Pet food product

Abstract

The pet food product has at least 10 pet food grains having the same composition and the same form, and the breaking force when the 10 pet food grains are compressed at a constant compression speed according to the following test conditions is measured. The proportion of the pet food grains in which a plurality of peak values not less than 1 / 2 of the maximum peak value are present except the maximum peak value of the breaking strength is not less than 50%.

Description

Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to pet food products.

[0003] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-103976, filed on June 26, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0004] Pet food can be divided into staple food and treats according to the purpose of feeding. Pet food used as staple food is called "comprehensive nutrition food", which is made so that the pet can obtain the necessary nutrients by feeding it this food and water.

[0005] On the other hand, "treats" are limited amounts of pet food given as a reward for training or exercise.

[0006] Based on their purpose, foods can be classified into "comprehensive nutritional foods", "snacks", "therapeutic foods", and "other purpose foods" that do not belong to any of the above categories.

[0007] In addition, based on moisture content, pet food can be roughly divided into dry food (approximately 10% moisture), soft food (approximately 15-35% moisture), and wet food (approximately 80% moisture). Among these, dry pet food has seen increasing demand in recent years due to its ease of handling and good shelf life.

[0008] In recent years, especially in pet food for dogs or cats, pet food with smaller outer diameter and thickness has become mainstream from the perspective of improving palatability.

[0009] Pet food with smaller outer diameter and thickness is considered more palatable because it is easier for pets to eat. However, if the outer diameter and thickness of pet food are small, pets may swallow it directly without chewing, which may lead to potential health problems such as overeating and choking.

[0010] As a method to prevent pets from swallowing quickly, Patent Document 1 discloses a pet tableware with a lid that takes into account the prevention of rapid swallowing and the prevention of obesity in pets.

[0011] Prior art literature

[0012] Patent documents

[0013] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-130158 Summary of the Invention

[0014] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0015] Although there are tableware designed to prevent pets from swallowing quickly, such as the pet tableware disclosed in Patent Document 1, there is no pet food that can prevent pets from swallowing quickly.

[0016] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a pet food product that can guide pets to chew and eat pet food and prevent rapid swallowing.

[0017] Solution for solving the problem

[0018] The inventors of this application have conducted careful research in order to solve the aforementioned problems.

[0019] The results showed that by controlling the breaking strength of pet food, pets can be guided to chew and eat it. More specifically, the present invention employs the following structure.

[0020] The present invention has the following aspects.

[0021] [1] A pet food product having at least 10 pet food pellets of the same composition and shape, wherein, when the breaking force of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets is measured at a constant compression rate under the following test conditions, the proportion of pet food pellets having multiple peaks of more than 1 / 2 of the above-mentioned maximum peak value in addition to the maximum peak value of the breaking strength is 50% or more.

[0022] <Experimental Conditions>

[0023] • Compression testing machine (texture analyzer, model: EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0024] • Plunger: A 10mm diameter dog-tooth shaped plunger

[0025] Platform: Flat plate (inner diameter 26.5mm × depth 4mm)

[0026] • Compression speed: 60mm / minute

[0027] • Lowest point of the plunger: 4.0mm (compression distance)

[0028] • Measurement temperature: 25℃

[0029] • Fracture detection start point: 0.035% (0.14N)

[0030] • Test force: 500N (full scale)

[0031] • Peak sensitivity: 0.5% (2.5N).

[0032] [2] The pet food product as claimed in [1], wherein, for the pet food pellet, the arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa1 of the first surface projected onto the pet food pellet along the first direction is less than 14 μm, and the arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa2 of the surface projected onto the pet food pellet along directions other than the first direction is 14 μm or more.

[0033] [3] The pet food product as claimed in [1] or [2], wherein, when the hardness of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets is measured, the average hardness is 30 N or less.

[0034] [4] The pet food product as claimed in [2], wherein the height of the pet food particle is greater than the length of the pet food particle in the first direction when the surface on which the pet food particle is projected along the second direction orthogonal to the first direction is used as the bottom surface.

[0035] [5] The pet food product as claimed in claim [4], wherein, when the height of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets is measured, the average value of the height is 10 mm or more.

