Production process of square pet food soft particles

Abstract

The invention provides a square pet food soft particle production process, which comprises: stirring an egg yolk lecithin raw material and an adhesive to form a mixed raw material with a water content of 10-15%, and carrying out secondary drying by using a vacuum drying oven to obtain dried particles with a water content of 4-6%, the dried particles being loose. And carrying out cold pressing treatment on the dried particles subjected to the drying treatment to obtain square particles with hardness, and extracting and detecting the strength of each corner of the square particles in batches. According to corner strength detection, impact force is sequentially applied to the middle point of each side length of the square particles, and the impact force is equal to 5N. And evaluating the qualification degree of the corner strength detection of the square particles. And calculating the qualification rate of corner strength detection in batches, and judging whether the square particles in the detection batch enter the packaging step or not according to the qualification rate. Through the production process steps, the corner strength of the square egg yolk lecithin soft particles is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of pet food, and in particular to a production process for square soft pet food particles. Background Art

[0002] The square egg yolk lecithin soft particles maintain their shape in gastric juice for 18%-22% longer than the round particles, which delays the release rhythm of lecithin, allowing it to fully mix with bile acid, improves the efficiency of forming mixed micelles, and enhances the absorption rate of fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, and E).

[0003] However, the corners of the square egg yolk lecithin soft granules are mechanically weak points, easily breaking due to collisions and compression during transportation, packaging, or use. Experiments on the corner fracture of square granules have shown that corner fracture is affected by the existing production process's moisture content and the degree of adhesion of the granules. Failure of either of these two factors can easily lead to corner fracture.

[0004] Therefore, a production process for square pet food soft particles that improves the corner strength of square egg yolk lecithin soft particles is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, it is necessary to provide a square pet food soft particle production process that improves the edge strength of the square egg yolk lecithin soft particles to solve the above problems.

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide a process for producing square soft pet food particles, comprising the following steps:

[0007] The egg yolk lecithin raw material and the binder are stirred to form a mixed raw material with a water content of 10% to 15%, and the mixed raw material is dried twice in a vacuum drying oven to obtain dried particles with a water content of 4% to 6%, wherein the dried particles are loose;

[0008] The dried granules are cold pressed to obtain square granules with hardness, and the strength of each corner of the square granules is tested in batches;

[0009] The corner strength test is to apply an impact force to the midpoint of each side of the square particle in sequence, with an impact force of 5N;

[0010] Evaluate the pass rate of the corner strength test of square particles;

[0011] The qualified rate of the edge and corner strength test is calculated batch by batch, and the qualified rate is used to determine whether the square particles in the test batch will enter the packaging step.

[0012] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the step of "calculating the qualified rate of the edge strength test in batches, and determining whether the square particles of the tested batch enter the packaging step based on the qualified rate" includes:

[0013] When the qualified rate is greater than 95%, the test batch completes the production step and enters the packaging step;

[0014] When the qualified rate is ≤95%, sample the unqualified batch of square particles, cut the corners of the unqualified square particles, test them separately, and obtain the weighted average of the moisture content and adhesive of the corners of the unqualified square particles, and generate a corresponding test report;

[0015] The unqualified square particles are recycled based on the weighted average of the moisture content in the corners and the adhesive.

[0016] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the “recycling” step further includes:

[0017] When the weighted average moisture content of the corners of the square particles is less than 4%, the unqualified batch of square particles is atomized and sprayed with water according to the weighted average moisture content, and the corner strength test is performed again.

[0018] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the “recycling process” further comprises the steps of:

[0019] When the weighted mean value of the binder is lower than the ratio value, the square particles are crushed to form the second batch of loose wet particles;

[0020] Add binder to the bulk wet granules according to the weighted average of the binder and increase the stirring time by 5 to 8 minutes;

[0021] Enter the secondary drying of loose wet particles.

