Ancient grains gain traction in pet food formulations

Ancient grains are gaining ground in pet food, not as a fringe ingredient story, but as a broader formulation shift inside grain-inclusive diets. In a July/August 2026 report, Pet Food Processing described how manufacturers are using ingredients such as oats, barley, millet, sorghum, quinoa, and chia to support nutrition targets, product texture, and consumer-facing claims around recognizability and less processed ingredient decks. The article points to activity from Open Farm, Canidae, Freshpet, and Pets Global’s Zignature, showing that the trend has moved beyond niche treats and into mainstream dry and fresh formulas. (petfoodprocessing.net)

Part of the backdrop is the pet food market’s long swing from traditional cereal grains to grain-free diets and now toward more nuanced grain-inclusive positioning. An ADM technical bulletin on ancient grains in pet food notes that demand has risen as pet parents seek alternatives to traditional grains, gluten-containing ingredients, and genetically modified crops, while manufacturers look for new formulation flexibility. At the same time, published canine nutrition studies have found that ancient grains are not a single functional category: true grains such as barley, sorghum, millet, and oat groats behave differently from pseudocereals such as quinoa and amaranth, both nutritionally and during extrusion. (admanimalnutrition.com)

The Pet Food Processing feature makes that practical point clearly. Open Farm’s head of veterinary nutrition told the publication that ancient grains can provide digestible carbohydrates, fiber, plant-based proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals when they’re properly sourced, processed, and used in a complete-and-balanced formula. The article also notes that these ingredients can change batter viscosity, extrusion behavior, texture, and palatability, which means they can’t be treated as interchangeable. Open Farm’s GoodGut line, launched with Lifeway Foods in March 2026, combines oats and barley with prebiotic fibers and a 10-strain probiotic blend delivering 2 billion CFUs per pound of kibble. Zignature’s grain-inclusive puppy formula similarly uses oats, millet, and barley alongside goat milk, reflecting how ancient grains are increasingly being bundled with digestive health and life-stage claims. (petfoodprocessing.net)

There is some research support for using these ingredients, but not for sweeping health claims. A 2021 canine feeding study reported that quinoa, millet, amaranth, and oat groats could serve as primary carbohydrate sources in extruded adult dog foods at inclusion levels up to 40% without detrimental effects on stool quality or macronutrient digestibility. Another study comparing ancient grain and grain-free carbohydrate sources found differences in extrusion parameters and nutrient utilization, reinforcing that processing performance is a core part of formulation success, not just a manufacturing detail. The ADM bulletin likewise argues that understanding nutrient composition and functional properties is essential when replacing one grain source with another. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Industry reaction is tracking closely with broader consumer themes. Freshpet has leaned into ingredient quality and safety messaging after announcing in February 2026 that its full U.S. and Canadian portfolio earned Clean Label Project’s Purity Award. Canidae, meanwhile, has tied grains such as oats, milo, millet, and barley to regenerative agriculture messaging, and Pet Food Processing quotes company representatives describing sustainability and sourcing as part of the appeal. Those signals suggest ancient grains are being used not only for formulation benefits, but also as a bridge between veterinary-adjacent nutrition claims and pet parent expectations around transparency, sustainability, and familiar ingredients. (investors.freshpet.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, this is a reminder to separate ingredient storytelling from diet performance. Ancient grains may add useful fiber types, carbohydrate diversity, and formulation options, but they’re not automatically better than conventional grains, and they don’t override the need to assess the whole diet. That’s especially relevant when pet parents arrive with questions shaped by grain-free fatigue, gut health marketing, or “clean label” language. Clinically, the more useful questions are whether the diet is complete and balanced, how digestible it is, how the pet is tolerating the fiber profile, and whether there are contraindications for that individual patient. Pet Food Processing specifically notes caution around pets that may not tolerate certain fiber levels or plant-based protein sources, and flags higher-oxalate ingredients as a consideration for patients with calcium oxalate urolithiasis histories. (petfoodprocessing.net)

What to watch: Watch for more launches that position ancient grains alongside probiotics, fresh or minimally processed formats, puppy nutrition, and sustainability claims, plus more scrutiny from veterinary nutrition professionals on digestibility data, contaminant testing, and whether brand messaging stays aligned with what the evidence actually shows. (petfoodindustry.com)