Formula and preparation process of pet cat food

Abstract

The invention discloses a pet cat food formula and a making process thereof. The pet cat food formula comprises animal basic components: 25% of enzymolysis fresh chicken with bones, 30% of fresh chicken, 10% of fresh complete quail, 8% of fish scale-containing fresh salmon, 5% of fresh chicken liver, 4% of fresh chicken heart and 3% of fermented animal oil; the functional additives comprise 6% of functional fruit and vegetable groups, 2% of freeze-dried queen bee larva powder, 0.5% of propolis, 0.5% of wall-broken bee pollen, 2% of euphausia superba powder, 1% of ostrich liver powder, 1% of catgrass powder and 0.5% of eggshell membrane powder; nutritional additives: 2% of microencapsulated egg yolk powder and 0.2% of a probiotic post-spraying bag; and 0.3% of montmorillonite. According to the method, the meat with bones is pretreated through an enzymolysis technology, macromolecular protein and calcium are pre-decomposed, and the protein digestibility and the calcium bioavailability are remarkably improved; the fermented animal oil is decomposed into smaller molecules and can be directly absorbed without bile emulsification, so that the fat absorption rate is higher; the microencapsulation technology protects the activity of thermosensitive nutrients, and the overall nutrition utilization efficiency is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of cat food technology, specifically involving pet cat food formulas and their manufacturing processes. Background Technology

[0002] With the in-depth development of pet nutrition science and the upgrading of pet consumption, the market has put forward higher requirements for the functionality, safety and palatability of high-end pet food, especially cat food.

[0003] Traditional cat food often uses high-temperature extrusion technology, which can easily lead to protein denaturation, vitamin loss, and probiotic inactivation during processing. Furthermore, the raw materials often consist of meat meal and grains, which have limited digestibility and absorption rates, potentially causing allergies or indigestion in pets. In addition, the addition of functional ingredients in conventional formulas is relatively simple, resulting in low bioavailability and failing to meet the demands of modern pet owners for "natural, healthy, and functional" pet food.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new type of cat food and its manufacturing process that can both retain the natural nutrition of the raw materials and improve digestibility and functionality. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a pet cat food formula and its manufacturing process, aiming to solve the problems of existing technologies.

[0006] Firstly, the formula for pet cat food includes: Animal-based basic ingredients: 25% enzymatically hydrolyzed fresh bone-in chicken, 30% fresh chicken meat, 10% fresh whole quail, 8% fresh salmon containing fish scales, 5% fresh chicken liver, 4% fresh chicken heart, and 3% fermented animal oil; Functional additives: 5% functional fruit and vegetable powder, 2% freeze-dried royal jelly larvae powder, 0.5% propolis, 0.5% broken-cell bee pollen, 2% Antarctic krill powder, 1% ostrich liver powder, 1% cat grass powder, and 0.5% eggshell membrane powder; Nutritional additives: 2% microencapsulated egg yolk powder, 0.2% probiotic spray pack; Montmorillonite 0.3%.

[0007] Furthermore, the functional fruit and vegetable group consists of cranberries, pumpkins, blueberries, chicory root, and kelp after being fermented with compound probiotics.

[0008] Secondly, the manufacturing process of pet cat food includes the following steps: S1: Biological pretreatment, including enzymatic hydrolysis of bone and meat, fermentation of animal oil and fermentation of fruits and vegetables; S2: Low-temperature fine grinding and mixing. All meat raw materials are finely ground in a low-temperature environment to achieve a minced meat state. The minced meat is then mixed with fermented oil, fermented fruit and vegetable puree, and all powdered raw materials in a mixer to ensure that the material temperature is always below 10℃. S3: Shaping, processing the mixed low-temperature minced meat mixture into raw pieces with uniform shape, weight, and density; S4: Combined drying, quickly removes free moisture from the surface of the green body, causing the surface proteins to denature and coagulate, forming a fixed outer shell; S5: Vacuum freeze drying to obtain freeze-dried particles; S6: Probiotic and flavoring spraying: Spraying an emulsion containing active probiotics, natural palatability enhancers and antioxidants onto the surface of freeze-dried granules; S7: Low-temperature curing; S8: Nitrogen-filled packaging.

[0009] Furthermore, the enzymatic hydrolysis process includes: 1) Weigh fresh bone-in chicken and whole quail according to the formula ratio, and coarsely crush them into 5-8mm particles at -18℃. 2) Feeding: The ratio of raw material to water is 1:0.8~1.2. The internal temperature of the bioreactor is controlled at 52±1℃, and the pH of the system is stabilized at 7.0±0.2. The amount of compound protease added is 0.2%~0.4% of the substrate weight, and the amount of bone enzyme added is 0.05%~0.1% of the substrate weight. The reaction time is 90-120 minutes. 3) To terminate the reaction, steam is introduced into the jacket of the reactor to raise the temperature of the material to 85°C within 3 minutes and maintain it for 5 minutes to completely inactivate the enzyme and terminate the reaction. The material is then quickly cooled to below 4°C through the cooling system and transferred to a temporary storage tank to await the next process.

