Dry pet food and method for producing dry pet food

Abstract

To provide pet food that requires less occlusal force for eating.SOLUTION: A dry pet food 1 according to the invention comprises a base body 2 having both a major axis and a minor axis of 12 mm to 30 mm in plan view, and the base body 2 has a fracture inducing portion 24 extending along the planar direction, which guides the fracture of the base body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to dry pet food and a method for producing the dry pet food. [Background technology]

[0002] Various efforts have been made to improve the palatability of pet foods given to pets. For example, the pet food disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a coating with a different component composition provided on the surface of a granulated base material to improve palatability. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6423983 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Pet food can be given to pets in a variety of ways, including being served in a container or being given directly by the owner. Pet food intended to be given directly by the owner's hand is often granulated into relatively large pieces to make it easier to hold and handle.

[0005] However, pet food granulated into relatively large pieces has a high breaking strength and requires a large biting force to be crushed and eaten, which raises concerns that pet food granulated into relatively large pieces may be difficult for young pets and elderly pets, whose biting force is relatively weak, to eat.

[0006] The present application has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide pet food that reduces the biting force required to eat it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The dry pet food according to the present application comprises a base having a major axis and a minor axis both of which are 12 mm to 30 mm in plan view, and the base is provided with breakage induction parts that extend along the planar direction and induce breakage of the base. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the embodiment, it is possible to provide pet food that reduces the biting force required to eat it. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the pet food according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the pet food shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate taken along line III-III shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the extrusion molding machine from which the powder material is extruded. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a view of the insert die as viewed in the direction indicated by arrow X. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the pet food manufacturing process. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a base according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In this specification, the term "pet" refers to an animal kept by a human. In a narrower sense, a pet is an animal kept as a pet by its owner. Furthermore, the term "pet food" refers to feed for pets. The pet food of the present invention can be sold as "animal feed" or "animal food."

[0011] <Example of dry pet food> An example of the dry pet food disclosed herein will now be described.

[0012] (Mode 1) The dry pet food comprises a base having a major axis and a minor axis both of which are 12 mm to 30 mm in plan view, and the base is provided with a break induction portion that extends along the planar direction and induces breakage of the base.

[0013] (Aspect 2) The pet food base is the pet food of Aspect 1, wherein the thickness is smaller than the minor axis.

[0014] (Aspect 3) The dry pet food according to aspect 1 or 2, wherein the thickness of the base is 3 mm to 6 mm.

[0015] (Aspect 4) The dry pet food according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3, wherein the base has through-holes formed therethrough in the thickness direction.

[0016] (Aspect 5) The dry pet food according to aspect 4, wherein the ratio of the area of ​​the through holes in a plan view to the area of ​​the solid base in a plan view is 8% or more.

[0017] (Aspect 6) The dry pet food according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, wherein the base has a recessed portion on the outer edge in plan view.

[0018] (Aspect 7) In addition, in the dry pet food according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6, the breakage induction portion extends from the bottom of the recessed portion of the outer edge as a starting point.

[0019] (Aspect 8) The dry pet food according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7, wherein the breaking strength of the break induction portions of the base is 50% or less of the breaking strength of the portions avoiding the break induction portions.

[0020] (Aspect 9) The dry pet food according to aspect 8, wherein the breaking strength of the break induction portions is 30.4 (N) or less, and the breaking strength of the portions avoiding the break induction portions is 69.5 (N) or more.

[0021] (Aspect 10) The dry pet food according to Aspect 1 further comprises a covering portion that covers a part of the base, the base and the covering portion having different component compositions, and the covering portion being softer than the base.

[0022] (Aspect 11) The dry pet food of aspect 4 further comprises a line-shaped covering portion that covers a portion of the base, the component composition of the base and the component composition of the covering portion being different, and the width of the covering portion being smaller than the diameter of the through hole.

[0023] (Aspect 12) The dry pet food according to any one of Aspects 1 to 11, further comprising a plurality of base bodies having different planar shapes.

[0024] (Aspect 13) The dry pet food according to any one of Aspects 1 to 12, wherein the outer surface of the cross section of the base as viewed along the planar direction is rounded.

