Pet food product and production method of pet food product

Abstract

To provide a pet food product which can reduce a feeding amount per feeding while its palatability is kept, and a production method of the pet food product.SOLUTION: A pet food product includes a wet food filled in a packaging bag. A content of the wet food is 30 g or less. The wet food includes solid ingredients. A size of the largest solid ingredient in the wet food is 4 to 9 mm. The wet food contains minced meat.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to pet food products and methods for making pet food products. [Background technology]

[0002] Pet food can be divided into staple foods and snacks depending on the occasion for which it is given. Staple food is called a "complete nutritional food" and is made so that pets can get all the nutrients they need just by giving them that food and water. On the other hand, "snacks" are pet foods that are intended to be given in limited quantities to pets for training, exercise, or as a reward. They are classified according to purpose into "complete nutritional foods," "snacks," "therapeutic foods," and "foods for other purposes" that do not fall into any of the above categories.

[0003] In addition, food is roughly classified according to moisture content into dry food, which has a moisture content of about 10%, soft food, which has a moisture content of about 15 to 35%, and wet food, which has a moisture content of about 80%.

[0004] Generally, wet food is individually packaged and contains about 80g of food. In recent years, pets have become smaller and older, leading to less food being eaten by pets, and therefore less wet food being given to pets each time. As a result, pets may not be able to use all the pet food at once, and the remainder may be stored in the refrigerator, causing problems such as a loss of flavor and fridge dirt.

[0005] Stick-type pet food is an example of a product that is consumed within a short period of time after opening. Patent document 1 also discloses a pet food product that includes a container having a bottom, a peripheral wall extending upward from the outer periphery of the bottom and surrounding the bottom, defining a storage section that opens upward together with the bottom, and a retaining section protruding outward from the peripheral wall, and wet food contained in the storage section. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-179308 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Stick-type pet food and the wet food disclosed in Patent Document 1 are ideal for use as snacks, but have the problem that the amount is too small for use as a staple food or in combination with a staple food, and there is also the problem that it is difficult to include large ingredients. In addition, since it is difficult to simply reduce the content of conventional wet foods and pack them into stick-type foods, the content of large ingredients and ingredients for improving palatability must also be reduced. Therefore, conventional wet foods have room for improvement in terms of pet palatability.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an objective of providing a pet food product that reduces the amount of food fed per feeding while maintaining palatability, and a method for producing the pet food product. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a result of intensive research, the present inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by using minced meat, which can improve the pet's satisfaction with the meal by including large ingredients even when the content of the wet food is relatively small, such as 30g or less, and can stabilize the shape and size even with a small content, and can further improve the palatability by enhancing the ingredient feel. More specifically, the present invention employs the following.

[0010] [1] A pet food product in which wet food is packed in a packaging bag, the content of the wet food is 30 g or less, the wet food contains solid ingredients, the size of the largest solid ingredient in the wet food is 4 to 9 mm, and the wet food contains minced meat. [2] The pet food product described in [1], wherein one side of the packaging bag is a folded portion of the sheet that forms the packaging bag, and the remaining three sides are welded. [3] The pet food product according to [1] or [2], wherein the aspect ratio of the packaging bag is 1:2 to 2:1. [4] The pet food product described in any one of [1] to [3], wherein the wet food comprises a soup portion and the solid ingredients, and the total content of the solid ingredients is 30 to 45 mass% of the total amount of the wet food. [5] The pet food product described in [1], wherein the maximum size of the minced meat is 4 to 9 mm, and the maximum size of one or more of the ingredients other than the minced meat also is 4 to 9 mm.

[0011] [6] A method for producing a pet food product, comprising the steps of: supplying a film from a film roll; folding the supplied film in half in the width direction; heat-sealing a downstream end of the folded film in the flow direction; heat-sealing an end of the film opposite the folded portion; filling the film from above with wet food; heat-sealing the upstream end of the folded film in the flow direction; cutting and separating the heat-sealed upstream end of the film in the flow direction, to produce a pet food product in which the wet food is filled in a packaging bag having one side which is a folded portion of the sheet and the remaining three sides which are welded, wherein the wet food has a content of 30 g or less, the wet food contains a solid ingredient, the size of the largest solid ingredient in the wet food is 4 to 9 mm, and the wet food contains minced meat. Effect of the Invention

[0012] EFFECTS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention provides a pet food product that allows for a reduction in the amount of food fed per feeding while maintaining palatability, and a method for producing the pet food product. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a pet food product of one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the manufacturing method of the pet food product of the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] In this specification, "palatability" is an index of whether a food is enjoyed by pets and is determined by the texture, taste, smell, etc.

