Methods and compositions for palatable pet food

Abstract

Disclosed are pet food compositions and methods for producing such pet food compositions, which include utilizing a palatability enhancer selected from the group consisting of dimethyl sulfide, isoamyl alcohol, 2-methyloxolan-3-one, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, and combinations thereof, wherein the composition contains at least one of the compound combinations provided in Table 10 in the ratios provided in Table 10.

Description

Cross - reference to related applications

[0004]

[0001]

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 500,487, filed on May 5, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Background Art

[0002]

[0002] There are various ways to enhance the palatability of edible compositions. The addition of one or more raw materials that provide an attractive aroma or flavor can improve palatability. Raw materials that affect the properties of food, such as aroma, flavor, texture, or mouthfeel, can also affect palatability. For some compositions, an increase in sweetness or an increase in fat or salt content can enhance palatability from some animals. Flavor enhancers, such as glutamic acid or its salts, and various nucleotide or ribonucleotide compounds are also known in the art as palatants.

[0003]

[0003] Existing solutions for palatability enhancement in wet cat food, such as chunks - in - gravy compositions, are usually based on Maillard reaction precursors. These precursors are composed of carbonyl, nitrogen, and sulfur compounds, such as amino acids, vitamins, and reducing sugars, which can be incorporated into pet food, such as chunks and / or gravy. However, the use of these components at high levels may be negatively perceived by pet owners because these components can be classified as non - natural components or may be recognized as potentially having an adverse effect on the health of pets.

Summary of the Invention

[0004]

[0004] In one embodiment, the pet food composition comprises a palatability enhancer selected from the group consisting of dimethyl sulfide, isoamyl alcohol, 2-methyloxolan-3-one, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, and combinations thereof, wherein the composition has at least one of the compound combinations provided in Table 10 in the ratios provided in Table 10.

[0005]

[0005] In another embodiment, a method for producing a pet food composition may include the steps of: incorporating a precursor of a palatability enhancer, a raw material containing a palatability enhancer, or a palatability enhancer into pet food, wherein the palatability enhancer is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl sulfide, isoamyl alcohol, 2-methyloxolan-3-one, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, and combinations thereof; and incorporating a combination of compounds provided in Table 10 into pet food in the ratios provided in Table 10, wherein the compounds are added as raw materials containing compounds formed from precursors added to the pet food, or added directly to the pet food;

[0006]

[0006] Such methods and compositions may have an effective amount of a palatability enhancer to enhance the palatability of the pet food composition.

[0007]

[0007] Further features and advantages are described herein and will become apparent from the "Modes for Carrying Out the Invention" below. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008]

[0008] When used in the present disclosure and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" also refer to multiple objects unless the context indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to "a gravy" or "the gravy" includes both a single gravy and two or more gravys.

[0009]

[0009] The terms “comprise,” “comprises,” and “comprising” should be interpreted as not being exclusive but potentially encompassing others. Similarly, the terms “include,” “including,” and “or” should all be interpreted as potentially encompassing others unless such interpretation is clearly prevented by the context. However, compositions disclosed herein may not contain any elements not specifically disclosed. Therefore, disclosures of embodiments using the term “comprising” include disclosures of embodiments that “essentially include” a specified component and embodiments that “consist of” a specified component. Similarly, methods disclosed herein may not contain any steps not specifically disclosed herein. Therefore, disclosures of embodiments using the term “include” include disclosures of embodiments that “essentially include” a specified step and embodiments that “consist of” a specified step. Unless otherwise specified, any embodiment disclosed herein may be combined with any other embodiment disclosed herein.

[0010]

[0010] The terms “at least one” and “and / or” used in the context of “at least one of X or Y” and “X and / or Y” should be interpreted as “X without Y” or “Y without X” or “both X and Y.” The terms “examples” and “etc.” used herein, particularly when followed by a list of terms, are for illustrative and illustrative purposes only and should not be considered exclusive or inclusive.

[0011]

[0011] All percentages as used herein refer to the total weight of the referenced composition unless otherwise specified. As used herein, “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” refer to a number within a numerical range, for example, a range of -10% to +10% of the reference figure, preferably a range of -5% to +5%, more preferably a range of -1% to +1% of the reference figure, and most preferably a range of -0.1% to +0.1% of the reference figure.

[0012]

[0012] The terms “food,” “food product,” and “food composition” mean products or compositions intended for consumption by animals and providing such animals with at least one nutrient. The terms “animal” or “pet” mean any animal that can benefit from or enjoy the food compositions and food products provided by this disclosure. For example, a pet may be an animal such as a bird, a cow, a dog, a horse, a cat, a goat, a wolf, a mouse, a sheep, or a pig. A pet may be any suitable animal, and this disclosure is not limited to any particular pet animal. The term “companion animal” means a dog or a cat.

