Chitosan-containing pet chew

Abstract

A chitosan-containing pet chew. The chitosan-containing pet food product can be formed by a water-based pressurized cooking procedure and / or by immersing a pet chew into a water-based solution containing chitosan, wherein chitosan is selectively present on the surface of the pet chew, the chitosan being present in the water at a level of 0.1 wt% to 10.0 wt%; exposing the polymeric-based pet chew to the chitosan and water mixture and impregnating the surface of the pet chew with the chitosan, the chitosan being present from the surface to a thickness of 0.1 mm to 10.0 mm into the pet chew.

Description

[0001] field

[0002] This invention relates to chitosan-containing pet chews. Such chitosan-containing pet food can be formed by a water-based pressure cooking method and / or by immersing pet chews in an water-based solution containing chitosan, wherein the chitosan is selectively present on the surface of the pet chews.

[0003] background

[0004] Literature reports that chitosan provides antimicrobial activity as a bactericide and fungicide. Chitosan is generally identified as poly-[1-4-β-D-glucosamine]. Chitosan can be chemically derived from chitin, which is poly-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine.

[0005] Overview

[0006] A polymer-based pet chew having a surface and comprising a polymer resin and chitosan, wherein the chitosan is present on the surface and within a thickness of 0.1 mm to 10.0 mm.

[0007] A method for forming a pet chew by providing a polymer-based pet chew having a surface and a mixture of chitosan and water, wherein chitosan is present in water at a level of 0.1% to 10.0% by weight. The polymer-based pet chew is then exposed to the chitosan and water mixture, and the surface of the pet chew is impregnated with the chitosan. This can be achieved by impregnating or soaking the polymer-based pet chew in the chitosan / water mixture. Optionally, the chitosan / water mixture can be heated or heated in a pressure vessel.

[0008] Detailed description

[0009] This invention relates to chitosan-containing pet chews. Chitosan, as used herein, refers to a polysaccharide primarily composed of (at least 50% or more) randomly distributed β-(1→4)-linked D-glucosamine (deacetylation units) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (acetylation units). It is typically prepared by treating the chitinous exoskeleton of shrimp and other crustaceans with an alkaline substance (such as sodium hydroxide). When fully deacetylated, the structure of chitosan is as follows:

[0010]

[0011] The chitosan-containing pet chews described herein are preferably formed by a water-based pressurized cooking method and / or by immersing the pet chews in an aqueous solution containing chitosan. Preferably, the pet chews described herein are composed of one or more polymers (such as polyamide (nylon), polyester, polyurethane, thermoplastic polyester-based elastomers, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers, diene rubbers (e.g., polyisoprene or polybutadiene), styrene-butadiene rubber). Thermosetting polyurethane type resins, particularly thermosetting polyurethane elastomers, can also be utilized.

[0012] The pet chews described herein can preferably be formed by injection molding, compression molding, or extrusion. Therefore, the aforementioned polymeric resin can be formed into desired shapes, such as those mimicking skeletal structures or other configurations suitable for pet chew shapes.

[0013] As described above, chitosan is preferably mixed with water, wherein the chitosan is preferably present at a level of 0.1% to 10.0% by weight. Preferably, the aqueous solution is made slightly acidic, meaning it is configured to have a pH of 6.5 or lower, more preferably in the pH range of 3.0 to 6.5, or even more preferably in the pH range of 3.0 to 4.0. Preferably, acidity can be provided by including appropriate amounts of one or more of the following acids in the water: acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, propionic acid, and / or succinic acid. A particularly preferred mixture of chitosan and water is an aqueous solution containing 0.5% to 8.0% acetic acid, or even more preferably 0.5% to 5.0% acetic acid. Optionally, the aqueous mixture of water and chitosan may contain a colorant, wherein the colorant itself is preferably present at a level of 0.1% to 5.0% by weight. Furthermore, the aqueous mixture of water and chitosan may contain a flavoring agent, also preferably present at a level of 0.1% to 5.0% by weight.

[0014] The chitosan-water mixture mentioned above (optionally containing colorants and / or flavorings) is used as a source for impregnating the surface of the polymer-based pet chew with the desired levels of chitosan, colorants, and / or flavorings. As described above, the polymer-based pet chew can be placed in the chitosan / water mixture for a period of time, for example, up to 6.0 hours. The chitosan-water mixture can also be optionally heated to a temperature range of 100℉ to 200℉. This document also considers drying the polymer-based pet chew now containing chitosan, preferably by fluidized bed drying, once removed from the chitosan / water mixture.

