Dehydration

Dehydration is a manufacturing process where raw ingredients are slowly dried at low temperatures (typically 40 to 70 degrees Celsius) to remove water without high-heat cooking. Dehydrated dog food is shelf-stable, denser in nutrients than kibble, and usually requires the owner to add water before serving. The lower processing temperature preserves more heat-sensitive nutrients than extrusion. Dehydration is more expensive than extrusion but less expensive than freeze-drying. Brands like The Honest Kitchen built their entire product line around dehydration as a quality differentiator.