Pet food containing Chinese herbal medicines and capable of maintaining intestinal health and preparation method of pet food

Abstract

The invention particularly relates to a pet food containing Chinese herbal medicines and capable of maintaining intestinal health of pets and a preparation method of the pet food. The pet food comprises an inner-layer structure and an outer-layer structure covering the surface of the inner-layer structure, wherein the inner-layer structure is a ball intermediate prepared by mixing Chinese herbal medicine powder, a nutritional additive and a binder; the outer layer structure comprises a meat source; the binder comprises a cartilage hydrolysate; the Chinese herbal medicine powder in the inner layer of the pet food is Chinese herbal medicine powder for improving gastrointestinal functions; the nutritional additive comprises inactivated probiotics, prebiotics, compound digestive enzymes, chicken liver hydrolyzed powder and auxiliary materials; by optimizing the formula and the process, the palatability of the pet food is ensured, the digestion and absorption conditions of pets are improved, the intestinal problems can be effectively prevented and treated, nutrition and drug therapy are integrated, and the overall health of the pets is promoted; good commercial application prospects are realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pet food technology, specifically to a pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0003] The current application of traditional Chinese medicine in pet food faces two technical bottlenecks: First, the inherent bitterness and volatile odor of traditional Chinese medicine significantly reduce pets' willingness to eat it. Experimental data shows that the intake of pet food with added traditional Chinese medicine can decrease by 30%-45%. Second, existing technologies mostly use simple crushing and mixing or ordinary encapsulation processes, which make it difficult to balance palatability improvement and active ingredient protection. In addition, heat-sensitive components are easily lost during high-temperature granulation, resulting in products that neither meet pets' eating habits nor meet regulatory requirements for ingredient stability.

[0004] The current market urgently needs to develop new processing technologies for traditional Chinese medicine. Under the premise of ensuring compliance with the relevant provisions of the "Regulations on the Administration of Pet Food", innovative processing techniques should be used to overcome palatability barriers while maintaining the bioavailability of active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine. This has become a key technical challenge to promote the upgrading of the pet health food industry.

[0005] Gut health is a key factor in a pet's overall health. Many pets experience diarrhea, vomiting, and other symptoms due to gut microbiota imbalance and indigestion. While traditional pet foods are nutritionally rich, they are insufficient in terms of digestibility and gut health maintenance. Most commercially available pet foods regulate gut microbiota by adding probiotics and prebiotics, but for dogs and cats with sensitive stomachs, these products often fail to fundamentally improve gastrointestinal function and have limited effectiveness. Traditional Chinese medicine can improve gut microbiota and enhance intestinal barrier function through multiple mechanisms, fundamentally improving the gastrointestinal function of dogs and cats.

[0006] Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a pet food that can maintain gut health and is also palatable and digestible. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention proposes a pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine to maintain intestinal health and its preparation method. Overcoming the shortcomings of poor palatability of traditional Chinese medicine and the limited effect of probiotics on intestinal improvement, this invention solves pet intestinal health problems through a rationally proportioned combination of traditional Chinese medicine, cartilage hydrolysate, compound probiotics, prebiotics, and compound digestive enzymes, while simultaneously optimizing the product's palatability and digestibility.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows:

[0009] A pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine to maintain intestinal health, the pet food comprising an inner layer structure and an outer layer structure covering the surface of the inner layer structure, the inner layer structure being a pellet intermediate made of a mixture of traditional Chinese medicine powder, nutritional additives and binders; the outer layer being meat source.

[0010] Furthermore, the herbal powder in the inner layer of the pet food is a herbal powder that improves gastrointestinal function; the particle size is no larger than 80 mesh; the nutritional additives include inactivated probiotics, prebiotics, compound digestive enzymes, chicken liver hydrolysate, and excipients; the binder is cartilage hydrolysate and fish oil; and the meat source is one or more of chicken, duck, beef, mutton, rabbit, fish, venison, ostrich, and pigeon.

[0011] Chicken liver hydrolysate has a high protein content and a strong liver flavor, making it one of the most suitable raw materials for producing pet palatability enhancers.

[0012] Furthermore, the herbal powder for improving gastrointestinal function includes Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Glycyrrhiza uralensis (processed), and Magnolia officinalis; the compound digestive enzyme is trypsin, lipase, and amylase; and the excipients are cellulose, calcium carbonate, brewer's yeast powder, and rosemary powder.

[0013] Furthermore, the mass ratio of the herbal powder, nutritional additives, and binder in the inner layer structure is 11-15:9.5-20:32-48; the mass ratio of Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Glycyrrhiza uralensis (processed), and Magnolia officinalis in the herbal powder is 3-5:3-5:3-5:1-3:1-3.

[0014] Furthermore, the mass ratio of inactivated probiotics, prebiotics, compound digestive enzymes, chicken liver hydrolysate, and excipients in the nutritional additive is 1-3:1-3:1.5-4.5:2-5:2.2-5; the mass ratio of cellulose, calcium carbonate, brewer's yeast powder, and rosemary powder in the excipient is 1-3:0.5-1.5:0.5-1.5:0.1-0.3; and the mass ratio of fish oil and cartilage hydrolysate in the binder is 2-5:30-45.