[0025] (Aspect 14) In the dry pet food according to any one of Aspects 1 to 13, the break induction portion is a recess formed on the first surface of the base and recessed toward the back surface of the first surface.

[0026] (Aspect 15) In addition, the dry pet food of any one of Aspects 1 to 13, wherein the base is formed by drying a mixed raw material mixture, and the break induction portion is a joining surface where the mixed raw material mixture is joined together before drying.

[0027] (Aspect 16) The dry pet food also has a base whose thickness is smaller than its major and minor axes when viewed in a plane, and the base has through holes formed therein that penetrate in the thickness direction, and the ratio of the area of ​​the through holes when viewed in a plane to the area of ​​the base when solid is 8% or more.

[0028] <An example of a dry pet food manufacturing method> An example of a method for producing the dry pet food disclosed herein will now be described.

[0029] (Aspect 17) The method for manufacturing dry pet food uses an extruder having a mixing chamber in which a raw material mixture is mixed and in which an opening is formed that connects the inside of the mixing chamber to the outside, and includes the steps of pressing the raw material mixture against an insert die provided inside the mixing chamber to separate the raw material mixture, joining the separated raw material mixture just before the opening, and extruding the joined raw material mixture from the opening to the outside.

[0030] <Outline of pet food composition> FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a pet food according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the pet food shown in FIG. 1. Pet food 1 includes a base 2 and a covering portion 3. Base 2 is formed by granulating a mixture of powdered raw materials and drying the granulated material. Examples of the blending of powdered materials constituting base 2 and a granulation method will be described in detail later. Pet food 1 is a so-called dry pet food in which the moisture content of base 2 is 10% or less. Base 2 has through holes 21 formed therethrough in the thickness direction. In this specification, plan view means viewing the plan view in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. In this specification, side view means viewing the side view in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper.

[0031] The covering portion 3 covers a portion of the base 2. The component composition of the covering portion 3 is different from the component composition of the base 2. Examples of blending materials that make up the covering portion 3 will be described in detail later. Note that the pet food 1 may be constructed without providing the covering portion 3.

[0032] <Measurement method> In this specification, various measurement results and the like will be exemplified for the pet food 1, and therefore the measurement methods and the like will first be described.

[0033] [Method of measuring breaking strength (hardness)] In this specification, the breaking force (breaking strength) of the substrate 2 is a value obtained by the following measurement method: Using a compression tester (Texture Analyzer, Model No. EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation), the breaking force when the pet food is compressed at a constant compression speed is measured under the following conditions. Plunger: 10 mm diameter plunger with a tip resembling a canine tooth, platform: flat tray (approximately 117 mm diameter), compression speed: 60 mm / min, lowest point of plunger: 2.5 mm (compression distance), measurement temperature: 25°C.

[0034] Specifically, one substrate 2 to be measured is placed on a tray, and the test force is measured while pressing a plunger vertically from directly above at a constant speed. The peak value (maximum value) of the test force is read as the breaking force value. Measurement is repeated for 10 pieces and the average value is calculated. If the substrate 2 breaks during the measurement, the measurement of that pet food is terminated at that point. The breaking force (unit: kgw) measured by the compression tester is converted to Newtons (N) by multiplying it by 9.8.

[0035] [Measuring method for the major axis, minor axis, and thickness of the substrate] In this specification, the major axis and minor axis of the base 2 are values ​​measured with a vernier caliper when the base 2 is placed on a horizontal table and viewed from above. The thickness of the base 2 is a value measured from the bottom surface (bottom end) to the top surface (top end) of the base 2 placed on a horizontal table. In FIG. 1, the major axis of the base 2 is indicated by "a" and the minor axis by "b". In FIG. 2, the thickness of the base 2 is indicated by "c".

[0036] [Method for measuring the surface area of ​​the substrate] In this specification, the surface area of ​​the substrate 2 is a value obtained by the following measurement method. The base 2 is observed and photographed using a digital microscope (VHX-7000 (manufactured by KEYENCE)), and the surface area of ​​the base 2 is measured. Specifically, the base 2 is observed with the digital microscope, and an image of the base 2 is acquired. Based on the acquired image, the surface area of ​​the base 2 is analyzed from the hue, and the surface area of ​​the base 2 is measured. In this specification, "the surface area of ​​the base 2" means the area of ​​the base 2 measured based on an image acquired by placing the base 2 on a horizontal table and observing it from above.

