Liquid animal digesta containing milk fat

Abstract

A pet food composition comprising a liquid animal digest (LAD) comprising hydrolyzed animal tissue, an antioxidant, and about 0.1% by weight to about 5% by weight of milk fat based on the total weight of the LAD, and a kibble and the LAD coated on or incorporated into the kibble.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 362,414, filed April 4, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] [Background technology]

[0003] Liquid animal digests (LADs) are often used as flavorings for animal feeds, such as domestic pet foods for companion animals, e.g., canines or dogs, felines or cats, hamsters, etc. LADs can be produced by chemical and / or enzymatic hydrolysis of animal tissues, which reduces the proteins and / or peptides of the raw animal tissues to shorter chains, e.g., hydrolyzed meat and / or fat from chicken, pork, beef, lamb, etc. In preparation, the animal tissues may be exposed to heat, physical shear, acid, and / or enzymes that aid in the breakdown of proteins and / or fats that may be present in the raw animal tissues. The use of LADs as flavorings for animal feeds, such as pet foods, can enhance the palatability of the pet food incorporating the LAD on and / or in the pet food, as well as improve the general eating habits and nutrition of the pet.

[0003] [Mode for carrying out the invention]

[0004] The introduction of relatively small amounts of dairy fat into liquid animal digesta (LAD) that may ultimately be incorporated into various pet foods can provide enhanced palatability for animals consuming these pet foods. Accordingly, the LAD may include hydrolyzed animal tissue, antioxidants, and about 0.1% to about 5% dairy fat by weight based on the total weight of the LAD. Some benefits can be seen with a dairy fat content as low as 0.1% by weight, but in some instances, it may be particularly beneficial when non-lipolyzed dairy fat is included at greater than 1% to about 5% by weight. Similarly, when lipolyzed dairy fat is included at greater than 2% to about 5% by weight, good palatability enhancement can be provided. In some instances, about 5% to about 25% by weight of a choline compound can be included in the LAD, which can further enhance the palatability of the pet food composition in which the LAD is incorporated. In one embodiment, the pet food composition may include about 0.01% to about 1.5% by weight of a choline compound based on the total weight of the final pet food product. Examples of dairy fats that can be used include milk fat, butter fat, cheese fat, or combinations thereof.

[0004]

[0005] In another example, the pet food composition may include a kibble and an LAD coated on or incorporated into the kibble. The LAD may include hydrolyzed animal tissue, antioxidants, and milk fat. The milk fat may be present as part of the pet food composition at about 0.001% to about 0.15% by weight. In some examples, the milk fat may be non-lipolyzed. Non-lipolyzed milk fat may be included as part of the pet food composition at about 0.015% to about 0.15% by weight in some examples. In other examples, the milk fat may be lipolyzed. In some examples, lipolyzed milk fat may be included as part of the pet food composition at about 0.025% to about 0.15% by weight. More specifically, the pet food composition may include about 0.01% to about 0.5% by weight of a choline compound. Additionally, the pet food composition may also include about 1% to about 12% by weight of animal fat (in addition to any hydrolyzed animal fat provided by the LAD). Examples of dairy fats that can be used include milk fat, butter fat, cheese fat, or combinations thereof.

[0005]

[0006] In another example, a method for preparing a pet ingestible composition may include preparing an LAD, and in some examples, applying the LAD to a kibble to form a pet food composition. In one example, the method may include hydrolyzing proteins and fats in raw animal tissue to form a peptide mixture, introducing heat and a reactive compound to the peptide mixture to initiate the thermal reaction, and recovering the LAD. In this method, dairy fat may be introduced with the LAD such that there is about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of dairy fat based on the total weight of the LAD. In some examples, the dairy fat may be added prior to hydrolyzing the proteins and fats. In another example, the method may include adding about 5% to about 25% by weight of a choline compound to the LAD, based on the total weight of the LAD. In yet another example, all or a portion of the choline compound can be added to the LAD and the remaining portion can be added to another coating such that the total amount of choline compound in the final pet food product is about 0.01% to about 1.5% by weight, or in one embodiment, about 0.01% to about 0.5% by weight. More specifically, when the method of the present invention is used to make a pet food composition, the method can further include the step of applying the LAD to a kibble to result in a pet food composition having a milk fat content (after drying) of about 0.001% to about 0.15% by weight. In some examples, applying the method of the present invention can include the step of applying about 1% to about 12% by weight of animal fat to the pet food composition, based on the total weight of the pet food composition.

[0006]

[0007] It should be noted that when discussing examples relating to liquid animal digestive products (LADs), pet food compositions, and / or methods of preparing pet ingestible compositions described herein, such discussions can be considered applicable to one another, regardless of whether they are explicitly discussed in the context of the examples. Thus, for example, when discussing "antioxidants" in the context of LADs, such disclosure is also relevant and directly supported in the context of methods of preparing pet food compositions and pet ingestible compositions, and vice versa.

[0007]

[0008] Furthermore, terms used herein have their ordinary meaning in the relevant art unless otherwise specified. In some cases, there are more specifically defined terms throughout this specification, and some more general terms are included at the end of this specification. These more specifically defined terms have the meanings set forth herein.