[0036] [6] A pet food product having at least 10 pet food pellets of the same composition and shape, wherein, when the breaking force of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets is measured at a constant compression rate under the following test conditions, the proportion of pet food pellets with a total weight of 7mm×7mm mesh-like residual fragments being at least 90% of the weight before measurement is at least 70%.

[0037] <Experimental Conditions>

[0038] • Compression testing machine (texture analyzer, model: EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0039] • Plunger: A 10mm diameter dog-tooth shaped plunger

[0040] Platform: Flat plate (inner diameter 26.5mm × depth 4mm)

[0041] • Compression speed: 60mm / minute

[0042] • Lowest point of the plunger: 4.0mm (compression distance)

[0043] • Measurement temperature: 25℃

[0044] • Fracture detection start point: 0.035% (0.14N)

[0045] • Test force: 500N (full scale)

[0046] • Peak sensitivity: 0.5% (2.5N).

[0047] The effects of the invention

[0048] According to the present invention, a pet food product is provided that can guide a pet to chew and eat the pet food product and prevent rapid swallowing. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the plunger used in the fracture force measurement.

[0050] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating pet food pellets in a pet food product according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the projections of pet food pellets in a pet food product according to the first aspect of the present invention from various directions.

[0052] Figure 4 This is a graph showing the results of the determination of the breaking strength of pet food pellets in the pet food product of the embodiment.

[0053] Figure 5 This is a graph showing the results of the determination of the breaking strength of pet food pellets in the pet food products of the comparative example. Detailed Implementation

[0054] In this specification, "pet" refers to an animal kept by a person. In a narrower sense, a pet is an animal kept and enjoyed by its owner. Additionally, "pet food" refers to feed for pets. The pet food involved in this invention can be sold as "animal feed" or "animal bait."

[0055] In this instruction manual, "preference" is an indicator of whether a pet likes to eat, attributed to factors such as texture, taste, and smell.

[0056] In this specification, the moisture content values ​​are obtained by atmospheric pressure heating drying.

[0057] The atmospheric pressure heating drying method involves pulverizing the sample in a pulverizer to pass it through a 1mm sieve, using it as the analytical sample. 2-5g of the analytical sample is accurately weighed and placed in an aluminum weighing pan. The analytical sample is dried at 135℃ for 2 hours. After cooling in a desiccator, the weight of the analytical sample is accurately weighed, and the moisture content is determined based on the weight difference of the analytical sample before and after drying.

[0058] More specifically, the material to be tested is pulverized in a grinder to pass through a 1 mm sieve, and this is used as the analytical sample. The mass of an aluminum weighing vessel (W1 g) is pre-determined as a constant. The analytical sample is placed in the aluminum weighing vessel and weighed (W2 g). Then, the analytical sample is dried at 135°C for 2 hours using a forced-circulation hot air dryer. After cooling the analytical sample in a dry atmosphere (in a silica gel desiccator), its mass is weighed (W3 g). The moisture content of the analytical sample is calculated from the obtained masses using the following formula.

[0059] The moisture content of the sample (unit: mass%) is calculated as follows: (W2 - W3) ÷ (W2 - W1) × 100. The moisture content is the value measured immediately after opening the final product within 30 days from the date of manufacture, or the value measured under the same conditions.

[0060] In this instruction manual, the hardness of pet food pellets is a value obtained using the following method.

[0061] Place a pet food pellet of the test subject on a flat plate (26.5 mm inner diameter × 4 mm depth). While pressing the center of the pet food pellet vertically from directly above at a constant speed with a plunger, measure the stress. Record the peak value (maximum value) of the stress as the value of the fracture stress. The value of the fracture hardness can be converted to Newtons (N) by multiplying the value of the fracture stress (unit: kgw) measured by the compression testing machine by 9.8.

[0062] <Experimental Conditions>

[0063] • Compression testing machine (texture analyzer, model: EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0064] • Plunger: A 10mm diameter dog-tooth shaped plunger

[0065] Platform: Flat plate (inner diameter 26.5mm × depth 4mm)

[0066] • Compression speed: 60mm / minute

[0067] • Lowest point of the plunger: 4.0mm (compression distance)

[0068] • Measurement temperature: 25℃

[0069] • Fracture detection start point: 0.035% (0.14N)

[0070] • Test force: 500N (full scale)

[0071] • Peak sensitivity: 0.5% (2.5N)

[0072] In this specification, the arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa was measured using a VR-3200 non-contact three-dimensional shape measuring machine (manufactured by Keyence Corporation, using an L-filter with a nesting index of 0.25 mm) to observe the surface of pet food particles (magnification 40x, field of view: 19~20 mm²). 2 The arithmetic mean roughness Sa of the surface of pet food pellets is calculated.

