Deodorized dry food for pets and preparation method thereof
By using gel encapsulation technology to slowly release enzymes, probiotics, and other materials, and then releasing them at specific points, the problem of intestinal discomfort and fecal odor caused by high protein in pet food is solved, resulting in a significant improvement in pet gut health.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- YANTAI CHINA PET FOODS GRP
- Filing Date
- 2023-10-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-02
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of pet food, specifically relating to a deodorizing dry pet food and its preparation method. Background Technology
[0002] With the development of the pet industry, pet food, as an essential product for pets, occupies a major share of the pet consumer market. Pet owners are paying increasing attention to the nutrition of pet food, hoping to improve their pets' health and achieve the goal of providing long-term, high-quality companionship.
[0003] Studies show that pet foods rich in high-quality animal protein are more palatable, have a balanced amino acid profile, and are better suited to the nutritional needs of pets, especially cats. Therefore, high-end pet foods on the market are designed with high animal protein content to meet high-quality demands. However, excessively high animal protein content can burden a pet's intestines and kidneys. This is because pets have relatively short intestines, with a body length / gastrointestinal tract ratio of approximately 1 / 6 to 1 / 4, resulting in short digestion and absorption times. Nutrients cannot be fully digested and absorbed in a short period. When a large amount of undigested protein enters the large intestine, the lack of villi and the different mucosal morphology compared to the small intestine mean that food residue cannot be digested and reabsorbed. However, the large intestine's microbial flora has high metabolic activity, leading to the decomposition of food residue by these microorganisms, generating ammonia, creating an odor, and potentially causing intestinal discomfort and diarrhea. Market research and pet owner feedback indicate that high-protein diets often result in a heavy digestive burden and foul-smelling feces in pets. Due to busy work schedules, indoor pet ownership has become the primary mode of pet care. While dogs, due to their natural habits, will defecate outdoors during walks, indoor cats generally use litter boxes. If the feces smell bad, it can negatively impact the overall living environment. In some cases, this can increase the likelihood of pet abandonment.
[0004] While some existing products have made improvements, such as reducing protein content and adding probiotics and prebiotics, low-protein diets still do not meet consumers' nutritional needs for pets. Due to the complex internal environment of pets—the stomach is acidic and the small intestine is alkaline—many ingredients, such as probiotics, are easily deactivated after passing through the intestines and cannot reach the large intestine to further aid in the digestion and breakdown of excess protein. Furthermore, their individual effects in the intestines are limited, leading to an increase in unpleasant fecal conditions in pets. Prebiotics have a broad but non-specific effect in the gut. While reducing protein content and adding probiotics and prebiotics to pet food can increase its functionality, some functional ingredients have a bitter taste, limiting their proportion. None of these measures can comprehensively solve the problem of smelly pet feces. Summary of the Invention
[0005] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a deodorizing dry pet food and its preparation method. The invention aims to encapsulate enzymes, postbiotics, probiotics, plant extracts, and natural minerals, then combine them with appropriate pet food ingredients to create a product with suitable nutritional components. After ingestion by the pet, the encapsulated materials are released at specific points, primarily targeting conditions such as excessive nutrition in the large intestine, the proliferation of harmful microorganisms, unpleasant odor, and even unformed feces.
[0006] The specific technical solution is as follows:
[0007] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a deodorizing dry food for pets, which includes a slow-release functional material, wherein the slow-release functional material includes functional material particles and an encapsulated enzyme preparation attached to the outer surface of the functional material particles.
[0008] The encapsulated enzyme preparation comprises a protease and an encapsulation carrier;
[0009] The functional material particles contain probiotics.
[0010] This invention improves the limitations of functional ingredients in pet food by introducing a novel gel encapsulation process, addressing their insensitivity to acids and alkalis. By combining multiple ingredients, it provides targeted solutions to the problem of foul-smelling stools and intestinal discomfort caused by incomplete digestion of high-protein foods in pet diets.
[0011] Furthermore, the embedding carrier can be a natural raw material or a synthetic polymer; specifically, the embedding carrier includes at least one of sodium alginate, calcium alginate, konjac gum, carrageenan, gelatin, agar, carrageenan, chitosan, and polyacrylamide.
