Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a semi-moist pet food and
more particularly to a semi-moist pet food utilizing a vegetable
protein, starch or flour, and at least one substantially neutral
chelating agent in combination to replace at least part of the
casein salt component of the semi-moist pet food.
Within the class of foods known as pet foods, there
are three basic subdivision: 1) dry pet food containing low ;
moistures; 2) semi-moist pet food containing medium moistures;
and 3) moist pet foods containing high moistures~ The moisture
10 content is determined by considering both the water present in ;
the final product and the water combined with the various com-
ponents that make up the final product. In general, the dry
pet food tends to be the most stable and re~uires no special
handling or packaging upon distribution. The semi-moist pet
food tends to be less stable than the dry pet food and requires
a more careful packaging system. However, the semi-moist pet
food requires no refrigerated storage, and tends to be microbio-
logically and bacteriologically stable due to the presence of
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various stabilizlng agents. The moist pet food requires strin-
20 gent canning conditions. In fact, the moist pet food is canned
and sterilized by retorting in the usual manner. When the can is
opened, the pet food not consumed must be refrigerated to preserve
it. Thus, it may be seen that -- after a pet food is opened and
partially used -- the dry pet food is the most stable pet food;
` the semi-moist of medium stability and the moist of lowest stabil-
ity. When considering palatability, generally speaking the moist
pet food tends to be the most palatable and the dry pet food tends
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to be the least palatable. The semi-moist pet food falls some-
where in between the moist and the dry pet food as to palata-
bility. It follows that both as to palatability and s ability
the semi-moist pet ~ood ranks in between the dry and the moist
pet ~ood. This ranking permits the semi-moist pet ~ood to pro-
vide both shelf stability and palatability. In other words, a
pet owner using a semi-moist pet food has fewer problems storing
a pet food which his pet will eat.
The advantages of a semi-moist pet ~ood thus become
obvious. In semi-moist pet foods and other processed foods,
casein derivatives such as sodium caseinate provide a highly
suitable material. This material can be classi~ied as a thermo-
plastic protein, is a good moisture and meat binder, and can be
the basis of a good extrudable material. Furthermore, this
material has such a high protein content, that it is used as a
standard for determining or measuring protein quality of other
protein-containing materials. So, in addition to the process-
ing advantages of using caseinate, there is also a nutritional
advantage due to the protein provided thereby. It thus becomes
obvious why this material is so widely used in the food process-
ing art and especially in the pet food art. However, the pricing ;
of casein derivatives such as sodium caseinate are very high due
to the economic conditions associated with milk processing. This ;
price is so high, that it is economically unfeasible to use the
amounts of caseinate in pet foods that are currently being used
or desired. It follows that it is desirable to develop a replace-
ment for at least some of the casein in order to bring down final
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product cost.
The unique qualities of casein salts - such as for
example sodium, calcium, magnesium, ammonium, and potassium
caseinate - render them difficult to replace. ~ot only must
the replacement provide protein and processability, the
appearance and flavor of the product must be substantially
maintained. For example, it is customary to extrude semi-
moist pet foods. Specifically, semi-moist pet food containing
caseinate derivatives are easily extrudable. It follows that
the replacement for this component should also provide easy
extrudability for the product in order to avoid substantial
changes in machinery and manufacturing e~uipment. The protein
level of the replacement must remain high and the palatability
of the product containing the replacement must remain substan-
tially the same.
Replacing a part of a casein derivative, such as sodi-
i um caseinate, creates further problems. Dilutions of the sodium -
~` caseinate concentration in a pet food tend to reduce the overall
effect of the sodium caseinate. As the concentration of sodium
caseinate is decreased and replaced by another componant, the
solubility, thermal properties, and elastic and structure forming
properties contributed by caseinates to the dough are reduced.
Thus, even partial replacement of sodium caseinate causes prob-
~`i lems due to the fact that the effect of the remaining sodium
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caseinate is reduced.
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Thus it may be seen that while costs have made casein
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derivatives an unacceptable component of a pet food, it is never-
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theless difficult to replace a product component providing so
many advantages.
Therefore, this invention provides an improved pet
food of the semi-moist category.
This invention further provides a semi moist pet
food having at least part of the casein derivative ~ t
replaced without minimizing the effect of the remaining
casein derivative.
