Are any freeze-dried foods heat-treated to kill the pathogen?
Hi Ora, that's a great question and one I've struggled to find information on myself. Unfortunately, I haven't come across many freeze-dried cat food companies that cook the products to kill pathogens—they mostly rely on the freeze-drying process to do that. The only option I'm aware of that currently exists is from Weruva. It seems to be a new product, available in chicken or fish flavors.
If there's a specific brand you're wondering about, you can always reach out to their customer support. I recently inquired with a company about the freeze-dried beef heart in one of their supplements and got an answer that didn't fully reassure me. If you're concerned about bird flu, most advice I've read is to avoid freeze-dried raw chicken products and consider avoiding other freeze-dried raw products made on shared equipment. Don't forget that this may apply to kibble infused with freeze-dried raw pieces or with freeze-dried coatings.
I used to feed my cats Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried rabbit but became concerned about cross-contamination with chicken products. I switched to The Honest Kitchen's dehydrated food which offers similar nutritional benefits but it's fully cooked. I'd say other than the new Weruva products, dehydrated food like The Honest Kitchen is probably the most similar to freeze-dried that's fully cooked. Otherwise, high-quality canned food may be your best bet.
Hope that helps!
- Kate