[0012] Furthermore, the content of the protease is 500-30000 U / kg based on the sustained-release functional material, and the content of the probiotics is 1×10⁻⁶ based on the sustained-release functional material. 8 ~1×10 10 CFU / kg.
[0013] Furthermore, the protease can be a plant protease or a microbial protease; specifically, the protease includes at least one of papain, bromelain, neutral protease, alkaline protease, and acidic protease.
[0014] Furthermore, the probiotics include at least one of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus coagulans.
[0015] Furthermore, the functional material particles also contain at least one of prebiotics, postbiotics, minerals, and plant extracts.
[0016] The prebiotics mentioned herein refer to organic substances that are not digested and absorbed by the host but can selectively promote the metabolism and proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the body, thereby improving the host's health. Specifically, the prebiotics include at least one of chitosan, fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharides, soybean oligosaccharides, and inulin.
[0017] The term "postbiotic" refers to the collective term for probiotic metabolites after processing, including bacterial cells and metabolic products.
[0018] The minerals mentioned are preferably natural minerals. Specifically, the natural minerals include one or more of the following: potassium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, manganese, and iron.
[0019] The plant extracts are preferably at least one of the following: extracts of Astragalus membranaceus, Dioscorea opposita, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Portulaca oleracea, and Prunus mume.
[0020] Furthermore, in addition to encapsulating enzyme preparations, cellulose is also attached to the outer surface of the functional material particles, and the preferred mass ratio of cellulose attached to the outer surface of the functional material particles to the enzyme-containing gel is (1-10):1.
[0021] Specifically, the sustained-release functional material preferably contains, by weight, 20-40 parts of plant extract, 20-40 parts of minerals, 20-40 parts of prebiotics, 10-20 parts of post-biotics, and 10-20 parts of cellulose.
[0022] Furthermore, the raw materials of the deodorizing dry pet food include, by weight, 1-5 parts of slow-release functional material, 10-40 parts of plant-based raw material, 10-60 parts of animal protein material, and 5-25 parts of oil.
[0023] The plant-based raw materials preferably include grain flour, which includes at least one of pure grain flour, starch, and grain protein powder.
[0024] The animal protein material preferably includes at least one of animal meat meal, fresh meat, or frozen meat.
[0025] The oils mentioned herein preferably include at least one of animal oils and vegetable oils.
[0026] Furthermore, the aforementioned deodorizing dry pet food is especially suitable for cats.
[0027] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for preparing the above-mentioned deodorizing dry pet food, which includes the following steps:
[0028] (1) Preparation of encapsulated enzyme preparation: Dissolve the encapsulation carrier and enzyme preparation in phosphate buffer, add potassium persulfate and sodium bisulfite to complete the polymerization reaction and obtain enzyme-containing gel;
[0029] (2) Preparation of sustained-release functional materials: Granulate the raw materials of functional material particles to obtain functional material particles; dissolve the encapsulated enzyme preparation and cellulose in water and spray them on the surface of the functional material particles to obtain sustained-release functional materials.
[0030] (3) Dry food preparation: Mix the slow-release functional materials with other dry food ingredients to prepare dry food for pets.
[0031] Furthermore, in step (1), the mass ratio of the embedding vector, enzyme preparation, and phosphate buffer is (10-50):(1-15):100.
[0032] Furthermore, in step (1), the pH value of the phosphate buffer is 2 to 5.
[0033] Furthermore, in step (1), the concentration of the phosphate buffer is 0.1–0.4 mol / L.
[0034] Furthermore, in step (1), the mass ratio of potassium persulfate, sodium bisulfite, and the embedding carrier is (1-10):(0.1-1):100.
[0035] Further, in step (1), a potassium persulfate solution with a concentration of 5wt% to 15wt% and a sodium bisulfite solution with a concentration of 5wt% to 15wt% are added to the phosphate buffer solution in which the embedding carrier and enzyme preparation are dissolved.
[0036] Furthermore, in step (1), the polymerization reaction is completed under stirring.
[0037] Furthermore, in step (2), granulation is performed using pressure rollers.
[0038] Furthermore, in step (2), after spraying the encapsulated enzyme preparation and cellulose, the granules are dried to a moisture content of less than 10 wt%. Specifically, they can be placed in a drying oven or fluidized bed at 30–40°C and dried for 2–8 hours.
[0039] Furthermore, in step (3), the slow-release functional material is mixed with other dry food ingredients and then extruded and puffed to obtain pet dry food.