[0010] Furthermore, the fermentation process of animal fats includes: Step 1: Raw material oil processing. The selected animal oil is heated to 60-65℃ to melt, and then filtered to remove impurities, resulting in clear oil. Step 2: Emulsification. Add 40°C pure water to a mixing tank, then add carbon source and nitrogen source, and stir until completely dissolved. Mix the treated oil with emulsifier, and under high-speed shear, slowly add the oil phase to the water phase to form a preliminary oil / water emulsion. The final oil-to-water ratio of the emulsion is 3:7; Step 3: Sterilization and cooling. The prepared emulsion is transferred to a jacketed fermenter, stirring is started, steam is introduced and heated to 121°C, and maintained for 15-20 minutes for solid tank sterilization to kill all miscellaneous bacteria. After sterilization, cooling water is immediately introduced to rapidly reduce the temperature of the culture medium to 37±1°C, and the medium is ready for inoculation. Step 4: Select probiotic strains with high lipase production activity and high safety. Step 5: Activation of the microbial strain; Step 6: Inoculation. Pump the cultured bacterial solution into the fermenter, which has been cooled to 37°C, through a sterile pipeline at an inoculation rate of 2% to 3%. Step 7: Temperature-controlled fermentation. Maintain the fermentation temperature at 37±1℃, turn on the agitator in the fermentation tank, and continue fermentation for 36-48 hours. Monitor the pH value every 4-6 hours. Step 8: After fermentation is complete, immediately introduce steam to heat the fermentation liquid to 85-90℃ and maintain it for 15-20 minutes; Step 9: Demulsification and oil-water separation: Centrifuge the sterilized fermentation broth and collect the upper layer of oil. Step 10: Refining and filtering to obtain clear, pure fermented oil.

[0011] Furthermore, the fermentation process of the functional fruit and vegetable group includes: (1) Raw material processing: Peel and deseed the pumpkin, steam it until cooked, and mix it with cranberry powder, freeze-dried blueberry pieces, chicory root powder and kelp powder according to the formula ratio. Add purified water and blend into a uniform paste. (2) Fermentation control: Use a fermenter with a breathing valve and select compound bacteria: Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Kluyveromyces martensii. Inoculate the activated compound bacterial solution into the fruit and vegetable pulp at an inoculation rate of 3% to 5%, stir thoroughly, and then control the fermentation at room temperature for 48 hours. Monitor the pH value every 12 hours. When the pH value is stable at 3.8-4.2, it indicates that the fermentation is complete.

[0012] Furthermore, S2 includes the following steps: S2.1: Raw material preparation, including animal-based basic ingredients, whose temperature is reduced to ≤4℃; S2.2: Environmental preparation: The stranding operation shall be carried out in a low-temperature operating room. All equipment contact surfaces shall be rinsed with cold water at ≤4℃ before use to cool them down. S2.3: Output, resulting in high-grade minced meat with uniform color, fine texture, and cool touch, at a temperature ≤7℃; S2.4: Cooling mixing, which involves efficiently and uniformly mixing the minced meat with all other powdered or paste-like ingredients at low temperature to form a final, consistent mixture.

[0013] Furthermore, active cooling measures are also deployed in S2.2, including: Jacket cooling: The meat grinder is equipped with a coolant jacket on the outside, through which a -5°C ethylene glycol aqueous solution is circulated to continuously remove the heat generated during machine operation; Raw material pre-cooling: Pre-cooling some of the raw materials to a semi-frozen state of -2℃ to 0℃ before grinding can more effectively suppress temperature rise; Real-time temperature monitoring is required. An infrared temperature sensor is installed at the outlet of the meat grinder to monitor the temperature of the discharged meat paste in real time. The discharge temperature must be stably controlled at ≤7℃.

[0014] Furthermore, S2.4 specifically includes the following steps: S2.4.1: Add the basic meat paste. Put all the ground, low-temperature meat paste into the mixing tank. S2.4.2: Start stirring and cooling; start the mixer at low speed. S2.4.3: Add dry powder materials. During the mixing process, slowly add all powdered raw materials in sequence. S2.4.4: Add the slurry-like wet ingredients. After the dry powder and minced meat are basically mixed evenly, switch to medium speed and add the fermented fruit and vegetable puree and microencapsulated egg yolk powder in sequence. S2.4.5: Add oils and slowly add fermented animal oil and fish oil while stirring at high speed.