[0015] Furthermore, the inactivated probiotics are one or more of inactivated Lactobacillus plantarum, inactivated Lactobacillus acidophilus, inactivated Lactobacillus reuteri, and inactivated Saccharomyces cerevisiae; the prebiotics are one or more of fructooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, and galactooligosaccharides.

[0016] Furthermore, the preparation method of the cartilage hydrolysate is as follows: add 2-3 times the amount of water to 10-15 parts of cartilage, heat to 90-100℃, and keep warm to dissolve for 20-26 hours to obtain the cartilage hydrolysate; the cartilage is one or more of bovine cartilage, chicken cartilage, sheep cartilage, duck cartilage, and pig cartilage.

[0017] Furthermore, the diameter of the inner meatball intermediate is 4-8 mm; the thickness of the outer meat source covering is 0.5-3 mm.

[0018] Furthermore, the preparation method of the pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine for maintaining intestinal health includes the following steps:

[0019] (3) Mix the Chinese herbal medicine powder, nutritional additives, chondroitin hydrolysate and fish oil evenly to obtain a mixture, and make the mixture into inner layer intermediate pellets.

[0020] (4) The meat source is evenly covered on the surface of the meatballs, and then freeze-dried to make pet food containing Chinese herbal medicine.

[0021] Furthermore, the outer layer of meat is freeze-dried meat floss, which is prepared by dicing the meat, freeze-drying, crushing, and sieving to obtain freeze-dried meat floss.

[0022] The traditional Chinese medicines used in this invention are the classic formula Sijunzi Decoction (Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, and prepared licorice root) and Magnolia officinalis, which are used to replenish qi and strengthen the spleen. Sijunzi Decoction has the functions of replenishing qi and strengthening the spleen, promoting the secretion of gastric acid and digestive enzymes, and enhancing the digestive function of the spleen and stomach. Codonopsis pilosula enhances gastric motility, Atractylodes macrocephala increases pancreatic enzyme activity, Poria cocos promotes diuresis and eliminates dampness, and prepared licorice root harmonizes the properties of the other herbs.

[0023] Magnolia officinalis promotes qi circulation and relieves bloating, alleviating abdominal distension and gastrointestinal spasms caused by qi stagnation and dampness obstruction. Magnoliol inhibits harmful intestinal bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, and regulates intestinal smooth muscle movement.

[0024] The polysaccharides in Poria cocos and Atractylodes macrocephala are similar to prebiotics, promoting the proliferation of probiotics. Codonopsis pilosula polysaccharides and Poria cocos polysaccharides, similar to prebiotics, repair the intestinal mucosa and enhance the intestinal immune barrier.

[0025] Inactivation processes inactivate probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes. Inactivated probiotics, such as Lactobacillus (containing peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid in their cell walls) and yeast (containing β-glucan and mannan oligosaccharides), can still function in immune regulation and pathogen adsorption. The inactivation process retains active substances such as vitamins and enzymes produced during bacterial fermentation, like the B vitamins in yeast. Live bacteria may pose risks to immunocompromised pets, those with severe intestinal inflammation, or those taking antibiotics, such as the risk of bacteremia; inactivation completely eliminates potential infection risks. For pets with weakened immune systems, inactivated bacteria avoid overstimulation of the gut microbiota, reducing the risk of diarrhea or allergies.

[0026] Prebiotics (such as oligosaccharides) provide nutrition and enhance probiotic colonization. They also directly supplement exogenous enzymes (amylase, lipase, and amylase) to rapidly break down food and relieve bloating and diarrhea. Furthermore, probiotic metabolites nourish intestinal mucosal cells and enhance barrier function.

[0027] The synergistic effect of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine addresses both the symptoms and the root cause. Traditional Chinese medicine treats the root cause by repairing spleen and stomach function and improving digestive capacity. Western medicine treats the symptoms, with digestive enzymes quickly relieving symptoms and probiotics regulating gut microbiota imbalance.

[0028] Traditional Chinese medicine "inhibits harmful bacteria," with magnolol having antibacterial properties, inactivating probiotics and prebiotics, and dually regulating gut microbiota homeostasis; magnolia bark relieves smooth muscle spasms, and probiotics and prebiotics improve functional bloating.

[0029] The combination of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine prebiotics, inactivated probiotics and compound digestive enzymes can relieve abdominal distension and diarrhea in the short term and regulate the spleen, stomach and gut flora in the long term.

[0030] The natural liver flavor of hydrolyzed chicken liver powder effectively attracts pets while masking the bitter and pungent taste of Atractylodes macrocephala and Magnolia officinalis, thus improving palatability. Hydrolyzed cartilage contains collagen peptides and glucosamine, with a mild and slightly sweet taste. It works synergistically with Codonopsis pilosula and prepared licorice root to regulate the sweetness, masking the bitterness of Atractylodes macrocephala and Magnolia officinalis, and the earthy taste of Poria cocos.

[0031] Both chicken liver hydrolysate and cartilage hydrolysate have a meaty flavor, which can enhance the overall palatability; brewer's yeast contains nucleotides (such as guanylic acid) and B vitamins, providing a broth-like umami flavor and partially neutralizing the bitterness of Chinese herbs; the fermentation aroma of brewer's yeast can also mask the earthy smell of poria cocos and roasted licorice, thereby increasing the palatability of foods containing Chinese herbs.