[0008]

[0009] liquid animal digestate

[0010] The liquid animal digest (LAD) of the present disclosure can include hydrolyzed animal tissue, antioxidants, and about 0.1% to about 5% milk fat by weight based on the total weight of the LAD. Optionally, about 0.1% to about 1.5% by weight of a choline compound can be included in the LAD as well. A method of making the LAD can include processing raw animal tissue, such as meat and / or fat from chicken, pork, beef, lamb, etc., to result in shorter chain proteins and / or peptides than those essentially predominant in the raw animal tissue. The breakdown of the raw protein and / or fat content of the raw animal tissue into shorter hydrolyzed proteins and / or hydrolyzed peptides can occur by exposing the raw animal tissue to, for example, heat, physical shear, acid, and / or enzymes. Prior to the breakdown of proteins and / or fats, the raw animal tissue can contain highly concentrated, sometimes gelatinous, proteins. In some more specific examples, enzymatic hydrolysis and heat can be used together as an effective method of hydrolyzing proteins and / or fats to produce a hydrolysate that provides an acceptable digestible product for use in providing good nutrition and / or palatability to animals.

[0009]

[0011] Now, referring more specifically to raw animal tissue, any type of raw animal tissue can be used to prepare the LAD (and pet food composition) of the present disclosure. Raw animal tissue that, when hydrolyzed, provides a flavor enhancement to a base pet food product, such as a kibble, can be particularly beneficial as it relates to the animal's diet.

[0010]

[0012] For purposes of this disclosure, the term "raw animal tissue" refers to any animal tissue, including meat, fat, bone, organs, tendons, etc., that may be harvested and used to make the LAD of the present disclosure. For example, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) defines animal digesta as including materials resulting from chemical and / or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean, undecayed animal tissue, and the animal tissue used shall be suitable and free of hair, horns, teeth, hooves, and feathers, except in trace amounts that may inevitably occur in good factory practices. Thus, in many instances, ground or powdered raw animal tissue may be used to make LAD that meets the AAFCO definition, and such animal tissue may include meat from muscle, organs (viscera), epithelial tissue, connective tissue, fat, etc., from sources such as beef, chicken, pork, lamb, venison, sheep, fish, crustaceans, insects, or shellfish. In more specific detail, raw animal tissue may include any meat or other tissue that is edible but would not be in the human food supply chain. For example, raw animal tissue may include a "meat mix," which may be a ground mix of animal, e.g., pork, liver, spleen, trachea, lungs, etc.

[0011]

[0013] In contrast, terms such as "hydrolyzed animal tissue," "hydrolyzed protein," "hydrolyzed fat," and the like refer to raw animal tissue that has been broken down into shorter chain length proteins, peptides, and / or fatty acids based on average chain length compared to the proteins and / or fats of the raw animal tissue source. Hydrolyzed animal tissue can be broken down via any of a number of methods, including, for example, methods that utilize heat, shear, acid, and / or enzymes.

[0012]

[0014] In some examples of the preparation of LAD, raw animal tissues can be ground and then processed to obtain an intermediate product including hydrolyzed animal tissue. This process is referred to herein as "digestion", in which raw animal tissues are broken down and certain ingredients are added, leaving hydrolyzed animal tissue. As a note, "digestion" or "digestion process" is a technical term that does not refer to the digestion that occurs in the GI tract of an animal, but rather to the breakdown of fat and / or protein in the preparation of an animal digest. By way of example, processing raw animal tissues by digestion can include the use of enzymes, such as proteases to break down proteins in the raw animal tissue, and in some cases, lipases to break down fat in the animal tissue. Enzymes are considered to be processing aids because they are not consumed during digestion. Other chemicals or ingredients can additionally or alternatively be included to break down fat and / or protein. More specifically regarding the enzymes that can be added, e.g., proteases and / or lipases, these enzymes are sometimes called "technical enzymes" and are not the same as the natural enzymes that may be present essentially in raw animal tissues. As an example, and particularly with respect to proteases, there are several types of technical enzymes or enzyme packages that can be used in digestion, including endoproteases, which cleave amino acids within a protein or peptide, and / or exopeptidases, which cleave amino acids at the termini of a protein or peptide. Examples of endoproteases include chymosin, pepsin, trypsin, papain, bromelain, subtilisin, etc. Some raw animal tissues, such as animal organs, that essentially contain proteases and / or lipases can be used. These enzymes can be employed for use during digestion, or some or all of these enzymes can be inactivated by heat or other methods to favor the addition of technical enzymes.

[0013]

[0015] When heat is used during the digestion process, heating can be done by any of a number of methods, such as steam injection, jacket heating, etc. In some examples, steam injection can be particularly useful because it uses a relatively small amount of water, e.g., about 5% to about 25% or about 7.5% to about 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the ingredients used to prepare the LAD, and can also provide rapid heating to promote the breakdown of raw animal tissue into hydrolyzed animal tissue. Heat can also be used to inhibit or stop the enzymatic activity of some enzymes. For example, some raw animal tissues contain protease and lipase enzymes, but at temperatures above about 135°F, many of these enzymes can be inactivated. As the temperature increases, other enzymes can also become inactive. Thus, in some examples, industrial enzymes can be added that survive temperatures above about 135°F or above about 150°F, such that the industrial enzymes added are primarily those that act to hydrolyze the raw animal tissue. In some systems, the processing temperature may be, for example, about 135°F to about 175°F, about 145°F to about 175°F, about 150°F to about 170°F, about 150°F to about 165°F, about 150°F to about 160°F, or about 155°F to about 165°F. These ranges are provided for illustrative purposes only based on many of the industrial enzymes that can be used in carrying out the digestion, and temperatures outside these ranges may be used. Accordingly, a heating temperature profile can be selected that allows some or all of the enzyme activity to occur during the digestion.