[0015] Furthermore, the spray emulsion specifically includes the following components: pre-emulsified animal oil as a carrier, with an oil content of 40%; Probiotic powder: added at 2% of the total mass of the emulsion; Natural palatability enhancer: 5% added; Natural antioxidants: Contains 0.1% rosemary extract and 0.05% mixed tocopherols.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least the following beneficial effects: This application utilizes enzymatic hydrolysis to pre-treat bone-in meat, pre-decomposing large-molecule proteins and calcium, significantly improving protein digestibility and calcium bioavailability; fermented animal oil is broken down into smaller molecules, allowing for direct absorption without bile emulsification, resulting in higher fat absorption; microencapsulation technology protects the activity of heat-sensitive nutrients, greatly enhancing overall nutrient utilization efficiency.

[0017] This application also uses fruit and vegetable groups fermented with compound probiotics to degrade phytic acid, generate prebiotics and flavor substances, and transform "filler" into "functional ingredient"; it adds special raw materials such as royal jelly larvae powder, krill powder, and ostrich liver powder to provide differentiated nutrients such as antimicrobial peptides, phospholipid Omega-3, astaxanthin, and iron to enhance immunity, antioxidant and joint health, and adds propolis which has a significant inhibitory effect on a variety of bacteria, fungi and viruses, and can help maintain oral health.

[0018] This application employs a series of processes including low-temperature processing (grinding, mixing, drying, and spraying), vacuum freeze-drying, and post-probiotic spraying to minimize the loss of heat-sensitive components and ensure the activity of probiotics and the integrity of nutrients. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1A flowchart illustrating the pet cat food manufacturing process provided in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0021] The pet cat food formula provided in this application includes: Animal-based basic ingredients: 25% fresh bone-in chicken (enzymatically hydrolyzed), 30% fresh chicken (breast and leg), 10% fresh whole quail, 8% fresh salmon (including scales), 5% fresh chicken liver, 4% fresh chicken heart, and 3% fermented animal oil (chicken fat / goose fat); Among them, enzymatically hydrolyzed fresh meat with bones replaces part of the pure meat and bone meal. The enzymatic hydrolysis technology pre-decomposes large molecular proteins and calcium, improving digestibility and calcium absorption, and simulating the initial process of a cat digesting its prey. Fresh chicken breast and fresh chicken thigh meat provide high-quality muscle protein; Using fresh, whole quail provides meat, offal, bones, and feathers (trace minerals), resulting in a more comprehensive and natural nutrition. Fresh salmon containing scales provides Omega-3 (EPA / DHA), and the scales, after being ultra-finely ground, are a natural source of calcium, phosphorus, and collagen. Fresh chicken liver provides a natural source of vitamins A, D, B complex and minerals, while fresh chicken hearts provide a high-quality source of protein, taurine and coenzyme Q10. After chicken or goose fat is fermented with probiotics, the fat molecules become smaller, making them easier to absorb. It also possesses prebiotic properties, making it more gut-friendly. The purpose is to use lipases produced by microorganisms to break down some large triglyceride molecules into smaller monoglycerides, diglycerides, and free fatty acids. These smaller molecules can be directly absorbed by the intestines without bile emulsification, improving fat digestibility. Simultaneously, probiotics produce a series of metabolites during fermentation, such as vitamins (B vitamins, K), antimicrobial peptides, and short-chain fatty acids. These substances are added along with the fat, giving it additional nutritional and health benefits. The fermentation process also produces aromatic and flavor compounds (such as trace amounts of esters and aldehydes), which improve the flavor and palatability of the fat. The residual bacterial fragments and metabolites (such as extracellular polysaccharides) in the fermented fat can act as prebiotics, promoting the proliferation of beneficial bacteria already present in the pet's gut. Functional additives: 5% functional fruit and vegetable powder, 2% freeze-dried royal jelly larvae powder, 0.5% propolis, 0.5% broken-cell bee pollen, 2% Antarctic krill powder, 1% ostrich liver powder, 1% cat grass (barley grass) powder, and 0.5% eggshell membrane powder; Among them, the functional fruit and vegetable group involves fermenting cranberries, pumpkin, blueberries, chicory root, and kelp with a compound probiotic. This process can degrade phytic acid, increase the content of prebiotics (short-chain fatty acids), and enhance flavor substances, transforming it from a "filler" into a "functional prebiotic complex." Freeze-dried royal jelly larvae powder provides natural antimicrobial peptides, high protein, and abundant vitamins to enhance immunity; Antarctic krill powder replaces part of fish oil, providing phospholipid-type Omega-3 (with a higher absorption rate than triglycerides in fish oil) and astaxanthin (a powerful antioxidant). Ostrich liver powder is a novel source of protein, reduces the risk of common meat allergies, and is rich in iron; Eggshell membrane powder contains naturally derived chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, which support joint health. Cat grass (barley grass) powder can help expel hairballs and provides chlorophyll and fiber; Propolis is considered a natural antibiotic and immune system modulator. Rich in over 300 bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenes, it significantly inhibits various bacteria, fungi, and viruses, helping to maintain oral health, suppress harmful intestinal bacteria, and prevent upstream infections. It effectively alleviates inflammatory responses, regulates immune system function, and helps reduce symptoms in cats with allergies. Propolis's antioxidant capacity is over 500 times that of Vitamin C, effectively scavenging free radicals and delaying cell aging. Broken-cell wall bee pollen contains approximately 250 substances, such as proteins, amino acids, vitamins (B, C, E), minerals, enzymes, and coenzymes, providing an extremely rich source of micronutrients. This compensates for certain vitamins and minerals that may be lacking in pure meat-based diets, resulting in a more balanced diet. It promotes the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the gut, working synergistically with probiotics and post-biotics in the formula to build a healthy gut microbiota. This helps improve appetite and enhance physical strength, and is especially beneficial for the recovery of cats after illness or surgery. At the same time, the broken-cell wall treatment (physically breaking down the hard outer wall of the pollen) improves the bioavailability of its nutrients, ensuring that they can be truly absorbed by the body. It is essential to break down the cell wall; unbroken pollen has extremely low bioavailability, and most of its nutrients cannot be absorbed. Nutritional additives: 2% microencapsulated egg yolk powder. Microencapsulation technology protects the activity of lecithin and immunoglobulins, improving bioavailability. The probiotic post-coating package contains 0.2% probiotics, including heat-resistant strains such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium. It is sprayed in the last step of the process to ensure its activity. Finally, 0.3% montmorillonite is added. Montmorillonite is a natural clay that gently absorbs toxins, has a mild antidiarrheal effect, and provides trace elements.