[0037] [Method for measuring the area of ​​a through hole] In this specification, the area of ​​the through-hole 21 is a value obtained by the following measurement method. The base 2 is observed and photographed using a digital microscope (VHX-7000 (manufactured by KEYENCE)), and the area of ​​the through hole 21 formed in the base 2 is measured. Specifically, the base 2 is observed with the digital microscope, and an image of the base 2 is acquired. Based on the acquired image, the area of ​​the through hole 21 is analyzed from the hue, and the area of ​​the through hole 21 is measured. In this specification, the "area of ​​the through hole 21" means the area of ​​the through hole 21 measured based on an image acquired by placing the base 2 on a horizontal table and observing it from above.

[0038] [Measurement of the area ratio of the covered part] In this specification, the area ratio of the coating portion 3 of the pet food 1 is a value obtained by the following measurement method (1) or (2). <<Measurement method (1)>> The area ratio of the coated portion 3 is measured by image analysis using a visual analyzer. Specifically, a predetermined number of pet food products 1 are placed in a measurement area on a flat surface (scattered randomly on both sides), and color composition analysis data for the surface is obtained. From the data analyzing the overall color composition, colors with a color difference (ΔE*) of 13.0 or less from the center color of the coated portion 3 are analyzed as the color of the coated portion 3, and the area ratio of the coated portion 3 to the entire base 2 is calculated as a percentage.

[0039] <<Measurement method (2)>> The pet food 1 is observed and photographed using an optical microscope (VHX-900F (manufactured by KEYENCE)), and the area ratio of the coating portion 3 is measured. Specifically, one pet food 1 is observed using the optical microscope, and an image of the surface having the coating portion 3 is obtained. Based on the obtained image, the surface area of ​​the entire base 2 and the area of ​​the coating portion 3 are measured, and the area ratio of the coating portion 3 to the entire base 2 is calculated as a percentage.

[0040] <Base structure> The base 2 has a substantially circular outer shape in plan view. A through hole 21 is formed in the base 2. In the following description, the base 2 having the through hole 21 formed therein as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 will also be referred to as a doughnut-shaped base 2. The base 2 is formed so that both the major axis a and the minor axis b (see also Fig. 1) in plan view are 12 mm to 30 mm. The base 2 may be formed so that the thickness c (see also Fig. 2) is smaller than the minor axis b. For example, the thickness c of the base 2 is 3 mm to 6 mm.

[0041] The surface 22 of the base 2 is provided with break induction portions 24 that extend in a planar direction. In the pet food 1 according to this embodiment, the break induction portions 24 are formed by recesses 25 that are formed on the surface 22 and recessed toward the back surface 23, as shown in FIG. 2. The recesses 25 are formed to extend in the planar direction. In FIG. 1, the area where the break induction portions 24 are formed is hatched. The break induction portions 24 formed by the recesses 25 have a smaller thickness than other parts of the base 2. The break induction portions 24 may be formed so as to overlap the diameter of the base 2 in a planar view, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0042] When the base 2 is solid, that is, when no through holes 21 are formed, the ratio of the area of ​​the through holes 21 in a plan view (hereinafter simply referred to as the ratio of the area of ​​the through holes) to the area in a plan view is 8% or more. In the case of a doughnut-shaped base 2, the area of ​​the base 2 when it is solid is calculated as the sum of the surface area of ​​the base 2 and the area of ​​the through holes 21.

[0043] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the base taken along line III-III in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, in the cross-sectional shape of base 2 viewed along the planar direction, outer surface 26 is rounded. This makes the connection portion between surface 22 and outer surface 26 less likely to chip than when the cross-sectional shape of outer surface 26 is flat and a corner is formed at the connection portion between surface 22 and outer surface 26.