[0014]

[0016] After digestion, an intermediate digestive composition may be formed under conditions that undergo a "reaction process" or "reaction", sometimes referred to as the "Maillard reaction". The Maillard reaction is a stage or process where additional flavors for the digesta are generated. More specifically, the Maillard reaction is an organic chemical reaction where reducing compounds such as sugars react with amino acids to form a complex mixture of volatile and non-volatile compounds. This reaction can be classified as a non-enzymatic browning reaction and can occur at a variety of temperatures, from room temperature to temperatures significantly higher than room temperature. However, in many reaction processes, the process is a "thermal reaction" process that occurs at elevated temperatures, e.g., from about 190°F to about 220°F, which may be higher than the temperatures used during the digestion process. The reaction process can produce multiple flavor compounds that can be decomposed from other flavor compounds, depending on the flavor compounds added, the temperature, pH, and / or time profile applied. In some examples, amino compounds such as amino acids, amino peptides, and / or amino proteins can be combined with reducing sugars, e.g., monosaccharides (such as xylose, ribose, fructose, or glucose), disaccharides (such as lactose), and the reaction can be initiated under heat. Furthermore, throughout the reaction process, the compounds used to initiate the reaction (or other added compounds) can be selected for use to meet a flavor profile depending on the type of animal the LAD is used to feed. Thus, any of a number of specific compounds can be used in the reaction process to provide a variety of flavor profiles, such as any of the naturally occurring amino acids, amino proteins, and / or peptides, xylose, ribose, fructose, glucose, lactose, etc. that can be added to modify the flavor and / or enhance the nutrition of the prepared LAD.

[0015]

[0017] Antioxidants can be added during digestion, which breaks down proteins and / or fats. Antioxidants can also be added after digestion, for example, before, during, or after the reaction process. In particular, antioxidants can be used to prevent oxidation, which is often associated with the presence of fat. By including about 0.01% to about 0.2% by weight of antioxidants, the resulting LAD can be protected from oxidation. Examples of antioxidants that can be selected for use include natural or synthetic antioxidants, such as butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, propyl gallate, octyl gallate, tocopherol, rosemary extract, ascorbic acid, or combinations thereof.

[0016]

[0018] Enhancement of palatability of the pet food composition can be achieved by incorporating the LAD with a base pet food or kibble that contains milk fat such that the final LAD used contains about 0.1% to about 5% by weight, about 0.2% to about 4% by weight, about 0.5% to about 4% by weight, about 1% to about 5% by weight, about 1% to about 4% by weight, about 1% to about 3% by weight, or about 1.5% to about 3.5% by weight of milk fat. The milk fat can be added at any stage or stages of the LAD preparation process. However, in some instances, even more significant enhancement of palatability can be achieved by including more than 1% by weight of non-lipolyzed milk fat in the LAD, for example, more than 1% to about 5% by weight, about 1.5% to about 5% by weight, or about 2% to about 5% by weight. On the other hand, with regard to the lipolyzed milk fat, when the LAD contains more than 2 wt %, for example, more than 2 wt % to about 5 wt %, about 2.5 wt % to about 5 wt %, or about 3 wt % to about 5 wt % milk fat, a more significant increase in palatability can be achieved.

[0017]

[0019] The dairy fat may be any form of dairy fat, including milk fat, butter fat, and / or cheese fat. For example, dairy fat may be recovered when cheese is processed in a kittle, and pasty dairy fat may be added to a mixture of raw animal tissue, enzymes, antioxidants, etc. Dairy fat may similarly be recovered when processing milk, butter, etc. Heat may be used with industrial enzymes to break down raw animal tissue, e.g., proteins and / or fats, and these same temperatures may provide a good environment for melting pasty dairy fat when dairy fat is added during digestion. The same may equally be true when dairy fat is added before, during, or after a reaction (e.g., thermal reaction, Maillard reaction, etc. occurs). Thus, according to examples of the present disclosure, dairy fat may be included in the LAD and may be added at any stage of the preparation method.

[0018]

[0020] Milk fat tends to be rich in short-chain fatty acids, which have a naturally shorter average chain length than the free fatty acids found in raw animal tissues. It should be noted that both non-lipolyzed milk fat and / or lipolyzed milk fat can be used. Non-lipolyzed milk fat has a naturally shorter (average) chain length than that provided by raw animal tissues. However, in some instances, the milk fat included may be lipolyzed for shorter fatty acid chains or free fatty acid (FFA) content. In any case, the palatability of the pet food composition to which the LAD is applied is enhanced by the inclusion of milk fat, whether the milk fat is in its natural state or has undergone lipolysis either before, during, or after the digestive or reaction process used to prepare the LAD.

