Edible small pet chew formed at low temperature and preparation method of edible small pet chew

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of pet snacks, in particular to a low-temperature forming edible small pet chew and a preparation method thereof, the temperature of a charging barrel is remarkably reduced to 50-100 DEG C, the glue injection pressure is set to 90-110 MPa, and short pressure holding time and subsequent low-temperature drying at 50-60 DEG C are matched, so that the problem of high energy consumption caused by the prior art is solved, and the low-temperature forming edible small pet chew has the advantages of low energy consumption, low energy consumption, high energy consumption and the like. The operation power of equipment is greatly reduced, and the production cost is effectively reduced; more importantly, thermal damage and mechanical damage to nutritional ingredients such as heat-sensitive vitamins, active proteins and the like in the raw materials are reduced to the greatest extent under the mild processing conditions, so that the nutritional value and natural flavor of the product are well preserved during forming, and the dual goals of reducing energy consumption and preserving the nutritional ingredients are achieved; in this way, the technical problem that in a preparation mode in the prior art, it is difficult to retain high nutritional ingredients in the product while reducing energy consumption is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pet snack technology, and in particular to a low-temperature molded edible pet chew and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the pet industry, pet snacks, as an important part of pets' daily diet, are becoming increasingly diverse in type and function. Edible chewables, especially those designed for small pets (such as hamsters, rabbits, and rodents), not only satisfy pets' chewing instincts, help with teeth grinding and oral hygiene, but also promote their health through added nutrients. Currently, most edible small pet chewables on the market are manufactured using high-temperature, high-pressure molding processes to ensure product shape stability and shelf life.

[0003] However, in existing technologies, the pelleting and molding process of chewables usually requires high temperature of 120-160℃ and high pressure of 4MPa-10MPa, and the power of the supporting equipment generally reaches 200-400kw / h, resulting in significant energy consumption in production. At the same time, the high temperature and high pressure environment can easily cause the degradation and loss of heat-sensitive nutrients such as vitamins and active proteins in pet snacks.

[0004] In conclusion, existing preparation methods are insufficient to retain the high nutritional content of the product while reducing energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a low-temperature molded edible pet chew and its preparation method, which solves the technical problem that the existing preparation methods are difficult to retain the high nutritional content of the product while reducing energy consumption.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a preparation method, comprising the following: Take the raw materials according to the proportions and place them in a mixer to mix them thoroughly and evenly to obtain a mixture. The mixture is fed into the hopper of an injection molding machine or a die casting machine and melted and plasticized at a barrel temperature of 50℃-100℃. Then, the molten material is injected into the mold cavity at an injection pressure of 90-110Mpa, held under pressure for 3-6s, and then cooled and shaped in the mold. The shaped chewing material is placed in an oven and dried at a temperature of 50℃-60℃ to obtain low-temperature shaped edible pet chewing material.

[0007] The cooling and setting time is 40s-100s; the injection molding process is carried out in a closed nitrogen protective atmosphere, and the oxygen concentration is controlled below 3%.

[0008] The drying process takes 10-25 hours and consists of two stages: The first stage involves drying at 55℃-60℃ until the moisture content drops to 20%-22%; The second stage involves slow drying at 50℃-55℃ until the moisture content is below 16%.

[0009] The drying time is dynamically controlled using an adaptive algorithm, which includes: Real-time monitoring of product moisture content and temperature at multiple sampling points inside the drying oven; Based on the difference between the average moisture content of the product at the end of the first drying stage and the preset target moisture content of the first stage, as well as the average thickness of the product, the recommended drying temperature offset for the second stage is calculated through a pre-stored mapping relationship. Based on the initial moisture content of the second stage, the target final moisture content, and the adjusted drying temperature of the second stage, the estimated time required for the second stage is calculated using a preset kinetic model. When the rate of decrease in product moisture content is lower than the threshold of the model's predicted rate over three consecutive monitoring periods, drying is considered complete and the drying process ends.

[0010] This invention also provides a low-temperature molded edible pet chewable, prepared using the method described above. include: 15%-50% of cereal or modified starch; 20%-60% of cellulose-rich herbal components; 2%-6% glycerin; 5%-15% plant or animal protein powder; 2%-8% yeast and its hydrolysate or extract.

[0011] The cellulose-rich herbal components are selected from one or more combinations of alfalfa powder, oat powder, timothy powder, barley powder, wheatgrass powder, chamomile, and mint.

[0012] The low-temperature molded edible pet chews also include 1%-4% of natural flavor enhancers, which are selected from at least one or more combinations of cheese powder, pet palatability enhancers, and fruit and vegetable powders.