[0032] Rosemary, an ingredient in pet food, has a natural aroma and flavor-enhancing effect, which can mask the bitterness or other unpleasant tastes of traditional Chinese medicine, making it more acceptable to pets. Furthermore, rosemary extract is a natural antioxidant with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory properties, promoting growth and nutrient absorption; it can also prevent oil oxidation and spoilage, extending the shelf life of pet food while maintaining its freshness and safety.

[0033] Hydrolyzed cartilage offers numerous benefits for maintaining pet gut health. Rich in collagen and gelatin, these components can repair the intestinal lining and enhance the function of the intestinal mucosal barrier, thereby reducing intestinal inflammation and the occurrence of leaky bowel syndrome. Furthermore, the glycine and other amino acids in hydrolyzed cartilage have anti-inflammatory properties, helping to form new tissue in the pet's intestines and further reducing inflammation.

[0034] The cartilage hydrolysate of this invention also contains various minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. These minerals not only support bone health but also promote normal intestinal function. Simultaneously, the nutrients in the cartilage hydrolysate can regulate the intestinal flora, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, thereby improving the intestinal microecological environment and enhancing intestinal immune function. During recovery from illness, loss of appetite, or gastrointestinal discomfort, the cartilage hydrolysate can serve as a gentle nutritional supplement to help pets recover their health.

[0035] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0036] 1. This invention improves intestinal health and optimizes food structure by adding traditional Chinese medicine ingredients through a scientific formula. The strong-smelling medicinal ingredients are placed in the inner layer, and their bitterness and earthy taste are masked with ingredients such as hydrolyzed chicken liver powder, hydrolyzed cartilage, brewer's yeast, and rosemary, significantly enhancing the palatability of the inner layer. Meat ingredients are placed in the outer layer, encouraging dogs and cats to eat more actively. Such a product not only meets the nutritional needs of pets but also effectively prevents and treats intestinal problems, promoting the overall health of pets.

[0037] 2. This invention combines the advantages of freeze-drying technology, preserving nutrients while giving pet food a crispy texture that is easily accepted by pets.

[0038] 3. The combination of traditional Chinese medicine, inactivated probiotics, prebiotics and complex digestive enzymes in this invention synergistically improves intestinal health. In the short term, it can significantly improve bloating and diarrhea; in the long term, it can improve the spleen, stomach and intestinal microenvironment, fundamentally improving the health of pets.

[0039] 4. The cartilage hydrolysate in this invention has numerous benefits for maintaining pets' intestinal health and supplementing various minerals. This invention utilizes cartilage hydrolysate in synergistic effects with probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, and other ingredients, making it suitable even for dogs and cats with weak gastrointestinal function during disease recovery. The cartilage hydrolysate, chicken liver hydrolysate, brewer's yeast, and rosemary extract synergistically improve the palatability of the inner layer of herbal pet food. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] Example 1

[0042] This embodiment provides a pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine, comprising an inner layer structure and an outer layer structure covering the surface of the inner layer structure. The inner layer structure is a pellet intermediate made of a mixture of traditional Chinese medicine powder, nutritional additives, and a binder; the outer layer structure includes meat; the binder includes chicken cartilage hydrolysate. The traditional Chinese medicine powder consists of 12 parts, including 3 parts Codonopsis pilosula, 3 parts Atractylodes macrocephala, 3 parts Poria cocos, 1.5 parts prepared licorice root, and 1.5 parts Magnolia officinalis; the nutritional additives include 1 part inactivated probiotics, 1 part prebiotics, 3 parts compound digestive enzymes, 2 parts chicken liver hydrolysate, and 2.2 parts excipients; the excipients include 1 part cellulose, 0.5 parts calcium carbonate, 0.5 parts brewer's yeast powder, and 0.2 parts rosemary powder; the mass ratio of traditional Chinese medicine powder to binder is 12:32; the diameter of the inner pellet intermediate is 4 mm; the covering thickness of the outer layer structure is 2 mm.

[0043] The preparation method for pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine is as follows:

[0044] (1) After drying the Chinese herbal medicine ingredients for 1 hour, cool them, grind them into powder using an ultra-micro pulverizer, and pass them through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain Chinese herbal medicine mixed powder A;

[0045] (2) Soak 10 portions of chicken cartilage in twice the amount of water, put them in a reaction vessel, heat to 95°C, keep warm for 24 hours until the cartilage is completely dissolved, and filter to obtain chicken cartilage hydrolysate B.

[0046] (3) Cut the meat source into 1 cm cubes, freeze-dry in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber for 24 hours until the moisture content is <4%, then crush the freeze-dried meat powder and pass it through a 20-mesh sieve to obtain freeze-dried meat floss.

[0047] (4) Mix the Chinese medicine powder with prebiotics, inactivated probiotics, chicken liver hydrolysate, cellulose, calcium carbonate, brewer's yeast powder and rosemary to obtain mixed powder C.