[0019]

[0021] "Lipolysis" or "lipolyzed" refers to the hydrolysis of lipids as described above, which in dairy products can produce free fatty acids as described above. If free fatty acids are present in too high a concentration, they can produce an unpleasant taste. On the other hand, at low concentrations, free fatty acids can provide a desirable taste, for example, some cheeses containing low concentrations of free fatty acids have a beneficial taste profile due to the presence of such free fatty acids. Lipolysis is brought about by lipases that may be inherently present in the dairy product or may be introduced by bacterial lipases. Thus, the term "non-lipolyzed" does not mean that there has been no lipolysis, but rather that the milk fat has not been introduced to any lipolytic agent and / or lipase that lipolyzes the milk fat. On the other hand, when referring to milk fat, the term "lipolyzed" indicates that the milk fat has been introduced to a lipolytic agent and / or lipase that may not be naturally present in the milk fat used.

[0020]

[0022] According to industry standards, there are generally two types of LAD: natural LAD and non-natural LAD. Natural LAD may contain some additives used in processing but not others. A LAD is considered non-natural if it is not natural LAD. For example, a LAD is considered "natural" if it contains ingredients / additives such as naturally occurring amino acids, amino-peptides, amino-proteins, reducing sugars, and / or other natural additives, but does not allow the use of certain artificial additives and / or preservatives. In further detail, AAFCO defines natural as a feed or feed ingredient derived exclusively from plant, animal, or mined sources, either in a raw state or subjected to physical processing, thermal processing, rendering, purification, extraction, hydrolysis, enzymatic degradation, or fermentation, but not produced or subjected to chemical synthetic processes, and does not contain any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthesized, except in amounts that may occur in good production practices. For example, additives such as tocopherol, rosemary extract, and ascorbic acid can be included as antioxidants according to the definition of natural ingredients as defined by AAFCO. Additives such as BHA, PG, BHT, and OG are examples of non-natural ingredients as defined by AAFCO.

[0021]

[0023] In one example of the present disclosure, it has been found that the presence of milk fat in the LAD generally provides improved palatability, although the improved palatability may be even more pronounced with natural LAD (compared to non-natural animal digests). This enhanced palatability may be achieved by including milk fat in the LAD during production, such that the final LAD produced contains about 0.1% to about 5% milk fat by weight, but may be more pronounced when the milk fat is included at more than 1% by weight (based on the total weight of the LAD), for example, more than 1% to about 5% by weight, about 1.5% to about 5% by weight, about 2% to about 5% by weight, or 2% to about 5% by weight, for both natural and non-natural milk fats.

[0022]

[0024] More specifically, a choline compound can be added to the LAD along with milk fat, and together they can achieve a synergistic effect in terms of enhanced palatability. In other words, by including both milk fat (lipolyzed or not) and a choline compound in a natural or non-natural LAD, the palatability of a pet food composition incorporating the LAD can be improved over that of either added alone. In one example, the choline compound can be added to the LAD after the digestive and reaction processes have been carried out, but can also be added at any time earlier in the process. In some examples, the choline compound can be added to the LAD, and when the LAD is applied to a kibble or other food product, it results in a choline compound content of about 0.1% to about 1.5% by weight, about 0.1% to about 1% by weight, about 0.2% to about 0.8% by weight, or about 0.3% to about 0.7% by weight in the final food product. As part of the LAD, the choline compound may be present in an amount ranging from about 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, or 15% by weight to about 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or even 25% by weight. In one example, the choline compound may be present in the LAD in an amount of about 5% to about 25% by weight. Examples of choline compounds that can be used include any of a number of choline salts, phospholipids, or hydroxides, etc. For example, the choline compound may be a halogenated choline, such as choline chloride. In another example, the choline compound may be a choline phospholipid, such as phosphatidylcholine. Other choline compounds that can be used include, for example, choline hydroxide.

[0023]

[0025] Pet food composition

[0026] According to other examples herein, the pet food composition may include a kibble and an LAD coated on or incorporated into the kibble. The LAD used to prepare the pet food composition may include hydrolyzed animal tissue, antioxidants, and dairy fat. The dairy fat may be coated on and / or incorporated into a base pet food component, including the kibble, but also other formulations or components that may be part of the pet food composition, such as a separate animal fat coating, etc. The dairy fat may be part of the pet food composition in an amount of about 0.001% to about 0.15% by weight, about 0.002% to about 0.15% by weight, about 0.005% to about 0.15% by weight, about 0.01% to about 0.1% by weight, or about 0.01% to about 0.1% by weight.

[0024]

[0027] In examples of the present disclosure, the dairy fat may be derived from milk fat, butter fat, cheese fat, or combinations thereof. LADs as described herein can be prepared and applied to or incorporated into various pet food bases / pellets, generally described herein as "kibbles". The dairy fat may remain on the surface and / or may be incorporated below the kibble surface at an average subsurface depth of about 1 mm to incorporated throughout the kibble. In some examples, the dairy fat may be incorporated or absorbed so that it is present throughout the kibble. There may be a concentration gradient of dairy fat within the kibble, with a higher concentration of dairy fat closer to the surface of the kibble and a lower concentration further away from the surface.