[0013] In the case of cereals or modified starch, the mass percentage of modified starch is not less than 30%, and the modified starch is pregelatinized starch or acid-hydrolyzed starch. Plant or animal protein powders include soy protein isolate, pea protein, or chicken meal. Yeast and its hydrolysates or extracts are brewer's yeast hydrolysates.

[0014] This invention discloses a low-temperature molding method for edible pet chewables and its preparation. By significantly reducing the barrel temperature to 50℃-100℃, setting the injection pressure to 90-110MPa, and combining this with a short holding time (3-6s) and subsequent low-temperature drying at 50℃-60℃, a complete low-temperature, low-pressure molding process is established. This fundamentally overcomes the high energy consumption problem of existing technologies, significantly reducing equipment operating power and effectively lowering production costs. More importantly, the gentle processing conditions minimize thermal and mechanical damage to heat-sensitive vitamins, active proteins, and other nutrients in the raw materials, thus better preserving the product's nutritional value and natural flavor during molding, achieving the dual goals of reducing energy consumption and preserving nutritional components. This method solves the technical problem of existing preparation methods that struggle to retain high nutritional content in products while reducing energy consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the preparation method of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, but should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0018] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the preparation method of the present invention.

[0019] This invention provides a preparation method, comprising the following: Take the raw materials according to the proportions and place them in a mixer to mix them thoroughly and evenly to obtain a mixture. The mixture is fed into the hopper of an injection molding machine or a die casting machine and melted and plasticized at a barrel temperature of 50℃-100℃. Then, the molten material is injected into the mold cavity at an injection pressure of 90-110Mpa, held under pressure for 3-6s, and then cooled and shaped in the mold. The shaped chewing material is placed in an oven and dried at a temperature of 50℃-60℃ to obtain low-temperature shaped edible pet chewing material.

[0020] The cooling and setting time is 40s-100s; the injection molding process is carried out in a closed nitrogen protective atmosphere, and the oxygen concentration is controlled below 3%.

[0021] The drying process takes 10-25 hours and consists of two stages: The first stage involves drying at 55℃-60℃ until the moisture content drops to 20%-22%; The second stage involves slow drying at 50℃-55℃ until the moisture content is below 16%.

[0022] The drying time is dynamically controlled using an adaptive algorithm, which includes: Real-time monitoring of product moisture content and temperature at multiple sampling points inside the drying oven; Based on the difference between the average moisture content of the product at the end of the first drying stage and the preset target moisture content of the first stage, as well as the average thickness of the product, the recommended drying temperature offset for the second stage is calculated through a pre-stored mapping relationship. Based on the initial moisture content of the second stage, the target final moisture content, and the adjusted drying temperature of the second stage, the estimated time required for the second stage is calculated using a preset kinetic model. When the rate of decrease in product moisture content is lower than the threshold of the model's predicted rate over three consecutive monitoring periods, drying is considered complete and the drying process ends.

[0023] Furthermore, historical production data is collected to construct a dataset containing the correlation between raw material ratios, process parameters, and the physicochemical indicators of the final product (such as hardness and nutrient retention rate). Data mining algorithms (such as association rule analysis and random forest) are used to analyze this dataset to uncover potential process factors affecting key product quality and their interactions, and process parameter optimization suggestions are generated based on the mining results.

[0024] After cooling and shaping or drying, images of the finished chewable product are captured by an industrial camera; using a pre-trained deep learning image recognition model, the product is automatically detected for appearance defects such as cracks, deformation, and uneven color, and defective products are marked or sorted.

[0025] Using a preparation method of this invention, a complete low-temperature, low-pressure molding process is constructed by significantly reducing the barrel temperature to 50℃-100℃, setting the injection pressure to 90-110MPa, and combining it with a shorter holding time (3-6s) and subsequent low-temperature drying at 50℃-60℃. This fundamentally overcomes the high energy consumption problem of existing technologies, significantly reduces equipment operating power, and effectively lowers production costs. More importantly, the gentle processing conditions minimize thermal and mechanical damage to heat-sensitive vitamins, active proteins, and other nutrients in the raw materials, thus better preserving the nutritional value and natural flavor of the product during molding, achieving the dual goals of reducing energy consumption and preserving nutritional components. This approach solves the technical problem of existing preparation methods that struggle to retain high nutritional content in products while reducing energy consumption.

