Kangaroo

Kangaroo is a red meat used as a protein source in some foods, mainly in the Oceanian market and in specialised diets, supplying good-quality protein, iron and zinc with a generally low fat content. This leanness gives it moderate energy density, sometimes highlighted for animals on a watched calorie intake. Kangaroo's main appeal lies in its rarity in animal nutrition: very few dogs and cats have been exposed to it, which makes it a useful novel protein for an [elimination diet](/glossary/elimination-diet) aimed at suspected food allergy (veterinary literature). That advantage depends on the animal's real history, and as kangaroo appears in more products its novel character can erode locally. Availability varies greatly by country, and supply stays limited outside its region of origin. On a label, the real share of kangaroo and the absence of other protein sources should be checked in an elimination setting, since the word kangaroo alone does not guarantee a [single-protein](/glossary/single-protein) recipe (NRC, 2006). The marker: kangaroo is a lean, uncommon protein, valued for elimination and variety, provided the dietary history and composition are confirmed. It belongs to the same novel-protein family as [horse](/glossary/horse), [rabbit](/glossary/rabbit) and [venison](/glossary/venison-deer), all of which lose their advantage once an animal has eaten them.

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