[0044] <Base material> The base 2 can be made from any suitable raw material known in pet food. The base 2 can be obtained, for example, by heating and shaping a raw material mixture obtained by mixing powdered and liquid ingredients. The food granules can be either puffed or non-puffed, but puffed granules are preferred from the viewpoint of texture. "Puffed granules" are granules made by shaping a raw material mixture into granules, and are obtained through a puffing process in which bubbles are generated within the raw material mixture. The "puffing process" refers to a process in which gas is generated within the raw material mixture by methods such as heating, fermentation, chemical reaction, or decompression. In the puffing process, the volume of the raw material mixture increases due to the generation of gas, resulting in a porous structure. The increase in volume of the raw material mixture reduces its bulk density. "Puffed granules" can be obtained by shaping the raw material mixture into granules before, after, or simultaneously with the puffing process. "Non-puffed granules" are granules produced without the puffing process.

[0045] Examples of powdered raw materials include, as main ingredients, grains (corn, wheat, rice, corn gluten meal, wheat bran, breadcrumbs, barley, oats, rye, etc.), potatoes (sweet potato, potato, etc.), pulses (whole soybeans, defatted soybeans, etc.), starches (wheat starch, corn starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, sweet potato starch, sago starch, modified starch, etc.), meat (chicken, beef, pork, venison, etc., and their parts such as liver, beef tendon, pig ear, and chicken fillet), processed products such as chicken meal, pork meal, beef meal, and mixed meals of these, and meat extract. Seafood (fish such as tuna, bonito, horse mackerel, etc.; crustaceans such as shrimp and crab; mollusks such as octopus and squid; shellfish such as scallops and turban shells; processed products such as fish meal, fish extract, and bonito flakes; small fish that indicate their shape, whitebait, white fish that indicate their flesh quality, and tuna blood meat that indicates their part), vegetables, nuts and seeds, mushrooms, fruits, algae, eggs, sugars, milk, others (herbs, yeast, cellulose, etc.), additives include vitamins, inorganic salts, amino acids, acidulants, seasonings, flavor ingredients, colorings, preservatives, emulsifiers, antioxidants, etc.

[0046] Examples of liquid ingredients include water, oils and fats, sugars (liquid sugar, etc.), humectants, preservatives, emulsifiers, etc. The humectants and emulsifiers may be added in the form of an aqueous solution. The oils and fats may be vegetable oils or animal fats. Animal fats are preferred because they tend to be highly palatable. Preferred animal fats and fats include chicken oil, lard, beef tallow, and dairy fat.

[0047] Examples of the composition of the base 2 include a total of 20 to 70 mass% of grains, a total of 10 to 50 mass% of meats, a total of 0 to 30 mass% of seafood, a total of 0 to 10 mass% of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, 0 to 15 mass% of cellulose powder, and 1 to 20 mass% of animal fats and oils.

[0048] The composition of the base 2 is preferably determined taking into consideration, for example, nutritional balance, and preferably satisfies the standards of a complete nutritional food. For example, if the food granules are cat food, It is preferable that the food be a complete nutritional food that meets the standards of a complete nutritional food.

[0049] <Configuration of the coating part> The covering portion 3 is provided so as to cover a portion of the surface 22 of the base 2. The base 2 is provided so as to extend in a planar direction. The width d of the covering portion 3 (see also FIG. 1 ) is smaller than the diameter e of the through-hole 21. The covering portion 3 is formed by being hung on the surface 22 of the base 2 after the base 2 is formed. Because the width d of the covering portion 3 is smaller than the diameter e of the through-hole 21, the covering portion 3 can fit inside the through-hole 21.

[0050] <Materials for the coating> The coating portion 3 may have a different component composition from that of the base 2, and known raw materials for pet foods can be used as appropriate. Since the coating portion 3 has a different component composition from that of the base 2, it can have a different taste from that of the base 2. By covering a portion of the base 2 with a coating portion 3 having a different taste, it is possible to improve palatability. The coating portion 3 may contain, for example, fats and oils and powdered raw materials. An example of a composition for forming the coating portion is a cream-like composition. For example, any raw materials such as fats and oils, powdered raw materials, and appropriate excipients may be mixed and stirred at about 40 to 60°C to form a cream-like composition, which may be used as the composition for forming the coating portion. The coating portion can be formed, for example, by coating a portion of the base with the cream-like composition and then cooling and solidifying it.