The invention resides in a marbled, semi-moist
pet food comprising~ about 5 percent to about 50 percent by
weight meat or meat by-products; about 15 to about 50 percent
by welght moisture content; about 5 percent to about 35
percent by weight sugar; up to about 1 percent by weight of
` an antimycotic; about 1 to about 20 percent by weight
polyhydric component; and casein salt, the improvement com-
prising replacing at least part of the casein salt with about
1 to about 26 percent by weight vegetable protein; about 4
to about 25 percent by weight starch; and at least 0.01
''!` percent by weight of at least one edible substantially
20 neutral chelating agent - wherein the pH of the pet food is -
- 6.3 to 7.2
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This invention also provides a semi-moist pet food
`~ containing an effective binder system. i~
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The invention further provides a semi-moist pet food `~
containing an extrudable binder. ;
The invention still further provides a semi-moist ;`
pet food having a high protein content.
The invention further provides a semi-moist pet food
product having a low cost binder.
The invention further provides a semi-moist pet food
having good processability.
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,; A semi-moist pet food is manufactured by including in
the process a vegetable protein, an amylaceous material, and a
substantially neutral chelating agent to form a composition which
replaces at least in part the caseinate binder customarily pre-
sent in a semi-moist pet food.
~ highly successful semi-moist pet food is disclosed
in U.S. Patent 3,380,832 to Bone and U.S. Patent 3,765,902 to
Charter incorporated herein by reference. These patents produce
a solid, semi-moist, marbled meat pet food. The product pro-
duced by the method disclosed therein is highly acceptable as a
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, pet ~ood. The above-mentioned patents are incorporated herein
' by reference because the method and product disclosed therein `~
are substantially the same as the method and product disclosed
in this application. The major improvement of this application
over the cited patents is the replacement of the caseinate binder
, in whole or in part with a combination of vegetable protein,
amylaceous ingredient, and a substantially neutral chelating
agent. The vegetable protein, the amylaceous ingredient and
substantially neutral chelator combine to make a less expensive
~ 20 binder system which approaches the acceptability of the product
; using the casein derivative binder.
Vegetable protein is added to the pet food in an amount
ranging from about 1 percent to about 26 percent by weight of
the pet food to replace the protein content lost by removal of
the caseinate salt. These vegetable proteins replace the casein
derivatives up to and including 100 percent by weight of the
casein derivative. It is especially preferred that the vegetable ~ -
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protein used replaces the caseinate salt to give substantially
the same amount of protein from both a quality and quantity
standpoint. Thisvegetable protein is combined with the amylace-
ous systen~ and a chelator to provida a means for replacing all
functions of the caseinate in the food. Since caseinate is a
high quality protein, it may require more vegetable protein to
obtain the same nutritional quality depending on the quality of
vegetable protein used. In view of the teachings herein, such
adjustments are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art~
Vegetable proteins suitable for use in this invention
include an oil seed protein, and mixtures thereof. Typical oil
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seeds include soybean, cottonseed, and peanut~ The oil seeds
are usable in their meal, concentrate, isolate, or flour form,
or mixtures ~hereof. The oll seed protein may also be modified
by acid, or enzymatic hydrolysis. The preferred vegetable pro-
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tein f~ruse in this pet food is SQy protein isolate tapproximately90 percent protein) or soy protein concentrate (approximately 70
percent protein).
Amylaceous components, such as starch or starch contain-
ing components exemplified by the cereal grains, are also criti-
cal components of this invention. Such suitable components are
listed in U.S. Patent 3,962,462 to Burkwall et al. Regular corn
starch, pregelatinized wheat ~lour, amylopectin corn starch, acid
hydrolyzed corn starch, and mixtures thereof are especially suit-
able to combine with the vegetable protein and the neutralized ~-
acidic chelating agent to replace the caseinate salt and its
function.
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~ bout 4 to about 25 percent by weight of the final
product is generally comprised of a starch or mixture of
starches. More preferably, the starch or mixture thereof is
rom about 6 to 20 percent by weight o the inal product.
Most preEerably, the desired concentration of the starch or
mi~tures thereo is from about 8 percent to about 15 percent by
weight o the final product. Most preerably, the desired con-
centration o the starch or mixtures thereof is rom about 8
percent to about 15 percent by weight o the final product. ~;
Generally speaking, a substantially neutral p~ is
required for caseinate salts to funckion properly during extru-
sion. The isoelectric point of a caseinate protein is around
4.6. As this point is approached, the caseinate becomes less
and less functional even to the point of becoming an insoluble
' non-functional curd called casein which does not have the desir-
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able properties ~or use in a semi-moist pet ood. This feature
is also required or the caseinate replacement o this invention.