[0048] (5) Mix the mixed powder C, 2 parts of fish oil, and chicken cartilage hydrolysate B evenly with a mixer to obtain mixture D;

[0049] (6) Use a pelletizing machine to make the mixture D into pellets with a diameter of 4 mm to obtain intermediate E;

[0050] (7) Cover intermediate E evenly with freeze-dried chicken floss, with a covering thickness of 2 mm; freeze in a quick-freezing room to -30℃ to obtain Chinese medicine meatballs F;

[0051] (8) Quick-freeze the Chinese herbal meatballs to below -30°C, then freeze-dry them in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber until the moisture content is 4% to obtain the final product: freeze-dried pet food containing Chinese herbal medicine to maintain intestinal health.

[0052] Example 2

[0053] This embodiment provides a pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine, comprising an inner layer structure and an outer layer structure covering the surface of the inner layer structure. The inner layer structure is a pellet intermediate made of a mixture of traditional Chinese medicine powder, nutritional additives, and a binder; the outer layer structure includes meat; the binder includes bovine cartilage hydrolysate. The traditional Chinese medicine powder comprises 15 parts, including 5 parts Codonopsis pilosula, 3 parts Atractylodes macrocephala, 3 parts Poria cocos, 3 parts prepared licorice root, and 3 parts Magnolia officinalis; the nutritional additives include 2 parts inactivated probiotics, 2 parts prebiotics, 3 parts compound digestive enzymes, 4 parts chicken liver hydrolysate, and 4 parts excipients; the excipients include 2 parts cellulose, 1 part calcium carbonate, 0.9 parts brewer's yeast powder, and 0.1 parts rosemary powder; the mass ratio of traditional Chinese medicine powder to binder is 15:47.

[0054] The diameter of the inner pellet intermediate is 5mm; the thickness of the outer layer structure is 2mm.

[0055] The preparation method for pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine is as follows:

[0056] (1) After drying the Chinese herbal medicine ingredients for 1 hour, cool them, grind them into powder using an ultra-micro pulverizer, and pass them through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain Chinese herbal medicine mixed powder A;

[0057] (2) Soak 15 portions of bovine cartilage in twice the amount of water, place them in a reaction vessel, heat to 90°C, keep warm for 26 hours until the cartilage is completely dissolved, and filter to obtain bovine cartilage hydrolysate B.

[0058] (3) Cut the meat source into 1 cm cubes, freeze-dry in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber for 24 hours until the moisture content is <4%, then crush the freeze-dried meat powder and pass it through a 20-mesh sieve to obtain freeze-dried meat floss.

[0059] (4) Mix the Chinese medicine powder with prebiotics, inactivated probiotics, chicken liver hydrolysate, cellulose, calcium carbonate, brewer's yeast powder and rosemary to obtain mixed powder C.

[0060] (5) Mix the mixed powder C, 2 parts of fish oil, and bovine cartilage hydrolysate B evenly with a mixer to obtain mixture D;

[0061] (6) Use a pelletizing machine to make the mixture D into pellets with a diameter of 5 mm to obtain intermediate E;

[0062] (7) Cover intermediate E evenly with freeze-dried chicken floss, with a covering thickness of 2 mm; freeze in a quick-freezing room to -30℃ to obtain Chinese medicine meatballs F;

[0063] (8) Quick-freeze the Chinese herbal meatballs to below -30°C, then freeze-dry them in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber until the moisture content is 4% to obtain the final product: freeze-dried pet food containing Chinese herbal medicine to maintain intestinal health.

[0064] Example 3

[0065] This embodiment provides a pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine, comprising an inner layer structure and an outer layer structure covering the surface of the inner layer structure. The inner layer structure is a pellet intermediate made of a mixture of traditional Chinese medicine powder, nutritional additives, and a binder; the outer layer structure includes meat; the binder includes duck cartilage hydrolysate. The traditional Chinese medicine powder consists of 11 parts, including 3 parts Codonopsis pilosula, 3 parts Atractylodes macrocephala, 3 parts Poria cocos, 1 part prepared licorice root, and 1 part Magnolia officinalis; the nutritional additives include 1 part inactivated probiotics, 1 part prebiotics, 1.5 parts compound digestive enzymes, 2 parts chicken liver hydrolysate, and 4 parts excipients; the excipients include 1 part cellulose, 1.5 parts calcium carbonate, 1.2 parts brewer's yeast powder, and 0.3 parts rosemary powder; the mass ratio of traditional Chinese medicine powder to binder is 11:32; the diameter of the inner pellet intermediate is 4 mm; the covering thickness of the outer layer structure is 2 mm.

[0066] The preparation method for pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine is as follows:

[0067] (1) After drying the Chinese herbal medicine ingredients for 1 hour, cool them, grind them into powder using an ultra-micro pulverizer, and pass them through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain Chinese herbal medicine mixed powder A;

[0068] (2) Soak 10 portions of duck cartilage in twice the amount of water, put them in a reaction vessel, heat to 100°C, keep warm for 20 hours until the cartilage is completely dissolved, and filter to obtain duck cartilage hydrolysate B.

[0069] (3) Cut the meat source into 1 cm cubes, freeze-dry in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber for 24 hours until the moisture content is <4%, then crush the freeze-dried meat powder and pass it through a 20-mesh sieve to obtain freeze-dried meat floss.