[0015] In a preferred process, the polymer-based pet chews can be placed in a pressure vessel containing a chitosan / water mixture (optionally containing colorants and / or flavorings) and heated to generate steam pressure along with the pressure. This raises the boiling point of the water, allowing it to reach up to 250℉. This is then considered to improve the absorption of chitosan and, optionally, the colorants and flavorings, into the surface of the polymer-based pet chews. Preferably, the polymer-based pet chews are heated and pressurized in a pressure cooker for a period of 30 minutes to 6.0 hours, or 30 minutes to 3.0 hours, or 30 minutes to 1.0 hour.

[0016] Another preferred process for impregnating the surface of polymer-based pet chews with chitosan and optional colorants and flavorings is to immerse the pet chews in the aforementioned water mixture. The polymer-based pet chews can then be kept in this water mixture at room temperature for up to 120 hours (or preferably in the range of 1.0 hour to 120 hours).

[0017] Preferably, chitosan (optionally together with colorants and / or flavorings) is present on the surface of the polymer-based pet chew and impregnated therein. This impregnation is intended to penetrate from the surface into the polymer-based pet chew to a thickness of 0.1 mm to 10.0 mm, more preferably at a thickness level of 1.0 mm to 5.0 mm. Thus, the polymer-based pet chew now has a surface in which chitosan and optional colorants and / or flavorings are present on the surface and to a depth of 0.1 mm to 10.0 mm.

[0018] One of the properties of chitosan is its ability to provide antimicrobial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as activity against fungi. It is understandable that when dogs come into contact with pet chews, the surface of the chews can additionally serve as a culture medium for bacterial or fungal growth. Therefore, this paper considers the possibility that by selectively providing chitosan to the surface of polymer-based pet chews, the ability of bacteria or fungi to grow can now be attenuated or eliminated.

[0019] Furthermore, by selectively embedding chitosan (along with colorants) from the surface of the pet chew to a selected depth, consumers will now be provided with a visual indicator of when the chitosan-impregnated surface itself is damaged or removed. In other words, after a period of continuous chewing, the chitosan and color-impregnated surface will be worn away by the animal, and consumers will thus be able to recognize that the antibacterial and / or antifungal surface features are no longer present. Similarly, colorants and / or flavorings can be present on the surface of the pet chew and within the pet chew at a thickness level of 0.1 mm to 10.0 mm, more preferably 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm.

[0020] Therefore, the present invention provides polymer-based pet chews having a chitosan-containing surface extending down to a selected depth, optionally also containing colorants and / or flavorings. The chitosan on the surface and down to the selected depth provides antibacterial and antifungal properties to reduce and / or eliminate the growth of bacteria and fungi that could otherwise proliferate due to an animal's chewing behavior. A visual indicator is also provided for consumers regarding when these antibacterial and antifungal properties of the pet chew are impaired and no longer present.

[0021] More generally, the present invention also relates to a method of forming pet chews, comprising providing a polymer-based pet chew having a surface; providing a mixture of chitosan and water, wherein the chitosan is present in the water at a level of 0.1% to 10.0% by weight; exposing the polymer-based pet chew to the mixture of chitosan and water; and impregnating the surface of the pet chew with the chitosan.

[0022] The present invention also more generally relates to polymer-based pet chews having a surface and comprising a polymer resin and chitosan, wherein chitosan is present on a thickness of 0.1 mm to 10.0 mm from the surface into the pet chew.

Claims

1. A method for forming pet chewing food, comprising: Provided a polymer-based pet chew with a surface, wherein the polymer-based pet chew is an injection-molded, compression-molded, or extruded polymer-based pet chew; A mixture of chitosan and water is provided, wherein the chitosan is present in the water at a level of 0.1% to 10.0% by weight; By placing the chitosan-water mixture together with the polymer-based pet chew into a pressure vessel and heating the pressure vessel to generate vapor pressure and raise the boiling point of water to 250℉, the heating and pressurization lasts from 30 minutes to 6.0 hours. This exposes the polymer-based pet chew to the chitosan-water mixture and impregnates the surface of the pet chew with the chitosan. The chitosan is impregnated into the polymer-based pet chew to a depth of 0.1 mm to 10.0 mm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture of chitosan and water has a pH value of 6.5 or lower.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture of chitosan and water has a pH value in the range of 3.0 to 6.

5.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the mixture of chitosan and water comprises one or more of acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, propionic acid, or succinic acid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture of chitosan and water further comprises a colorant at a level of 0.1% to 5.0% by weight.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture of chitosan and water further comprises a flavoring agent at a level of 0.1% to 5.0% by weight.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the chitosan impregnation depth is 1.0 mm to 5.0 mm.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the colorant is impregnated into the pet chewing material to a depth of 0.1 mm to 10.0 mm.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the flavoring agent is impregnated into the polymer-based pet chew to a depth of 0.1 mm to 10.0 mm.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer-based pet chew comprises a polymer resin selected from the group consisting of: polyamide, polyester, polyurethane, thermoplastic polyester elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, diene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, or thermosetting polyurethane.

Images