[0073] (Pet food product according to the first embodiment)

[0074] The pet food product involved in this embodiment has at least 10 pet food pellets with the same composition and the same shape.

[0075] The pet food products involved in this embodiment are preferably comprehensive nutritional foods.

[0076] "Comprehensive nutrition food" refers to a nutritionally balanced product in pet food intended to be fed to dogs or cats as their main daily meal, and which provides sufficient nutrition to maintain the health of a specified growth stage on its own, along with water. Standards for comprehensive nutrition foods can be cited, for example, those set by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials).

[0077] In addition, in this instruction manual, "comprehensive nutritional food" can be a product at any stage of growth, a product that meets the benchmarks of any stage of "puppy or kitten stage / growth stage or development stage", "adult dog stage or adult cat stage / maintenance stage or maintenance stage" and "pregnancy or lactation stage", or a "full growth stage" or "all-stage universal" product that meets all three stages.

[0078] The parameters of pet food involved in this embodiment (fracture strength, thickness, short diameter, hardness, etc.) do not refer to the value of a single pet food granule, but rather to the average value of 10 granules of pet food granules with the same composition and form manufactured under the same conditions.

[0079] For example, it refers to the average value of 10 kibble randomly selected from multiple kibble pieces contained in a packaged dry pet food product.

[0080] Therefore, when the average value satisfies all parameters, it is the pet food product involved in this embodiment.

[0081] For the pet food product involved in this embodiment, when the breaking force of 10 pet food pellets is measured at a constant compression speed under the following test conditions, the proportion of pet food pellets with multiple peaks of more than half of the aforementioned maximum peak value, in addition to the maximum peak value of the breaking strength, is 50% or more. This parameter can be controlled by appropriately adjusting the puffing time during the manufacture of pet food, the shape of the pet food, etc.

[0082] <Experimental Conditions>

[0083] • Compression testing machine (texture analyzer, model: EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0084] • Plunger: A 10mm diameter dog-tooth shaped plunger

[0085] Platform: Flat plate (inner diameter 26.5mm × depth 4mm)

[0086] • Compression speed: 60mm / minute

[0087] • Lowest point of the plunger: 4.0mm (compression distance)

[0088] • Measurement temperature: 25℃

[0089] • Fracture detection start point: 0.035% (0.14N)

[0090] • Test force: 500N (full scale)

[0091] • Peak sensitivity: 0.5% (2.5N)

[0092] More specifically, a 10mm diameter canine-tooth shaped plunger, such as Figure 1 As shown, it has: a cylindrical connecting part A with a diameter of 10 mm and a height of 19 mm; and a conical pressing part B with a height of 7.2 mm.

[0093] For the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment, when the breaking force of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets is measured at a constant compression speed according to the above-mentioned test conditions, the proportion of pet food pellets having more than 1 / 2 of the above-mentioned maximum peak value in addition to the maximum peak value of the breaking strength is 50% or more, more preferably 60% or more, more preferably 70% or more, and even more preferably 80% or more.

[0094] For the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment, since the proportion of pet food pellets with more than 50% of the above-mentioned peak values ​​having more than half of the above-mentioned maximum peak value in addition to the maximum peak value of the breaking strength, continuous chewing force is required before the pet food pellets are completely crushed, which can guide the pet to chew the pet food pellets repeatedly and prevent rapid swallowing.

[0095] For the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment, when the breaking force of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets is measured at a constant compression speed according to the above-described test conditions, the proportion of pet food pellets with a total weight of 7mm×7mm mesh-like residual fragments being 90% or more of the weight before measurement is preferably 70% or more, more preferably 80% or more, and even more preferably 90% or more.