[0022] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the “edge strength test is to sequentially apply an impact force to the midpoint of each side of the square particle, the impact force = 5N” includes the steps of:

[0023] The clamping force on the opposite sides of the square particles is 5N;

[0024] Use an impact force of 5N to impact the midpoint of any side length of the adjacent faces of the square particle, where the adjacent faces of the square particle are located between the opposite faces and facing the impact piece;

[0025] Monitor the crack area and debris shedding status of square particles to determine whether the edge and corner strength of square particles is qualified;

[0026] When the state is qualified, impact the midpoint of the lower side of the square particle;

[0027] When the test fails, the edge strength test is terminated.

[0028] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the “evaluation of the pass rate of the corner strength test of the square particles” comprises the steps of:

[0029] When the fracture area of ​​square particles is ≤1mm 2 , and no debris falls off, the edge strength is judged to be qualified;

[0030] When the fracture area of ​​square particles is greater than 1mm 2 , or there are debris falling off, the edge and corner strength is judged to be unqualified.

[0031] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the step of “secondarily drying in a vacuum drying oven to obtain dried particles with a moisture content of 4% to 6%, wherein the dried particles are loose” includes:

[0032] The egg yolk lecithin raw material and the adhesive are placed in corresponding preparation chambers and injected with nitrogen;

[0033] First, put the egg yolk lecithin raw material into the stirring chamber and stir for 15 minutes;

[0034] Add the adhesive and stir for 5 minutes to obtain a mixed raw material with a water content of 10% to 15%;

[0035] Dry the mixed raw materials for the first time, and use an infrared moisture meter to monitor the moisture content of the mixed raw materials to be 8% to 10%, then stop drying and obtain primary raw material particles;

[0036] The primary raw material particles are crushed to form loose wet particles, and the loose wet particles are dried for a second time to obtain dried particles with a moisture content of 4% to 6%.

[0037] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the step of “secondarily drying in a vacuum drying oven to obtain dried particles with a moisture content of 4% to 6%, wherein the dried particles are loose” includes:

[0038] The dried particles are sampled and tested in batches, and the dried particles distributed at five testing positions in the vacuum drying oven are selected;

[0039] Mix the selected dried granules and use an infrared moisture meter to test the moisture content of the dried granules for qualified status;

[0040] Among them, the five detection positions include: high-level center, middle-level center, bottom-level center, high-level edge, and bottom-level edge.

[0041] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the step of “secondary drying in a vacuum drying oven to obtain dried particles with a moisture content of 4% to 6%, wherein the dried particles are loose” further includes:

[0042] Monitor the moisture content A of the dried particles;

[0043] When 4≤A≤6, the dried particles are judged to be in a qualified state, and the dried particles enter the cold pressing step;

[0044] When A is less than 4%, the dried particles are judged to be unqualified and a mixture of 99.5% purified water and 0.5% glycerol is used for atomization wetting. Glycerol is used to compensate for plasticity.

[0045] When A>6%, the dried granules are judged to be unqualified and are placed in a fluidized bed to reduce the moisture content.

[0046] A briquetting device for performing the cold pressing step of any of the above-mentioned square pet food soft granule production processes;

[0047] The briquetting device comprises:

[0048] A feeding mechanism for conveying the dried particles;

[0049] A cold pressing mechanism is connected to the feeding mechanism and is used to cold press the dried particles to obtain square particles.

[0050] The discharging mechanism is connected to the cold pressing mechanism and is used to convey the square particles.

