A thermoformed edible chew and a method for preparing the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of pet food technology, and in particular to a thermoformed edible chew and a preparation method thereof. A thermoformed edible chew, wherein the raw materials thereof include 8-20 parts of starch, 30-70 parts of fiber, and 3-20 parts of glycerol; the weight ratio of fiber to starch is 2.5-5.0, and the weight ratio of starch to glycerol is 1.0-6.0. The raw materials are evenly mixed and added into a screw machine for thermoplastic modification, the temperature of the screw machine is set to 120°C-160°C, the screw speed is 350rmp-380rmp, and the screw aspect ratio is 36-56, thereby obtaining thermoplastic modified particles, which are melt-treated and injection-molded to obtain the edible chew of this solution. This technical solution can solve the technical problem of the lack of edible animal chews with high fiber content in the prior art by optimizing the component ratio and refining the process parameters, and has an ideal prospect for promotion and application.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of pet food, and in particular to a thermoformed edible chew and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Edible animal chews (animal toys) are pet products specifically designed to meet the nutritional needs and behavioral needs of specific animals, such as rodents (including rats, mice, squirrels, hamsters, bamboo rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and lizards). These animals naturally chew on hard objects to control tooth overgrowth, so providing them with appropriate chewing materials is crucial for their oral health. Additionally, adequate fiber intake is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system.

[0003] However, edible animal chews currently on the market face a major technical challenge: they are generally too low in fiber and too high in starch. This nutritional composition is not suitable for the aforementioned rodents, as they require a higher proportion of fiber to support healthy digestion. In addition, high starch intake in rodents can also cause metabolic disorders. Excessively low fiber content and excessive starch content can lead to a series of health problems in these animals, such as intestinal diseases and dental problems, which may affect the animals' overall health and quality of life.

[0004] When trying to increase the fiber content and reduce the proportion of starchy substances to meet the needs of these animals, new problems are faced. Materials with too high a fiber content often face some specific challenges in terms of flowability and thermoplasticity. These two properties are critical for material processing and the performance of the final product, especially in industries such as food and feed. Thermoplasticity refers to the ability of a material to soften and form under heating conditions and retain its shape after cooling. However, materials with a high fiber content may behave differently during heating because the fibers themselves are not easy to melt or deform, which affects the thermoplasticity of the entire composite material. High fiber content is often more difficult to shape, which makes the manufacturing of products complicated and costly.

[0005] To overcome these issues, a pet food needs to be developed that ensures adequate fiber levels and maintains a low starch content to promote rodent health, while also maintaining good physical properties and ease of processing. The ideal solution should achieve the following goals: Provide an appropriate fiber-to-starch ratio to ensure the product's nutritional value meets the physiological needs of rodents; Optimize the production process to ensure the product maintains good formability and processing properties even with a high fiber content; Ensure the product's texture is neither too hard nor too soft to be suitable as a chew and encourage normal grinding behavior; and Maintain the product's economic viability for large-scale production and widespread application.

[0006] In summary, the existing technology lacks edible animal chews with high fiber content and low starch content, and there is an urgent need to conduct in-depth research on their processing methods and raw material composition in order to develop new products that meet market demand. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention is intended to provide a thermoformed edible chew to solve the technical problem of the prior art that there is a lack of edible animal chews with high fiber content.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0009] A thermoformed edible chewable material, the raw materials of which include 8-20 parts of starch, 30-70 parts of fiber, and 3-20 parts of glycerin; the weight ratio of fiber to starch is 2.5-5.0, and the weight ratio of starch to glycerin is 1.0-6.0.

[0010] Furthermore, the thermoformed edible chew further comprises 1-10 portions of egg white.

[0011] Furthermore, at least one of the starch, the fiber and the protein is derived from plants; preferably, the starch, the fiber and the protein are all derived from plants.

[0012] Furthermore, the fiber comprises at least one of timothy grass, alfalfa grass, barley grass, wheat grass, rice straw, soybean bran, pea bran, and oat bran;

[0013] The starch comprises at least one of corn starch, pumpkin starch, pea starch, rice starch, millet starch and wheat starch;

[0014] The protein includes at least one of soy protein, amaranth protein, arrowroot protein, barley protein, buckwheat protein, rapeseed protein, tapioca protein, chickpea protein, bean protein, lentil protein, lupin protein, corn protein, millet protein, oat protein, pea protein, potato protein, rice protein, rye protein, sorghum protein, sunflower protein, triticale protein, and wheat protein.

[0015] Furthermore, the thermoformed edible chewable object further comprises 0.5-5 parts of vegetable oil and 5-20 parts of fruit and vegetable additives;

[0016] Preferably, the vegetable oil comprises at least one of corn oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, linseed oil, and pumpkin seed oil;

[0017] Preferably, the fruit and vegetable additives include apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, black currants, blueberries, coconuts, cherries, sugar apples, palm dates (dates), durians, figs, feijoas (feijoa), currants, grapes, grapefruits, jackfruits, rambutans, kiwis, kumquats, lemons, limes, loquats, lychees, mangoes, mangosteens, melons, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, watermelons, nectarines, oranges, passionfruits, peaches, pears, plums, prunes, pineapples, pomegranates, grapefruits, raspberries, rambutans, red currants, tangerines, strawberries, oranges, ugli fruits, artichokes, asparagus, avocados (buttermilks), At least one of: cauliflower, zucchini, zucchini, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, radish, eggplant, garlic, bracken, galangal, ginger, beet greens, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, chard, turnip greens, Jerusalem artichoke, jicama, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onion, parsley, peas, pepper, plantain, pumpkin, endive, radish, rutabaga, spinach, sweet potato, tomato, turnip, water chestnut, and yam.