[0096] For the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment, since the total weight of the 7mm×7mm mesh-like residual fragments is more than 90% of the weight before the test when the breaking force is measured, the proportion of pet food pellets is more than 70%. Therefore, even if the pet chews the pet food once, there are likely to be large pellets remaining. Thus, it can guide the pet to chew repeatedly and prevent rapid swallowing.

[0097] For the pet food pellets in the pet food product according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa1 of the first surface projected onto the pet food pellet along the first direction is less than 14 μm, and the arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa2 of the surfaces projected onto the pet food pellet along directions other than the first direction is 14 μm or more. That is, the pet food pellets in the pet food product according to this embodiment preferably have surfaces with different surface roughness.

[0098] Because pet food pellets have different surface roughness, pets can enjoy a variety of textures, thus further enhancing their preference for them.

[0099] Furthermore, for the pet food pellets in the pet food products according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the height of the pet food pellet, when the surface projected onto the pet food pellet along the second direction orthogonal to the first direction is used as the bottom surface, is greater than the length of the pet food pellet in the first direction. That is, it is preferable to have pet food pellets with a thicker surface and a smooth surface.

[0100] In the pet food products of this embodiment, since the height of the pet food pellets when the surface projected onto the pet food pellets along the second direction orthogonal to the first direction is the bottom surface is greater than the length of the pet food pellets in the first direction, it is possible to guide pets to start chewing from the surface that is not rough, thereby further improving their preference.

[0101] The height (thickness) of the pet food pellets in the pet food product according to this embodiment is preferably 1.10 times, more preferably 1.13 times, and even more preferably 1.15 times, of the length (major diameter) of the pet food pellets in the first direction.

[0102] The arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa1 of the first surface of the pet food pellets in the pet food product involved in this embodiment is preferably less than 14 μm, more preferably less than 13 μm, and even more preferably less than 12 μm.

[0103] The arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa2 of the pet food pellets in the pet food product according to this embodiment, which is projected onto the surface of the pet food pellets in directions other than the first direction, is preferably 14 μm or more, more preferably 16 μm or more, and even more preferably 18 μm or more.

[0104] When measuring the hardness of pet food pellets in the pet food product according to this embodiment, the average hardness is preferably 30N or less, more preferably 29N or less, and even more preferably 28N or less.

[0105] If the hardness of the pet food pellets is below the preferred value mentioned above, the pet food will be easier to chew and its palatability will be further enhanced.

[0106] For the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment, the height is preferably 10 mm or more, more preferably 10.5 mm or more, and even more preferably 11 mm or more.

[0107] In the pet food products involved in this embodiment, since the height is 10mm or more, it can guide pets to chew and eat the pet food pellets, and can further prevent rapid swallowing.

[0108] For the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment, the proportion of pet food pellets with a height of 10 mm or more is 50% or more.

[0109] In the pet food products involved in this embodiment, since the proportion of pet food particles with a height of 10 mm or more is more than 50%, it can guide pets to chew and eat pet food particles, and can further prevent rapid swallowing.

[0110] For the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment, the proportion of pet food pellets with a height of 10 mm or more is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 60% or more, and even more preferably 70% or more.

[0111] The pet food pellets in the pet food product according to this embodiment preferably have a long diameter or a diameter of 5 mm or more, more preferably 7 mm or more, and even more preferably 9 mm or more. Furthermore, the long diameter or a diameter of the pet food pellets in the pet food product according to this embodiment is preferably 13 mm or less, more preferably 12 mm or less, and even more preferably 11 mm or less.

[0112] For example, the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment have a long diameter or a short diameter of 5 mm or more and a short diameter of 13 mm or less, more preferably 7 mm or more and a short diameter of 12 mm or less, and even more preferably 9 mm or more and a short diameter of 11 mm or less.

[0113] The short diameter of the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment is preferably 4 mm or more, more preferably 6 mm or more, and even more preferably 8 mm or more.

[0114] Furthermore, the short diameter of the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment is preferably 11 mm or less, more preferably 10 mm or less, and even more preferably 9 mm or less.

[0115] For example, the short diameter of the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment is preferably 4 mm or more and 11 mm or less, more preferably 6 mm or more and 10 mm or less, and even more preferably 8 mm or more and 9 mm or less.

[0116] The shape of the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as they are suitable for pets to eat.