[0025]

[0028] Details regarding LAD and LAD preparation are applicable to pet food compositions and are incorporated herein, although it is understood that in some cases, the LAD may be incorporated into the kibble and dried to some degree, with or without a specific drying process being performed. Furthermore, when referring to a milk fat content present at about 0.001% to about 0.15% by weight, that weight percentage (and other weight percentages below for pet food compositions) refers to the milk fat content remaining with the pet food composition, based on the total weight of the pet food composition after preparation. For example, application of LAD to a kibble may involve the use of about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of LAD (based on the total weight of the LAD), while the milk fat may remain in the pet food composition at about 0.001% to about 0.15% by weight after incorporation into the kibble at an application weight of about 1% to about 3% by weight (based on the total weight of the pet food composition). These values ​​may likewise be used to calculate the weight percentage of solids from the LAD content that may remain with the pet food composition when applied to the pet food composition in a wet coating. If some drying of the LAD occurs relative to the total weight of the pet food composition, the small amount of drying can be considered minimis, and the range of about 0.001% to about 0.15% by weight should adequately encompass the range of milk fat contents that can be incorporated into pet food compositions with good palatability. If any drying is performed prior to packaging, it can be in natural ambient air. In some instances, other drying processes can be performed by applying heat, air flow, and the like. On the other hand, if drying is desired to be avoided, humidified ambient air can be used to moderate some of the drying that may occur prior to packaging. Alternatively, immediate packaging can be performed if the goal is to retain some moisture.Based on the milk fat concentration in the LAD, a range of application of about 1% to about 3% by weight may be used to determine how much milk fat (or other ingredients) remains with the pet food composition, although it is worth noting that application of the LAD to the base pet food (including kibble) at ranges outside of this range may be used, such as, for example, about 0.5% to about 7.5% by weight, about 1% to about 5% by weight, etc.

[0026]

[0029] In various examples, the milk fat incorporated in the pet food composition may be non-lipolyzed or may be lipolyzed. The total milk fat content may range from 0.001% to 0.15% by weight of milk fat in the pet food composition, but when non-lipolyzed milk fat is used, the milk fat content of the pet food composition may be from about 0.015% to about 0.15% by weight for better palatability in some animals. In other examples when lipolyzed milk fat is used, the milk fat content of the pet food composition may be from about 0.025% to about 0.15% by weight to achieve even greater palatability in some animals.

[0027]

[0030] More specifically, the dairy fat incorporated into the pet food composition can be applied using a natural LAD or can be applied using a non-natural LAD. Regardless of whether a natural or non-natural LAD containing dairy fat is used for application to the kibble, the dairy fat content of the pet food composition can, in some instances, provide even further palatability enhancement from greater than 0.01% to about 0.15% by weight.

[0028]

[0031] More specifically, the LAD, which can be used to enhance the palatability of the kibble, can include other additives, such as antioxidants, which can be added to protect the hydrolyzed animal fat from undesirable oxidation. As mentioned above, antioxidants can be added for the digestion process, but can also be added at a later point in the overall process of preparing the LAD. It is also noted that stabilizing or formulation ingredients, as mentioned above, can be added during digestion or at any stage during the preparation of the LAD.

[0029]

[0032] Additionally, similar to the LAD, the pet food composition can be prepared to include a choline compound, which may be applied as part of the LAD or separately. By including both milk fat and a choline compound, the palatability of the pet food composition is enhanced for some domestic pets, such as dogs and cats, and the enhanced palatability is even greater than when either compound is used alone in the LAD. The synergistic improvement in palatability in some cases is shown in the examples below. The choline compound can be as described above for the LAD and can be present in the pet food composition (as a whole, based on the total weight of the pet food composition) at, for example, about 0.01% to about 1.5% by weight, about 0.01% to about 1% by weight, about 0.1% to about 1% by weight, or about 0.3% to about 0.7% by weight. The choline compound can be included from a choline compound source, such as a choline salt, phospholipid, or hydroxide, such as, for example, a halogenated choline, a choline phospholipid, or a choline hydroxide, as described above.

[0030]

[0033] In some examples, other palatability and / or nutritional additives can be applied to or incorporated into the kibble as well, such as a separate application of animal fat, such as rendered animal fat, or vegetable oil. The animal fat can be applied as a coating that remains on the surface and / or is incorporated into the kibble, similar to that described for the LAD containing dairy fat. Animal fats that may not be partially hydrolyzed or may remain completely unhydrolyzed can be used. Examples of animal fats or rendered animal fats that can be used include beef tallow, rendered pork fat, chicken fat, fish fat, and the like. The animal fat can be applied in a weight range of about 1% to about 12% by weight, about 2% to about 12% by weight, about 3% to about 10% by weight, or about 4% to about 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food composition. The application of additional animal fat to the kibble can provide further palatability enhancement.

[0031]

[0034] Once the LAD is prepared, the formed LAD can optionally be cooled and applied directly to animal feed pellets or kibbles using any of a number of techniques, such as, for example, spraying, dipping, mixing, etc., and then dried. Alternatively, the LAD can be first dried and then applied for mixing with the kibbles.