[0051] The above-mentioned square pet food soft granule production process adopts the process of mixing and proportioning raw materials, controlling water content, using adhesives, vacuum secondary drying, cold pressing and testing corner strength in batches during the production process. Specifically, by reasonably controlling the water content and using adhesives, the inherent binding force of the dried granules is improved. The cold pressing step further enhances the overall density and hardness of the granules. Subsequently, a 5N impact force test is performed on each corner, and the granules are screened according to the batch qualification rate to ensure that the granules that finally enter the package have sufficient corner strength, thereby effectively reducing the risk of granule breakage due to collision and extrusion during transportation, packaging and use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the process for producing square soft pet food particles described in this application;

[0053] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the production process of the square egg yolk lecithin soft granules described in this application;

[0054] Figure 3 This is a front view of the briquetting device described in this application;

[0055] Figure 4 This is a left side view of the briquetting device described in this application;

[0056] Figure 5 A top view of the briquetting device described in this application;

[0057] Description of main component symbols

[0058] 100. Briquetting device; 10. Feeding mechanism; 20. Cold pressing mechanism; 30. Discharging mechanism; 1. Egg yolk lecithin raw material; 2. Adhesive; 3. Mixed raw material; 4. Primary raw material particles; 5. Dried particles; 6. Square particles. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] The embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments.

[0060] It should be noted that when a component is considered to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is considered to be "disposed on" another component, it can be directly disposed on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. The terms "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "back", and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

[0061] The following embodiments of the present application are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features therein may be combined with each other.

[0062] See also Figure 1-Figure 5 The embodiment of the present application provides a process for producing square soft pet food particles, comprising the steps of:

[0063] S10: stirring the egg yolk lecithin raw material and the binder to form a mixed raw material with a water content of 10% to 15%, and drying the mixed raw material in a vacuum drying oven for a second time to obtain dried granules with a water content of 4% to 6%, wherein the dried granules are loose.

[0064] Specifically, the egg yolk lecithin raw material refers to the process of mixing various raw materials in a specific proportion during the product production process. The adhesive is also the process of mixing various raw materials in a specific proportion during the product production process. The components of the egg yolk lecithin raw material and the adhesive are known in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0065] S10 includes the steps of:

[0066] S11: The mixed egg yolk lecithin raw material and adhesive are placed in corresponding preparation chambers and nitrogen is injected. In order to facilitate understanding of this application, the order of adding each component of the adhesive and each component of the egg yolk lecithin raw material will not be described one by one.

[0067] The egg yolk lecithin raw material and the binder are placed in separate preparation chambers, which are then filled with high-purity nitrogen via a nitrogen injection system. This nitrogen injection prevents oxygen from coming into contact with the egg yolk lecithin, preventing lipid oxidation. This ensures the stability of the active ingredients, improves the storage stability of the final product, preserves the activity of the lecithin, and extends the shelf life of the formulation, preventing product quality degradation due to oxidation.

[0068] S12: First put the egg yolk lecithin raw material into the stirring chamber and stir for 15 minutes.

[0069] First, add the egg yolk lecithin raw material to the mixing chamber. Start the equipment and stir at high or medium speed for 15 minutes to evenly disperse the egg yolk lecithin particles. This breaks up any agglomerates and ensures a more even distribution of the material. This improves the internal structure density of the formed particles and ensures product consistency between batches.

[0070] S13: Add the adhesive and stir for 5 minutes to obtain a mixed raw material with a water content of 10% to 15%.

[0071] Slowly add the desired amount of binder to the mixing chamber and continue stirring for 5 minutes until a uniform, moist mixture is formed. The binder connects the egg yolk lecithin particles at a microscopic level, forming a preliminary bonding network. This imparts appropriate plasticity and formability to the subsequent pellets, improves the edge strength of the pellets during subsequent cold pressing, and reduces the chance of cracking or breakage after pellet formation.

[0072] S14: drying the mixed raw materials for the first time, and using an infrared moisture meter to monitor the moisture content of the mixed raw materials to be 8% to 10%, stopping the drying and obtaining primary raw material particles.

[0073] Place the wet mixed raw materials into preliminary drying equipment such as a vacuum box, blast oven, etc., and use an infrared moisture meter to monitor moisture changes in real time. Dry until the moisture content of the mixture drops to 8% to 10%, stop heating immediately, and take out the primary raw material particles.