[0117] Various shapes, such as spherical, ellipsoidal (Go stone-like), granular, cylindrical, polygonal prism, hexahedral (plate-like), clover-shaped, heart-shaped, star-shaped, and cross-shaped, are all applicable. Among these, from the viewpoint of more easily obtaining the effects of the present invention, a cylindrical shape is preferred.

[0118] Raw Materials

[0119] As raw materials for the pet food products involved in this embodiment, known powder raw materials and liquid raw materials can be used in the manufacture of pet food.

[0120] As raw materials for powders, specific examples include grains (corn, wheat, wheat flour, wheat bran, rice, breadcrumbs, barley, oats, rye, etc.), tubers (sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc.), legumes (soybeans, etc.), starches (wheat starch, corn starch, rice starch, potato starch, cassava starch, sweet potato starch, sago starch, processed starch, etc.), plant-based proteins (corn protein meal, wheat protein, legume protein, rice protein, tuber protein, etc.), and meats (beef, pork, mutton, deer, rabbit, etc.; chicken, turkey, quail, etc.). Poultry meat, etc.; meat meal (chicken meal, pork meal, beef meal, and their mixtures), etc.; fish and shellfish (skipjack tuna, tuna, mackerel, etc.; crustaceans such as shrimp and crab; mollusks such as octopus and squid; shellfish such as scallops and abalone; fish extracts; bonito flakes, meat meal (fish meal), etc.); vegetables; seeds and nuts; mushrooms; eggs; sugars; dairy products; additives (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, flavoring ingredients, powdered flavor enhancers, fiber, colorings, phosphates, pH adjusters, seasonings, antioxidants, trehalose, etc.).

[0121] Meat powder refers to powder made by compressing and crushing meat or fish and shellfish.

[0122] More specifically, powdered tasting enhancers include animal extracts, plant extracts, yeast extracts, and dried yeast products.

[0123] As liquid raw materials (including semi-solid raw materials), specific examples include water, oils (animal oils such as chicken oil, lard, tallow, milk fat, and fish oil; vegetable oils such as olive oil, cocoa butter, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, coconut seed oil, and camellia oil), liquid flavor enhancers, liquid sugars, humectants, preservatives, emulsifiers, fragrances, and colorants.

[0124] The formulation of the pet food products (dry type) involved in this embodiment is as follows.

[0125] Grains 40-70%, meat 5-30%, fish and shellfish 1-15%, beans 1-15%, fiber 1-10%, vitamins / minerals / amino acids 1-5%, animal fats 1-10% (the total is 100%).

[0126] (Pet food products according to the second embodiment)

[0127] The pet food product involved in this embodiment has at least 10 pet food pellets with the same composition and the same shape.

[0128] For the pet food product involved in this embodiment, when the breaking force of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets is measured at a constant compression speed under the following test conditions, the proportion of pet food pellets with a total weight of 7mm×7mm mesh-like residue is more than 90% of the weight before measurement.

[0129] <Experimental Conditions>

[0130] • Compression testing machine (texture analyzer, model: EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0131] • Plunger: A 10mm diameter dog-tooth shaped plunger

[0132] Platform: Flat plate (inner diameter 26.5mm × depth 4mm)

[0133] • Compression speed: 60mm / minute

[0134] • Lowest point of the plunger: 4.0mm (compression distance)

[0135] • Measurement temperature: 25℃

[0136] • Fracture detection start point: 0.035% (0.14N)

[0137] • Test force: 500N (full scale)

[0138] • Peak sensitivity: 0.5% (2.5N)

[0139] For the pet food pellets in the pet food product according to this embodiment, when the breaking force is measured when 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets are compressed at a constant compression speed according to the above test conditions, the proportion of pet food pellets with a total weight of 7mm×7mm mesh-like residue being 90% or more of the weight before the measurement is 70% or more, more preferably 80% or more, and even more preferably 90% or more. Since the proportion of pet food pellets with a total weight of 7mm×7mm mesh-like residue being 90% or more of the weight before the measurement is 70% or more when the breaking force is measured, even if the pet chews the pet food once, there are likely to be large pellets remaining, thus encouraging the pet to chew multiple times and preventing rapid swallowing.