[0015] In this specification, the value of the moisture content is a value obtained by a normal pressure heating and drying method. In the normal pressure heating and drying method, the material to be measured is crushed in a crusher so that it passes through a 1 mm sieve, and this is used as the analytical sample. 2 to 5 g of the analytical sample is accurately weighed and placed in an aluminum weighing dish. The analytical sample is dried at 135°C for 2 hours and allowed to cool in a desiccator. The analytical sample is then accurately weighed and the moisture content is determined from the difference in weight of the analytical sample before and after drying. More specifically, the object to be measured is crushed in a crusher so that it passes through a 1 mm sieve, and this is used as the analysis sample. The mass (W1 gram) of the aluminum weighing can is measured in advance as a constant value. The analysis sample is placed in this aluminum weighing can and its mass (W2 grams) is weighed. Next, the analysis sample is dried at 135°C for 2 hours using a forced circulation hot air dryer. After allowing the analysis sample to cool in a dry atmosphere (in a silica gel desiccator), its mass (W3 grams) is weighed. The moisture content of the analysis sample is calculated from the obtained masses using the following formula. Moisture content of analytical sample (unit: mass%) = (W2-W3) ÷ (W2-W1) × 100 The moisture content shall be the value measured immediately after opening the final product within 30 days from the date of manufacture, or the value measured under equivalent conditions.

[0016] (Pet food products) The pet food product of this embodiment is a pet food product in which wet food is filled in a packaging bag. A schematic diagram of a pet food product according to one embodiment is shown in FIG. The pet food product shown in FIG. 1 has one side which is a folded portion of a sheet forming a packaging bag, and the remaining three sides are welded.

[0017] The aspect ratio of the packaging bag is preferably 1:2 to 2:1.

[0018] The content amount of the pet food product of the present embodiment is 30 g or less, preferably 15 g or more and 30 g or less, and preferably 20 g or more and 30 g or less.

[0019] The size of the largest ingredient in the wet food in the pet food product of the present embodiment is 4 to 9 mm, preferably 4 to 6 mm, and more preferably 5 to 6 mm. If the size of the ingredients is 4 mm or more, the pet's sense of satisfaction with the meal can be improved, and the increased ingredient feel can improve the pet's palatability.

[0020] The wet food in the pet food product of this embodiment is a wet-type pet food with a moisture content of 70% by mass or more. Specifically, the pet food is preferably a pet food consisting of a solid ingredient and a soup portion. The upper limit of the moisture content is preferably 98% by mass or less, more preferably 90% by mass or less.

[0021] The wet food in the pet food product of the present embodiment contains minced meat as a solid ingredient. Specifically, the minced meat is preferably minced chicken meat. The size of the minced meat is preferably 4 to 9 mm, more preferably 4 to 6 mm, and even more preferably 5 to 6 mm.

[0022] In addition, the size of the minced meat is 4 to 9 mm, and the maximum size of one or more ingredients other than the minced meat is also preferably 4 to 9 mm, more preferably 4 to 6 mm, and even more preferably 5 to 6 mm. Ingredients other than the minced meat include vegetables such as carrots.

[0023] Other solid ingredients are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include meat (chicken, beef, lamb, pork, processed meat products, etc.), seafood (tuna, bonito, sardine, barracuda, sea bream, flounder, mackerel, horse mackerel, processed fish products, etc.), dairy products (storage milk, milk protein concentrate, cheese, etc.), eggs (egg white, egg yolk, processed egg products, etc.), vegetables (cabbage, spinach, pumpkin, broccoli, green pepper, carrot, burdock, potato, asparagus, soybean, kidney bean, green pea, processed vegetable products, etc.), grains (wheat, corn, processed grain products, etc.), and mushrooms (shiitake mushrooms, mushrooms, etc.).