[0040] Furthermore, in step (3), after extrusion and puffing, the product is dried, preferably to a moisture content of less than 10 wt%. Then, at least one of oil, animal hydrolysate, and animal enzymatic hydrolysate is rolled onto the outside of the product to achieve good sensory, flavor, taste, and nutritional properties.
[0041] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:
[0042] This invention presents an innovative and optimized deodorizing dry food based on the basic daily ration design. In this invention, effective raw materials such as enzyme preparations are pre-treated by gel encapsulation, and functional materials such as probiotics are slowly encapsulated for targeted release, ensuring effective and gradual release while masking the unpleasant taste of certain raw materials. In this invention, multiple materials work synergistically: because the gut is a specific ecological environment with its own characteristics, such as limited digestive enzyme secretion and the presence of both beneficial and harmful bacteria, the effect of a single material is limited. However, if multiple materials work synergistically, they will achieve twice the result with half the effort.
[0043] In summary, this invention improves the limitations of functional ingredients in pet food by introducing a novel gel encapsulation process, which addresses the issues of restricted use, insensitivity to acids and alkalis. By combining multiple ingredients, it provides targeted solutions to the problems of foul-smelling stools and intestinal discomfort caused by incomplete digestion of high-protein foods in pet diets. Detailed Implementation
[0044] The principles and features of the present invention are described below with reference to examples. The examples are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
[0045] In a specific implementation, the metabiotic is a powder obtained by sterilizing and drying the product obtained after fermentation of Lactobacillus plantarum.
[0046] In the specific implementation, the term "parts" refers to parts by weight.
[0047] Example 1
[0048] The steps to prepare odor-deodorizing dry pet food are as follows:
[0049] (1) Preparation of encapsulated enzyme preparation: Calcium alginate was selected as the encapsulation carrier. Calcium alginate and pure acidic protease were dissolved in phosphate buffer solution with a pH of 5.0 and a concentration of 0.2 mol / L. The mixture was stirred evenly to obtain a solution. The mass ratio of encapsulation carrier, acidic protease, and phosphate buffer solution was 40:10:100. 10 wt% potassium persulfate solution and 10 wt% sodium bisulfite solution were added to the above mixture. The mass ratio of potassium persulfate, sodium bisulfite, and encapsulation carrier was 1:0.2:100. The polymerization reaction was completed under continuous stirring to obtain an enzyme-containing gel.
[0050] (2) Preparation of sustained-release functional materials: 20 parts by weight of plant extract, 30 parts by weight of natural minerals, 30 parts by weight of chitosan, 10 parts by weight of post-biotic, and 10 parts by weight of *Lactobacillus plantarum* were premixed and placed in a roller press for granulation. The particle size of the granules was 80% passing through a 40-mesh sieve. 10 parts by weight of cellulose and 1 part by weight of enzyme-containing gel were mixed and dissolved in 10 parts by weight of water. This mixture was then sprayed onto the surface of the granulated product to form a sustained-release encapsulation. The granules were then placed in a 30℃ drying oven and dried for 5 hours until the moisture content was below 10 wt%. The enzyme activity of the acidic protease in the sustained-release functional material was 2.2 × 10⁻⁶. 4 U / kg, the viable count of Lactobacillus plantarum is 2.5 × 10⁻⁶. 9 CFU / kg.
[0051] (3) Preparation of dry rations: According to the weight proportions, 2 parts of the slow-release functional material obtained in step (2), 35 parts of wheat flour, 40 parts of chicken powder, 20 parts of chicken oil, and 0.5 parts of vitamins are mixed evenly and then adjusted to a moisture content of 20wt% to 25wt%. The mixture is then extruded and puffed using an extrusion puffing machine at 105 to 115℃ for 5 minutes. The puffed granules are then dried at 100℃ until the moisture content is below 8wt%. The dried granules are then coated with 10wt% oil and 5wt% flavor enhancer by weight.
[0052] Comparative Example 1
[0053] Referring to Example 1, the difference from Example 1 is that step (1) of preparing the encapsulated enzyme preparation is not performed, and in step (2), the enzyme-containing gel and other enzyme-active components are replaced with pure acidic protease.