[0018] Furthermore, the weight ratio of the fiber in the raw material is 50-70%.

[0019] Further, the weight ratio of the fiber to the starch is selected from the group consisting of: about 2.5-5.0, about 3.0-5.0, about 3.5-5.0, about 4.0-5.0, about 4.5-5.0, about 2.5-4.5, about 3.0-4.5, about 3.5-4.5, about 4.0-4.5, about 2.5-4.0, about 3.0-4.0, about 3.5-4.0, about 2.5-3.5, or about 3.0-3.5;

[0020] Preferably, the weight ratio of fiber to starch is selected from the group consisting of: about 2.5, about 2.6, about 2.7, about 2.8, about 2.9, about 3.0, about 3.1, about 3.2, about 3.3, about 3.4, about 3.5, about 3.6, about 3.7, about 3.8, about 3.9, about 4.0, about 4.1, about 4.2, about 4.3, about 4.4, about 4.5, about 4.6, about 4.7, about 4.8, about 4.9 or about 5.0.

[0021] Furthermore, the thermoformed edible chew is used for feeding rats, mice, squirrels, hamsters, bamboo rats, guinea pigs, rabbits or lizards; and the edible chew is substantially decomposed in the digestive system of the animal after 24 hours.

[0022] The present technical solution also provides a method for thermoforming edible chews, comprising the steps of: uniformly mixing the raw materials and then adding the raw materials to a screw extruder for thermoplastic modification; setting the temperature of the screw extruder to 120°C-160°C, the screw speed to 350-380 rpm, the screw aspect ratio to 36-56, and controlling the pressure of the extruder head to 1-4 MPa; and cutting the extruded material into pellets of 3-5 mm in length to obtain masterbatches.

[0023] Furthermore, the masterbatch is added into an injection molding machine, the temperature of the injection molding machine is set to 110° C.-125° C., the injection pressure is set to 80 MPa-120 MPa, the injection time is set to 2-5 seconds, and the cooling time is set to 10-40 seconds; the material is injected into the mold, and after cooling and shaping, it becomes an edible chewable product.

[0024] The principle and beneficial effects of this technical solution are:

[0025] The present invention relates to a thermoformed edible chew and its preparation method, specifically designed to meet the unique physiological and behavioral needs of rodents (such as rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, or lizards). These animals have continuously growing incisors that require constant grinding to control tooth length. Furthermore, their digestive systems rely heavily on high-fiber foods to maintain intestinal motility and bacterial balance. Therefore, providing a chew with a high fiber content, low starch content, and excellent processing properties is a pressing technical challenge in the pet food industry.

[0026] Traditional edible chews generally use a high-starch matrix as the primary binder or gelling component. While this facilitates molding and processing, it results in a low fiber content in the product, failing to meet the physiological needs of rodents for high-fiber intake. However, attempts to increase the fiber content and reduce the starch ratio lead to a sharp decrease in the thermoplasticity and fluidity of the material system, significantly increasing the difficulty of molding processes such as extrusion and injection molding. Fibers themselves lack thermoplasticity, and natural plant fibers are mostly crystalline and lack the ability to soften upon melting. This makes it difficult to form a uniform continuous phase under heating conditions, making it prone to problems such as breakage and brittle cracking. During thermal processing, starch granules absorb water, swell, and undergo gelatinization, forming a three-dimensional network structure. This imparts a certain degree of viscoelasticity and ductility to the material, which is a key factor in maintaining the moldability of composite materials. Therefore, an imbalance in the fiber / starch ratio affects processing performance. Typically, the fiber-to-starch ratio must be maintained at a certain ratio to ensure that the fiber can be "encapsulated" in the gel network formed by the starch, thereby achieving good fluidity and moldability. However, in the formula system proposed in the present invention, the weight ratio of fiber to starch is as high as 2.5-5.0, or even higher, which far exceeds the design standards of conventional high-fiber food or feed products and greatly increases the difficulty of molding.

[0027] To overcome the above technical obstacles, the present invention has made systematic innovations from two aspects: optimizing the raw material ratio and precisely controlling the thermal processing process:

[0028] (1) Raw material ratio optimization strategy

[0029] The present invention sets the fiber content at 30%-70%, preferably 50%-70%, while the starch content is only 8%-20%. The fiber-to-starch weight ratio reaches above 2.5, and some embodiments even reach 5.0. This extreme ratio design breaks the traditional understanding that "fiber must be proportional to starch", achieving the dual goals of high fiber intake and low starch burden.

[0030] In low-starch systems, the gelation capacity of starch alone is insufficient to support the formability of high-fiber materials. To address this, the present invention introduces glycerol as a secondary plasticizer to reduce friction between fibers and improve material fluidity; enhance the ductility and elasticity of the composite system, preventing brittle cracking at high temperatures; and, working together with starch, enhance the stability of the gel network, allowing fibers to be effectively embedded within it.