[0013]

[0013] The term “pet food” means any composition formulated for consumption by pets. A “dry” food composition has less than 10% by weight of moisture and / or less than 0.64 water activity, preferably both. A “semi-moist” food composition has 11% to 20% by weight of moisture and / or 0.64 to 0.75 water activity, preferably both. A “wet” food composition has more than 20% by weight of moisture and / or more than 0.75 water activity, preferably both.

[0014]

[0014] The term "palatability enhancer" includes compounds, as well as any precursors that form compounds during the processing or manufacture of pet food.

[0015]

[0015] The term "combination of compounds provided in Table 10" includes the compounds listed in Table 10, as well as any precursors that form the compounds listed in Table 10 during the processing or manufacture of pet food.

[0016]

[0016] The term “chunk” refers to a food body divided into multiple parts, and refers to small pieces of dry or semi-moist pet food, which may preferably be in pellet form or any other form. Chunks may contain one or more of meat, meat by-products, grains, or plant proteins. Non-limiting examples of chunks include particulate matter; pellets; small pieces of pet food, dried meat, meat substitutes, vegetables, and combinations thereof; and pet snacks, such as meat or vegetable jerky, rawhide, and biscuits. Chunks may vary in size depending on the animal that will consume the product, for example, the animal's breed, age, health condition, or size. For example, the size of cat chunks is typically in the range of 3 mm to 30 mm, preferably 8 mm to 20 mm, with the longest side being in the range of 3 mm to 30 mm. “Gravy” is a fluid food composition preferably comprising water and at least one of starch or gum, and preferably in the form of a gel or sol.

[0017]

[0017] The terms “loaf” and “mousse” are used interchangeably herein. A loaf composition is preferably a shaped or molded mass of pet food that is substantially homogeneous. The loaf composition may have a structure that is maintained while and after being removed from the packaging at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure, and its shape is imparted to the loaf composition by the packaging. For example, in some embodiments, a loaf composition removed from a cylindrical can may have a cylindrical shape having a horizontal cross-section substantially the same dimensions as the corresponding horizontal cross-section inside the can.

[0018]

[0018] The terms “chunk-in-loaf,” “HsCC,” and “terrine” are used interchangeably herein. These terms refer to loaf products with added chunks.

[0019]

[0019] The term "2-methyloxolan-3-one" refers to 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one.

[0020]

[0020] The terms “enhanced palatability” and similar terms mean that at least one of the palatability enhancers or compound combinations disclosed herein improves the palatability of a food composition compared to a food composition similarly formulated without the palatability enhancer or compound combination. “Palatability” refers to a property of an edible composition that makes it appealing or pleasant to one or more of an animal’s senses, particularly taste and smell. As used herein, if an animal shows preference for one of two or more foods, the preferred food is said to be more “favorable” and have higher “palatability.” For companion animals and other non-human animals, the relative palatability of a food compared to one or more other foods can be measured, for example, in a free-choice comparison which is a controlled comparison, by relative intake of the food or by other appropriate measure of preference that serves as an indicator of palatability.

[0021]

[0021] The term “complete and balanced” when referring to a food composition means a food composition that contains all known necessary nutrients in appropriate amounts and proportions, based on the recommendations of recognized authorities in the field of animal nutrition, and that can therefore serve as the sole source of dietary intake to sustain life or promote production without the need for additional nutritional supplements. Nutritionally balanced pet food and animal food compositions are widely known and used in the art, and are, for example, complete and balanced food compositions formulated according to the standards as of January 1, 2022, as defined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

[0022]

[0022] The methods and compositions and other advances disclosed herein are modifiable as recognized by those skilled in the art and are not limited to specific methods, procedures and reagents. Furthermore, the terms used herein are for the sole purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of disclosure or claims.

[0023]

[0023] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms, specialized terms, and acronyms used herein have the meanings that are generally understood by those skilled in the art of the Disclosure or in the field in which the terms are used. Any composition, method, product, or other technique or material similar to or equivalent to those described herein may be used, but preferred equipment, method, product, or other technique or material is described herein.