Specifically, the caseinate replacement for this invention oper-
ates in a substantially neutral pH. By "substantially neutral"
is meant that the pH range for the pet food covers the field of
about 6.1 to 8.00 More preferably, the pH range is 6.2 to 7.5.
Substantially improved results are obtained which lead to the
conclusion that the most preerred range is 6.3 to 7.2.
Suitable chelating agents for use herein are listed
in the ~andbook of Food Additives published by CRC Press,
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- Cleveland, Ohio, copyright 1972 (Library of Congress Catalog
- Card ~umber 68-21741). ;
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- For the purposes of this application, a substantially
neutral chelating agent is defined as a chelator that is not ;
acidic in nature. Acidic chelating agents are discussed in
copending U.S~ Patent Application Serial ~o. (Docket No. 469A)
of Burkwall filed concurrently herewith as a c~ntinuation-in-
part of U.S. Serial No. 59~,~15 filed July 23, 1975.
Desirable neutral chelating agents are the non-acid
chelators that are food approved or otherwise edible. By non-
acid, is also meant those chelators which will n~t alter the
pH of the final food composition sufficiently to take it outside
the desired pH ranges. While ~he desired pH range is usually
obtained in the pet food, adjustment of the p~ is possible by
using an edible acid or base. The edible acid may even be used
to adjust the p~, if the pH is too basic due to a chelator salt
` which is basic in nature, and still achieves the objectives of
the invention. Typical chelators of this class include materials
such as the citrates, ethylenediaminetetraacetates, metaphosph-
ates, polyphosphates, and pyrophosphates. Typical citric acid
salts for use in this invention include the sodium, the potassium,
the calcium, the monoglyceride, the mono isopropyl, the stearyl,
and the triethyl salts of citric acid. The ethylenediaminetetra-
acetate salts are further examples of non-acid chelating agents.
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Especially preferred salts are sodium pyrophosphate, sodium
hexametaphosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, disodium calcium
ethylenediaminetetraacetate, and disodium dihydrogen ethylene-
diaminetetraacetate. These salts must be edible in order to be
suitable for use in foods.
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Generally speaking, at least 0.01 percent by weight
of the pet food is chelating agent. More preferably, the chelat-
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ing agent comprises about 0.01 percent to about 5 percent by
, weight of the pet food. More preferably, the sodium caseinate
replacement comprises about 0.1 to about 4 percent by weight.
~he best results are obtained with about 0.2 to about 2 percent
~ by weight chelatin~ agent in the pet food.
: A major constituent of the animal ood is meat or
meat by-products. By "meat" is meant the flesh of cattle, swine,
10 sheep, goats, horses, whale, and other mammals, poultry and fish.
The term "meat by-products" includes such constituents as are
embraced by that term in the Definition of Feed Ingredients
published by the Association of American Feed Control Officials,
` Inc. The animal food of this invention comprises about 5 per-
cent to about 50 percent by weight meat by-products or meat.
Hereafter, the term "meat" includes both meat, meat b~-products
and meat meals. Various types of meat can be mixed to form the
meat portion of this animal food. Various mixtures of meat
adjust the flavor of the animal food. An acceptable range of ,
meat for this animal food includes 15 percent to 40 percent.
The preferred range of meat for this product is from about 20 ,~
percent to about 35 percent by weight of the total product.
This concentration of meat is the concentration that provides
the most effective use of meat for palatability and nutrition
while at the same time being the most cost effective. The pre-
ferred meat by-products are light in color and include beef`
tripe, beef intestines, partially defatted pork tissue, other
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light colored by-products and mixtures thereof. -
The moisture content of this product is about 15 per-
cent to about 50 percent by weight, or more preferably 20 per-
cent to 40 percent. Above about 50 percent by weight the pro-
duct is too sloppy and soupy to be formed into the desired
shape. q'he moisture is provided in any suitable fashion --
oither by components of the product or water in any combination.
For example, the meat or meat by-products contain a substantial ;~
amount of moisture and can provide a portion or all of the mois-
ture suitable when used in the product~ The meat meals obviously
provide only a small portion of the moisture. Water can also
be used to provide the moisture content of the product in whole
or in part.
