Pet Nutrition Column

Taurine, also known as β-aminoethylsulfonic acid, was first isolated from ox bile, which is how it got its name. Pure taurine appears as colorless or white crystals and is odorless. It is a stable chemical compound, insoluble in organic solvents like ether, and is a sulfur-containing non-protein amino acid that exists in a free form in the body, not participating in protein biosynthesis. Although taurine does not play a direct role in protein synthesis, it is closely related to the metabolism of cysteine and homocysteine.