[0031] (2) Refined control of thermal processing parameters

[0032] In order to adapt to the challenges brought by high fiber, low starch, and low fiber / starch ratio, the present invention systematically optimizes the thermoforming process:

[0033] Temperature control: Set the screw extruder processing temperature to 120℃-160℃. This range can not only promote the full gelatinization of starch to form a gel network, but also avoid the carbonization and decomposition of fibers, thus maintaining the integrity of the material.

[0034] Aspect ratio (L / D) control: Use a screw configuration with an L / D of 36-56 to ensure that the material has sufficient residence time in the extruder for adequate mixing and plasticization, while avoiding excessive shearing or thermal degradation caused by excessive stroke.

[0035] Speed ​​Control: The screw speed is set at 350-380 rpm, which is in the medium shear strength range. Too high a speed can cause localized high temperatures and coking, while too low a speed can affect mixing uniformity. Both are detrimental to the stable molding of high-fiber systems.

[0036] Optimization of injection molding conditions: In the subsequent injection molding stage, the injection temperature is controlled at 110°C-125°C, the injection pressure is 80-120 MPa, the injection time is 2-5 seconds, and the cooling time is 10-40 seconds to achieve accurate replication of complex shapes and ensure the structural stability and dimensional consistency of the finished product.

[0037] In summary, this solution breaks the traditional reliance on fiber / starch ratios. By introducing the synergistic effects of glycerol and other ingredients and controlling appropriate processing parameters, it successfully achieves good molding effects in systems with fiber / starch ratios as high as 2.5-5.0, solving the technical bottleneck of high-fiber, low-starch materials that are difficult to process. This solution achieves the unity of health and functionality. While ensuring that the chew has excellent physical properties, it significantly reduces the starch content, meeting the needs of rodents for a low-starch diet and helping to prevent metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. In addition to rodents, the edible chew of this solution can also be used for reptiles (such as lizards). It has a wide range of palatability and functionality, expanding the product's application scenarios.

[0038] The beneficial effects of this technical solution are:

[0039] (1) Significantly improve the nutritional value and physiological adaptability of chewables

[0040] By setting the fiber content to 30%-70%, particularly 50%-70%, this invention significantly increases the dietary fiber content of the chew, aligning with the natural feeding habits and digestive physiological needs of rodents. Furthermore, the starch content is controlled between 8%-20%, significantly lower than existing commercially available products, helping to avoid metabolic disorders caused by high starch intake.

[0041] (2) Achieve efficient molding in a high-fiber, low-starch system

[0042] To address the difficulty in molding traditional high-fiber materials, the present invention optimizes the fiber / starch ratio to 2.5-5.0, combines the synergistic plasticizing effect of glycerol, and finely controls the thermal processing parameters to successfully achieve a melt fluidity range of 8-14 g / 10min. The molding rate can reach more than 80%, and some embodiments even reach 100%, which is significantly better than the existing technology.

[0043] (3) Enhance the functional properties and safety of chewables

[0044] The resulting product has a perfect texture, neither too hard to damage the animal's teeth nor too soft to lose its chewing function. Furthermore, all ingredients are edible and can be fully digested by the animal within 24 hours, eliminating the risk of foreign matter residue and ensuring safety and reliability.

[0045] (4) Promote the development of pet food towards refinement and functionality

[0046] This invention not only fills the gap in the market for high-fiber, low-starch chews, but also provides a technical foundation and theoretical support for the future development of functionalized and personalized pet foods. Its potential applications are broad, encompassing pet breeding, laboratory animal management, wildlife rehabilitation, and other fields.

[0047] In summary, the present invention has successfully overcome the core technical difficulties in the molding of high-fiber, low-starch systems through systematic innovations in raw material ratios, plasticization mechanisms, and processing technology, and provides a new type of thermoformed edible chew that combines nutritional value, functionality, and processing feasibility, with significant social benefits and broad market prospects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] Figure 1 This is a representative photo of a successfully molded product of Example 1.

[0049] Figure 2 This is a representative photo of a successfully molded product of Example 2.

[0050] Figure 3 This is a representative photo of a product that failed molding in Example 3.

[0051] Figure 4 This is a representative photo of a product that failed molding in Example 4.

[0052] Figure 5 This is a representative photograph of a product that failed molding in Example 5.

[0053] Figure 6 This is a representative photograph of a product that failed molding in Comparative Example 1.

[0054] Figure 7 This is a representative photograph of the product that failed molding in Comparative Example 2.

[0055] Figure 8 This is a representative photograph of the product that failed molding in Comparative Example 3.

[0056] Figure 9 This is a representative photograph of the product that failed molding in Comparative Example 4.

[0057] Figure 10 This is a representative photograph of the product that failed molding in Comparative Example 5.

[0058] Figure 11 This is a representative photograph of the product that failed molding in Comparative Example 6.

[0059] Figure 12 This is a representative photograph of the product that failed molding in Comparative Example 7.

[0060] Figure 13 This is a representative photograph of a product that failed molding in Comparative Example 8.

[0061] Figure 14 This is a representative photograph of the product that failed molding in Comparative Example 9.

