Pets sure do love their treats – and their owners relish in handing them out.
So much in fact, that the global pet snacks and treats market eclipsed $33 billion in 2021, and is expected to continue growing by nearly 12% through 2030.
Various brands on the market today offer many different flavors and types of treats for our furry friends, both in dry and soft/chewy formats. Although the ingredients differ in each product, glycerin is used in many of them, especially the chewy variety.
What Is Glycerin?
At the most basic level, glycerin is a clear, viscous, moderately sweet, non-toxic liquid.
It derives from triglycerides found in vegetable sources such as soybeans and palm. It is typically produced in large quantities for a multitude of personal care and pharmaceutical products, and pet treats.
Glycerin in Pet Treats
In pet treats, vegetable glycerin is used as a humectant, which acts as a preservative and helps to retain moisture in edible products. It is recognized as functional and safe by the FDA for this use and is a common ingredient in many major and private brands.
But what does it do?
Because glycerin is sweet tasting and odorless, it can improve the palatability of many varieties of pet foods and treats. It also keeps them at the right consistency to stave off mold and maximize shelf life.
Other Uses for Glycerin
In addition to its importance in pet treats, glycerin is a key ingredient in numerous edible, personal, pharmaceutical, and industrial products including:
- Canned soup
- Pasta
- Candy
- Margarine
- Toothpaste
- Anti-freeze
- Skincare products
- Hair conditioners
- Various lotions
- Skin ointments
- Cough syrups
- Paints
- Vapor for e-cigarettes
At Cremer, we are proud to be a leading supplier of Glycerin in the United States, with complete storage, supply chain and logistics handling services.
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