Isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMO) in Pet Food Applications
Resists host upper gastrointestinal enzyme digestion
Selectively ferments by bifidobacteria and lactobacilli
Provides mild sweetness at 50 to 60 percent sucrose level
Excellent thermal and acid stability during processing
Isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMO) in Pet Food Applications
What Are Imorawel™Isomalto-oligosaccharides?
Mild Sweetness, Prebiotic Digestive Health
Imorawel™Isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMO) are functional oligosaccharides produced from starch or starch-based raw materials through enzymatic conversion, refining, and concentration. Their primary components include isomaltose, panose, isomaltotriose, and higher oligosaccharides linked by alpha-1,6 glycosidic bonds. Imorawel™IMO appears as a white to pale yellow powder with a sweetness of approximately 50 to 60 percent that of sucrose, serving as a versatile ingredient that combines mild sweetness, dietary fiber content, and significant digestive health benefits.
The molecular structure of Imorawel™IMO contains abundant alpha-1,6 glycosidic linkages that resist hydrolysis by host digestive enzymes in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This enables Imorawel™IMO to reach the large intestine relatively intact, where it is selectively utilized by beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, exerting prebiotic effects.
IMO demonstrates good thermal stability and moisture retention, maintaining performance under baking, extrusion, and sterilization conditions. It also offers low viscosity, good solubility, and anti-crystallization properties, helping pet food manufacturers optimize product texture while aligning with clean label trends.
Health Benefits
Prebiotic Effect
Imorawel™IMO resists degradation by host stomach acid and upper gastrointestinal digestive enzymes, reaching the large intestine intact where it is selectively fermented by beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria, promoting their proliferation and improving gut microbiota balance.
Improves Digestive Function
Beneficial bacteria ferment Imorawel™IMO to produce short-chain fatty acids such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which lower intestinal pH, inhibit pathogenic bacteria, stimulate peristalsis, and help relieve constipation and improve stool quality.
Supports Immune Function
Improvement of gut microbiota helps strengthen the intestinal mucosal barrier and promotes secretion of immunoglobulin A (IgA), thereby supporting overall immune system function.
Enhances Mineral Absorption
Short-chain fatty acids produced by Imorawel™IMO fermentation lower luminal pH, improving the solubility and absorption of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, with particular benefits for calcium uptake and bone health.
Dental Friendly
Imorawel™IMO is not readily fermented by cariogenic oral bacteria to produce acid, does not significantly lower dental plaque pH, and helps reduce caries risk, making it suitable for oral care formulations.
Application Advantages
Gut Health & Prebiotic Value
As a widely validated prebiotic, Imorawel™IMO effectively promotes the proliferation of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the canine and feline gut, improving stool quality and digestive health, making it a cost-effective choice for digestive health formulas and functional treats.
Mild Sweetness & Weight Management
With sweetness at approximately 50 to 60 percent of sucrose, Imorawel™IMO provides a mild, clean sweetness that enhances palatability without being overpowering, while its lower caloric value helps control overall treat calories, aligning with weight management trends.
Processing Stability & Texture Preservation
Imorawel™IMO demonstrates excellent thermal and acid stability, maintaining molecular integrity under demanding processing conditions like biscuit baking, chew extrusion, and retorting. Its outstanding moisture retention and anti-crystallization properties preserve soft texture in soft chews, meat strips, and semi-moist foods, preventing surface cracking and sugar bloom.
Oral Care & Functional Synergy
Its non-cariogenic properties make it ideal for dental chews and oral care treats, working synergistically with dental ingredients like maltitol and chitosan oligosaccharide. Furthermore, Imorawel™IMO can be combined with other prebiotics, probiotics, dietary fibers, and functional extracts to build multi-layered gut health and immune support systems.
Real-World Applications
Product Information
Brand: Inaba Kyoha Kodawari | Company: Inaba Petfood (Parent: Inaba Foods)
No added sugar, human-grade frozen dog ice cream launched in September 2025. Pack Size: 80ml paper cup with white liner | Price: $2.97 / EUR2.54 / JPY439. Flavor: Goat cheese.