[0070] (4) Mix the Chinese medicine powder A with prebiotics, inactivated probiotics, chicken liver hydrolysate, cellulose, calcium carbonate, brewer's yeast powder and rosemary thoroughly to obtain mixed powder C.

[0071] (5) Mix the mixed powder C, 2 parts of fish oil, and duck cartilage hydrolysate B evenly with a mixer to obtain mixture D;

[0072] (6) Use a pelletizing machine to make the mixture D into pellets with a diameter of 4 mm to obtain intermediate E;

[0073] (7) Cover intermediate E evenly with freeze-dried chicken floss, with a covering thickness of 2 mm; freeze in a quick-freezing room to -30℃ to obtain Chinese medicine meatballs F;

[0074] (8) Quick-freeze the Chinese herbal meatballs to below -30°C, then freeze-dry them in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber until the moisture content is 4% to obtain the final product: freeze-dried pet food containing Chinese herbal medicine to maintain intestinal health.

[0075] Example 4

[0076] This embodiment provides a pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine, comprising an inner layer structure and an outer layer structure covering the surface of the inner layer structure. The inner layer structure is a pellet intermediate made of a mixture of traditional Chinese medicine powder, nutritional additives, and a binder; the outer layer structure includes meat; the binder includes hydrolysate of pork cartilage. The traditional Chinese medicine powder comprises 15 parts, including 5 parts Codonopsis pilosula, 3 parts Atractylodes macrocephala, 3 parts Poria cocos, 3 parts prepared licorice root, and 1 part Magnolia officinalis; the nutritional additives include 3 parts inactivated probiotics, 3 parts prebiotics, 4.5 parts compound digestive enzymes, 5 parts chicken liver hydrolysate, and 4.5 parts excipients; the excipients include 1.2 parts cellulose, 1.5 parts calcium carbonate, 1.5 parts brewer's yeast powder, and 0.3 parts rosemary powder; the mass ratio of traditional Chinese medicine powder to binder is 15:45; the diameter of the inner pellet intermediate is 8 mm; the covering thickness of the outer layer structure is 3 mm.

[0077] The preparation method for pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine is as follows:

[0078] (1) After drying the Chinese herbal medicine ingredients for 1 hour, cool them, grind them into powder using an ultra-micro pulverizer, and pass them through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain Chinese herbal medicine mixed powder A;

[0079] (2) Soak 10 portions of cartilage in 3 times the amount of water, put them in a reaction vessel, heat to 95°C, keep warm for 24 hours until the cartilage is completely dissolved, and filter to obtain porcine cartilage hydrolysate B.

[0080] (3) Cut the meat source into 1 cm cubes, freeze-dry in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber for 24 hours until the moisture content is <4%, then crush the freeze-dried meat powder and pass it through a 20-mesh sieve to obtain freeze-dried meat floss.

[0081] (4) Mix the Chinese medicine powder with prebiotics, inactivated probiotics, chicken liver hydrolysate, cellulose, calcium carbonate, brewer's yeast powder and rosemary to obtain mixed powder C.

[0082] (5) Mix the mixed powder C, 5 parts of fish oil, and the hydrolysate of pork cartilage B evenly with a mixer to obtain mixture D;

[0083] (6) Use a pelletizing machine to make the mixture D into pellets with a diameter of 8 mm to obtain intermediate E;

[0084] (7) Cover intermediate E evenly with freeze-dried chicken floss, with a covering thickness of 3 mm; freeze in a quick-freezing room to -30℃ to obtain Chinese medicine meatballs F;

[0085] (8) Quick-freeze the Chinese herbal meatballs to below -30°C, then freeze-dry them in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber until the moisture content is 4% to obtain the final product: freeze-dried pet food containing Chinese herbal medicine to maintain intestinal health.

[0086] Example 5

[0087] This embodiment provides a pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine, comprising an inner layer structure and an outer layer structure covering the surface of the inner layer structure. The inner layer structure is a pellet intermediate made of a mixture of traditional Chinese medicine powder, nutritional additives, and a binder; the outer layer structure includes meat; the binder includes hydrolysed sheep cartilage. The traditional Chinese medicine powder consists of 15 parts, including 3 parts Codonopsis pilosula, 5 parts Atractylodes macrocephala, 5 parts Poria cocos, 1 part prepared licorice root, and 1 part Magnolia officinalis; the nutritional additives include 1 part inactivated probiotics, 1 part prebiotics, 1.5 parts compound digestive enzymes, 5 parts chicken liver hydrolysate, and 5 parts excipients; the excipients include 1.8 parts cellulose, 1.5 parts calcium carbonate, 1.5 parts brewer's yeast powder, and 0.2 parts rosemary powder; the mass ratio of traditional Chinese medicine powder to binder is 15:48; the diameter of the inner pellet intermediate is 6 mm; the covering thickness of the outer layer structure is 3 mm.

[0088] The preparation method for pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine is as follows:

[0089] (1) After drying the Chinese herbal medicine ingredients for 1 hour, cool them, grind them into powder using an ultra-micro pulverizer, and pass them through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain Chinese herbal medicine mixed powder A;

[0090] (2) Soak 15 portions of sheep cartilage in twice the amount of water, put them in a reaction vessel, heat to 100°C, keep warm for 22 hours until the cartilage is completely dissolved, and filter to obtain sheep cartilage hydrolysate B.

