 The Maillard reaction is a chemical process that occurs when amino acids are heated together with carbohydrates. This reaction produces compounds that are unavailable for metabolism, resulting in a decrease in the amount of usable protein in the food. The study found that the ratio of reactive lysine, RL, to total lysine, TL, in pet foods varied depending on the type of processing used. Extruded foods had the highest RL, TL ratio, while canned and pelleted foods had lower ratios. The lowest ratio was observed in an extruded food for growing dogs. The researchers also found that the RL content of 8 dry foods for growing dogs was below the minimum lysine requirement, MLR, for growth. Therefore, it is important to ensure that pet foods contain adequate amounts of lysine to meet the needs of growing animals. This article was authored by Charlotte van Ruogen, Guido Bosch, Antonius F. B. van der Poel and others.