[0024] It is preferable to combine two or more solid ingredients. In this specification, when two or more ingredients are used, the ingredient with the highest content among the solid ingredients contained in the pet food is referred to as the main ingredient, and the ingredients other than the main ingredient are referred to as the secondary ingredients. The main ingredient is preferably one selected from the group (A) consisting of chicken, beef, lamb, pork, tuna, bonito, sardine, barracuda, sea bream, flounder, mackerel, and horse mackerel. The main ingredient preferably accounts for 50 to 99 mass %, more preferably 60 to 95 mass %, and even more preferably 70 to 90 mass %, of the total amount of solid ingredients. It is preferable to use one or more auxiliary ingredients other than the main ingredient from among the solid specific ingredients listed above. In addition, when the pet food contains two types of solid ingredients, each of which is contained at 50% by mass, the ingredient included in the above group (A) is regarded as the main ingredient, and the ingredient not included in group (A) is regarded as the secondary ingredient. When both ingredients are included in group (A), the ingredient with the larger maximum major axis is regarded as the main ingredient, and the other is regarded as the secondary ingredient.

[0025] The soup portion may be in a liquid state or a gel state. Generally, gels with relatively low fluidity are called jelly-like, while gels with relatively high fluidity are called jelly-like, but there is no clear boundary between the two. The soup portion contains water and may contain ingredients other than water, such as seasonings, thickeners, sugars, oils and fats, and additives (such as preservatives and palatability enhancers). The water content of the soup portion is adjusted so that the water content of the entire pet food is at a desired value. The thickener may be any known thickener. The thickener preferably contains a thickening polysaccharide. The thickening polysaccharide may be one or more selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, alginate, alginic acid ester, gum arabic, curdlan, carrageenan, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, psyllium seed gum, gellan gum, tamarind seed gum, tara gum, pullulan, pectin, methylcellulose (MC), glucomannan, and mannan.

[0026] The wet food in the pet food product of this embodiment is obtained by mixing the solid ingredients and the soup portion. Only the ingredients for the soup portion may be mixed in advance, or the solid ingredients and the ingredients for the soup portion may be mixed together. The total content of the solid ingredients is preferably 30 to 45% by mass based on the total amount of the wet food. When the solid ingredients are at or above the lower limit of the above range, good palatability is likely to be obtained, and when the solid ingredients are at or below the upper limit, good workability is likely to be obtained when filling the pet food into a packaging bag.

[0027] The pet food product according to this embodiment may be a snack or a complete nutritional food.

[0028] (Method of manufacturing pet food products) The manufacturing method of the pet food product of this embodiment includes a step of supplying a film from a film roll, a step of folding the supplied film in half in the width direction, a step of thermally welding the downstream end portion in the flow direction of the folded film, a step of thermally welding the end portion in the direction opposite to the folded portion of the film, a step of filling the wet food from above, a step of thermally welding the upstream end portion in the flow direction of the folded film, and a step of cutting the upstream end portion in the flow direction of the thermally welded film to separate it, and manufacturing a pet food product filled with wet food in a packaging bag having one side as the folded portion of the sheet and the remaining three sides being welded.

[0029] The manufacturing method of the pet food product of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the manufacturing method of the pet food product of this embodiment. First, a film is supplied from the film roll 3. Next, the film is folded in half in the width direction by the guide 5, and while the film is being fed out by the rotation of the heat sealer 9, the end portion in the direction opposite to the folded portion of the film is thermally welded, and the downstream end portion in the flow direction of the film is thermally welded by the heat sealer 11. Next, the wet food is filled from the filling nozzle 7. Next, the upstream end portion in the flow direction of the folded film is thermally welded by the heat sealer 11. Next, the upstream end portion in the flow direction of the film is cut by the cutter 13 to separate it, and a pet food product filled with wet food in a packaging bag having one side as the folded portion of the sheet and the remaining three sides being welded is manufactured.

[0030] Compared with the conventional manufacturing method of a pet food product in which a pouch welded on other than the upper side is prepared and the wet food is filled in the pouch, in the manufacturing method of the pet food product of this embodiment, since the step of thermally welding the film while filling the wet food can be continuously performed, the process can be simplified.