[0140] For the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment, when the breaking force of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets is measured at a constant compression speed according to the above-mentioned test conditions, the proportion of pet food pellets having multiple peaks of more than 1 / 2 of the above-mentioned maximum peak value in addition to the maximum peak value of the breaking strength is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 60% or more, more preferably 70% or more, and even more preferably 80% or more.

[0141] For the pet food pellets in the pet food products involved in this embodiment, since the proportion of pet food pellets with more than 50% of the above-mentioned peak values ​​having more than half of the above-mentioned maximum peak value in addition to the maximum peak value of the breaking strength, continuous chewing force is required before the pet food pellets are completely crushed, which can guide the pet to chew the pet food pellets repeatedly and prevent rapid swallowing.

[0142] The preferred method for the pet food pellets in the pet food product involved in this embodiment is the same as that for the pet food product of the first embodiment described above.

[0143] (Pet food pellets in pet food products involved in Method 1)

[0144] Hereinafter, as a specific embodiment of the pet food product involved in this embodiment, the pet food pellets in the pet food product involved in the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0145] In the following explanation, an orthogonal coordinate system of X, Y, and Z will be used as needed. In this case, the Z direction represents the height direction (the direction of gravity). The two directions orthogonal to the Z direction are the X and Y directions. In the diagram, the side with the arrow is designated as the positive (+) side, and the side opposite to the arrow is designated as the negative (-) side. For example, the +Z side corresponds to the top of the height direction, and the -Z side corresponds to the bottom of the height direction.

[0146] exist Figure 2 In the pet food pellet D10 shown, the surface projected onto the pet food pellet D10 on the +X side in the first direction is called surface D1. Additionally, the surface projected onto the pet food pellet D10 on the -X side in the first direction is called surface D4.

[0147] In pet food pellet D10, the surface projected onto the pet food pellet D10 towards the +Z side of the second direction orthogonal to the first direction is surface D5. Additionally, the surface projected onto the pet food pellet D10 towards the B-Z side of the second direction orthogonal to the first direction is surface D6.

[0148] In pet food pellet D10, the surface projected onto the pet food pellet D10 towards the +Y side of the third direction orthogonal to the first direction is called surface D2. Additionally, the surface projected onto the pet food pellet D10 towards the -Y side of the second direction orthogonal to the first direction is called surface D3.

[0149] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the projections of pet food pellets D10 along each direction, namely, surfaces D1 to D6.

[0150] For pet food pellets D10, surfaces D1 to D4 are surfaces with an arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa1 of less than 14 μm, and surfaces D5 and D6 are surfaces with an arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa2 of more than 14 μm.

[0151] The preferred parameters and raw materials for pet food pellets D10 are as described above.

[0152] Example

[0153] The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0154] (Manufacturing of comprehensive nutritional pet food)

[0155] (Example 1)

[0156] The raw materials for the pet food pellets in the pet food product of Example 1 were mixed according to the formulation shown in Table 1. The resulting raw material mixture was fed into an extruder and heated while stirring to gelatinize the starch components. The mixture was then extruded into pellets at the outlet of the extruder, puffed for 0.04 seconds, and then cut to obtain pellets (puffing time: 0.04 seconds). The obtained pellets were dried using a dryer to obtain the pet food product of Example 1, which has at least 10 pet food pellets with the same composition and shape.

[0157] In addition, the morphology of the pet food pellets in the pet food product of Example 1 is similar to... Figure 3 The pet food pellets shown are the same as D10.

[0158] The major diameter, minor diameter, and thickness of 10 randomly selected pet food pellets from the pet food product of Example 1 were measured with calipers, and their average values ​​were calculated. The results showed that the major diameter was 9.5 mm, the minor diameter was 8.5 mm, and the thickness was 11 mm.

[0159] In addition, 10 randomly selected pet food pellets from the pet food product of Example 1 were dropped freely from a height of 20 cm into a 1L cup with a diameter of 11 cm. The volumetric density was measured by the weight of the pellets when the cup was full, and the average value was calculated. The average volumetric density of the pet food pellets was 285.5 (g / L).