[0062] Figure 15 These are the molding rate test results of products with different formulas under different shear forces in Experimental Example 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] The following are the definitions of terms:

[0064] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0065] As used herein, the term "about" refers to a deviation within 20%. Specifically, as used herein, the term "about" refers to + / - 20%, + / - 10%, or + / - 5% of a given value or a given range of values. For example, "about 5.0" should be understood to mean 5.0 + / - 20%, 5.0 + / - 10%, or 5.0 + / - 5%. For another example, "about 1.0-5.0" should be understood to mean about 1.0 to about 5.0, i.e., about 1.0 + / - 20% to about 5.0 + / - 20%, about 1.0 + / - 10% to about 5.0 + / - 10%, or about 1.0 + / - 5% to about 5.0 + / - 5%.

[0066] As used herein, the components of the present invention include, but are not limited to, a single pure component, a mixture of multiple pure components, an impure material containing the single component, an impure material containing a mixture of multiple components, or a mixture of one or more thereof. For example, starch-containing materials include, but are not limited to, pure amylose, pure amylopectin, a mixture of pure amylose and pure amylopectin, an impure material containing amylose and other substances, an impure material containing amylose and amylopectin and other substances, or a mixture of one or more thereof. The components can be derived from natural or synthetic sources or a mixture of the two. The same applies to other components, such as, but not limited to, fiber, glycerol, water, protein, cereals, additives, etc.

[0067] As used herein, the term "starch" refers to a polymer composed of glucose molecules and is the most common storage form of carbohydrates in cells. Examples of starch include, but are not limited to, rice starch, sweet potato starch, potato starch, purple sweet potato starch, corn starch, sorghum starch, wheat starch, pea starch, tapioca starch, or a combination thereof.

[0068] As used herein, the term "protein" is a polymer formed by one or more amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Protein can be classified as plant protein or animal protein in terms of source. The plant protein is derived from plants. Examples of the plant include, but are not limited to, soybeans, amaranth, arrowroot, barley, buckwheat, canola, cassava, chickpeas, beans, lentils, lupines, corn, millet, oats, peas, potatoes, rice, rye, sorghum, sunflower, cassava, triticale, wheat, or a combination thereof. The animal protein includes, but is not limited to, meat, meat by-products, dairy products, eggs, or a combination thereof. As used herein, the term "meat" refers to the subcutaneous tissue and muscle derived from animals. Examples of the meat include, but are not limited to, chicken, duck, fish, goose, mutton, goat, beef, rabbit, pork, or a combination thereof. Examples of meat by-products as used herein include, but are not limited to, lungs, kidneys, brains, livers, stomachs, intestines, or combinations thereof, of chicken, duck, goose, sheep, goat, cattle, rabbit, or pig.

[0069] As used herein, the term "fiber" refers to a substance consisting of continuous or discontinuous filaments. Examples of fibers as used herein include, but are not limited to, timothy grass, alfalfa grass, barley grass, wheat grass, rice straw, soybean bran, pea bran, oat bran, or a combination thereof.

[0070] As used herein, the term "animal" refers to any animal that can benefit from or enjoy the edibles of the present invention, including humans, non-human animals, and particularly companion animals. Examples include, but are not limited to, rats, mice, squirrels, hamsters, bamboo rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, or lizards. As used herein, the term "companion animal" as used herein includes any non-human animal suitable for being kept as a pet by a human.

[0071] A thermoformed edible chewable material comprises, by weight, 8-20 parts of starch, 30-70 parts of fiber, and 3-20 parts of glycerol; the weight ratio of fiber to starch is 2.5-5.0, and the weight ratio of starch to glycerol is 1.0-6.0.

[0072] Also includes 1-10 parts egg whites.

[0073] It also includes 0.5-5 parts of vegetable oil and 5-20 parts of fruit and vegetable additives.

[0074] In the process of preparing thermoformed edible chews, the total number of raw materials is 100 parts. Except for starch, fiber, glycerin, protein, vegetable oil, and fruit and vegetable additives, the remaining amount is made up to 100 parts with water. The weight ratio of fiber to all raw materials is 30-70%, preferably 40-70%, and more preferably 50-70%, which is more suitable for rodents.

[0075] At least one of the starch, fiber and protein is derived from plants; preferably, the starch, fiber and protein are all derived from plants.

[0076] The fiber comprises at least one of timothy grass, alfalfa, barley grass, wheat grass, rice straw, soybean bran, pea bran, oat bran, and dandelion leaves. In the following examples and comparative examples, the fiber is cut into the following lengths: 0.3-25 mm, or any range therebetween.

[0077] The starch comprises at least one of corn starch, pumpkin starch, pea starch, rice starch, millet starch and wheat starch;

[0078] The protein comprises at least one of soy protein, amaranth protein, arrowroot protein, barley protein, buckwheat protein, rapeseed protein, tapioca protein, chickpea protein, bean protein, lentil protein, lupin protein, corn protein, millet protein, oat protein, pea protein, potato protein, rice protein, rye protein, sorghum protein, sunflower protein, triticale protein, and wheat protein. In the embodiments and comparative examples listed below, the proteins are all commercially available dry protein powders.