[0051] The fats and oils may be vegetable fats and oils or animal fats and oils. They may also be hydrogenated fats and oils. It is preferable to use a combination of fats and oils with a high melting point (about 45 to 65°C, preferably about 56.5 to 60.5°C) and fats and oils with a low melting point (about 20 to 45°C, preferably about 30 to 40°C). Using only fats and oils with a high melting point makes them less soluble and less decomposable in the body when ingested. On the other hand, using only fats and oils with a low melting point makes them less processable and may melt at high temperatures. The combination of fats and oils with a high and low melting point makes it possible to obtain a composition that is easy to process and dissolves easily when eaten. An example of such a combination is a combination of vegetable fats and oils and oils with hydrogenated fats and oils. Alternatively, refined beef tallow, refined lard, chicken fat, mutton tallow, horse fat, palm fractionated oil, palm kernel oil, vegetable fats and oils, fish oil, fatty acids (linoleic acid, linolenic acid, etc.), butter, etc. may be used in place of or together with the vegetable fats and oils. A suitable example of vegetable oil is palm oil. The hardened oil may be vegetable or animal. The hardened oil is preferably highly hardened oil (melting point 56.5 to 60.5°C).

[0052] The powdered raw material is blended to reduce the fluidity of the creamy composition and form the raised coating portion 3. Examples of the powdered raw material include, without particular limitation, all powdered raw materials that can be used in pet food. Examples include those exemplified in the above "<Materials for the base>" section. Specific examples include grains, meat, starches, bran, sugars, beans, seafood, eggs, dairy products, plant protein extracts, fruits, mushrooms, algae, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, cellulose, yeast, flavors, seasonings, and the like. A suitable example of the powdered raw material is soybean powder. Among these, concentrated soybean protein is preferred, and heat-treated soybean protein that is easy to digest is even more preferred. In addition, instead of or together with soybean powder, gelatinized wheat flour, isolated soy protein, protein hydrolysate, brewer's yeast powder, cheese powder, dairy powder, seafood powder, amino acid powder, meat, beans, rice flour, malt powder, nucleic acid, etc. may be used. It is preferable to use a powder raw material that is compatible with fats and oils. The pulverized particle size of the powder raw material is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the maximum pulverized particle size is 400 μm or less, and more preferably the average pulverized particle size is 100 μm or less.

[0053] In addition to the above, freeze-dried raw materials may be used as raw materials for the composition for forming the coating portion from the viewpoint of improving appearance and palatability. The freeze-dried raw materials may be, for example, a cream-like composition based After coating the body, the creamy composition may be sprinkled on before it hardens.

[0054] Examples of the composition for forming the coating portion include a total of 5 to 70 mass% of low-melting-point fats and oils (vegetable fats and oils, etc.), a total of 3 to 40 mass% of high-melting-point fats and oils (extremely hardened fats and oils, etc.), a total of 5 to 70 mass% of powder raw materials, and a total of 2.5 to 35 mass% of excipients (dextrin, starches, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, etc.).

[0055] The proportion of the mass of the covering portion 3 relative to the total mass of the entire pet food 1 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 1 to 20 mass %, preferably 3 to 15 mass %, more preferably 5 to 12 mass %.

[0056] <Pet food manufacturing process> The base 2 of the pet food 1 is produced using, for example, an extruder. Fig. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion of the extruder where the powder material is extruded. The extruder 5 has a mixing chamber 51 that accommodates a raw material mixture 6 that serves as the raw material for the base 2. The raw material mixture 6 is mixed inside the mixing chamber 51. An opening 52 that connects the inside and outside of the mixing chamber 51 is formed in the wall surface of the mixing chamber 51.

[0057] Inside the mixing chamber 51, the raw material mixture 6 is forced in a direction toward the opening 52 (the direction indicated by the arrow X). As a result, the raw material mixture 6 is extruded from the opening 52 to the outside of the mixing chamber 51. When a certain amount of the raw material mixture 6 has been extruded from the opening 52, the extruded amount of the raw material mixture 6 is cut off. The cut-off raw material mixture 6 is then dried to produce the substrate 2.

[0058] An insert die 53 is provided inside the mixing chamber 51 near the opening 52 and at a position facing the opening 52. The insert die 53 is formed so as to extend in the depth direction of the paper surface of FIG.