[0032]

[0035] Method for preparing a pet ingestible composition

[0036] According to another example of the present disclosure, a method for preparing a pet ingestible composition may include hydrolyzing proteins and fats in raw animal tissue to form a peptide mixture, introducing heat and a reactive compound to the peptide mixture to initiate the thermal reaction, and recovering the LAD. The method may further include introducing dairy fat such that the LAD comprises about 0.1% to about 5% dairy fat by weight based on the total weight of the LAD. The dairy fat may be added before hydrolyzing the proteins and fats, or may be added during or after hydrolysis of the proteins and fats of the raw animal tissue. In some examples, about 0.1% to about 1.5% by weight (based on the total weight of the LAD) of a choline compound may be added to the LAD. In some examples, other additives such as antioxidants, choline compounds, and other ingredients previously described in the context of the LAD may be included in the LAD. Thus, the pet ingestible composition may be in the form of a LAD. The term "pet ingestible composition" is a more general term that includes both the LAD and the pet food composition prepared using the LAD described herein. The LAD prepared according to this method can be applied to a kibble to obtain a pet food composition having a milk fat content of about 0.001% to about 0.15% by weight, or any other subrange herein, after drying. If a choline compound is included, such a compound may be present in the pet food composition, for example, from about 0.01% to about 1.5% by weight, or any other subrange described herein. As previously described in the context of the pet food composition, other components can be applied to the kibble. For example, the method of the present invention can include applying (e.g., incorporating) animal fat to or into the kibble, from 1% to about 12% by weight, or any other subrange herein, based on the total weight of the pet food composition.

[0033]

[0037] definition

[0038] The term "pet" refers to livestock or other animals kept by humans as companion animals, such as, for example, birds; horses; felines; canines; rodents, such as hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, gerbils, etc.; lagomorphs, such as rabbits; ferrets; cows; goats; sheep; donkeys; pigs, etc.

[0034]

[0039] The term "enhanced palatability" or "increased palatability" means the preference of a particular food by a pet over another comparable food prepared in the same manner except without any added milk fat (and possibly choline compound). Enhanced palatability can be verified by a "two bowl" (or contrast) test with animal samples, where enhanced palatability is noticeable on average to some degree of preference. Preference may be as little as about an 8% difference, for example, 54% preference for one bowl and 46% preference for the other bowl (54 / 46). A more significant palatability enhancement in the two bowl test may be one that achieves a score of 60 / 40, but an enhancement is more noticeable when there is a difference of 20%.

[0035]

[0040] The term "about" refers to ±20% of the numerical value, in one embodiment ±10%, in another embodiment ±5%, and in a more specific embodiment ±2%. For example, in one embodiment where about is ±20% of the numerical value, the phrase "about 10% to about 20%" can include ranges of 8% to 24% or 12% to 16%, including any subranges thereof.

[0036]

[0041] As used herein, the terms "comprising" or "including" or open-ended language may be replaced with "consisting essentially of" and "consisting of," as if such transitional phrases were expressly included in such embodiments.

[0037]

[0042] All percentages expressed herein are by weight of the composition on a dry matter basis unless otherwise stated. Contrary examples in this disclosure are weight ranges based on the total weight of the LAD.

[0038]

[0043] As used herein, ranges are shorthand for avoiding the need to enumerate and describe each and every value within the range. Any suitable value within the range may be selected, appropriate as the upper limit, lower limit, or terminus of the range, and thus, when numerical values ​​and subranges are explicitly recited, they should be interpreted flexibly as including the numerical values ​​explicitly recited as limiting the range, and as including the individual numerical values ​​or subranges encompassed within the range. By way of illustration, the numerical range of "about 1% to about 5% by weight" should be interpreted as including the values ​​explicitly recited for about 1% to about 5% by weight, and also as including the individual values ​​and subranges within the indicated range. Thus, this numerical range includes individual values ​​such as 2, 3.5, and 4, and subranges such as 1 to 3, 2 to 4, and 3 to 5. The same principle applies to ranges that indicate a single numerical value. Moreover, such interpretation should be applied regardless of the breadth of the range or feature being described.

[0039]

[0044] As used herein, the singular form of a word includes the plural and vice versa unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, references to "a," "an," and "the" generally include the plural of the respective terms. For example, reference to "LAD," "pet food composition," "method," etc. includes a plurality of such liquid animal digesta, pet food composition, method, etc.

[0040]

[0045] The terms "example(s)" or "embodiment(s)", particularly when followed by a listing of such terms, are merely exemplary and illustrative and should not be construed as exclusive or comprehensive.

[0041]

[0046] The methods and compositions disclosed herein and other developments are not limited to the particular methodology, procedures, and reagents described herein, as these may vary as will be recognized by those of skill in the art. Further, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure or claims, and does not constitute a limitation.

[0042]

[0047] Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms, terminology, and acronyms used herein have the meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the field(s) of the invention or the field(s) in which the term is used. Although any compositions, methods, products, or other means or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the invention, specific compositions, methods, products, or other means or materials are described herein.