[0160] In addition, the arithmetic mean surface roughness of 10 randomly selected pet food pellets from the pet food product of Example 1 was measured using a non-contact three-dimensional shape measuring machine VR-3200 (manufactured by Keyence Corporation, using an L-filter with a nesting index of 0.25 mm). Surface observation of the pet food pellets was conducted (magnification 40x, observation field area: 19~20 mm²). 2 The arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa of the pet food pellets was calculated. The results showed that the arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa1 of the first surface D1 to the fourth surface D4 of the pet food pellets was 13.1 μm. In addition, the average arithmetic mean surface roughness of the fifth surface D5 and the sixth surface D6 was 19.6 μm.

[0161] (Comparative Example 1)

[0162] The raw materials for pet food pellets in the pet food product of Comparative Example 1 were mixed according to the formulation shown in Table 1 (the same formulation as in Example 1). The resulting raw material mixture was fed into an extruder and heated while stirring to gelatinize the starch components. The mixture was then extruded and granulated at the outlet of the extruder, and simultaneously cut to obtain pellets (expansion time: 0 seconds). The obtained pellets were dried using a dryer to obtain the pet food product of Comparative Example 1, which has at least 10 pet food pellets of the same composition and shape.

[0163] The major diameter, minor diameter, and thickness of 10 randomly selected pet food pellets from the pet food product of Comparative Example 1 were measured with calipers, and their average values ​​were calculated. The results were a major diameter of 9.0 mm, a minor diameter of 9.0 mm, and a thickness of 5 mm.

[0164] In addition, 10 randomly selected pet food pellets from the pet food product of Comparative Example 1 were dropped freely from a height of 20 cm into a 1L cup with a diameter of 11 cm. The volumetric specific gravity was measured by the weight of the pellets when the cup was filled to the brim, and the average value was calculated. The average volumetric specific gravity of the pet food pellets was 370.0 (g / L).

[0165] Table 1

[0166]

[0167] [Number of peaks that are more than half the size of the maximum peak]

[0168] For 10 randomly selected pet food pellets from the pet food products of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, the breaking force of the pet food pellets when compressed at a constant compression speed under the following test conditions was measured, and the number of peaks of the breaking strength other than the maximum peak value of 1 / 2 or more was detected.

[0169] Specifically, a pet food pellet of the test subject was placed on a flat plate (26.5 mm inner diameter × 4 mm depth), and the pellet was measured while a plunger was pressed vertically into the center of the pellet from directly above at a constant speed. The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

[0170] in addition, Figure 4 A graph showing the measurement results of food particles in Example 1 is presented.

[0171] in addition, Figure 5 A graph showing the determination results of food particles in Comparative Example 1 is provided.

[0172] <Experimental Conditions>

[0173] • Compression testing machine (texture analyzer, model: EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0174] • Plunger: A 10mm diameter dog-tooth shaped plunger

[0175] Platform: Flat plate (inner diameter 26.5mm × depth 4mm)

[0176] • Compression speed: 60mm / minute

[0177] • Lowest point of the plunger: 4.0mm (compression distance)

[0178] • Measurement temperature: 25℃

[0179] • Fracture detection start point: 0.035% (0.14N)

[0180] • Test force: 500N (full scale)

[0181] • Peak sensitivity: 0.5% (2.5N)

[0182] [hardness]

[0183] The maximum peak value of the breaking strength of 10 randomly selected pet food pellets from the pet food products of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 was determined using the same method as described above for [the number of peak values ​​greater than 1 / 2 of the maximum peak value]. The units were converted to Newtons (N) by multiplying the maximum peak value of the breaking strength (unit: kgw) by 9.8. The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

[0184] [journey]

[0185] Using the same method as described above for [the number of peaks greater than 1 / 2 of the maximum peak value], the distance required for 10 randomly selected pet food pellets from the pet food products of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 to reach the maximum peak value of the breaking strength (the distance from when the plunger contacts the pet food pellet until the pet food pellet breaks) was determined. The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

[0186] [brittleness]

[0187] Using the same method as described above for [the number of peaks greater than 1 / 2 of the maximum peak value], the difference between the maximum peak value and the minimum value up to the adjacent peak value (convex-concave) of the breaking strength of 10 randomly selected pet food pellets from the pet food products of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 was measured. The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

[0188] Table 2

[0189]

[0190] Table 3

[0191]

[0192] As shown in Tables 3 and 4, the pet food pellets in the pet food products of the embodiments have multiple peaks that are more than half of the aforementioned maximum peak value, in addition to the maximum peak value of the breaking strength.