[0031] When the size of the largest ingredient in the wet food is 4 to 9 mm, the ingredient can be prevented from being pinched when the edge of the film is heat-sealed, and productivity can be further improved.

[0032] The wet food manufacturing method is as follows: chicken meat is boiled until it is completely heated through to the center, cooled, and then extruded through a mincer with an opening of 6 mm to obtain minced chicken meat of Φ6 mm. Mixed vegetables are also finely chopped with a silent cutter. Liquid ingredients are prepared in advance by mixing water, soy sauce, and other liquids with thickeners and trace ingredients (antioxidants, vitamins, etc.) in a mixer. Wet food can be produced by mixing the obtained Φ6mm minced chicken meat, finely cut mixed vegetables, and liquid ingredients.

[0033] By using minced meat as the largest ingredient in the wet food, the shape and size of the ingredient can be stabilized, and it is possible to better prevent large ingredients from getting caught in the wet food and impeding heat welding when it is filled.

[0034] By making the film (packaging bag) wide with an aspect ratio of 1:2 to 2:1, the nozzle width during filling can be made large, making it easier to fill large ingredients.

[0035] According to the method for producing a pet food product of the present embodiment, a pet food product can be produced efficiently. EXAMPLES

[0036] The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0037] (Pet food product manufacturing) Each example of wet food was manufactured by mixing the ingredients according to the formulation shown in Table 1. Next, the pet food products of each example were produced using the same production method as that described with reference to FIG.

[0038] (Evaluation of texture) Five panelists were asked to visually judge whether the texture of the ingredients was present. The evaluation criteria shown in Table 1 are as follows. A: Everyone answered that it had a sense of ingredients. B: Three or four people answered that it had a sense of ingredients. C: Fewer than two people answered that it had a filling feel.

[0039] (Evaluation of manufacturing stability) The manufacturing stability was evaluated according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 1. Although no pet food products were given a C rating in this production, it is known that ingredients with sizes of 10 mm or more will result in unstable manufacturing, resulting in a C rating. A: No seal failure, stable filling volume B: The filling volume is unstable, and when the weight is set within a range of up to 15% of the content, a measurement error of 10% or more occurs. C: Poor sealing occurs and there are concerns about manufacturing quality in the first place

[0040] [Table 1]

[0041] It was confirmed that the pet food products of Examples 1 to 5, in which the content volume was 20 g and the size of the largest ingredient was 6 or 9 mm (minced boiled chicken), could be produced. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 3. Film roll 5. Guide 7. Filling nozzle 9, 11: Heat sealer 13. Cutter

Claims

1. A pet food product in which wet food is packed in a packaging bag, The content of the wet food is 30 g or less, The wet food contains solid ingredients, The size of the largest solid ingredient in the wet food is 4 to 9 mm; The wet food product comprises minced meat.

2. The pet food product according to claim 1 , wherein one side of the packaging bag is a folded portion of the sheet that forms the packaging bag, and the remaining three sides are welded.

3. 2. The pet food product of claim 1, wherein the aspect ratio of the packaging bag is 1:2 to 2:

1.

4. The pet food product according to claim 1, wherein the wet food comprises a soup portion and the solid ingredients, and the total content of the solid ingredients is 30 to 45% by mass relative to the total amount of the wet food.

5. The pet food product according to claim 1, wherein the maximum size of the minced meat is 4 to 9 mm, and the maximum size of one or more ingredients other than the minced meat also is 4 to 9 mm.

6. providing a film from a film roll; folding the supplied film in half in the width direction; a step of heat-welding a downstream end portion of the folded film in the flow direction; a step of heat-welding an end portion of the film opposite to the folded portion; Filling the container with wet food from above; a step of heat-welding an upstream end portion of the folded film in the flow direction; a step of cutting and separating the upstream end of the heat-sealed film in the flow direction to produce a pet food product in which wet food is filled in a packaging bag having one side which is a folded portion of the sheet and the remaining three sides which are welded, A method for producing a pet food product, wherein the wet food has a content of 30 g or less, the wet food contains solid ingredients, the size of the largest solid ingredient in the wet food is 4 to 9 mm, and the wet food contains minced meat.

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