better palatability and trust in what’s really flavouring your dog’s food.
Freshtrusion™ vs. Standard Extrusion
| Feature | Standard Extrusion | Freshtrusion™ | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking Temperature | 120–160°C, multiple cycles | 82°C, single steam cook | Preserves fragile vitamins & oils |
| Protein Quality | Damaged by Maillard reactions | Protected & digestible | More usable protein for dogs |
| Carbohydrate Requirement | 30–45% starch | Much lower | Higher protein, lower carbs |
| Nutrient Retention | Heavy losses, synthetic top-ups | Natural nutrients preserved | More whole-food nutrition |
| Palatability | Artificial palatants sprayed on | FreshCoat™ natural oils & stocks | Real flavour dogs love |
Scientific References
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Rokey GJ, Plattner B, de Souza EM. Feed extrusion process description. Rev Bras Zootec. 2010;39(Suppl Spe):510–518.
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Huang M, Barcus MC, Blackburn LA, Aldrich G. Nutritional aspects and pet food processing — a review. Foods. 2022;11(13):1986.
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Morin P, Gorman L, Lambrakis LM, Hendriks WH. Vitamin retention during the extrusion of dry pet food. 2021.
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Galli GM et al. Stability of vitamin A during pet food manufacturing. Front Vet Sci. 2024;11:1309754.
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Van Rooijen C, Bosch G, van der Poel AFB, Wierenga PA, Alexander L, Hendriks WH. Reactive lysine content in commercial pet foods. J Nutr Sci. 2014;3:e35.
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Pasqualone A et al. Use of legumes in extrusion cooking: a review. Foods. 2020;9(7):958.
Conclusion
Standard extrusion was designed for convenience and consistency, not optimal nutrition. By contrast, Freshtrusion™ was designed with one goal: to create the best dry dog food possible. Just look for our badge on all our dry dog foods, for freshness, quality, premium dry dog food kibble.
By using fresh ingredients, gentle 82°C steam cooking, and natural flavour infusion, Freshtrusion™ preserves nutrients, protects proteins, and lowers carbohydrate levels — giving dogs food that is safe, convenient, and nutritionally superior.
👉 For owners searching for the best dry dog food, Freshtrusion™ is more than just an alternative to extrusion — it’s a new benchmark.