[0043]

[0048] As used herein, a plurality of elements, components, and / or materials may be presented in common lists for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each individual element of the list were individually identified as a separate and unique element. Thus, each individual element of such a list should not be construed as being substantially equivalent to any other element of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common grouping, in the absence of any contrary statement.

[0044] [Example]

[0049] Features of the present invention can be further illustrated by the following examples, which are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, unless otherwise specified.

[0045]

[0050] Example 1 Preparation of Liquid Animal Digest

[0051] Several separate formulations containing multiple raw materials were used to prepare several specific Liquid Animal Digestives (LADs) through two sequential processes: 1) digestion followed by 2) thermal reaction. The digestion process was carried out by mixing comminuted raw animal tissues as pork and chicken organ meat and muscle tissues with BHA (unnatural) or tocopherol (natural) as antioxidants and several industrial enzymes including subtilisin (alcalase) protease. The mixture was heated at 120-170°F with 10-12% by weight steam for 45 minutes to obtain an intermediate digestive composition containing hydrolyzed animal tissues (degraded by enzymes under heat) and antioxidants. Residual enzymes (both added industrial enzymes and endogenous enzymes present in the tissue) may remain in the intermediate digestive composition. Other additives such as Maillard reaction precursors, flavors, and / or preservatives were then added and subjected to the thermal reaction process after digestion. More specifically, the thermal reaction was carried out for 30 minutes at about 180-220° F. Some of the LADs prepared were "natural" as defined by AAFCO, and additives in the reaction included AAFCO natural preservatives and ingredients. For the preparation of "non-natural" LADs, additives in the thermal reaction process included sugars, amino acids, and preservatives, which are considered non-natural by the AAFCO definition.

[0046]

[0052] During the LAD preparation process, four different sources of added fat were added individually to the various samples at 1% to 3% by weight (based on the final weight content of the LAD). The added fat sources selected for evaluation were not derived from raw animal tissue and included 1) non-lipolyzed milk fat, 2) lipolyzed milk fat, 3) coconut oil, or 4) lecithin. These added fats were included in the digestion process mixture, but could equally well have been added after the digestion process, e.g., included in the Maillard reaction process or after the Maillard reaction process. After both the digestion process and the Maillard reaction process, the resulting LADs formed individually were cooled and acidified, e.g., by adding phosphoric acid, among others that can be used, such as sulfuric acid, citric acid, acetic acid, and then stored in preparation for application to kibble for palatability testing. Of note, some of the prepared LADs included the addition of a choline complex to determine whether a choline complex would further aid in enhancing palatability when included with the milk fat. Table 1 below summarizes several types of LADs that were prepared.

[0047]

[0053] [Table 1]

[0056] Example 2 Preparation of a Pet Food Composition

[0057] Eighteen different pet food compositions were prepared, each containing separate Nestle Purina® Pro Plan® dog kibbles with about 7.25 wt% beef tallow (the same formulation was used for all samples) and about 2 wt% of one of 18 LADs (LADs 1-18) applied as described in Table 1. Additionally, two of the 18 LADs (LADs 11-12) contained choline chloride (about 0.5 wt% based on the final food product when applied to the kibble), also shown in Table 1. All prepared pet food compositions contained the same hydrolyzed animal tissues, i.e., pork and chicken organ meats and muscle, and the same antioxidants, i.e., BHA / tocopherol. The beef tallow and individual LADs applied were applied sequentially by spraying each liquid formulation onto the dog kibble.

[0048]

[0058] In addition to the 18 pet food compositions prepared for evaluation, two separate comparative pet food compositions were prepared similarly to those described above, except that no additional animal fat source or choline chloride was used in the LAD. The first comparative LAD (LAD C1) was a non-natural formulation for comparison to LADs 1-12. The second comparative LAD (LAD C2) was a natural LAD for comparison to LADs 13-18.

[0049]

[0059] Example 3 Palatability of pet food composition

[0060] The LADs shown in Table 1 (LAD 1-18) as well as two comparative LADs (LAD C1-C2) were applied to dog kibble as described in Example 2. These formulations are also summarized in Table 2 as pet food compositions PFC 1-18 and PFC C1-C2, respectively. The palatability preference data shown in Table 2 were generated from a two-bowl voluntary intake study with 20 dogs per panel. Each dog was independently presented with both bowls, with the same amount of pet food composition in each bowl. The first bowl contained one of the pet food compositions PFC 1-18, and the second bowl contained either LAD C1 or LAD C2, depending on whether the presented PFC 1-18 was from the non-natural or natural formulations of LAD 1-18 (non-natural LADs were compared to the comparative non-natural LADs; natural LADs were compared to the comparative natural LADs).

[0050]

[0061] After the start of the two-bowl test, each dog in the panel had free access to both bowls. A preference score (or ratio) was generated (based on 100) for how much dog food was consumed in the first bowl compared to the second bowl. The values ​​were then averaged for 20 dogs in the same panel to obtain a preference score or ratio. Thus, a preference score of 50 corresponds to a 50 / 50 ratio, indicating no preference for one bowl compared to the other bowl, on average, for the dogs in the panel. A preference score of 60 corresponds to a 60 / 40 ratio, indicating a significant preference for the first dog bowl, on average, for the 20 dog panel. A preference score of 40 corresponds to a 40 / 60 ratio, indicating a significant preference for the second dog bowl, on average, for the first dog bowl, on average, for the 20 dog panel.