[0022] The above formulas extensively utilize enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation technologies (for pre-treatment of meat, oil, fruits, and vegetables), significantly improving digestibility and nutritional effectiveness. They also incorporate royal jelly larvae, krill, and ostrich liver to provide differentiated nutrition.

[0023] Example 2 provides a pet cat food manufacturing process, including the following steps: S1: Biological pretreatment, including enzymatic hydrolysis: Fresh bone-in chicken and quail (beak and claws removed) are coarsely crushed, and then compound proteases (such as bromelain and trypsin) and bone enzymes are added at a specific temperature and pH to partially hydrolyze the meat to achieve the purpose of "tenderizing" and releasing flavor substances, rather than complete liquefaction.

[0024] Fermentation: Animal fat fermentation: chicken fat / goose fat fermented with selected probiotics.

[0025] Fruit and vegetable fermentation: Mix functional fruits and vegetables into a pulp, inoculate with a compound strain of bacteria (lactic acid bacteria + yeast) and ferment for 36-72 hours to make fermented fruit and vegetable puree; Enzymatic hydrolysis processes include: 1) Fresh bone-in chicken (usually chicken wings or necks, with a suitable bone-to-meat ratio) and whole quail (beak, claws, and internal organs removed) are weighed according to the formula ratio and coarsely crushed into 5-8mm particles using a freeze crusher at -18℃. Low-temperature crushing can avoid fat oxidation and protein denaturation; 2) Feeding Raw material to water ratio: 1:0.8~1.2 (the water is purified water, preheated to the reaction temperature); Temperature control: The internal temperature of the bioreactor is controlled at 52±1℃; pH adjustment: Use food-grade citric acid or sodium bicarbonate solution to stabilize the pH of the system at 7.0±0.2 (neutral to alkaline, suitable for trypsin) or 6.0±0.2 (suitable for bromelain and bone enzyme), depending on the optimal pH range of the enzyme preparation used. Enzyme preparation addition: Compound protease: The addition amount is 0.2%~0.4% of the substrate mass. An enzyme preparation composed of bromelain (derived from pineapple stem, optimal pH 4.0-7.0, good at breaking down fibrin) and trypsin (optimal pH 7.0-9.0, good at breaking down connective tissue) is used. Bone enzymes (alkaline phosphatase, etc.): The amount added is 0.05%~0.1% of the substrate mass, used to decompose organic components in bones and release calcium and phosphorus; Reaction time: 90-120 minutes. Controlled by real-time monitoring of the degree of hydrolysis (DH value), the reaction is terminated immediately when the DH value reaches 8%~12%. This is a partially enzymatic "sweet spot," producing flavor and peptides without generating bitter peptides or excessive liquefaction.