[0026] Before the mixing step, key raw materials (such as grain flour and nutritional additives) are scanned online with near-infrared spectroscopy to detect their moisture, protein and starch content in real time. Based on the difference between the detection results and the preset standard values, the system automatically fine-tunes the raw material feeding ratio in the subsequent mixing process or adds a small amount of water / material to ensure the consistency of the basic components of each batch of mixed materials, thus ensuring the stability of the final product quality from the source.

[0027] This step enables real-time quality monitoring and formula fine-tuning of raw materials, effectively overcoming product quality fluctuations caused by batch variations in natural raw materials. Through feedforward control, the frequency and difficulty of subsequent process adjustments are reduced, improving the adaptability of the production line and product uniformity, while avoiding batch waste caused by substandard raw materials.

[0028] During the drying process, not only is the temperature controlled, but the relative humidity and circulating air speed inside the drying oven are also monitored and adjusted in real time. Based on the current drying stage (such as the first or second stage mentioned above) and the real-time monitored rate of product moisture loss, the system dynamically adjusts the power of the dehumidifier and the speed of the fan to ensure a uniform humidity gradient and temperature field distribution within the oven.

[0029] By coordinating the control of humidity and airflow, a more precise and uniform drying environment is created, effectively preventing products from cracking due to excessively rapid surface drying or uneven drying caused by internal moisture retention. This significantly improves drying efficiency and product yield, and allows for more precise control of the final moisture content.

[0030] Current, vibration, or temperature sensors are installed on key components (such as heating coils and hydraulic pumps) of core equipment like injection molding machines and mixers. The system continuously collects this data and uses edge computing or cloud analytics to establish a baseline energy efficiency model for each piece of equipment. When real-time energy consumption data continuously deviates from the baseline model and product parameters do not improve, the system issues a warning of decreased equipment efficiency or potential malfunction.

[0031] This approach focuses on equipment health management, enabling real-time monitoring and early warning of energy efficiency degradation. It helps identify potential equipment malfunctions or inefficiencies (such as aging heating coils or internal pump leaks), allowing for targeted maintenance. This ensures production continuity while achieving long-term energy savings and reducing overall production costs.

[0032] This invention also provides a low-temperature molded edible pet chewable, prepared using the method described above. include: 15%-50% of cereal or modified starch; 20%-60% of cellulose-rich herbal components; 2%-6% glycerin; 5%-15% plant or animal protein powder; 2%-8% yeast and its hydrolysate or extract.

[0033] The cellulose-rich herbal components are selected from one or more combinations of alfalfa powder, oat powder, timothy powder, barley powder, wheatgrass powder, chamomile, and mint.

[0034] The low-temperature molded edible pet chews also include 1%-4% of natural flavor enhancers, which are selected from at least one or more combinations of cheese powder, pet palatability enhancers, and fruit and vegetable powders.

[0035] In the case of cereals or modified starch, the mass percentage of modified starch is not less than 30%, and the modified starch is pregelatinized starch or acid-hydrolyzed starch. Plant or animal protein powders include soy protein isolate, pea protein, or chicken meal. Yeast and its hydrolysates or extracts are brewer's yeast hydrolysates.

[0036] Example 1: In this example, the method for preparing low-temperature molded edible pet chews includes the following: Take 18% of cereal or modified starch, 60% of cellulose-rich herbal components, 5% glycerin, 10% of plant or animal protein powder, 5% of yeast and its hydrolysate or extract, and 2% of natural flavor enhancer and mix them thoroughly in a mixer to obtain a mixture. The mixture is fed into the hopper of an injection molding machine or a die casting machine and melted and plasticized at a barrel temperature of 50°C. Then, the molten material is injected into the mold cavity at an injection pressure of 90 MPa, held under pressure for 3 seconds, and then cooled and shaped in the mold. The shaped chewing material is placed in an oven and dried at 50°C to obtain low-temperature shaped edible pet chewing material.

[0037] Example 2: In this example, the method for preparing low-temperature molded edible pet chews includes the following: Take 45% of cereal or modified starch, 30% of cellulose-rich herbal components, 4% glycerin, 12% of plant or animal protein powder, 6% of yeast and its hydrolysate or extract, and 3% of natural flavor enhancer and mix them thoroughly in a mixer to obtain a mixture. The mixture is fed into the hopper of an injection molding machine or a die casting machine and melted and plasticized at a barrel temperature of 75°C. Then, the molten material is injected into the mold cavity at an injection pressure of 100 MPa, held under pressure for 5 seconds, and then cooled and shaped in the mold. The shaped chewing material is placed in an oven and dried at 55°C to obtain low-temperature shaped edible pet chewing material.