[0193] Therefore, it is known that sustained chewing force is required before pet food pellets are completely crushed.

[0194] [Total weight of pet food pellet fragments remaining in a 7mm x 7mm mesh pattern]

[0195] Using the same method as described above for [the number of peaks greater than half the maximum peak value], when measuring the fracture force, the total weight of the fragments remaining in a 7mm × 7mm mesh pattern, the weight of the pet food pellets before the measurement, and the ratio of the total weight of the fragments remaining in a 7mm × 7mm mesh pattern to the weight of the pet food pellets before the measurement (total weight of fragments / weight of pet food pellets before the measurement) were calculated. The results are shown in Tables 4 and 5.

[0196] Table 4

[0197]

[0198] Table 5

[0199]

[0200] As shown in Tables 4 and 5, the proportion of pet food pellets in the pet food products of the embodiments that remained as 7mm×7mm mesh fragments after the breaking force was measured was high.

[0201] Therefore, it can be seen that large fragments are easily left behind when pets chew pet food pellets.

[0202] [Evaluation of the effectiveness in preventing rapid swallowing]

[0203] The pet food products of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were fed to dogs, and the time from the start of feeding until the food was finished was measured. Additionally, the dogs' eating was recorded on video, and the average number of chews per piece was measured. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0204] Table 6

[0205]

[0206] As shown in Table 6, it was confirmed that, compared with the pet food products of the comparative examples, the pet food products of the embodiments could increase the number of chews and slow down the eating speed.

[0207] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made to the structure without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is not limited by the foregoing description, but only by the scope of the claims.

[0208] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0209] D10…Pet food pellets

Claims

1. A pet food product comprising at least 10 pet food pellets of the same composition and form, wherein, When measuring the breaking force of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets compressed at a constant compression rate under the following test conditions, the percentage of pet food pellets with multiple peaks exceeding half of the maximum peak value, in addition to the maximum peak value of the breaking strength, is 50% or more. <Experimental Conditions> • Compression testing machine (texture analyzer, model: EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) • Plunger: A 10mm diameter dog-tooth shaped plunger Platform: Flat plate (inner diameter 26.5mm × depth 4mm) • Compression speed: 60mm / minute • Lowest point of the plunger: 4.0mm (compression distance) • Measurement temperature: 25℃ • Fracture detection start point: 0.035% (0.14N) • Test force: 500N (full scale) • Peak sensitivity: 0.5% (2.5N).

2. The pet food product as described in claim 1, wherein, For the aforementioned pet food pellets, the arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa1 of the first surface projected onto the aforementioned pet food pellets along the first direction is less than 14 μm, and the arithmetic mean surface roughness Sa2 of the surface projected onto the aforementioned pet food pellets along directions other than the aforementioned first direction is 14 μm or more.

3. The pet food product as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, When the hardness of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets was measured, the average hardness was less than 30 N.

4. The pet food product as described in claim 2, wherein, When the surface on which the pet food pellet is projected along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction is taken as the bottom surface, the height of the pet food pellet is greater than the length of the pet food pellet in the first direction.

5. The pet food product as described in claim 4, wherein, When the height of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets was measured, the average height was 10 mm or more.

6. A pet food product comprising at least 10 pet food pellets of the same composition and form, wherein, When the breaking force of 10 of the above-mentioned pet food pellets was measured under the following test conditions at a constant compression rate, the proportion of pet food pellets that left behind fragments in a 7mm × 7mm mesh pattern was more than 90% of their original weight, and more than 70% of the original weight. <Experimental Conditions> • Compression testing machine (texture analyzer, model: EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) • Plunger: A 10mm diameter dog-tooth shaped plunger Platform: Flat plate (inner diameter 26.5mm × depth 4mm) • Compression speed: 60mm / minute • Lowest point of the plunger: 4.0mm (compression distance) • Measurement temperature: 25℃ • Fracture detection start point: 0.035% (0.14N) • Test force: 500N (full scale) • Peak sensitivity: 0.5% (2.5N).

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