[0059] The raw material mixture 6 is pressed against the insert die 53 before being extruded from the opening 52, and is separated into two parts on either side of the insert die 53. The raw material mixture 6 separated by the insert die 53 passes through the insert die 53 and then meets and joins together just before the opening 52. The raw material mixture 6 extruded from the opening 52 through this process has a shape that bulges on both sides at the part where the separated raw material mixtures 6 are joined together. As a result, a depression 25 is formed at the part where the raw material mixtures 6 are joined together, and this depression 25 becomes a breakage induction part 24 (see also FIG. 2).

[0060] After drying, the base 2 has a bonded surface where the raw material mixture 6 is bonded to itself. The base 2 is prone to cracking starting from the bonded surface, and this bonded surface can be considered to be the fracture induction portion 24. The bonded surface also appears on the back surface 23 of the base 2, and the bonded surface that appears on the back surface 23 can also be considered to be the fracture induction portion 24.

[0061] 5 is a view of the insert die as viewed in the direction indicated by arrow X. As shown in FIG. 5, by providing a wide portion 53a in the middle of the insert die 53, it is possible to form through holes 21 in the raw material mixture 6 extruded from the opening 52.

[0062] Here, the manufacturing process of the pet food 1 will be summarized. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process of the pet food. First, the raw material mixture 6 is pressed against the insert die 53 in the mixing chamber 51 of the extruder 5 to separate the raw material mixture 6 (step S1). Next, the separated raw material mixture 6 is merged just before the opening 52 (step S2). Next, the merged raw material mixture 6 is extruded from the opening 52 (step S3). Next, the raw material mixture 6 extruded from the opening 52 is cut out (step S4). Next, the cut raw material mixture 6 is dried to form the base 2 (step S5). Next, the covering portion 3 is formed on the surface 22 of the base 2 (step S6), thereby manufacturing the pet food 1.

[0063] In this way, by manufacturing the base body 2 through the above steps using the extruder 5 in which the insert die 53 is provided in the mixing chamber 51, the base body 2 having the break induction portions 24 formed therein can be manufactured simply by extruding the raw material mixture 6 in the mixing chamber 51 from the opening 52. Note that the steps S1 to S4 described above are not performed at separate times, but are performed continuously while the raw material mixture 6 is being forced into the mixing chamber 51.

[0064] <Modifications of the base> FIG. 7 is a plan view of a base according to a modified example. The base 2 according to the modified example 2 is formed with a recessed portion 27, which is a portion where the outer edge is recessed in a plan view, giving it a so-called heart shape. The break induction portion 24 extends in the planar direction from the bottom of the recessed portion 27. In FIG. 7, the area where the break induction portion 24 is formed is hatched. Although a side view is omitted, the break induction portion 24 is formed as a recess formed on the front surface and recessed toward the back surface. In the following description, the base 2 according to the modified example shown in FIG. 7 will also be referred to as a heart-shaped base 2. The appearance of the product may be improved by mixing and packing pet foods 1 with different planar shapes, such as pet foods 1 using donut-shaped bases 2 and pet foods 1 using heart-shaped bases 2.

[0065] <Effects> Because the base 2 is formed with both the major axis a and the minor axis b of 12 mm to 30 mm, the size of the pet food 1 can be made to be easy to hold and handle when fed directly to a pet from the owner's hands. In other words, the pet food 1 can be made to be a size that ensures ease of holding and handling. For example, the pet food 1 is a "side dish" (snack). Unlike when the pet food 1 is a staple food, the main purpose of a side dish is to see the pet enjoying the meal and to communicate with the pet, so many pet owners feed it to their pets directly from their hands. Therefore, pet food 1 of a size that ensures ease of holding and handling can be made to improve owner satisfaction.

[0066] As the base 2 becomes larger, the bite force required to crush and eat it also increases. Therefore, pet foods granulated with relatively large particle sizes may be difficult for young pets or elderly pets, which have relatively weak bite force, to eat. On the other hand, the pet food 1 according to this embodiment is provided with break induction portions 24 in the base 2, which are formed to be thinner than other portions. Because the break induction portions 24 are formed to be thinner than other portions, the breaking strength is reduced, and the base 2 is more likely to break at the break induction portions 24. Therefore, compared to pet foods that do not have break induction portions 24, the bite force required to eat the pet food 1 is smaller, making it possible to provide pet food 1 that is easy for young pets and elderly pets to eat.