[0026] 3) Reaction termination: Steam is introduced into the reactor jacket to raise the material temperature to 85°C within 3 minutes and maintain it for 5 minutes to completely inactivate the enzyme and terminate the reaction. The material is then quickly cooled to below 4°C through the cooling system and transferred to a temporary storage tank to await the next process. This measure prevents microbial growth and quality deterioration.

[0027] The fermentation process of animal fats includes: Step 1: Raw oil processing. Heat the selected chicken fat / goose fat (or other animal fat) to 60-65℃ to melt it, and filter to remove impurities to obtain clear oil. Step 2: Emulsification; For aqueous phase preparation, add purified water (preheated to 40°C) to a mixing tank, then add a carbon source (such as glucose, 2% addition) and a nitrogen source (such as yeast extract, 0.5% addition), and stir until completely dissolved. Mix the treated oil with an emulsifier (such as glyceryl monostearate, 0.2% addition). Under high-speed shear (≥10000rpm), slowly add the oil phase to the aqueous phase to form a preliminary oil / water (O / W) emulsion. The final oil-to-water ratio of the emulsion was 3:7. This ratio provides sufficient oil substrate for microorganisms while ensuring good mass transfer and flowability, which is beneficial for cell growth. Step 3: Sterilization and cooling. The prepared emulsion is transferred to a jacketed fermenter, stirring is started, steam is introduced and heated to 121°C, and maintained for 15-20 minutes for solid tank sterilization to kill all miscellaneous bacteria. After sterilization, cooling water is immediately introduced to rapidly reduce the temperature of the culture medium to 37±1°C (the optimal growth temperature of lactic acid bacteria), and then inoculation is awaited. Step 4: Select probiotic strains with high lipase production activity and high safety. Commonly used combinations include: Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus fermentum. Step 5: Activation of the bacterial strain. Under aseptic conditions, inoculate the direct-inoculation freeze-dried bacterial powder into a test tube containing sterile MRS liquid culture medium and activate it at 37°C for 18-24 hours until the culture medium becomes turbid. Transfer the activated bacterial solution to a larger Erlenmeyer flask (containing MRS culture medium) at an inoculation rate of 1% to 2% for expansion culture under the same conditions. Step 6: Inoculation. The cultured bacterial solution (in the late logarithmic growth phase, when the bacterial activity is strongest) is pumped into the fermenter, which has been cooled to 37°C, through a sterile pipeline at an inoculation rate of 2% to 3%. Step 7: Temperature-controlled fermentation. Maintain the fermentation temperature at 37±1℃. Turn on the agitator in the fermentation tank and control the speed at 50-100 rpm to keep the cells and nutrients evenly distributed, but not too fast to avoid damaging the emulsion structure or producing too much foam. Keep fermenting for 36-48 hours. Process monitoring: pH value: Monitor the pH value every 4-6 hours. Lactic acid bacteria produce acid, and the pH value will continue to decrease. When the pH value stabilizes at 4.0-4.5 and no longer changes significantly, it usually means that fermentation has reached its end point (nutrient depletion or product inhibition). Acid value (AV) and peroxide value (POV): These can be measured by sampling before and after fermentation. Successful fermentation will result in a moderate increase in acid value due to fat decomposition, while a good anaerobic environment and the antioxidant properties of probiotics should ensure that the peroxide value is maintained at a low level. Step 8: After fermentation is complete, immediately introduce steam to heat the fermentation liquid to 85-90℃ and maintain this temperature for 15-20 minutes. This operation kills all probiotics, terminates the fermentation process, and inactivates lipase, preventing the oil from continuing to hydrolyze and become rancid during subsequent storage. Step 9: Demulsification and oil-water separation. The sterilized fermentation broth is transferred to a disc centrifuge or tubular centrifuge. Under high-speed centrifugal force (≥8000rpm), the lighter fermented oil (upper layer) is separated from the fermented liquid (lower layer, containing bacteria, metabolites and water-soluble substances). The upper layer of oil is collected. Step 10: Refining and Filtration. The collected fermented oil may contain a small amount of moisture and impurities. It can be heated at 60-70℃ and left to stand for a while to further separate the residual moisture. Finally, it can be filtered through a plate and frame filter or a bag filter (using a 100-mesh filter bag) to obtain clear and pure fermented oil.