Sugar is also an important component of this particu-
lar pet food. By "sugar" is meant any edible sugar used in the
food art. Substantial examples of suitable sugars for use in
the food art are listed in U.S. Patent 3,202,514 to Burgess, et al
-- incorporated herein by reference. Corn syrup is also an
effective sugar. A suitable amount o~ sugar for use in this pro-
20 duct ranges from about 5 percent by weight to about 35 percent `
~, by weight of the inal product. The preferred range of sugar for
- use in the composition ranges from 10 percent to 25 percent by
weight of the final product. While the broader ranges are
` operable for the purpose of this invention, the preferred range
appears to be the most cost effective and provides adequate
palatability.
- The stabilizer for the semi-moist pet food of this
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invention comprises at least one polyhydric component, at least
one antimycotic, and at least one sugar. The sugar is as above
defined. The antimycotic is present in an amount effective to
stabilize the pet food in combination with the other stabilizer
components. The antimycotic is an edible antimicrobial acid
salt present in an amount of 0.0~ to 1 percent, more preferably
from 0.015 to 0.5 percent. Typical edible acid salts include
benzoates, parabens, propionates, acetates, and sorbates.
Especially preferred is potassium sorbate. A typical polyhy-
dric component or mixtures thereof are disclosed in U.S. Patent3,741,774 to Burkwall -- incorporated herein by reference. Also
included in the polyhydric components are propylene glycol, and
1,3-butanediol both of which are preferred either individually
or in combination for the product of this invention. The poly-
hydric component is generally present in an effective amount to
~ stabilize the pe~ food or more preferably at about l to 20 per-
: cent by weight or as specified in the cited semi-moist patents.
~ arious other common additives from 0 percent to about
25 percent may also be added to the pet food. Fat is usually
20 added in an amount from 0 percent to 12 percent by weight of ~-
the final product depending upon how much is naturally contained
in the meatO The fat may be of either animal or vegetable fat.
A preferred fat for use in this pet food is an animal fat exemp-
~ lified by prime steam lard, tallow, and choice white grease.
; Dicalcium phosphate and other minerals are incorporated in the
pet food along with natural and synthetic vitamins for the pur-
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pose of making the product nutritious to the pet. ~itamins,
minerals, colorings, and flavors are generally present in the
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pet food also in the amount of about 0 percent to about 8 per-
cent for the purpose of nutrition and overall appearance.
A suitable process for preparing the pet food of
this invention is described in the above-referenced patents to
Bone alld Charter. Basically, the meat is ground and emulsified.
Separately the dry ingredients are blended. To the dry ingredi-
ents ;.s added the required fat. Then, the meat, water and
propylene glycol and sorbate is added to the dry ingredients in
the fat. Ater mixing, a dough is formed. The dough is then
extruded in a standard fashion. During extrusion, the dough is
heated to about 220F. to 260F. in order to form a molten,
flowable product. For marbled meat products, two separa~e doughs
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are formed and extruded as described in the above-referenced
patent to Charter.
By following the Charter process, the extrudate is
cooled on both sides. After the extrudate is cooled it is appro-
priately treated for packaging. For example, the extrudate is
cut into slabs and diced if desired. `
In the ~ollowing examples which are intended to illus-
trate without unduly limiting the invention, all parts and per-
centages are by weight unless otherwise specified.
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EXAMPLE 1
The following table lists three different formulations.
Formulation A is control using all sodium caseinate as the pro-
tein source. Formula B replaces approximately one-half of the
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sodium caseinate wikh soy protein isolate, an appropriate starch
system, and a chelating agent. Formula C replaces all of the
sodium caseinate with soy protein isolate, an appropriate starch
system, and a chelating agent.
Formula Formula Formula
Inqredient A _ B C
Beef Tripe 30.0 30.0 30.0
Sugar 25.0 25.0 25.0
Sodium Caseinate 12.5 6.5
Soy Protein Isolate - 6.0 12.5
Corn Starch 8.0 6.0 4.0
High Amylose Corn Starch - 2.0 4.0
Amylopectin Starch - 2.0 2.0
Propylene Glycol 5.0 5.0 5.0
Potassium Sorbate 0.1 0.1 0.1
Animal Fat 4.0 4.0 4.0
Vitamins, Minerals, Coloring,
Salts, Antioxidants, and
Other Additives 8.0 8.0 8.0
20 Tetra-Sodium Pyrophosphate - 0.4 0.4
Water 7 4 --5 0
., 100 . O100 . O 100 . O
Each of these examples uses red color and is processed
as in the Charter patent above-referenced except that they are `~
not marbled with a white portion. Product B and C are equiva-
lent to Product A in dough consistency, extruder processability,
and final product texture and appearance. Products A, B, and
C typically have a pM in the range of 6.5 to 7.5.
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