[0079] Preferably, the vegetable oil comprises at least one of corn oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, and linseed oil;

[0080] Preferably, fruit and vegetable additives include apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, black currants, blueberries, coconuts, cherries, sugar apples, dates, durians, figs, feijoas, currants, grapes, grapefruits, jackfruits, rambutans, kiwis, kumquats, lemons, limes, loquats, lychees, mangoes, mangosteens, melons, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, watermelons, nectarines, oranges, passionfruits, peaches, pears, plums, prunes, pineapples, pomegranates, grapefruits, raspberries, rambutans, red currants, tangerines, strawberries, oranges, ugli fruits, artichokes, asparagus, avocados, At least one of bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, beans, beets, endive, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, squash, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, radishes, eggplants, garlic, bracken, galangal, ginger, beet greens, kale, dandelion greens, collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, radish, turnip greens, Jerusalem artichoke, yam, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsley, peas, peppers, plantains, pumpkin, endive, radish, rutabaga, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, water chestnuts, and yam. In the following examples and comparative examples, the fruit and vegetable additives are dried fruits or vegetables (water content <20%), which are subjected to conventional pulverization for use in the preparation of the edible chewable material of this embodiment. Fresh fruits or vegetables can also be added to this plan, but the water content of the fruits or vegetables themselves needs to be included in the calculation of the amount to be added to the formula (usually fresh fruits are calculated based on a water content of 70%).

[0081] The preparation method of the thermoformed edible chew prepared in this solution is as follows:

[0082] Mix the raw materials in the specified ratio. Add the mixed material to a screw extruder for thermoplastic modification. Set the screw temperature to 120°C-200°C, the screw speed to 350-600 rpm, and the screw length-to-diameter ratio (L / D) to 36-60. Control the extruder die pressure to 4 MPa and adjust the die speed to an appropriate pelletizing speed. Cut the extruded pellets into 3-5 mm long pellets (masterbatch). Add the extruded pellets to an injection molding machine. Set the temperature to 110-125°C, the injection pressure to 80-120 MPa, the injection time to 2-5 seconds, and the cooling time to 10-40 seconds. Following these process parameters, the material is injected into the mold, cooled, and formed into the desired shape. Drying is also possible after cooling.

[0083] The thermoformed edible chew prepared in this solution is used for feeding rats, mice, squirrels, hamsters, bamboo rats, guinea pigs, rabbits or lizards; it is substantially decomposed in the digestive system of the animal after 24 hours.

[0084] Example 1

[0085] The recipe in this example, by weight, is: 12 parts starch, 30 parts fiber, 12 parts glycerin, 5 parts soy protein, 5 parts corn oil, 20 parts fruit and vegetable additives (apple: banana: grapefruit in a 1:1:1 ratio, all using dried fruit pulp with a moisture content of less than 20%), with the remainder being water to make up to 100 parts. The weight ratio of fiber to starch is 2.5, and the weight ratio of starch to glycerin is 1. In this example, the fiber is cut into lengths of 3-5 mm.

[0086] The masterbatch is prepared according to the following process:

[0087] The uniformly mixed material is added to a screw extruder for thermoplastic modification. The screw temperature is set to 160°C, the screw speed is 350 rpm, the screw length-to-diameter ratio (L / D) is 36, the extruder head pressure is controlled to 4 MPa, and the head cutting speed is adjusted to an appropriate pelletizing speed. The extruded pellets are cut into pellets (masterbatch) with a length of 3-5 mm to form an edible composite material.

[0088] The masterbatch is then used to prepare the finished edible chew (using the aforementioned composite material for injection molding). The extruded pellets are then added to an injection molding machine, set at a temperature of 120°C (a range of 110-125°C is acceptable), an injection pressure of 100 MPa (a range of 80-120 MPa is acceptable), an injection time of 3 seconds (2-5 seconds is acceptable), and a cooling time of 20 seconds (10-40 seconds is acceptable). Following these process parameters, the material is injected into a mold, cooled and formed into a specific shape, dried, and then removed from the mold to obtain the finished product.

[0089] Examples 2-8 and Comparative Examples 1-9 were prepared using the same formulation and process as Example 1, with some adjustments to the formulation and process parameters, as detailed in Tables 1 and 2. In this solution, the screw extruder was used to prepare the masterbatch using the following technical parameters: temperature 120-160°C, rotation speed 350-380°C, and aspect ratio 36-56. For fiber content ≥50%, a temperature of 120-140°C is particularly suitable.

[0090] Table 1: Formulas and process parameter settings of the examples (the formula of each example is made up to 100 parts by water)

[0091]

[0092] Table 2: Comparative Example Formula and Process Parameter Settings (The formula of each comparative example is made up to 100 parts with water)

[0093]

[0094] Experimental Example 1: Performance testing of edible composite materials of embodiments and experimental examples

[0095] The masterbatches prepared in the examples and comparative examples were heated to 120°C and allowed to melt. The melt flow rate (MFR) was then measured. For this solution, a MFR of 8-14 g / 10 min (temperature: 230°C, load: 2.16 kg) was ideal. The masterbatches prepared in the examples and comparative examples were injection molded according to the method of Example 1 to obtain finished products. The appearance of the demolded products was then observed. The experimental results are shown in Table 3.

[0096] Forming rate = number of successfully formed finished products / total number of finished products × 100%. For each example or comparative example, 50 finished products were repeatedly prepared to calculate the forming rate. Successful forming is determined by: complete molding with no cracks. More specifically, the finished product's appearance is intact and consistent with the mold shape; there are no noticeable surface flaws, cracks, depressions (not caused by the mold shape), or bubbles; and the finished product is not damaged or broken when the mold is opened and removed. A forming rate of 80% or higher is acceptable; a forming rate of 90% or higher is preferred; and ideally, a forming rate of 100% is ideal.