Key Ingredients
Imorawel™IMO Application Value
In this dog ice cream from Japanese pet food leader Inaba, Imorawel™IMO is the second ingredient, surpassed only by soy milk, serving three core functions: sweetener, texture modifier, and prebiotic. With the product positioned as no added sugar, IMO replaces sucrose with its mild sweetness at 50 to 60 percent of sucrose, delivering clean sweetness without refined sugar and aligning with clean label and healthy treat trends. As a frozen dessert, ice cream is prone to ice crystal formation and coarse texture during freeze-thaw cycles; Imorawel™IMO excellent anti-crystallization and moisture retention properties effectively inhibit ice crystal growth, maintaining a smooth and creamy texture, while its low viscosity does not interfere with overrun or scoopability. The prebiotic function adds health value to an indulgent treat, allowing dogs to enjoy a cool summer dessert while consuming prebiotics that promote beneficial gut bacteria. Using soy milk rather than cow milk or cream as the base, combined with goat milk powder and honey, the product builds a layered flavor profile with both plant and animal proteins, and Imorawel™IMO mild sweetness does not mask the natural goat cheese flavor.
Product Innovation Highlights
Human-Grade Frozen Dessert Concept: Transplants the full premium human dessert experience into the dog treat category with an 80ml single-serve cup, frozen storage, human-grade ingredients, and no added sugar.
Digestive-Friendly Base: Soy milk as the first ingredient reduces lactose content, while goat milk powder provides quality protein and distinctive flavor, complemented by honey and egg yolk.
Strategic High-Content Positioning: Imorawel™IMO high ranking as the second ingredient is key to delivering the product three core selling points: no added sugar, prebiotic benefit, and smooth texture.
Product Information
Brand: Forcans Nutrition Treats | Company: Forcans
Premium functional soft chews launched on February 10, 2026. Pack Size: 160g flexible pouch (3 x 160g in a 480g eco-friendly box) | Price: $19.99 / EUR16.86 / KRW29,000. Flavor: Original / unflavored.
Key Ingredients
Imorawel™IMO Application Value
In this premium immune functional soft chew from Korean brand Forcans, Imorawel™IMO is the second ingredient after tapioca, serving as a core functional and textural component. Imorawel™IMO plays four roles in this formula: first, as a prebiotic it provides nutritional substrate for beneficial gut bacteria, and since the gut is the largest immune organ in dogs, gut health directly supports immune function, closely aligning with the product immune health positioning; second, Imorawel™IMO mild sweetness and excellent moisture retention deliver the ideal elasticity and soft chew texture, maintaining pliability without hardness even at the relatively low water activity of moisture no more than 14 percent; third, Imorawel™IMO anti-crystallization properties prevent surface sugar bloom or white crystallization during storage, preserving visual consistency; fourth, IMO works synergistically with glycerin in a humectant system, partially replacing sucrose and corn syrup and reducing overall sugar content and calories. Red ginseng extract and propolis are traditional Korean immune functional ingredients, and together with zinc acetate and vitamins, IMO provides systemic immune support from the gut immunity dimension.
Product Innovation Highlights
Traditional & Modern Immune Matrix: Features Korean traditional immune ingredients red ginseng and high-content propolis combined with zinc and vitamins.
Gut-Immunity Axis Integration: IMO ranked as the second ingredient establishes prebiotic gut health as the foundational pillar of systemic immune support.
Sustainable Eco-Packaging & Safety: Uses recycled kraft paper boxes printed with soy-based inks and minimized plastic, backed by HACCP certification.
Product Information
Brand: Don Kat | Company: Jiangsu Matchwell Pet Products
Hypoallergenic, grain-free creamy meat puree launched on June 8, 2026. Pack Size: 12g long soft sachet (4 x 12g totaling 48g) | Price: $2.12 / EUR1.80 / COP7,800. Flavor: Salmon.
Key Ingredients
Imorawel™IMO Application Value
In this Don Kat salmon creamy cat treat contract-manufactured by a Chinese supplier for the Colombian market, Imorawel™IMO is the seventh ingredient, following six animal-source ingredients, and is the sole functional carbohydrate and prebiotic in the formula. The product builds a high-meat formula (protein at least 8 percent) with five animal-source ingredients: water, salmon, chicken, tuna, and scallop, with moisture content up to 85 percent, creating a smooth, creamy meat puree. Imorawel™IMO serves three primary roles: first, as a prebiotic it supports feline gut health, and for cats on high-animal-protein diets, an appropriate amount of prebiotic helps balance gut microbiota and improve stool quality; second, IMO low viscosity and high solubility allow it to disperse uniformly in the high-moisture meat puree system without increasing viscosity, preserving the characteristic smooth, squeezable texture of cat puree treats; third, Imorawel™IMO mild sweetness subtly enhances the layering and palatability of fish flavors without producing an obvious sweet taste, while its thermal stability ensures prebiotic activity survives the high-temperature sterilization of the 12g single-serve pouch. The grain-free, preservative-free, artificial-color-free formula with only taurine and vitamin E added places IMO in a minimalist ingredient list where it carries both functional and palatability roles.