[0091] (3) Cut the meat source into 1 cm cubes, freeze-dry in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber for 24 hours until the moisture content is <4%, then crush the freeze-dried meat powder and pass it through a 20-mesh sieve to obtain freeze-dried meat floss.

[0092] (4) Mix the Chinese medicine powder with prebiotics, inactivated probiotics, chicken liver hydrolysate, cellulose, calcium carbonate, brewer's yeast powder and rosemary to obtain mixed powder C.

[0093] (5) Mix the mixed powder C, 3 parts of fish oil, and sheep cartilage hydrolysate B evenly with a mixer to obtain mixture D;

[0094] (6) Use a pelletizing machine to make the mixture D into pellets with a diameter of 6 mm to obtain intermediate E;

[0095] (7) Cover intermediate E evenly with freeze-dried chicken floss, with a covering thickness of 3 mm; freeze in a quick-freezing room to -30℃ to obtain Chinese medicine meatballs F;

[0096] (8) Quick-freeze the Chinese herbal meatballs to below -30°C, then freeze-dry them in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber until the moisture content is 4% to obtain the final product: freeze-dried pet food containing Chinese herbal medicine to maintain intestinal health.

[0097] Example 6

[0098] This embodiment provides a pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine, comprising an inner layer structure and an outer layer structure covering the surface of the inner layer structure. The inner layer structure is a pellet intermediate made of a mixture of traditional Chinese medicine powder, nutritional additives, and a binder; the outer layer structure includes meat; the binder includes bovine cartilage hydrolysate. The traditional Chinese medicine powder consists of 15 parts, including 3 parts Codonopsis pilosula, 5 parts Atractylodes macrocephala, 5 parts Poria cocos, 1 part prepared licorice root, and 1 part Magnolia officinalis; the nutritional additives include 1 part inactivated probiotics, 1 part prebiotics, 1.5 parts compound digestive enzymes, 5 parts chicken liver hydrolysate, and 5 parts excipients; the excipients include 1.8 parts cellulose, 1.5 parts calcium carbonate, 1.5 parts brewer's yeast powder, and 0.2 parts rosemary powder; the mass ratio of traditional Chinese medicine powder to binder is 15:48; the diameter of the inner pellet intermediate is 6 mm; the covering thickness of the outer layer structure is 3 mm.

[0099] The preparation method for pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine is as follows:

[0100] (1) After drying the Chinese herbal medicine ingredients for 1 hour, cool them, grind them into powder using an ultra-micro pulverizer, and pass them through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain Chinese herbal medicine mixed powder A;

[0101] (2) Soak 15 portions of bovine cartilage in twice the amount of water, place them in a reaction vessel, heat to 100°C, keep warm for 22 hours until the cartilage is completely dissolved, and filter to obtain bovine cartilage hydrolysate B.

[0102] (3) Cut the meat source into 1 cm cubes, freeze-dry in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber for 24 hours until the moisture content is <4%, then crush the freeze-dried meat powder and pass it through a 20-mesh sieve to obtain freeze-dried meat floss.

[0103] (4) Mix the Chinese medicine powder with prebiotics, inactivated probiotics, chicken liver hydrolysate, cellulose, calcium carbonate, brewer's yeast powder and rosemary to obtain mixed powder C.

[0104] (5) Mix the mixed powder C, 3 parts of fish oil, and bovine bone hydrolysate B evenly with a mixer to obtain mixture D;

[0105] (6) Use a pelletizing machine to make the mixture D into pellets with a diameter of 4 mm to obtain intermediate E;

[0106] (7) Cover intermediate E evenly with freeze-dried chicken floss, with a covering thickness of 0.5 mm; freeze in a quick-freezing room to -30℃ to obtain Chinese medicine meatballs F;

[0107] (8) Quick-freeze the Chinese herbal meatballs to below -30°C, then freeze-dry them in a vacuum freeze-drying chamber until the moisture content is 4% to obtain the final product: freeze-dried pet food containing Chinese herbal medicine to maintain intestinal health.

[0108] Comparative Example 1

[0109] This comparative example provides a method for preparing pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine. The difference from Example 1 is that the pet food does not have inner and outer layers. The formula is the same as in Example 1, and a simple mixing method is used to prepare a non-layered pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine.

[0110] Comparative Example 2

[0111] This comparative example provides a method for preparing pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine. The difference from Example 1 is that an equal amount of 33% gelatin solution is used instead of cartilage hydrolysate as a binder, while the rest of the formulation steps are the same.

[0112] Comparative Example 3

[0113] This comparative example provides a method for preparing pet food. The difference from Example 1 is that rice flour is used instead of the herbal powder for improving gastrointestinal function in Example 1, while the rest of the formulation steps are the same.

[0114] Comparative Example 4

[0115] This comparative example provides a method for preparing pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine, which differs from Example 1 in that it does not include chicken liver hydrolysate, brewer's yeast powder, and rosemary; that is, the remaining formulation steps are the same.