[0074] The specific function is to remove some free moisture, bringing the material to a semi-dry state. This prevents uneven internal stress in the pellets caused by external dryness and internal wetness during subsequent drying. Furthermore, maintaining uniform moisture content throughout the pellets promotes efficiency and uniformity in the subsequent secondary drying process, and reduces micro-cracks caused by internal moisture during the cold pressing process.

[0075] S15: crushing the primary raw material particles to form loose wet particles, and drying the loose wet particles for a second time to obtain dried particles with a moisture content of 4% to 6%.

[0076] Use a crusher to crush the primary particles into loose wet particles of appropriate particle size, then place them in a vacuum drying oven and perform secondary drying under low pressure to reduce the final moisture content to 4% to 6% and form dry particles with a loose structure.

[0077] Crushed wet granules facilitate uniform drying, avoiding stress concentration within the granules during the drying process. Low-temperature drying under a vacuum environment effectively preserves the activity of the lecithin. This also produces preformed granules with consistent particle size and moisture content, improving the success rate of subsequent cold pressing and product consistency.

[0078] S16: sampling and testing the dried particles in batches, selecting dried particles distributed at five testing positions in the vacuum drying oven, wherein the five testing positions include: the center of the top layer, the center of the middle layer, the center of the bottom layer, the edge of the top layer, and the edge of the bottom layer.

[0079] Particle samples were taken from five representative positions in the vacuum drying oven, including the center of the top layer, the center of the middle layer, the center of the bottom layer, the edge of the top layer, and the edge of the bottom layer.

[0080] Comprehensively reflects the drying uniformity of each area within the drying oven. This prevents under- or over-drying of individual pellets, which can affect overall quality. It also improves the consistency of pellet moisture uniformity, minimizing batch variability and ensuring final product performance.

[0081] S17: Mix the selected dried granules and use an infrared moisture meter to check the moisture content of the dried granules. After mixing the granules sampled at the five points, use an infrared moisture meter to check the moisture content.

[0082] Cold pressing was carried out based on the moisture content gradient experiment, and the moisture content range suitable for cold pressing of square particles was obtained.

[0083] Testing method: Use 15℃ / 3 tons pressure cold pressing to form, perform edge strength test after cold pressing, and use SEM to observe the particle cross section.

[0084] The experimental data are as follows:

[0085]

[0086] The single pellet pass rate is defined as a single pellet passing all 12-side impact tests (cracks ≤ 1mm² and no debris). Experimental data indicates that a moisture content of less than 4% is susceptible to brittle fracture, with cracks >1mm² accounting for 32.4% and requiring repair using S172b rehydration. A moisture content greater than 6% is susceptible to structural collapse, manifested by 19% shedding of debris, requiring destruction according to S50b2B. Moisture contents between 4% and 6% are suitable for direct cold pressing and achieve a pass rate of >95%.

[0087] S171: Monitor the moisture content A of the dried pellets. Set a qualified test standard, i.e., the pellet moisture content must be controlled between 4% and 6%. Perform subsequent diversion processing based on the test results.

[0088] S172a: When 4≤A≤6, it is determined that the moisture content of the particles meets the standard and the process directly enters the cold pressing step.

[0089] S172b: When the dried particles are detected to be unqualified and the water content is less than 4%, a mixture of 99.5% purified water and 0.5% glycerol is used for atomization wetting, and the glycerol is used to compensate for plasticity.

[0090] The water content is less than 4%. If the water content is too low, it means that the particles are too dry and easy to crack. Use a spray device to spray a mixture of 99.5% purified water + 0.5% glycerin to lightly atomize and moisten the square particles.

[0091] During atomization, the mixed liquid wets the square particles from the outer surface to the inner part of the square particles. The glycerin provides plasticity, ensuring the flexibility of the particles in the subsequent molding process and preventing breakage during the pressing process.

