Uso de corantes artificiais nas rações para cães e potenciais efeitos no comportamento
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Data
2020-12-03
Autores
Scheibel, Suellen
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Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Resumo
Corantes artificiais tornam os alimentos mais atrativos para os humanos, mas parecem ter pouca influência nas escolhas dos cães. Há décadas esse tipo de aditivo é suspeito de causar problemas a saúde. Logo, o objetivo desde trabalho foi levantar informações sobre a percepção dos tutores e das empresas de alimentos para animais de companhia em relação ao uso de corantes; foi avaliado o efeito do azo corante vermelho ponceau 4R sobre o comportamento de cães, assim como a preferência alimentar desta espécie em relação ao aditivo. Informações foram coletadas através de questionários on-line, um destinado aos tutores brasileiros (n= 4111) e outro a empresas produtoras de alimento para animais de companhia (n= 34). As respostas foram analisadas por meio de estatística descritiva, qui-quadrado e análise de correspondência múltipla. Para o estudo comportamental, utilizou-se doze cães da raça Beagle. Foram compostas três dietas, (controle com 0% de corante, T1 com 0,05% e o T2 com 0,20% de corante), todas com a mesma formulação, diferindo apenas na dosagem do aditivo. Por 17 dias os cães consumiram apenas a dieta controle, e após, por 21 dias receberam os tratamentos (n=4), sendo filmados durante sete horas por dia nesse período. Para o estudo da preferência, foram utilizados 20 cães de diversas raças. Os tratamentos foram organizados em três desafios, nos quais anotou-se qual dieta o cão se aproximou com o focinho primeiro e qual foi ingerida primeiro, além da mais consumida. Empregou-se o teste de modelos lineares mistos generalizados para os dados comportamentais, e para o teste de preferência utilizou-se teste de Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney e teste t de Student, todos a 5% de probabilidade. Os resultados dos questionários mostram que 92,56% dos tutores forneciam ração aos cães e o alimento ofertado era de boa qualidade (38,56% premium e 29,75% super premium). Em relação a embalagem, 87,67% compram o alimento de sacos lacrados, mas 68,24% não seguem as recomendações da embalagem ao arraçoar os cães. Apenas uma pequena porcentagem de pessoas prefere rações com corantes (0,97%) e correlacionam-se (P<0,05) aos tutores que não souberam informar a qualidade da ração. Quase a totalidade dos tutores (96,52%) acreditam que corantes artificiais prejudicam a saúde, por isso a maioria (93,99%) optaria por ração sem corante, se esta possuir preço similar a colorida e 37,90% disseram já ter adquirido rações mais coloridas que o padrão. Alguns tutores (34,86%) presumiram que seus cães apresentaram alterações na saúde, após o consumo de alimentos com corantes. Em relação as empresas, 47,06% produzem alimentos com corantes artificiais, porém 81,25% são favoráveis a redução de corantes no alimento para animais e 85,29% acreditam que esses aditivos não têm vantagens de uso, além de causarem efeitos colaterais no organismo. Os resultados do estudo comportamental mostram que o tratamento com 0,20% do corante apresentou maior frequência (P<0,05) do comportamento coçar, e o tratamento 0,05% mostrou aumento das vocalizações e comportamentos indicativos de ansiedade. O teste da cruz elevada mostrou resultados significativos (P<0,05) para o tratamento com 0,20% do aditivo, com menor número de entrada e menor tempo em braço aberto, comportamento relacionado a ansiedade. O teste de preferência apresentou maiores frequências de escolha pelos cães para ração controle (sem corante), seguida do tratamento com 0,05% de corante para primeira ingestão e consumo (P<0,05). Conclui-se que os tutores estão evitando alimentos com corantes artificiais, por acreditarem que não fazem bem a saúde de seus cães, e as empresas se mostraram dispostas a diminuir o uso de corantes artificiais em rações e petiscos. O corante vermelho ponceau 4R causou alterações no comportamento de cães, comprometendo o bem-estar dos animais, além de ser menos apreciado por eles, em comparação ao alimento sem o corante.