[0097] Table 3: Product appearance and material properties

[0098]

[0099] According to the experimental data in Table 3, the formulations of Examples 1-8 are characterized by a high fiber content (30-70%) and a high fiber-to-starch mass ratio (2.5-5). The formulations and processing methods of Examples 1-8 are used to obtain composite materials with ideal molding effects. The melt flow rate of the composite materials is between 8-14 g / 10 min, which is conducive to product molding, and the product molding rate can reach over 80%.

[0100] Among them, compared with other embodiments, Examples 1 and 2 have a slightly lower fiber content (30-40%) and a slightly higher starch content (the fiber-to-starch ratio is 2.5). Starch acts as a gelling agent on fibrous materials that are difficult to form, which helps to reduce the difficulty of forming the composite material. Therefore, compared with other embodiments, the difficulty of forming the composite materials of these two embodiments is relatively lower. However, compared with similar products in the prior art, the fiber content and fiber-to-starch ratio of Examples 1 and 2 have far exceeded the existing technology level. The material ratio and processing method of this solution can effectively ensure that composite materials with high fiber content and low starch content can be effectively formed, the forming rate can reach 100%, and the melt flow rate of the composite material can reach 12-14g / 10min.

[0101] In order to further increase the fiber content of the product and reduce the starch content, the inventors conducted experiments in Examples 3-8 to further meet the feeding needs of rodents or reptiles. In Examples 3-8, the fiber content was further increased to 50-70%. Due to the increase in fiber content, the molding difficulty of the composite material is further increased, which is reflected in the following aspects:

[0102] (1) Processing temperature

[0103] The fiber content in Examples 5 and 6 is 60%, and the amount of starch added is maintained at a low level (the fiber-to-starch ratio is 4, and the starch content is 15%). Experimental studies have found that the processing temperature has a significant effect on the molding effect of the composite material. The difference between Example 5 and Comparative Example 3 is that the processing temperature of Example 5 is 120°C, and the processing temperature of Comparative Example 3 is 110°C, and the other parameters are exactly the same. The processing temperature is too low, resulting in poor material fluidity and difficulty in molding. The molding rate of Example 5 is 86%, and the molding rate of Comparative Example 3 is 30%. A temperature difference of 10°C causes the molding rate to drop by 56%, and the processing temperature significantly affects the quality of the finished product.

[0104] The difference between Example 6 and Comparative Example 4 is that the processing temperature in Example 6 is 140°C, while that in Comparative Example 4 is 150°C. All other parameters are identical. Excessively high processing temperatures cause the material to char, making it difficult to form. The forming efficiency in Example 6 is 82%, while that in Comparative Example 4 is 44%. This 10°C temperature difference results in a 38% decrease in the forming efficiency, indicating that processing temperature significantly impacts the quality of the finished product. Furthermore, for the composite material with a fiber content of 30% (Example 1), this significant effect of processing temperature on the forming efficiency is not present, and a processing temperature of 160°C does not result in a decrease in the forming efficiency (the forming efficiency is 100%). This further illustrates the difficulty and special processing characteristics of composite materials with high fiber content and fiber-to-starch ratios, as well as the special processing temperature requirements (for fiber contents greater than or equal to 50%, a hot processing temperature of 120-140°C is required).

[0105] (2) Processing aspect ratio

[0106] The difference between Example 3 and Comparative Example 1 is that the aspect ratio of Example 3 is 36, while that of Comparative Example 1 is 30. All other parameters are identical. The low aspect ratio of Comparative Example 1 results in a relatively short residence time of the material in the screw extruder, poor material flowability, and poor molding quality. The molding efficiency of Example 3 is 96%, while that of Comparative Example 1 is 36%.

[0107] The difference between Example 4 and Comparative Example 2 is that the aspect ratio of Example 4 is 56, while that of Comparative Example 2 is 65. All other parameters are identical. The excessive aspect ratio of Comparative Example 2 results in a longer residence time of the material in the screw extruder, resulting in coking and poor molding results. The molding efficiency of Example 4 is 94%, while that of Comparative Example 2 is 34%.

[0108] (3) Processing speed

[0109] The difference between Example 7 and Comparative Example 5 is that the processing speed in Example 7 is 380 rpm, while the processing speed in Comparative Example 5 is 430 rpm. All other parameters are identical. Excessive shear force and high shear strength lead to coking, which results in poor material flowability and makes the composite material difficult to form. The forming rate in Example 7 is 82%, while the forming rate in Comparative Example 5 is 40%. This speed difference of approximately 50 rpm results in a 42% decrease in the forming rate, and the processing speed significantly affects the quality of the finished product.

[0110] The difference between Example 8 and Comparative Example 6 is that the processing speed in Example 8 is 350 rpm, while that in Comparative Example 6 is 300 rpm. All other parameters are identical. Excessively low shear force and low shear strength lead to poor mixing uniformity, poor material flowability, and difficulty in forming the composite material. The forming rate in Example 8 is 80%, while that in Comparative Example 6 is 36%. This difference in speed of approximately 50 rpm results in a 44% decrease in the forming rate, and the processing speed significantly affects the quality of the finished product.

[0111] Therefore, the processing speed needs to be maintained at 350-380 rpm (medium shear intensity). High shear intensity leads to coking, while low shear intensity leads to low mixing uniformity and poor fluidity.