[0092] S172c: If the dried granules are found to be unqualified and have a moisture content greater than 6%, the unqualified batch of dried granules is placed in a fluidized bed to reduce the moisture content. Fluidized bed drying technology has become an efficient and reliable drying method. It utilizes the power of airflow to create a boiling state within the bed, achieving rapid and uniform drying.

[0093] Moisture content > 6% is too high, indicating that the granules are not dried enough. If the moisture content is too high, they are prone to collapse or deformation after molding. First, transfer the unqualified batch of granules to a fluidized bed dryer to reduce the moisture content again. Only when the moisture content reaches the qualified standard can it enter cold pressing molding.

[0094] S20: The dried granules are cold pressed to obtain hard square granules. The strength of each corner of the square granules is tested in batches.

[0095] Specifically, the specific process of step S20 is that the dried particles with a moisture content of 4%-6% in a qualified state and in a loose state are transported to the cold pressing molding mechanism through the feeding mechanism.

[0096] It is important to note that cold pressing can only be performed after the drying process is complete and the moisture content of the pellets reaches the qualified range of 4% to 6%. If pellets that have not been fully dried or whose moisture content exceeds the standard range are directly cold pressed, it is easy to cause uneven stress distribution within the pellets during the molding process, which in turn may cause cracks in the corners of the pellets after pressing, loose structure, and molding failure. Therefore, the dried pellets must be dried after a second drying process before they can be cold pressed.

[0097] Therefore, the drying step is not only a necessary pre-process but also a key step to ensure successful cold pressing and enhance the mechanical strength of the pellets. In specific operations, qualified dried pellets are fed into the cold pressing die through a feeding mechanism. A predetermined pressure is applied to the die for low-temperature cold pressing, resulting in square pellets with uniform size, intact edges, and excellent hardness.

[0098] In this application, cold pressing was compared with hot pressing. The experimental procedures were similar to the moisture gradient experiment described above and will not be repeated here. The experimental structure shows that excessively high hot pressing temperatures can cause degradation of the active ingredient in lecithin. The cold pressing pressure should be moderate; too small a pressure will cause loose particles, while too large a pressure will easily cause internal cracks.

[0099] In the cold pressing mechanism, the particles are placed in a square mold and pressed at a certain low temperature, such as 10℃-25℃, with a preset pressure, such as 2 tons to 5 tons. The specific pressure is set according to the mold size and particle density.

[0100] The cold pressing equipment is equipped with a feeding mechanism for stable and continuous feeding, a square mold, a cavity molding structure to ensure consistent particle size, a cold pressing head that provides the constant pressure required for pressing, and a discharge mechanism that transports the pressed particles to the next inspection station.

[0101] The specific steps of S30 are:

[0102] After the S20 cold press forming was completed, representative square particle samples were taken from different time points and different mold locations.

[0103] The test was performed using a micro impact tester comprising a clamp and a thimble impact piece.

[0104] A pair of opposing faces of the square particle were clamped with a clamping force of 5N using a clamp.

[0105] A pin impactor is used to sequentially impact the midpoints of the 12 sides of the square particle with an impact force of 5 N. The impact force is applied to the surface adjacent to the opposing surface and facing the impactor.

[0106] After each impact, the fracture area and debris shedding state of the square particles are monitored to determine whether the edge and corner strength of the impact point is qualified.

[0107] S30a: When the rupture area is ≤1mm 2 And no debris falls off, which is considered to be qualified.

[0108] S30b: When the crack area is greater than 1 mm2 or there is debris falling off, it is judged as unqualified.

[0109] S40 includes immediately ending the detection of the square particle sample and determining that the sample is unqualified if the midpoint of a side is judged to be unqualified after impact.

[0110] S40 also includes the step of continuing to impact the midpoint of the next side if the impact is determined to be qualified. If the impact of all 12 side midpoints is successfully completed and all are determined to be qualified, the corner strength of the square particle sample is determined to be qualified.

[0111] The 5N clamping force and the 5N impact force are both detection forces. If any of the detection forces leads to the unqualified state described in S30b, the test sample is judged to be unqualified.