Artificial dyes make food more attractive to humans, but appear to have little influence on dog choices. This type of additive has been suspected of causing health problems for decades. Therefore, the objective of this study was to gather information about the perception of tutors and the pet food industry in relation to the use of dyes; it was evaluated the effect of the use of azo ponceau red 4R dye on the behavior of dogs, as well as the food preference of this specie in relation to the additive. Information was collected through on-line questionnaires, one for Brazilian tutors (n= 4111) and the other for pet food companies (n= 34). Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and multiple correspondence analysis. For the behavioral study, twelve Beagle dogs were used. Three diets were composed (control with 0% dye, T1 with 0.05% and T2 with 0.20% dye), all with the same formulation, differing only in the dosage of the additive. For 17 days, the dogs consumed only the control diet, and then, for 21 days, they received the treatments (n=4), being recorded for seven hours a day during this period. For the preference study, 20 dogs of different breeds were used. Treatments were organized into three challenges, in which it was identified which diet the dog approached with the muzzle first and which was ingested first, in addition to the most consumed. Generalized mixed linear model test was used for the behavioral data, and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test and Student t test were used for the preference test, all at 5% probability. The results of the questionnaires showed that 92.56% of the tutors provided dog food, and the food offered was of good quality (38.56% premium and 29.75% super premium). Regarding packaging, 87.67% buy pet food from sealed bags, but 68.24% do not follow the packaging recommendations when feeding dogs. Only a small percentage of people preferred diets with dyes (0.97%) and correlated (P<0.05) with tutors who did not know the quality of the food. Almost all tutors (96.52%) believed that artificial dyes harm health, so the majority (93.99%) would opt for food without dye, if it has a similar price to color, and 37.90% said they already had acquired more colorful food than the standard. Some tutors (34.86%) presumed that their dogs showed changes in health after consuming food with dyes. Regarding companies, 47.06% produce foods with artificial colors, however, 81.25% are favorable to the reduction of dyes in pet food, and 85.29% believe that these additives do not have advantages in use, besides causing side effects in the organism. The results of the behavioral study showed that animals consuming food with 0.20% of the dye showed a higher frequency (P<0.05) of scratching behavior, and animals on 0.05% treatment showed an increase in vocalizations and behaviors indicative of anxiety. The elevated plus-maze test showed significant results (P<0.05) for treatment, with those animals consuming 0.20% of the additive, with less number of entries and less time in the open arm, behavior related to anxiety. The preference test showed higher frequencies of choice for dogs consuming control diets, followed by treatment with 0.05% dye for the first intake and consumption (P<0.05). It is concluded that tutors are avoiding foods with artificial colors because they believe they are not good for the health of their dogs and companies were willing to decrease the use of artificial colors in pet food. The red dye ponceau 4R caused changes in the behavior of dogs, compromising the welfare of the animals, in addition to being less appreciated by them, compared to diets without dye.
Artificial dyes make food more attractive to humans, but appear to have little influence on dog choices. This type of additive has been suspected of causing health problems for decades. Therefore, the objective of this study was to gather information about the perception of tutors and the pet food industry in relation to the use of dyes; it was evaluated the effect of the use of azo ponceau red 4R dye on the behavior of dogs, as well as the food preference of this specie in relation to the additive. Information was collected through on-line questionnaires, one for Brazilian tutors (n= 4111) and the other for pet food companies (n= 34). Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and multiple correspondence analysis. For the behavioral study, twelve Beagle dogs were used. Three diets were composed (control with 0% dye, T1 with 0.05% and T2 with 0.20% dye), all with the same formulation, differing only in the dosage of the additive. For 17 days, the dogs consumed only the control diet, and then, for 21 days, they received the treatments (n=4), being recorded for seven hours a day during this period. For the preference study, 20 dogs of different breeds were used. Treatments were organized into three challenges, in which it was identified which diet the dog approached with the muzzle first and which was ingested first, in addition to the most consumed. Generalized mixed linear model test was used for the behavioral data, and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test and Student t test were used for the preference test, all at 5% probability. The results of the questionnaires showed that 92.56% of the tutors provided dog food, and the food offered was of good quality (38.56% premium and 29.75% super premium). Regarding packaging, 87.67% buy pet food from sealed bags, but 68.24% do not follow the packaging recommendations when feeding dogs. Only a small percentage of people preferred diets with dyes (0.97%) and correlated (P<0.05) with tutors who did not know the quality of the food. Almost all tutors (96.52%) believed that artificial dyes harm health, so the majority (93.99%) would opt for food without dye, if it has a similar price to color, and 37.90% said they already had acquired more colorful food than the standard. Some tutors (34.86%) presumed that their dogs showed changes in health after consuming food with dyes. Regarding companies, 47.06% produce foods with artificial colors, however, 81.25% are favorable to the reduction of dyes in pet food, and 85.29% believe that these additives do not have advantages in use, besides causing side effects in the organism. The results of the behavioral study showed that animals consuming food with 0.20% of the dye showed a higher frequency (P<0.05) of scratching behavior, and animals on 0.05% treatment showed an increase in vocalizations and behaviors indicative of anxiety. The elevated plus-maze test showed significant results (P<0.05) for treatment, with those animals consuming 0.20% of the additive, with less number of entries and less time in the open arm, behavior related to anxiety. The preference test showed higher frequencies of choice for dogs consuming control diets, followed by treatment with 0.05% dye for the first intake and consumption (P<0.05). It is concluded that tutors are avoiding foods with artificial colors because they believe they are not good for the health of their dogs and companies were willing to decrease the use of artificial colors in pet food. The red dye ponceau 4R caused changes in the behavior of dogs, compromising the welfare of the animals, in addition to being less appreciated by them, compared to diets without dye.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Comportamento, Cães, Corantes, Anxiety, Health, Pet food, Ponceau red, Preference, Tutors