[0067] The base 2 has through holes 21 formed therein. The formation of the through holes 21 makes the base 2 more fragile, reducing the biting force required to eat it. Furthermore, by setting the size of the through holes 21 so that the ratio of the area of ​​the through holes 21 in a plan view to the area of ​​the base 2 when viewed in a solid state is 8% or more, the base 2 can be made even more fragile. If the thickness c is smaller than the major axis a and minor axis b in a plan view and the ratio of the area of ​​the through holes 21 in a plan view to the area of ​​the base 2 when viewed in a solid state is 8% or more, it is possible to make the pet food 1 fragile and easy to eat even without the breakage induction section 24. If the covering section 3 is formed softer than the base 2, the pet food 1 can be made large while still being fragile and easy to eat. The term "soft" refers to, for example, low Vickers hardness.

[0068] The planar shape of the doughnut-shaped base 2 is not limited to a circle, but may be a polygon such as a triangle or a rectangle. Furthermore, the planar shape of the heart-shaped base 2, in which the outer edge has a recessed portion 27 that is a portion where the outer edge is recessed in a plan view, is not limited to a heart shape, but may be a shape in which multiple recesses 27 are formed.

[0069] <Example> A doughnut-shaped substrate 2 and a heart-shaped substrate 2 were manufactured, and the hardness of each was measured. The results are shown in Table 1. The doughnut-shaped substrate 2 was manufactured with dimensions of major axis a = 14.0 mm, minor axis b = 13.4 mm, and thickness c = 3.9 mm. The area ratio of the through holes 21 formed in the doughnut-shaped substrate 2 was 9.5%. The heart-shaped substrate 2 was manufactured with dimensions of major axis a = 14.5 mm, minor axis b = 13.0 mm, and thickness c = 4.7 mm. Ten doughnut-shaped substrates 2 and ten heart-shaped substrates 2 were manufactured (Nos. 1 to 10), and the hardness of the substrates 2 was measured according to the method described above in [Method for measuring fracture (hardness)]. Furthermore, the hardness of each substrate 2 was measured at the fracture induction portions 24 and at areas avoiding the fracture induction portions 24.

[0070] According to the results shown in Table 1, for both the doughnut-shaped base 2 and the heart-shaped base 2, the average hardness at the break induction portions 24 was 50% or less of the average hardness at the portions avoiding the break induction portions 24, making it clear that the provision of the break induction portions 24 makes the base 2 more likely to break. Because the base 2 is more likely to break, the pet food 1 in which the base 2 is used is also more likely to break, resulting in a pet food 1 that is easier for pets to eat.

[0071] [Table 1]

[0072] Pet food having a doughnut-shaped base was manufactured as a pet food according to the comparative examples, and the results of hardness measurements are shown in Table 2. The base of the pet food according to the comparative example 1 had a = 11.6, b = 10.5, and c = 8.2, and the percentage of through holes was 5.8%. The base of the pet food according to the comparative example 2 had a = 12.1, b = 11.0, and c = 4.5, and the percentage of through holes was 4.2%. The base of the pet food according to the comparative example 3 had a = 10.7, b = 9.2, and c = 4.6, and the percentage of through holes was 5.9%. The base of the pet food according to the comparative example 4 had a = 11.4, b = 9.3, and c = 4.7, and the percentage of through holes was 5.7%.

[0073] The bases of the pet foods according to Comparative Examples 1 to 4 all have an outer shape (a = 12 to 30, b = 12 to 30, c = 3 to 6, proportion of through holes is 8% or more) different from the outer shape of the base 2 of the donut-shaped pet food 1 of the present embodiment. More specifically, the pet food 1 of the present embodiment has a larger planar shape than the pet foods of Comparative Examples 1 to 4.

[0074] As shown in Table 2, all of Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were harder than the break induction portions 24 of the base 2 of the pet food 1 of the present embodiment. That is, the results showed that the pet foods of Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were less likely to break. That is, it was found that the donut-shaped pet food 1 of the present embodiment was more easily broken at the break induction portions 24 and easier to eat, despite having a larger planar shape than the pet foods of Comparative Examples 1 to 4.