[0112] S50: Perform edge and corner strength testing in batches, calculate the qualified rate of each batch, and determine whether the square particles of the corresponding batch enter the packaging step based on the qualified rate.

[0113] Each batch of square pellets undergoes edge and corner strength testing according to step S30. The number of pellets that meet the S40a qualification criteria is counted. The qualified number is divided by the total number of pellets tested to determine the pass rate. This quantitative data reflects the overall mechanical performance of a batch of products, ensuring consistent batch quality and improving production stability.

[0114] S50 includes the following steps: S50a1: When the pass rate exceeds 95%, the test batch completes the production process and enters the packaging process. Specifically, when the pass rate of the test batch exceeds 95%, the batch is determined to meet quality requirements and enters the formal packaging stage. High-quality batches are directly released to the market to ensure delivery efficiency. This simplifies the process and reduces duplicate testing and processing costs.

[0115] During the packaging phase, qualified square granules are placed in aluminum-plastic bottles and filled with nitrogen for protection. 5% of each batch is sampled and tested for stability.

[0116] Qualified square granules are placed in aluminum-plastic bottles. Nitrogen filling is used to protect the bottles, eliminating oxygen and preventing product oxidation. A 5% sample from each batch is randomly selected and placed in a stability testing program. Nitrogen filling prevents lipid oxidation. This stability test verifies the product's consistent quality during storage.

[0117] S50b1: When the qualified rate is ≤95%, sample the unqualified batch of square particles. Cut the corners of the unqualified square particles, test and determine the weighted average of the moisture content and adhesive of the corners of the unqualified square particles, and generate a test report.

[0118] Test the moisture content and adhesive content of the cut corners of the sample, and calculate the weighted mean moisture content of the cut corners for the batch, where the weighted mean moisture content is the total amount of moisture in the sample / number of samples, and the weighted mean adhesive content of the cut corners, where the weighted mean adhesive content is the total amount of adhesive characteristic components in the sample / total mass of the sample; generate a test report containing the above-mentioned mean values.

[0119] S50b2: Recycling is carried out based on the weighted average of the moisture content of the edges and corners of the unqualified square particles and the weighted average of the adhesive.

[0120] When the qualified rate of the test batch is less than or equal to 95%, the unqualified batch processing is initiated. Unqualified square particles are randomly sampled; the edge samples of the unqualified particles are cut with a knife. The moisture content and weighted average of the adhesive in the cut corners are tested;

[0121] Generate a test report containing the sample's average moisture content and adhesive concentration, recording the test data as a basis for subsequent recycling and processing. This clearly identifies the cause of failure, whether it's an abnormal moisture content or an abnormal adhesive ratio. This provides data support for subsequent, precise recycling and processing, while also avoiding blind processing, improving recycling rates, and reducing resource waste.

[0122] According to the weighted average of moisture content of edges and corners and adhesive obtained through testing, different recycling and treatment methods are used.

[0123] The recycling treatment method includes S50b2A: when the weighted average moisture content of the corners of the square particles is less than 3%, the unqualified batch of square particles are atomized and sprayed with water according to the weighted average moisture content, and the corner strength is tested again.

[0124] Using an atomizing nozzle, spray a precisely proportioned mixture of 99.5% purified water and 0.5% glycerin onto the surface of pellets in a batch with a weighted average moisture content of less than 3%. This slightly increases the moisture content of the pellets, while the glycerin improves their plasticity. Retest the edge strength to confirm the effectiveness of the adjustment.

[0125] Restores proper plasticity to pellets, improving edge strength after cold pressing. Allows unqualified pellets that were previously cracked due to overdrying to be repaired and reused, improving overall production yield.

[0126] The recycling treatment method also includes S50b2C1: when the weighted average value of the binder is lower than the ratio value, the square particles are crushed to form a second batch of loose wet particles.