[0054] Test 1
[0055] Animal comparative experiments:
[0056] Cat sample: Each example or comparative example constitutes one experimental group, with 10 cats per group, adult British Shorthairs, half male and half female, weighing 3kg ± 0.5kg.
[0057] Feeding method: Feed once daily, 120g per cat per feeding, free access, individual cage feeding for 15 days. Record fecal quality for each cat and measure fecal ammonia nitrogen. Experimental results are shown in Table 1. In Table 1, fecal scores are based on the Nestlé Purina fecal scoring system, where a score of 2 indicates the healthiest feces.
[0058] Data statistics and analysis: Experimental data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The significance of differences was tested by analysis of variance in SPSS statistical software, and the significance level was P<0.05.
[0059] Table 1 Results of cat fecal quality
[0060] Testing items Comparative Example 1 Example 1 Stool score 2.6±0.2 2.2±0.3 Determination of ammonia nitrogen in fecal samples (μmol / g) 122.5±7.9 60.4±5.3
[0061] As can be seen from Table 1, the method of the present invention, which pre-treats effective raw materials such as enzyme preparations by gel encapsulation, can significantly reduce the foul-smelling stools and intestinal discomfort caused by incomplete digestion of high protein in pet diets.
[0062] 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 deodorizing dry pet food, characterized in that, It includes sustained-release functional materials, wherein the sustained-release functional materials include functional material particles and encapsulated enzyme preparations attached to the outer surface of the functional material particles; The encapsulated enzyme preparation comprises a protease and an encapsulation carrier; The functional material particles contain probiotics; The embedding carrier is calcium alginate; The preparation method of the deodorizing dry pet food includes the following steps: (1) Preparation of encapsulated enzyme preparation: Dissolve the encapsulation carrier and enzyme preparation in phosphate buffer, add potassium persulfate and sodium bisulfite, and complete the polymerization reaction to obtain enzyme-containing gel; The mass ratio of encapsulation carrier, enzyme preparation and phosphate buffer is (10~50):(1~15):100; The mass ratio of potassium persulfate, sodium bisulfite and encapsulation carrier is (1~10):(0.1~1):100; (2) Preparation of sustained-release functional materials: Granulate the raw materials of functional material particles to obtain functional material particles; dissolve the encapsulated enzyme preparation and cellulose in water and spray them on the surface of the functional material particles to obtain sustained-release functional materials. (3) Dry food preparation: Mix the slow-release functional materials with other dry food ingredients to prepare dry food for pets.
2. The deodorizing dry pet food according to claim 1, characterized in that, The content of the protease is 500~30000 U / kg based on the sustained-release functional material, and the content of the probiotics is 1×10⁻⁶ based on the sustained-release functional material. 8 ~1×10 10 CFU / kg.
3. The deodorizing dry pet food according to claim 1, characterized in that, The proteases include at least one of papain, bromelain, neutral protease, alkaline protease, and acidic protease. The probiotics mentioned include at least one of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus coagulans.
4. The deodorizing dry pet food according to claim 1, characterized in that, The functional material particles also contain at least one of prebiotics, postbiotics, minerals, and plant extracts.
5. The deodorizing dry pet food according to claim 1, characterized in that, The raw materials of the deodorizing dry pet food include, by weight, 1-5 parts of slow-release functional materials, 10-40 parts of plant-based materials, 10-60 parts of animal protein materials, and 5-25 parts of oils.
6. A method for preparing deodorizing dry pet food as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Preparation of encapsulated enzyme preparation: Dissolve the encapsulation carrier and enzyme preparation in phosphate buffer, add potassium persulfate and sodium bisulfite, and complete the polymerization reaction to obtain enzyme-containing gel; (2) Preparation of sustained-release functional materials: Granulate the raw materials of functional material particles to obtain functional material particles; dissolve the encapsulated enzyme preparation and cellulose in water and spray them on the surface of the functional material particles to obtain sustained-release functional materials. (3) Dry food preparation: Mix the slow-release functional materials with other dry food ingredients to prepare dry food for pets.
7. The preparation method according to claim 6, characterized in that, In step (3), the slow-release functional material is mixed with other dry food ingredients and then extruded and expanded to obtain pet dry food.
8. The preparation method according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step (3), after extrusion and puffing, the product is dried and then coated with at least one of grease, animal hydrolysate, and animal enzymatic hydrolysate.