Bobzilla has funded the research of Dr. David Turner, Ph.D who is a member of the Massey Cancer Center research team at Virginia Commonwealth University, Vice Chair of Research & Innovation of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program and founder of the Anti-A.G.E Foundation, a non-profit organization which spreads awareness about the severity of processed foods and their impact on the health span and life span of humans and dogs alike.  

Dr. David Turner, PhD

His work focuses on the prevalence of AGEs, or advanced glycation end products,  in popular dog foods.  AGEs are glycotoxins, which are harmful oxidative compounds that are formed when  food is cooked or processed at high heat, especially when sugars, proteins, and fats react together (think of the browning you see when toasting bread – that’s the same process). While a little is normal, eating a lot of AGEs accumulated in the body over time, which causes stress and inflammation and increased the risk of developing diseases like obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes in both humans and dogs. 

According to Dr. Turner's research, the global pet food market is valued at well over 100 billion dollars, with the most common type of pet food being consumed is kibble, wet canned, then snacks and treats.  Most of these products are ultra-processed for convenience, to prolong shelf-life and keep production costs lows.    

Dr. Turner and his team have estimated that "dog food is about 100 times higher in AGEs than human food,” and and believes that this may "reduce our canine companions quality of life and overall lifespan."   

With Bobzilla's support, he researched and quantified the amount of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) found in ultra-processed foods such as kibble and canned.  

What the research did: 

• They tested 100 commercial dog foods (44 kibbles and 56 canned foods).

• They measured AGEs in different ways: some very specific compounds (CML and MG-H1) and also broader "fluorescent AGEs," which glow under certain light and give an overall measure.

• They compared results across food types and ingredients.

What they found:

• Both kibble and canned foods are very high in AGEs, but canned foods often had more on a per-calorie basis.

• Dogs eating their daily recommended amount could be consuming grams of AGEs every day – far higher than humans typically get.

• Protein- and fat-rich canned foods tended to have more AGEs, while kibble results were more consistent because of standardized processing.

• Looking at only one marker (like CML) underestimates the problem – the real exposure is much larger when all AGEs are considered.

• The way the food is made (high heat, rendering, extrusion, sterilization) is a big driver of AGE levels.

Why it matters:

• High AGE intake may help explain why dogs, like humans, are developing more chronic diseases (obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, cancer).

• Dogs are a good model for studying the effects of ultra-processed diets because they live in the same environments as humans and often eat only processed foods.

• A new “total AGE score” that combines different measurements may be a better way to track dietary risk from processed foods.

Big Implications:

Both people and dogs eating mostly ultra-processed foods are likely consuming a lot of harmful compounds created during manufacturing. For dogs, this could mean higher risk of long-term health problems. Tracking AGEs more carefully – and possibly finding ways to reduce them in food – could help improve health for both pets and humans.

This research will be made available to the public very soon.  

In the meantime, please check out this article from Virginia Commonwealth University's Massey Cancer Center and this article from the Medical University of South Carolina's Hollings Cancer Center to learn more about this Dr. Turner / Bobzilla collab.  

Bobzilla is committed to one hundred percent transparency in all of its scientific research into animal wellness and prevention of disease. Bobzilla believes that every animal and animal lover should benefit from unbiased information. Bobzilla does not seek to profit from any research findings and is dedicated to publicly sharing all findings.

More on AGEs here: