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The Food Chain

Factual: Food & Drink

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

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The Food Chain: A Dog's Dinner?

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A Dog's Dinner?

14/05/2016 GMT

BBC World Service - The Food Chain, A Dog's Dinner?

The pet food industry, and its striking similarities to the human food chain

What can the pet food industry tell us about our own human food supply chain? Do cats and dogs eat better than their owners, or have we passed on our own bad eating habits?

Pet food is a global multi-billion dollar industry, but does it cater more to us humans than our four-legged friends? We swap the dinner plate for the dog bowl to find out what we feed our furry companions, and why. 

We examine the pet food supply chain and find out how intertwined it is with our own, both in terms of raw materials and regulation.

And with pet obesity and diabetes increasing in many parts of the world, we ask if we have passed on our own bad eating habits and talk to those trying to reverse the trend. We also hear from a vet on the scientific advisory board for Nestle, the world's second largest pet food manufacturer.

Plus, what do a 19th Century electrician and a sailor's biscuit have to do with modern day pet food. And, from raw food to dog bakeries, we bring you the very latest in pet palette trends, including a taste-test of the most exclusive dog treats available on the market.

(Photo: Dog with food bowl. Credit: Thinkstock)

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