[0051]

[0062] Various pet food compositions (PFCs 1-12 with non-natural LADs and PFCs 13-18 with natural LADs, in accordance with AAFCO) were tested against their respective associated comparative pet food compositions. More specifically, scores for PFCs 1-12 were generated against a non-natural comparative PFC (PFCC 1) in a two-bowl test, and scores for PFCs 13-18 were generated against a natural comparative PFC (PFCC 2) in a two-bowl test. Table 2 below shows the scores obtained, along with a summary of the characteristics specific to the various LADs evaluated.

[0052]

[0063] [Table 2]

[0053]

[0065] As can be seen from the data shown in Table 2, the addition of dairy fat (i.e., milk fat in these examples) to the LAD and application to the dog kibble strongly tended to enhance palatability, achieving improved palatability (60+), significant improved palatability (70+), and in one example, very significant improved palatability (80+). For example, all of the pet food compositions (PFC1-5) that applied a non-natural LAD containing non-lipolyzed milk fat achieved a palatability score above 60. For the pet food compositions (PFC6-8) that applied a non-natural LAD containing lipolyzed milk fat, the sample (PFC8) having more than 2% by weight of lipolyzed milk fat in the LAD achieved a score above 60. In this category, neither the coconut oil-containing sample (PFC9) nor the lecithin-containing sample (PFC10) achieved a score of 60.

[0054]

[0066] For the pet food compositions where natural LAD containing non-lipolyzed milk fat samples was applied (PFC 13-15), the examples with more than 1 wt. % milk fat (PFC 14-15) also achieved a score above 60. Surprisingly, PFC 14, which contained 2 wt. % non-lipolyzed milk fat, performed even better than PFC 15, which contained 3 wt. % non-lipolyzed milk fat. For the pet food compositions where natural LAD containing lipolyzed milk fat samples was applied (PFC 16-17), all examples showed a score above 70. The examples that contained coconut oil instead of milk fat scored lower, and the bowl without coconut oil was reasonably preferred.

[0055]

[0067] An additive effect of enhanced palatability was observed when both added milk fat and choline complex were included, achieving the highest palatability score for all of the panel of dogs from all categories (PFC 11; score of 87.2), superior to all of the formulations in which milk fat was used alone (PFCs 1-8; and PFCs 13-17), and surprisingly also superior by a difference of almost 13 to the use of choline complex without milk fat additive (PFC 12; score of 74.3).

[0056]

[0068] In this specification, specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed. Although specific terms are used, they are used generically and for descriptive purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined in the claims. Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. 1. A liquid animal digesta (LAD), comprising: Hydrolyzed animal tissue; Antioxidants and About 0.1% to about 5% by weight of milk fat based on the total weight of the LAD; Liquid animal digesta (LAD).

2. 10. The LAD of claim 1, wherein the milk fat is not lipolyzed and is present at greater than 1% to about 5% by weight.

3. 10. The LAD of claim 1, wherein the milk fat is lipolyzed and is present at greater than 2% to about 5% by weight.

4. The LAD of claim 1, further comprising about 5% to about 25% by weight of a choline compound, based on the total weight of the LAD.

5. 10. The LAD of claim 1, wherein the dairy fat comprises milk fat, butterfat, cheese fat, or a combination thereof.

6. The LAD of claim 2 , wherein the LAD is a native LAD.

7. 1. A pet food composition comprising: Kibble and and a LAD coated on or incorporated into the kibble, the LAD comprising: Hydrolyzed animal tissue; Antioxidants and and milk fat, A pet food composition wherein said milk fat is present as part of said pet food composition from about 0.001% to about 0.15% by weight on a dry content basis.

8. 8. The pet food composition of claim 7, wherein the dairy fat is non-lipolyzed and is included as part of the pet food composition at about 0.015% to about 0.15% by weight, or the dairy fat is lipolyzed and is included as part of the pet food composition at about 0.025% to about 0.15% by weight.

9. 8. The pet food composition of claim 7, further comprising from about 0.01% to about 1.5% by weight of a choline compound.

10. 8. The pet food composition of claim 7, further comprising from about 1% to about 12% by weight animal fat on a dry content basis in addition to any hydrolyzed animal fat provided by the LAD.

11. 1. A method for preparing a pet ingestible composition, the method comprising: hydrolyzing proteins and fats in raw animal tissue to form a mixture of peptides and fatty acids; introducing heat and a reactive compound into the peptide and fatty acid mixture to initiate a thermal reaction; and retrieving the LAD, The method further comprises the step of introducing dairy fat such that the LAD comprises from about 0.1% to about 5% dairy fat by weight based on the total weight of the LAD.

12. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the milk fat is added prior to hydrolyzing the protein and fat.

13. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising adding about 5% to about 25% by weight of a choline compound to the LAD.

14. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising applying the LAD to a kibble to result in a pet food composition having a milk fat content of about 0.001% to about 0.15% by weight based on the dry matter content of the pet food composition.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising applying about 1% to about 12% by weight of animal fat based on the dry content of the pet food composition.

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