[0028] The fermentation process of functional fruit and vegetable groups includes: (1) Raw material processing: Peel and deseed the pumpkin, steam it, and mix it with cranberry powder, blueberry (freeze-dried and pulverized), chicory root powder, kelp powder and other ingredients according to the formula ratio. Add an appropriate amount of purified water (the final material moisture content is controlled at 80~85%) and use an ultra-fine pulverizer to grind it into a uniform slurry. (2) Fermentation control: A fermenter with a breathing valve was used, and a compound strain was selected: Lactobacillus plantarum + Lactobacillus acidophilus + Kluyveromyces marxianus. The yeast can produce flavor substances and consume oxygen, creating an anaerobic environment for the lactic acid bacteria; Inoculate the activated compound bacterial solution into the fruit and vegetable pulp at an inoculation rate of 3% to 5%, stir thoroughly, and then ferment at room temperature (25-30℃) for 48 hours. Monitor the pH value every 12 hours. When the pH value stabilizes at 3.8-4.2, it indicates that the fermentation is complete.

[0029] S2: Low-temperature fine grinding and mixing. All meat raw materials (including enzymatically hydrolyzed bone-in meat) are finely ground in a low-temperature environment (≤4℃) to reach a minced state. The minced meat is then mixed with all powdered raw materials such as fermented oil, fermented fruit and vegetable puree, krill powder, and queen bee larvae powder in a double-spiral cooling mixer to ensure that the material temperature is always below 10℃ to prevent microbial growth and nutrient loss. S2 includes the following steps: S2.1: Raw material preparation: The temperature of bone-in chicken and quail slurry, fresh chicken, etc. after enzymatic hydrolysis from S1 should have been reduced to ≤4℃. S2.2: Environmental preparation. The grinding operation must be carried out in a low-temperature operating room (ambient temperature ≤10℃). All equipment contact surfaces (meat grinder, hopper, conveying pipes, and containers) must be rinsed with cold water at ≤4℃ to cool down or pre-cool before use. A two-stage low-speed, high-torque frozen meat grinder is used. The first stage uses a perforated plate with a diameter of 12-16mm for coarse grinding, initially breaking down large pieces of meat and enzymatically hydrolyzed slurry. The second stage uses an ultra-fine perforated plate with a diameter of 2-3mm for fine grinding. This step is crucial, ensuring that all bones and cartilage are thoroughly ground into extremely fine particles, resulting in a delicate and residue-free texture. The low-speed, high-torque design reduces heat generated by shearing and friction; Active cooling measures are also deployed, including: Jacket cooling: The meat grinder is equipped with a coolant jacket on the outside, through which a -5°C ethylene glycol aqueous solution is circulated to continuously remove the heat generated during machine operation; Raw material pre-cooling: Pre-cooling some raw materials (such as fresh chicken) to a semi-frozen state (microcrystalline state) of -2℃ to 0℃ before grinding can more effectively suppress temperature rise; Real-time temperature monitoring is essential. An infrared temperature sensor is installed at the meat grinder outlet to monitor the temperature of the discharged meat paste. The discharge temperature must be stably controlled at ≤7℃. If it approaches the critical value, the feeding speed must be adjusted immediately or cooling must be intensified. S2.3: Output, resulting in high-grade minced meat with uniform color, fine texture, and cool touch, at a temperature ≤7℃; S2.4: Cooling mixing, which involves efficiently and uniformly mixing the minced meat with all other powdered or paste-like ingredients (fermented oils, fermented fruit and vegetable purees, functional additives, etc.) at low temperature to form a final, consistent batch. S2.4 specifically includes the following steps: S2.4.1: Add the base meat paste. Add all the ground, low-temperature minced meat to the mixing bowl; S2.4.2: Start stirring and cooling. Start the mixer at low speed (e.g., 20-25 rpm) and simultaneously turn on the jacket cooling system to circulate coolant at -5°C. S2.4.3: Add dry powders. During the mixing process, slowly add all powdered raw materials such as freeze-dried chicken powder, krill powder, royal jelly larvae powder, ostrich liver powder, eggshell membrane powder, cat grass powder, and montmorillonite in sequence. Slow addition of materials can prevent dust from flying and clumping. S2.4.4: Add the slurry-like wet ingredients. After the dry powder and minced meat are basically mixed evenly, switch to medium speed (e.g., 30-35 rpm) and add the fermented fruit and vegetable puree and microencapsulated egg yolk powder in sequence. S2.4.5: Add the oils and slowly add the fermented chicken / goose oil and fish oil by spraying or fine stream while stirring at high speed (e.g., 40-45 rpm, which can be adjusted according to the viscosity of the material). This order allows the oils to better coat and bind all particles, forming a uniform emulsion system. S3: Shaping, processing the mixed low-temperature minced meat mixture into raw pieces with uniform shape, weight, and density; S4: Combined drying quickly removes free moisture from the surface of the green body, causing the surface proteins to denature and coagulate, forming a fixed "shell" to achieve shaping and sterilization, and creating favorable conditions for subsequent freeze drying (reducing sublimation load and preventing melting). S5: Vacuum freeze drying, in an extremely low temperature and high vacuum environment, directly sublimates the ice crystals frozen in the product into water vapor, thereby achieving an extremely low moisture content (≤5%) without damaging heat-sensitive components such as proteins and vitamins or the product structure, and enabling long-term storage at room temperature. S6: Probiotic and flavoring spray coating, which uniformly and precisely coats the surface of freeze-dried granules with an emulsion containing active probiotics, natural palatability enhancers and antioxidants, achieving a perfect combination of functionality and palatability; The spray emulsion specifically includes the following components: pre-emulsified animal oil as a carrier, with an oil content of approximately 40%; Probiotic powder: Select high-concentration (≥100 billion CFU / g), acid- and bile-resistant compound probiotic freeze-dried powder (such as Bifidobacterium animalis, Pediococcus lactis, Enterococcus faecalis, etc.), with an addition amount accounting for 2% of the total mass of the emulsion; Natural palatability enhancer: spray-dried chicken liver hydrolysate or enzymatically hydrolyzed chicken liver paste, added at a rate of 5%; Natural antioxidants: Added 0.1% rosemary extract and 0.05% mixed tocopherols to protect the coating oil from oxidation; S7: Low-temperature curing. The sprayed particles are immediately transferred into a low-temperature cooling tunnel (4-10℃) and dry cold air is blown for 3-5 minutes to quickly solidify the surface grease emulsion layer. S8: Nitrogen-filled packaging seals the product in a low-oxygen, light-proof environment to maximize shelf life and maintain crisp texture and the activity of nutrients.