[0116] Comparative Example 5

[0117] This comparative example provides a method for preparing pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine. The difference from Example 1 is that a drying process is used instead of freeze drying to prepare pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine, while the other formulation steps are the same.

[0118] Application Analysis

[0119] Experimental subjects: 88 adult cats with soft stool symptoms and slender body shape were randomly divided into 8 groups of 11 cats each to ensure even distribution of sex, age and weight.

[0120] Experimental materials: Pet foods prepared in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-5 were used in feeding experiments.

[0121] Feeding plan: Each cat is provided with 10 grams of pet food prepared according to Examples 1-3 or Comparative Examples 1-5 per day, and 80 grams of regular staple food.

[0122] Adaptation period: All cats will undergo a one-week adaptation period, during which they will be fed a uniform, regular diet to stabilize their digestive function and weight.

[0123] (1) Analysis of food preferences and consumption

[0124] Initial preference test: In a controlled environment, each group of cats was exposed to their assigned pet food, and the time when each cat first chose and started eating it was recorded.

[0125] Food consumption record: Observe and record the amount of food consumed by each cat for each sample within 30 minutes.

[0126] Repeated testing: Perform the same test once a day for 15 consecutive days to assess the long-term palatability of the food to the cat.

[0127] Health monitoring: Monitor the cat's health throughout the testing period, including weight, mental state, and fecal condition, to ensure the safety of the test.

[0128] Data collection: Collect and organize data on all cats' food preferences and consumption amounts for each sample.

[0129] Data Analysis:

[0130] ① Use statistical software to analyze the average first selection time and amount of food consumed by cats for each sample.

[0131] ② Calculate the preference index for each group of cats towards the samples prepared in Examples 1-3 or Comparative Examples 1-5 according to the preference index calculation formula; wherein the preference index calculation formula is:

[0132] Preference index = (40 - average first choice time) × 0.05 + average consumption × 0.3;

[0133] First selection time: The time when the cat first touches or selects the sample; the shorter the time, the stronger the preference.

[0134] Quantity consumed: The actual amount of sample ingested by the cat. A higher intake indicates a stronger preference.

[0135] Preference Index: A weighted score that combines time and intake. The higher the score, the greater the cat's preference for the sample (5 points is the highest and 1 point is the lowest).

[0136] The results of the experiment on dietary preferences and consumption are shown in Table 1:

[0137]

[0138]

[0139] According to the data in Table 1, cats showed a higher preference index for the pet foods of Examples 1-3. The time it took for cats to first touch or choose the samples was shorter compared to Comparative Examples 1, 2, 4, and 5, indicating that the pet food of this invention can effectively mask the taste of traditional Chinese medicine and has good palatability. This is primarily because the layered structure helps to mask the taste of traditional Chinese medicine. Secondly, this invention uses various natural food additives to mask the bitterness and earthy taste of traditional Chinese medicine, such as cartilage hydrolysate, chicken liver hydrolysate, brewer's yeast, and rosemary. These not only improve the taste of the pet food but also provide nutritional and health benefits, helping to improve gastrointestinal health. The pet food of this invention can improve the gastrointestinal problems of pets. While generally not a staple food, the amount consumed is crucial for improving the gastrointestinal health of cats and other pets. As shown in Table 1, cats consumed a higher amount of the pet food of this invention compared to the comparative examples, fully demonstrating that the pet food of this invention has better palatability. Cats showed the highest consumption and preference index, indicating a high acceptance rate for these samples.

[0140] (2) Comprehensive score of nutrient utilization rate - fecal score, weight gain and comprehensive score of nutrient utilization rate were used to evaluate weight gain and fecal improvement. The same daily feed was provided and the daily feed intake was recorded. The design biased that the product with the best formula had the fastest fecal improvement, the fastest increase in feed intake and the fastest weight gain as the feeding experiment progressed.

[0141] Initial weight record: Record the initial weight of each cat before the experiment begins.

[0142] Feeding period: Each group of cats was fed 10g of the pet food corresponding to Examples 1-3 or Comparative Examples 1-5 each time, and supplemented with 80g of regular cat food for 4 weeks, at fixed times and in fixed quantities every day.

[0143] Fecal collection and scoring: Collect the cat's feces daily, record the texture and frequency of the feces, and score them (1-5 points, 1 point being the worst and 5 points being the best).

[0144] Weight monitoring: Record the cat's weight once a week to monitor weight changes.

[0145] Nutrient utilization rate comprehensive score calculation: The utilization rate of corresponding nutrients is analyzed by experimental detection of apparent nutrient utilization rate of cat food protein; score (1-5 points, 1 point is the worst and 5 points is the best).

[0146] Data collection: Collect fecal scores and weight gain data for each group of cats.

[0147] Data analysis: Statistical software was used to analyze the cat's fecal score, weight gain, and nutrient utilization rate.

[0148] The average fecal score, weight gain, and nutrient utilization rate of each group of cats were calculated, and the statistical results are shown in Table 2.