[0112] (4) Starch-glycerol ratio

[0113] The difference between Example 3 and Comparative Example 7 is that the starch-to-glycerol ratio in Example 3 is 6, while that in Comparative Example 7 is 8. All other parameters are identical. The excessively high starch-to-glycerol ratio in Comparative Example 7 (too little glycerol) results in poor material flowability and molding quality. The molding rate in Comparative Example 7 decreased by 12% compared to Example 3.

[0114] The difference between Example 1 and Comparative Example 8 is that the starch-glycerol ratio in Example 1 is 1, while that in Comparative Example 8 is 0.8. All other parameters are identical. The starch-glycerol ratio in Comparative Example 8 is too low (excessive glycerol), resulting in excessive material fluidity and deformation in the finished product. The molding rate in Comparative Example 8 decreased by 46% compared to that in Example 1.

[0115] The difference between Example 2 and Comparative Example 9 is that the starch-glycerol ratio in Example 2 is 1, while that in Comparative Example 9 is 0.8. All other parameters are identical. The starch-glycerol ratio in Comparative Example 9 is too low (excessive glycerol), resulting in excessive material fluidity and deformation in the finished product. The molding efficiency of Comparative Example 9 is 40% lower than that of Example 2.

[0116] In the case of a material composition with a higher fiber content in this solution, the ratio of starch to glycerol needs to be controlled within a range of 1.0-6.0 to ensure that the composite material has a relatively ideal thermoplastic molding rate.

[0117] Experimental Example 2: Exploration of machining speed

[0118] This experimental example conducted an experimental study on different processing speeds (shear strength) for the following formulations:

[0119] Recipe 1: 25 parts of timothy grass, 10 parts of corn starch, 10 parts of glycerin, 5 parts of soy protein, 5 parts of corn oil, 29 parts of fruit and vegetable additives, and the balance is water to make up to 100 parts (fiber content 25%, starch content 10%, fiber-starch mass ratio 2.5).

[0120] Recipe 2: Same as Example 1 (fiber content 30%, starch content 12%, fiber-starch mass ratio 2.5).

[0121] Recipe 3: Same as Example 2 (fiber content 40%, starch content 15%, fiber-starch mass ratio 2.5).

[0122] Recipe 4: Same as Example 3 (fiber content 50%, starch content 20%, fiber-starch mass ratio 2.5).

[0123] Recipe 5: Same as Example 5 (fiber content 60%, starch content 15%, fiber-starch mass ratio 4).

[0124] Formulation 6: Same as Example 7 (fiber content 70%, starch content 14%, fiber-starch mass ratio 5).

[0125] The masterbatch (edible composite material) was processed as follows: the mixed material was added to a screw machine for thermoplastic modification, the screw machine temperature was set to 120 ° C, the screw speed setting was as shown in Table 4, the screw length-diameter ratio (L / D) was 56, the pressure of the extruder head was controlled to 4 MPa, the pelletizing speed of the die was adjusted to a suitable pelletizing speed, and the extruded pellets were cut into pellets (masterbatch) with a length of 3-5 mm to form an edible composite material. The injection molding rate of different edible composite materials was tested according to the method of Experimental Example 2. The experimental results are shown in Tables 4 and Figure 15 .

[0126] Table 4: Injection molding rate of edible composite materials prepared under different shear forces

[0127]

[0128] Based on Table 4 and Figure 15The experimental data presented demonstrates significant differences in the effect of shear strength on the forming performance of edible composite materials with varying fiber contents. In particular, at high fiber contents (Formulations 4-6), when the fiber-to-starch mass ratio ranges from 2.5 to 5, the processing speed must be precisely controlled within a narrow range of 350 to 380 rpm to ensure optimal forming efficiency. Departing from this range results in a sharp decrease in forming efficiency. For example, decreasing the speed from 350 to 320 rpm or increasing it from 380 to 410 rpm reduces the forming efficiency of Formulations 4-6 by 34%-42% and 34%-36%, respectively.

[0129] Further research shows that for high fiber content (formulations 4-6), under slower or faster rotation speed conditions (such as reducing 320rpm to 300rpm or even 280rpm, or increasing 410rpm to 430rpm or even 450rpm), although the forming rate still decreases, the decline gradually slows down, indicating that the speed change has little effect on the forming rate within this range. The above trend is shown in detail in Figure 15 The importance of the processing speed of 350 to 380 rpm is highlighted as a key parameter under the conditions of "high fiber content (50-70%, even 60-70%) and high fiber-to-starch mass ratio (2.5-5, even 4-5)".

[0130] The inventors further analyzed the cause of this phenomenon and found it to be due to the effect of shear force on the internal structure of the material under specific processing conditions (particularly for raw material formulations with high fiber content and high fiber-to-starch ratios). Within a processing speed range of 350 to 380 rpm, shear force effectively promotes uniform mixing and dispersion between the fiber and starch, while preventing fiber breakage or agglomeration caused by excessive shearing, thereby optimizing the composite material's microstructure. In particular, when the fiber-to-starch ratio is 4 to 5 and the fiber content is between 60% and 70% (Formulations 5 and 6), appropriate shear force helps to alleviate the relative lack of starch gel, enhancing material flowability and ultimately improving the molding efficiency and quality of the final product.