[0030] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A pet cat food formula, characterized in that, include: Animal-based basic ingredients: 25% enzymatically hydrolyzed fresh bone-in chicken, 30% fresh chicken meat, 10% fresh whole quail, 8% fresh salmon containing fish scales, 5% fresh chicken liver, 4% fresh chicken heart, and 3% fermented animal oil; Functional additives: 5% functional fruit and vegetable powder, 2% freeze-dried royal jelly larvae powder, 0.5% propolis, 0.5% broken-cell bee pollen, 2% Antarctic krill powder, 1% ostrich liver powder, 1% cat grass powder, and 0.5% eggshell membrane powder; Nutritional additives: 2% microencapsulated egg yolk powder, 0.2% probiotic spray pack; Montmorillonite 0.3%.

2. The pet cat food formula according to claim 1, characterized in that, The functional fruit and vegetable group consists of cranberries, pumpkins, blueberries, chicory root, and kelp, which have undergone compound probiotic fermentation.

3. The manufacturing process for pet cat food, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Biological pretreatment, including enzymatic hydrolysis of bone and meat, fermentation of animal oil and fermentation of fruits and vegetables; S2: Low-temperature fine grinding and mixing. All meat raw materials are finely ground in a low-temperature environment to achieve a minced meat state. The minced meat is then mixed with fermented oil, fermented fruit and vegetable puree, and all powdered raw materials in a mixer to ensure that the material temperature is always below 10℃. S3: Shaping, processing the mixed low-temperature minced meat mixture into raw pieces with uniform shape, weight, and density; S4: Combined drying, quickly removes free moisture from the surface of the green body, causing the surface proteins to denature and coagulate, forming a fixed outer shell; S5: Vacuum freeze drying to obtain freeze-dried particles; S6: Probiotic and flavoring spraying: Spraying an emulsion containing active probiotics, natural palatability enhancers and antioxidants onto the surface of freeze-dried granules; S7: Low-temperature curing; S8: Nitrogen-filled packaging.

4. The pet cat food manufacturing process according to claim 3, characterized in that, Enzymatic hydrolysis processes include: 1) Weigh fresh bone-in chicken and whole quail according to the formula ratio, and coarsely crush them into 5-8mm particles at -18℃. 2) Feeding: The ratio of raw material to water is 1:0.8~1.

2. The internal temperature of the bioreactor is controlled at 52±1℃, and the pH of the system is stabilized at 7.0±0.

2. The amount of compound protease added is 0.2%~0.4% of the substrate weight, and the amount of bone enzyme added is 0.05%~0.1% of the substrate weight. The reaction time is 90-120 minutes. 3) To terminate the reaction, steam is introduced into the jacket of the reactor to raise the temperature of the material to 85°C within 3 minutes and maintain it for 5 minutes to completely inactivate the enzyme and terminate the reaction. The material is then quickly cooled to below 4°C through the cooling system and transferred to a temporary storage tank to await the next process.

