A palatability enhancing composition for extruded pet food containing at least one tripolyphosphate salt in an amount effective to enhance palatability and at least one ingredient selected from meat products, meat by-products, fish products, fish by-products, dairy products, dairy by-products, sources of microbial proteins, vegetable proteins, carbohydrates and amino acids. Methods for enhancing pet food palatability with the disclosed palatability enhancing compositions and extruded pet food compositions coated therewith are also disclosed.