ADVANCING THE STUDY OF RAW NUTRITION
For nearly 25 years, we’ve seen the beneficial impact that raw nutrition has on pets’ health and vitality. Now, we’ve taken the advanced step of demonstrating the efficacy of raw nutrition through peer reviewed research studies.
We partnered with the University of Illinois School of Veterinary Medicine to study the impact of minimally processed, raw nutrition on pet digestibility and gut health. The findings demonstrate what we've known all along: minimally processed, protein-forward raw nutrition is highly digestible and outperforms other commercially available formats.
The Science is In. Minimally Processed, Raw Nutrition Has Optimal Digestibility and Supports a Healthier Gut.
Study 1: All Primal recipes are highly digestible
Key finding: All Primal recipe formats are highly digestible and there is no statistically significant difference in digestibility between Primal's freeze-dried and frozen raw recipes.
What it means: Primal Kibble in the Raw, Freeze-Dried and Frozen Raw Recipes all provide the same high-quality nutritional benefits and digestibility, giving pet parents flexibility without compromise.
study 2: Minimally processed diets are more digestible than diets that undergo high heat processing
Key finding: Both freeze-dried and frozen raw Primal recipes are more digestible than other commercially available formats cooked at high heat.
What it means: Minimally processed, raw nutrition delivers more usable nutrients, supporting optimal energy and wellbeing.
study 3: minimally processed raw nutrition supports improved gut health
Key finding: Dogs fed minimally processed diets (like Primal’s) produced smaller, firmer stools compared to other commercially available formats - a sign of better gut health.
What it means: The way we process our food matters. Less processing preserves nutrients and supports healthier digestion.
How it all began
Our story starts with a dog named Luna, who in early 2000 showed early signs of renal failure. After exhausting every option, Luna’s owner, Matt Koss, took a holistic veterinarian’s advice to switch her to a diet based on bones and raw food. This diet, known as Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF), mimics how animals eat food in the wild.
With fresh hope, Matt created his own, species-appropriate pet food. Luna’s appetite quickly and drastically improved on her new raw diet. She also had more energy and seemed happier.
After seeing the transformative results of raw feeding firsthand, Matt founded Primal Pet Foods to help more dogs and cats live healthy, happy, vibrant lives.
Our Commitment to You and Your Pets
- All Primal complete and balanced recipes are crafted with real, whole foods
- We never use synthetic vitamins or minerals
- Our proteins are responsibly raised without antibiotics, steroids, or added hormones
- We choose only certified USDA Organic fruits and vegetables
- We formulate without use corn, wheat, soy, legumes, or lentils
- We hold ourselves to the highest quality and safety standards
At Primal We Believe All Pets Deserve to Live in their prime
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Raw for all
We’re committed to making raw nutrition more convenient and accessible for all pets and their parents. We offer a range of frozen and shelf-stable recipes, toppers, and hydrators to satisfy the needs of all pets.
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Raw Without Worry
Our recipes are crafted to high standards. We’re picky about our ingredients and where they come from. We use high-pressure processing, a unique blend of probiotics and a test-and-hold protocol to ensure food safety.
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Raw Expertise
We pioneered raw pet food more than 20 years ago. Today, we continue to perfect our raw recipes for pets. Every recipe is formulated by a team led by our companion animal nutritionist and made in our U.S. kitchens.
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