5. The pet cat food manufacturing process according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fermentation process of animal fats includes: Step 1: Raw material oil processing. The selected animal oil is heated to 60-65℃ to melt, and then filtered to remove impurities, resulting in clear oil. Step 2: Emulsification. Add 40°C pure water to a mixing tank, then add carbon source and nitrogen source, and stir until completely dissolved. Mix the treated oil with emulsifier, and under high-speed shear, slowly add the oil phase to the water phase to form a preliminary oil / water emulsion. The final oil-to-water ratio of the emulsion is 3:7; Step 3: Sterilization and cooling. The prepared emulsion is transferred to a jacketed fermenter, stirring is started, steam is introduced and heated to 121°C, and maintained for 15-20 minutes for solid tank sterilization to kill all miscellaneous bacteria. After sterilization, cooling water is immediately introduced to rapidly reduce the temperature of the culture medium to 37±1°C, and the medium is ready for inoculation. Step 4: Select probiotic strains with high lipase production activity and high safety. Step 5: Activation of the microbial strain; Step 6: Inoculation. Pump the cultured bacterial solution into the fermenter, which has been cooled to 37°C, through a sterile pipeline at an inoculation rate of 2% to 3%. Step 7: Temperature-controlled fermentation. Maintain the fermentation temperature at 37±1℃, turn on the agitator in the fermentation tank, and continue fermentation for 36-48 hours. Monitor the pH value every 4-6 hours. Step 8: After fermentation is complete, immediately introduce steam to heat the fermentation liquid to 85-90℃ and maintain it for 15-20 minutes; Step 9: Demulsification and oil-water separation: Centrifuge the sterilized fermentation broth and collect the upper layer of oil. Step 10: Refining and filtering to obtain clear, pure fermented oil.

6. The pet cat food manufacturing process according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fermentation process of functional fruit and vegetable groups includes: (1) Raw material processing: Peel and deseed the pumpkin, steam it until cooked, and mix it with cranberry powder, freeze-dried blueberry pieces, chicory root powder and kelp powder according to the formula ratio. Add purified water and blend into a uniform paste. (2) Fermentation control: Use a fermenter with a breathing valve and select compound bacteria: Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Kluyveromyces martensii. Inoculate the activated compound bacterial solution into the fruit and vegetable pulp at an inoculation rate of 3% to 5%, stir thoroughly, and then control the fermentation at room temperature for 48 hours. Monitor the pH value every 12 hours. When the pH value is stable at 3.8-4.2, it indicates that the fermentation is complete.

7. The pet cat food manufacturing process according to claim 3, characterized in that, S2 includes the following steps: S2.1: Raw material preparation, including animal-based basic ingredients, whose temperature is reduced to ≤4℃; S2.2: Environmental preparation: The stranding operation shall be carried out in a low-temperature operating room. All equipment contact surfaces shall be rinsed with cold water at ≤4℃ before use to cool them down. S2.3: Output, resulting in high-grade minced meat with uniform color, fine texture, and cool touch, at a temperature ≤7℃; S2.4: Cooling mixing, which involves efficiently and uniformly mixing the minced meat with all other powdered or paste-like ingredients at low temperature to form a final, consistent mixture.

8. The pet cat food manufacturing process according to claim 7, characterized in that, S2.2 also includes active cooling measures, which include: Jacket cooling: The meat grinder is equipped with a coolant jacket on the outside, through which a -5°C ethylene glycol aqueous solution is circulated to continuously remove the heat generated during machine operation; Raw material pre-cooling: Pre-cooling some of the raw materials to a semi-frozen state of -2℃ to 0℃ before grinding can more effectively suppress temperature rise; Real-time temperature monitoring is required. An infrared temperature sensor is installed at the outlet of the meat grinder to monitor the temperature of the discharged meat paste in real time. The discharge temperature must be stably controlled at ≤7℃.

9. The pet cat food manufacturing process according to claim 7, characterized in that, S2.4 specifically includes the following steps: S2.4.1: Add the basic meat paste. Put all the ground, low-temperature meat paste into the mixing tank. S2.4.2: Start stirring and cooling; start the mixer at low speed. S2.4.3: Add dry powder materials. During the mixing process, slowly add all powdered raw materials in sequence. S2.4.4: Add the slurry-like wet ingredients. After the dry powder and minced meat are basically mixed evenly, switch to medium speed and add the fermented fruit and vegetable puree and microencapsulated egg yolk powder in sequence. S2.4.5: Add oils and slowly add fermented animal oil and fish oil while stirring at high speed.

10. The pet cat food manufacturing process according to claim 7, characterized in that, The spray emulsion specifically includes the following components: pre-emulsified animal oil as a carrier, with an oil content of 40%; Probiotic powder: added at 2% of the total mass of the emulsion; Natural palatability enhancer: 5% added; Natural antioxidants: Contains 0.1% rosemary extract and 0.05% mixed tocopherols.

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