[0075] [Table 2]

[0076] Pet food having a heart-shaped base was produced as a pet food according to a comparative example, and the results of measuring the hardness are shown in Table 3. The base of the pet food according to comparative example 5 has a = 11.0, b = 10.5, and c = 4.5. The base of the pet food according to comparative example 5 has a larger planar shape than the base 2 of the heart-shaped pet food 1 of this embodiment.

[0077] As shown in Table 3, Comparative Example 5 is harder than the break induction portions 24 of the base 2 of the pet food 1 of the present embodiment. In other words, the results show that the pet food of Comparative Example 5 is less likely to break. That is, it can be seen that the heart-shaped pet food 1 of the present embodiment is more likely to break at the break induction portions 24 and is easier to eat, despite having a larger planar shape than the pet food of Comparative Example 5.

[0078] [Table 3]

[0079] Although the embodiments of the present application have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples, and the embodiments of the present application can be embodied in other forms that include the aspects described in the Disclosure of the Invention section and are variously modified and improved based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1. Pet food 2 Base 21 through hole 22 Surface 23 Back side 24 Break induction section 25 dent 26 External surface 27 recessed part 3 Covering 5. Extrusion molding machine 51 Mixing room 52 Aperture 53 Insert Die 53a wide part 6 Raw material mixture

Claims

1. A substrate having a major axis and a minor axis both of which are 12 mm to 30 mm in plan view, The dry pet food has a base provided with a breakage induction portion that extends along a planar direction and induces breakage of the base.

2. The dry pet food according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the substrate is smaller than the minor axis.

3. The dry pet food according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the substrate is 3 mm to 6 mm.

4. The dry pet food according to claim 1 , wherein the base has through holes formed therethrough in the thickness direction.

5. The dry pet food according to claim 4, wherein the ratio of the area of ​​the through holes in a plan view to the area of ​​the solid base in a plan view is 8% or more.

6. The dry pet food according to claim 1 , wherein the base has a recessed portion on its outer edge in a plan view.

7. The dry pet food according to claim 6 , wherein the breakage induction portion extends from a bottom portion of the recessed portion of the outer edge.

8. The dry pet food according to claim 1, wherein the breaking strength of the break induction portions of the base is 50% or less of the breaking strength of a portion of the base avoiding the break induction portions.

9. The breaking strength of the break induction portion is 30.4 (N) or less, The dry pet food according to claim 8, wherein the breaking strength of the portion avoiding the break induction portion is 69.5 (N) or more.

10. Further provided is a covering portion that covers a portion of the base body, the component composition of the substrate is different from the component composition of the coating portion, The dry pet food according to claim 1 , wherein the covering portion is softer than the base body.

11. Further provided is a line-shaped covering portion that covers a portion of the base body, the component composition of the substrate is different from the component composition of the coating portion, The dry pet food according to claim 4 , wherein the width of the covering portion is smaller than the diameter of the through hole.

12. The dry pet food according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said base bodies having different planar shapes.

13. The dry pet food according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the cross section of the base body when viewed along a planar direction is rounded.

14. The dry pet food according to claim 1 , wherein the breakage induction portion is a recess formed on the first surface of the base and recessed toward a back surface of the first surface.

15. the substrate is formed by drying a mixed raw material mixture, The dry pet food according to claim 1 , wherein the breakage induction portion is a joining surface where the mixed raw material mixture is joined to each other before drying.

16. A substrate having a thickness smaller than the major axis and the minor axis in a plan view, The substrate has a through hole formed therethrough in a thickness direction, The dry pet food has a ratio of the area of ​​the through holes in a plan view to the area of ​​the solid base in a plan view of 8% or more.

17. A method for producing dry pet food using an extruder having a mixing chamber in which a raw material mixture is mixed, and an opening that connects the inside and outside of the mixing chamber, a step of forcing the raw material mixture against an insert die provided inside the mixing chamber to separate the raw material mixture; a step of combining the separated raw material mixtures before the opening; and extruding the joined raw material mixture to the outside through the opening.

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