[0131] In contrast, formulas 1-3 with low cellulose content did not show similar sensitivity to rotational speed conditions. Within the processing speed range of 280rpm-450rpm, the molding rate of formulas 1-3 did not change significantly. This shows that under the special conditions of "high fiber content and high fiber starch mass ratio", precise control of the processing speed is the key to achieving a significant increase in the molding rate. This discovery solves the technical difficulties that have long plagued this field, allowing the molding rate of such products to be stably maintained at above 80%, and provides the possibility of preparing high-fiber, low-starch content products, meeting the needs of specific application scenarios such as rodent breeding.

[0132] In summary, through in-depth research on the relationship between processing speed and forming rate, the inventors revealed that under the conditions of specific fiber content and fiber-starch mass ratio, unexpected technical effects can be obtained by precisely controlling processing parameters, which not only improves the forming efficiency of the product, but also broadens its application field.

[0133] The above is only an embodiment of the present invention, and the common knowledge such as the specific technical solutions and / or characteristics in the solution are not described in detail here. It should be pointed out that for those skilled in the art, without departing from the technical solution of the present invention, several variations and improvements can be made, which should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention, and these will not affect the effect of the implementation of the present invention and the practicality of the patent. The scope of protection required by this application shall be based on the content of its claims, and the specific implementation methods and other records in the description can be used to interpret the content of the claims.

Claims

1. A thermoformed edible chew, characterized in that: The raw materials include 8-20 parts of starch, 30-70 parts of fiber, and 3-20 parts of glycerin; wherein the weight ratio of fiber to starch is 2.5-5.0, and the weight ratio of starch to glycerin is 1.0-6.0; and the weight ratio of the fiber in the raw materials is 50-70%. The edible chew is prepared by the following method: mixing raw materials uniformly, and then adding the raw materials into a screw extruder for thermoplastic modification; setting the temperature of the screw extruder to 120° C.-140° C., the screw speed to 350 rpm-380 rpm, the screw aspect ratio to 36-56, and controlling the pressure of the extruder head to 1-4 MPa; extruding the material through the screw extruder to obtain a thermoplastic modified material; and injection molding the thermoplastic modified material to obtain the edible chew. The melt flow rate of the thermoplastic modified material at 230°C and 2.16 kg is 8-14 g / 10 min.

2. A thermoformed edible chew according to claim 1, characterized in that: Its raw materials also include 1-10 parts of egg whites.

3. A thermoformed edible chew according to claim 2, characterized in that: At least one of the starch, the fiber, and the protein is of plant origin.

4. A thermoformed edible chew according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fiber comprises at least one of timothy grass, alfalfa grass, barley grass, wheat grass, rice straw, soybean bran, pea bran, and oat bran; The starch comprises at least one of corn starch, pumpkin starch, pea starch, rice starch, millet starch and wheat starch; The protein comprises at least one of amaranth protein, arrowroot protein, barley protein, buckwheat protein, rapeseed protein, cassava protein, bean protein, corn protein, millet protein, oat protein, potato protein, rice protein, sorghum protein, sunflower protein, and wheat protein.

5. A thermoformed edible chew according to claim 4, characterized in that Its raw materials also include 0.5-5 parts of vegetable oil and 5-20 parts of fruit and vegetable additives; The vegetable oil comprises at least one of corn oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, linseed oil, and pumpkin seed oil; The fruit and vegetable additives include at least one of apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, coconuts, cherries, sugar apples, dates, durians, figs, philadelphians, currants, grapes, grapefruits, jackfruits, rambutans, kiwis, lemons, loquats, lychees, mangoes, mangosteens, melons, watermelons, oranges, passion fruits, peaches, pears, plums, prunes, pineapples, pomegranates, grapefruits, raspberries, strawberries, tangerines, artichokes, asparagus, avocados, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, beets, endives, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, radishes, eggplants, garlic, bracken, ginger, dandelion leaves, mustard greens, spinach, chard, Jerusalem artichokes, jicama, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsley, peas, peppers, plantains, pumpkins, endives, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, water chestnuts, and yam.

6. A thermoformed edible chew according to claim 5, characterized in that: The weight ratio of fiber to starch is selected from the group consisting of: 3.0-5.0, 3.5-5.0, 4.0-5.0, 4.5-5.0, 2.5-4.5, 3.0-4.5, 3.5-4.5, 4.0-4.5, 2.5-4.0, 3.0-4.0, 3.5-4.0, 2.5-3.5 or 3.0-3.

5.

7. A thermoformed edible chew according to claim 6, characterized in that: The weight ratio of fiber to starch is selected from the group consisting of: 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9 or 5.

0.

8. A method for preparing a thermoformed edible chew according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The raw materials are mixed evenly and then added into a screw machine for thermoplastic modification; the temperature of the screw machine is set to 120℃-140℃, the screw speed is 350rpm-380rpm, the screw aspect ratio is 36-56, and the pressure of the extruder head is controlled to 1-4MPa; the extruded material is cut into pellets with a length of 3-5mm to obtain the masterbatch.

9. The method for preparing a thermoformed edible chew according to claim 8, wherein: Add the masterbatch into the injection molding machine, set the temperature of the injection molding machine to 110℃-125℃, set the injection pressure to 80MPa-120MPa, set the injection time to 2-5 seconds and the cooling time to 10-40 seconds; inject the material into the mold, and after cooling and shaping, it becomes an edible chewable product.

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