[0149] Table 2:

[0150]

[0151] In Table 2, the comprehensive score for nutrient utilization rate is calculated as follows: = fecal score * 0.5 + weight gain * 0.1

[0152] Based on the experimental data in Table 2, the following results were obtained:

[0153] Based on the experimental results of Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-5, we can observe the following trends:

[0154] Fecal score analysis: Examples 1-3 had the highest fecal scores, averaging approximately 4.47 points, while Comparative Examples 1-5 had a fecal score of 82.15. Changing the proportion or type of the compound enzyme preparation may have a negative impact on fecal quality. According to Table 1, Comparative Example 3 did not contain any traditional Chinese medicine ingredients and had a higher cat preference index; however, according to Table 2, Comparative Example 3 had a poorer fecal score, indicating limited improvement in intestinal digestive function.

[0155] Weight gain: Cats in Examples 1-3 gained 200-240g, while those in Comparative Examples 1-5 gained 120-180g. Weight gain is an important indicator of the nutritional value and digestibility of pet food, and the formulas in Examples 1-3 may be more conducive to nutrient absorption and weight gain in cats.

[0156] Comprehensive Nutrient Utilization Rate Score: The comprehensive nutrient utilization rate scores for Examples 1-3 were 4.15-4.65, while those for Comparative Examples 1-5 were 2.7-4.6. The comprehensive nutrient utilization rate score is a key indicator for evaluating pet food quality; a higher score means more nutrients are absorbed and utilized by pets. The herbal composition and probiotic / prebiotic complex in Examples 1-3 are more conducive to improving comprehensive nutrient utilization. The formulations of Comparative Examples 1, 2, 4, and 5 also show improvement, albeit relatively slowly, and the differences between the comparative examples and the optimal formulation are significant due to formula changes. Comparative Example 3 has the lowest comprehensive nutrient utilization rate score because it does not contain herbal powder for improving gut health and lacks key components for gut health, thus limiting its effect on improving intestinal digestive function.

[0157] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine to maintain intestinal health, characterized in that, The pet food comprises an inner layer structure and an outer layer structure covering the surface of the inner layer structure. The inner layer structure is a pellet intermediate made of a mixture of traditional Chinese medicine powder, nutritional additives, and binders. The outer layer structure includes meat. The binder includes cartilage hydrolysate. The traditional Chinese medicine powder in the inner layer of the pet food is a traditional Chinese medicine powder that improves gastrointestinal function. The nutritional additives include inactivated probiotics, prebiotics, compound digestive enzymes, chicken liver hydrolysate, and excipients.

2. The pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine for maintaining intestinal health according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adhesive also includes fish oil; the meat source is one or more of chicken, duck, beef, mutton, rabbit, fish, venison, ostrich, and pigeon.

3. The pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine for maintaining intestinal health according to claim 2, characterized in that, The herbal powder used to improve gastrointestinal function has a particle size of no more than 80 mesh; it includes Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Glycyrrhiza uralensis (processed) and Magnolia officinalis; the compound digestive enzymes are trypsin, lipase and amylase; the excipients are cellulose, calcium carbonate, brewer's yeast powder and rosemary powder.

4. The pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The mass ratio of the herbal powder, nutritional additives and binder in the inner layer structure is 11-15:9.5-20:32-48; the mass ratio of Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Magnolia officinalis in the herbal powder is 3-5:3-5:3-5:1-3:1-3.

5. The pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine for maintaining intestinal health according to claim 3, characterized in that, The mass ratio of inactivated probiotics, prebiotics, compound digestive enzymes, chicken liver hydrolysate, and excipients in the nutritional additives is 1-3:1-3:1.5-4.5:2-5:2.2-5; the mass ratio of cellulose, calcium carbonate, brewer's yeast powder, and rosemary powder in the excipients is 1-3:0.5-1.5:0.5-1.5:0.1-0.3; and the mass ratio of fish oil and cartilage hydrolysate in the binder is 2-5:30-45.

6. The pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine for maintaining intestinal health according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inactivated probiotics are one or more of inactivated Lactobacillus plantarum, inactivated Lactobacillus acidophilus, inactivated Lactobacillus reuteri, and inactivated Saccharomyces cerevisiae; the prebiotics are one or more of fructooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, and galactooligosaccharides.

7. The pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine for maintaining intestinal health according to claim 2, characterized in that, The preparation method of the cartilage hydrolysate is as follows: 10-15 parts of cartilage and 2-3 times the amount of water are mixed and heated to 90-100℃, and kept at this temperature for 20-26 hours to dissolve, thereby obtaining the cartilage hydrolysate; the cartilage is one or more of bovine cartilage, chicken cartilage, sheep cartilage, duck cartilage and pig cartilage.

8. The pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The diameter of the inner pellet intermediate is 4-8 mm; the thickness of the outer layer structure is 0.5-3 mm.

9. The method for preparing pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine for maintaining intestinal health as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Mix the Chinese herbal medicine powder, nutritional additives and binder evenly to obtain a mixture, and make the mixture into inner layer intermediate pellets; (2) The meat source is evenly covered on the surface of the meatballs and then freeze-dried to obtain pet food containing Chinese herbal medicine.

10. The method for preparing pet food containing traditional Chinese medicine for maintaining intestinal health according to claim 9, characterized in that, The outer layer of meat is freeze-dried meat floss, which is prepared by dicing the meat, freeze-drying, crushing, and sieving to obtain freeze-dried meat floss.

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