[0038] Example 3: In this example, the method for preparing low-temperature molded edible pet chews includes the following: Take 50% of cereal or modified starch, 30% of cellulose-rich herbal components, 3% glycerin, 8% of plant or animal protein powder, 5% of yeast and its hydrolysate or extract, and 4% of natural flavor enhancer and mix them thoroughly in a mixer to obtain a mixture. The mixture is fed into the hopper of an injection molding machine or a die casting machine and melted and plasticized at a barrel temperature of 100°C. Then, the molten material is injected into the mold cavity at an injection pressure of 110 MPa, held under pressure for 6 seconds, and then cooled and shaped in the mold. The shaped chewing material is placed in an oven and dried at 60°C to obtain low-temperature shaped edible pet chewing material.

[0039] This invention provides a low-temperature molding process for edible pet chewables and its preparation method. By significantly reducing the barrel temperature to 50℃-100℃, setting the injection pressure to 90-110MPa, and combining this with a short holding time (3-6s) and subsequent low-temperature drying at 50℃-60℃, a complete low-temperature, low-pressure molding process is established. This fundamentally overcomes the high energy consumption problem of existing technologies, significantly reducing equipment operating power and effectively lowering production costs. More importantly, the gentle processing conditions minimize thermal and mechanical damage to heat-sensitive vitamins, active proteins, and other nutrients in the raw materials, thus better preserving the nutritional value and natural flavor of the product during molding, achieving the dual goals of reducing energy consumption and preserving nutritional components. This method solves the technical problem of existing preparation methods that struggle to retain high nutritional content in products while reducing energy consumption.

[0040] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely one or more preferred embodiments of this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes for implementing the above embodiments and equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of this application are still within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A preparation method, characterized in that, Including the following: Take the raw materials according to the proportions and place them in a mixer to mix them thoroughly and evenly to obtain a mixture. The mixture is fed into the hopper of an injection molding machine or a die casting machine and melted and plasticized at a barrel temperature of 50℃-100℃. Then, the molten material is injected into the mold cavity at an injection pressure of 90-110Mpa, held under pressure for 3-6s, and then cooled and shaped in the mold. The shaped chewing material is placed in an oven and dried at a temperature of 50℃-60℃ to obtain low-temperature shaped edible pet chewing material.

2. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling and setting time is 40s-100s; the injection molding process is carried out under a closed nitrogen protective atmosphere, and the oxygen concentration is controlled below 3%.

3. The preparation method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drying time is 10-25 hours; the drying process is divided into two stages: The first stage involves drying at 55℃-60℃ until the moisture content drops to 20%-22%; The second stage involves slow drying at 50℃-55℃ until the moisture content is below 16%.

4. The preparation method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drying time is dynamically controlled using an adaptive algorithm, which includes: Real-time monitoring of product moisture content and temperature at multiple sampling points inside the drying oven; Based on the difference between the average moisture content of the product at the end of the first drying stage and the preset target moisture content of the first stage, as well as the average thickness of the product, the recommended drying temperature offset for the second stage is calculated through a pre-stored mapping relationship. Based on the initial moisture content of the second stage, the target final moisture content, and the adjusted drying temperature of the second stage, the estimated time required for the second stage is calculated using a preset kinetic model. When the rate of decrease in product moisture content is lower than the threshold of the model's predicted rate over three consecutive monitoring periods, drying is considered complete and the drying process ends.

5. A low-temperature molded edible pet chew, prepared by the method described in claim 4, characterized in that, include: 15%-50% of cereal or modified starch; 20%-60% of cellulose-rich herbal components; 2%-6% glycerin; 5%-15% plant or animal protein powder; 2%-8% yeast and its hydrolysate or extract.

6. The low-temperature molded edible pet chewable as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The cellulose-rich herbal components are selected from one or more combinations of alfalfa powder, oat grass powder, timothy grass powder, barley grass powder, wheat grass powder, chamomile, and peppermint.

7. The low-temperature molded edible pet chewable as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The low-temperature molded edible pet chew also includes 1%-4% of natural flavor enhancers, which are selected from at least one or more combinations of cheese powder, pet palatability enhancers, and fruit and vegetable powders.

8. The low-temperature molded edible pet chewable as described in claim 7, characterized in that, In the grain or modified starch, the mass percentage of modified starch is not less than 30%, and the modified starch is pregelatinized starch or acid-hydrolyzed starch; Plant or animal protein powders include soy protein isolate, pea protein, or chicken meal. Yeast and its hydrolysates or extracts are brewer's yeast hydrolysates.

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