Product Innovation Highlights
Global Supply Chain Integration: Manufactured by Jiangsu Matchwell in China for Latin America, featuring real salmon, no preservatives, and a grain-free claim.
Multi-Protein & Hydration Focus: Combines salmon, chicken, tuna, and scallop with 85% moisture to encourage voluntary water intake in cats.
Clean Minimalist Prebiotic Formula: Uses Imorawel™IMO as the sole functional prebiotic carbohydrate to provide digestive health differentiation in a clean label puree treat.
Product Information
Brand: Snausages | Company: Snausages
High-protein prebiotic milk replacer for puppies (new packaging launched May 28, 2020). Pack Size: 10g metalized film sachet | Price: $11.19 / EUR10.16 / CNY79. Flavor: Original / unflavored.
Key Ingredients
Imorawel™IMO Application Value
In this prebiotic puppy formula milk powder from Chinese brand Snausages, Imorawel™IMO is the fourth ingredient, following goat milk powder, vegetable oil, and whey protein, and is the sole carbohydrate source and core prebiotic in the formula. Puppies, especially during weaning, have underdeveloped digestive systems with gut microbiota still being established. As an oligosaccharide resistant to host digestive enzymes, Imorawel™IMO reaches the large intestine to provide nutrition for bifidobacteria and other beneficial bacteria, helping puppies rapidly establish healthy gut microbiota and reducing the risk of weaning diarrhea and digestive upset. Goat milk powder and whey protein provide high-quality dairy protein, vegetable oil supplies essential fatty acids, and bovine colostrum provides immunoglobulins (IgY yolk immunoglobulin and colostrum powder), while Imorawel™IMO forms a dual passive-and-active immune support system with colostrum from the gut microecology perspective. Imorawel™IMO low sweetness and low caloric value suit puppies sensitive taste and nutritional needs without creating excessive sweet preference. In addition, Imorawel™IMO demonstrates good solubility and anti-hygroscopicity in powder products, helping the milk powder dissolve quickly without clumping during reconstitution and maintaining powder flowability throughout the 10g sachet shelf life. The comprehensive vitamin and mineral matrix works synergistically with Imorawel™IMO mineral absorption enhancement to improve bioavailability of calcium and trace elements for growing puppies.
Product Innovation Highlights
Early Prebiotic Integration: One of the pioneering products in China to introduce prebiotics into pet milk replacers to establish puppy gut microecology.
Dual Immunity Protection: Pairs active immunity support from IMO prebiotics with passive immunity support from bovine colostrum and IgY yolk immunoglobulin.
Precision Powder Delivery: Single-serve 10g metalized film sachets ensure precise dosing, fast solubility without clumping, and excellent moisture protection.
Company Introduction
Leading Global Manufacturer of Functional Sweeteners Since 1997
Baolingbao Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is a leading global manufacturer specializing in the R&D, manufacturing, and solution services of functional carbohydrates. Founded in 1997, we are focused on enzyme engineering and fermentation engineering, serving customers across more than 100 countries and regions worldwide.
In 2009, we became the first functional sugar company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 002286) in China's A-share market. Today, we have established deep strategic partnerships with major global customers including Coca-Cola, Danone, Yili Group, and Perfect (China).The company operates on a site spanning 300 acres, with an annual production capacity of 600,000 tons and a workforce of 1,300 employees.
Advanced R&D Capabilities
Possessing 9 R&D platforms including national enterprise technology center, national-local joint engineering lab, and postdoctoral research workstation. Expert team composed of academicians, Taishan Scholars, and overseas experts.
Global Market Presence
Products exported to over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Strategic partnerships with majority of core customers across food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and dietary supplement industries.
World-Class Manufacturing
Baolingbao's production infrastructure is characterized by a high degree of automation, intelligence, and digitalization. The company has made substantial investments in key facilities, including drying towers, pharmaceutical-grade sugar production lines, digital erythritol plants, and intelligent stereo warehouses. Featuring internationally sourced technologies and advanced control systems, these initiatives have enhanced production efficiency, reduced energy consumption, and enabled full traceability across the supply chain.In support of sustainable operations, Baolingbao manages 40,000 mu (approximately 2,667 hectares) of regenerative agricultural planting bases and generates 10 million kWh of photovoltaic power annually.
Comprehensive Quality Assurance
First batch to pass FDA on-site audit. Certified with GMP, GRAS, HALAL, Kosher, Organic (US & EU standards), ISO9001/22000/14000/45001. End-to-end food safety from farm to table.
Innovation & Industry Leadership
Over 260 patent applications submitted with 97 patents granted and more than 70 core technologies developed. Actively participated in formulation of 1 international standard and over 30 national standards.
Contact Us
baolingbao@blb-cn.com