[0127] Crushing unqualified square particles into a second batch of loose wet particles. The crusher evenly breaks them into fine particles for easy remixing and processing. Reset the structural defective particles to a reusable state.

[0128] S50b2C2: Add binder to the bulk wet granules according to the weighted average of the binder and increase the mixing time by 5 to 8 minutes.

[0129] Add an appropriate amount of new binder to the loose wet granules based on the detected binder deficiency. Re-stir for 5-8 minutes to ensure even distribution of the binder. This restores the internal bonding strength of the granules, improving the success rate of subsequent cold pressing. Ensure that the quality and performance of the modified product are consistent with newly produced granules.

[0130] S50b2C3: Enter the secondary drying of loose wet particles.

[0131] The wet granules after adding the binder are then subjected to a standard secondary vacuum drying process. Drying is done until the moisture content returns to the standard range of 4% to 6%, forming new loose granules. The granules then enter the cold pressing process again.

[0132] Ensure that the repaired particles meet the requirements of subsequent processes. Try to recycle unqualified batches to control production costs.

[0133] In step S50, the pass rate for edge strength testing is calculated batch by batch, scientifically determining batch quality and ensuring that only particles that meet the standards enter final packaging. For unqualified batches, testing and analysis, recovery and adjustment, or destruction are managed, achieving an intelligent closed-loop production process and maximizing the consistency and reliability of the products leaving the factory.

[0134] A briquetting device for performing the cold pressing step of the aforementioned square pet food soft granule production process;

[0135] The briquetting device includes a feeding mechanism, a cold pressing mechanism, and a discharging mechanism. The feeding mechanism conveys the dried granules. The cold pressing mechanism is connected to the feeding mechanism. The cold pressing mechanism is used to cold-press the dried granules to obtain square granules. The discharging mechanism is connected to the cold pressing mechanism and is used to convey the square granules.

[0136] Thus, the above-mentioned square pet food soft granule production process adopts the process of raw material mixing ratio, water content control, adhesive use, vacuum secondary drying, cold pressing and batch testing of corner strength during the production process. Specifically, by reasonably controlling the water content and using adhesives, the inherent binding force of the dried granules is improved. The cold pressing step further enhances the overall density and hardness of the granules. Subsequently, a 5N impact force test is performed on each corner, and the granules are screened according to the batch qualification rate to ensure that the granules that finally enter the package have sufficient corner strength, thereby effectively reducing the risk of granule breakage due to collision and extrusion during transportation, packaging and use.

[0137] The above is only an implementation method of the present application. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this field, improvements can be made without departing from the creative concept of the present application, but these all fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A production process for square pet food soft granules, characterized in that: Including steps: The egg yolk lecithin raw material and the adhesive are stirred to form a mixed raw material with a water content of 10% to 15%, and the mixed raw material is dried twice to obtain loose dried particles with a water content of 4% to 6%; The dried granules after secondary drying are cold pressed to form square granules, and the strength of each corner of the square granules is tested in batches; The corner strength test is to apply an impact force to the midpoint of each side of the square particle in sequence, with an impact force of 5N; Evaluate the pass rate of the corner strength test of square particles; The qualified rate of the corner strength test is calculated batch by batch, and the qualified rate is used to determine whether the square particles in the test batch will enter the packaging step.

2. The process for producing square soft pet food particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of "calculating the qualified rate of the edge strength test in batches, and determining whether the square particles of the test batch enter the packaging step according to the qualified rate" includes: When the qualified rate is greater than 95%, the test batch completes the production step and enters the packaging step; When the qualified rate is ≤95%, sample the unqualified batch of square particles, cut the corners of the unqualified square particles, test them separately, and obtain the weighted average of the moisture content and adhesive of the corners of the unqualified square particles, and generate a corresponding test report; The unqualified square particles are recycled based on the weighted average of the moisture content in the corners and the adhesive.

3. The process for producing square soft pet food particles according to claim 2, characterized in that: The "recycling" step also includes: When the weighted average moisture content of the corners of the square particles is less than 4%, the unqualified batch of square particles is atomized and sprayed with water according to the weighted average moisture content, and the corner strength test is performed again.

4. The process for producing square soft pet food particles according to claim 2, characterized in that: The "recycling process" further comprises the steps of: When the weighted mean value of the binder is lower than the ratio value, the square particles are crushed to form the second batch of loose wet particles; Add binder to the bulk wet granules according to the weighted average of the binder and increase the stirring time by 5 to 8 minutes; Enter the secondary drying of loose wet particles.

5. The process for producing square soft pet food particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The "corner strength test is to sequentially apply an impact force to the midpoint of each side of the square particle, the impact force = 5N" includes the following steps: The clamping force on the opposite sides of the square particles is 5N; Use an impact force of 5N to impact the midpoint of any side length of the adjacent faces of the square particle, where the adjacent faces of the square particle are located between the opposite faces and facing the impact piece; Monitor the crack area and debris shedding status of square particles to determine whether the edge and corner strength of square particles is qualified; When the state is qualified, impact the midpoint of the lower side of the square particle; When the test fails, the edge strength test is terminated.

6. The process for producing square soft pet food particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The “assessment of the pass rate of the corner strength test of square particles” comprises the following steps: When the fracture area of ​​square particles is ≤1mm 2 , and no debris falls off, the edge strength is judged to be qualified; When the fracture area of ​​square particles is greater than 1mm 2 , or there are debris falling off, the edge and corner strength is judged to be unqualified.

7. The process for producing square soft pet food particles according to claim 6, characterized in that: The step of "using a vacuum drying oven for secondary drying to obtain dried particles with a moisture content of 4% to 6%, wherein the dried particles are loose" includes: The egg yolk lecithin raw material and the adhesive are placed in corresponding preparation chambers and injected with nitrogen; First, put the egg yolk lecithin raw material into the stirring chamber and stir for 15 minutes; Add the adhesive and stir for 5 minutes to obtain a mixed raw material with a water content of 10% to 15%; Dry the mixed raw materials for the first time, and use an infrared moisture meter to monitor the moisture content of the mixed raw materials to be 8% to 10%, then stop drying and obtain primary raw material particles; The primary raw material particles are crushed to form loose wet particles, and the loose wet particles are dried for a second time to obtain dried particles with a moisture content of 4% to 6%.

8. The process for producing square soft pet food particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of "using a vacuum drying oven for secondary drying to obtain dried particles with a moisture content of 4% to 6%, wherein the dried particles are loose" includes: The dried particles are sampled and tested in batches, and the dried particles distributed at five testing positions in the vacuum drying oven are selected; Mix the selected dried granules and use an infrared moisture meter to test the moisture content of the dried granules for qualified status; Among them, the five detection positions include: high-level center, middle-level center, bottom-level center, high-level edge, and bottom-level edge.

9. The process for producing square soft pet food particles according to claim 8, characterized in that: The step of "using a vacuum drying oven for secondary drying to obtain dried particles with a moisture content of 4% to 6%, wherein the dried particles are loose" further includes: Monitor the moisture content A of the dried particles; When 4≤A≤6, the dried particles are judged to be in a qualified state, and the dried particles enter the cold pressing step; When A is less than 4%, the dried particles are judged to be unqualified and a mixture of 99.5% purified water and 0.5% glycerol is used for atomization wetting. Glycerol is used to compensate for plasticity. When A>6%, the dried granules are judged to be unqualified and are placed in a fluidized bed to reduce the moisture content.

10. A briquetting device, characterized in that , performing the cold pressing step of the square pet food soft granule production process according to claims 1-9; The briquetting device comprises: A feeding mechanism for conveying the dried particles; A cold pressing mechanism is connected to the feeding mechanism and is used to cold press the dried particles to obtain square particles. The discharging mechanism is connected to the cold pressing mechanism and is used to convey the square particles.

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