[0024]

[0024] Preferred embodiments provided by this disclosure are described below. In one embodiment, a pet food composition comprising a palatability enhancer selected from the group consisting of dimethyl sulfide, isoamyl alcohol, 2-methyloxolan-3-one, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, and combinations thereof, wherein the composition has at least one of the compound combinations provided in Table 10 in the ratios provided in Table 10. In some embodiments, the pet food composition may further include additional combinations from Table 10, for example, a second combination, a third combination, a fourth combination, a fifth combination, a sixth combination, a seventh combination, an eighth combination, a ninth combination, a tenth combination, or more.

[0025]

[0025] In another embodiment, a method for producing a pet food composition may include the steps of: incorporating a precursor of a palatability enhancer, a raw material containing a palatability enhancer, or a palatability enhancer into pet food, wherein the palatability enhancer is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl sulfide, isoamyl alcohol, 2-methyloxolan-3-one, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, and combinations thereof; and incorporating a combination of compounds provided in Table 10 into pet food in the ratios provided in Table 10, wherein the compounds are added as raw materials containing compounds formed from precursors added to the pet food, or added directly to the pet food. In some embodiments, the method of the present invention may further include additional combinations from Table 10, for example, a second combination, a third combination, a fourth combination, a fifth combination, a sixth combination, a seventh combination, a eighth combination, a ninth combination, a tenth combination, or more.

[0026]

[0026] A preferred embodiment of the pet food composition is a wet pet food disclosed herein, such as a chunk-in-gravy composition, or a loaf composition or a terrine composition.

[0027]

[0027] Preferably, the palatability enhancer can be added to the wet pet food (e.g., added to chunks, gravy, and / or loaf). Such palatability enhancers can be added directly in free form or as part of the raw materials, or added as flavor precursors that form palatability enhancers during processing. The palatability enhancer or precursor can be added in an amount that enhances the palatability of the pet food. The palatability enhancer and / or precursor can be added in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 5%, or in some embodiments, from about 0.1%, about 0.5%, about 1% to about 0.5%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, or about 5%, although other amounts outside these ranges are also contemplated herein.

[0028]

[0028] Furthermore, the methods and compositions of the present invention generally include combinations of the compounds described in Table 10 disclosed herein in the ratios described in Table 10. Such compounds can be added in various amounts as long as they match the above ratios.

[0029]

[0029] In some embodiments of the method (e.g., for enhancing palatability), the initial pet food formulation includes at least one Maillard reaction precursor. In some embodiments, the pet food does not contain or substantially does not contain phosphate or polyphosphate.

[0030]

[0030] Such a method for manufacturing a pet food composition can include mixing various raw materials that provide protein, fat, and carbohydrates to form a mixture; and optionally, retorting the mixture to form a pet food composition. The method can further include sealing the pet food in a container prior to retorting.

[0031]

[0031] In some embodiments, the wet pet food composition contains about 2.0% by weight or less of a polyphosphate compound, preferably about 1.0% by weight or less of polyphosphate, more preferably about 0.5% by weight or less of polyphosphate, and most preferably about 0% of polyphosphate. Examples of such polyphosphate compounds include disodium diphosphate (or pyrophosphate), trisodium diphosphate (or pyrophosphate), tetrasodium diphosphate (or pyrophosphate) or tetrapotassium, disodium phosphate, trisodium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, potassium polyphosphate, sodium polyphosphate, and other compounds known in the art.

[0032]

[0032] The pet food disclosed herein may be any food formulated for consumption by pets such as dogs or cats. In one embodiment, the pet food provides complete nutrition as defined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and according to the type of animal (e.g., dog or cat) to which the composition is intended. In another embodiment, the composition may be a nutritional supplement. Such a nutritional supplement may be added to the food composition, administered together with the food composition, or administered separately.

[0033]

[0033] The pet food described herein (e.g., chunks in gravy or loaf) may be filled and sealed in packaging. Not limited examples of preferred packaging types include cans, pouches, glass containers, and plastic containers. The process of packaging the pet food containing the palatability enhancer and the ratio of compounds may include retorting the pet food in the packaging under conditions of sufficient time and temperature for commercial sterilization. Typically, a commercially sterile product is produced at a retorting temperature of about 100°C to 150°C for about 5 to 90 minutes. In some embodiments, the chunks or loaf may be mixed in the packaging with one or more of the gravy, gel, or seasonings before retorting.

[0034]

[0034] In one embodiment, a suitable gravy may be prepared by heating a mixture of water, a hydrocolloid (e.g., starch or gum), and a seasoning. The chunks and gravy may then be filled into packaging in a desired ratio. The ratio of chunks to gravy is preferably about 30:70 to about 70:30, for example, about 40:60 to about 60:40.

[0035]

[0035] Additionally or alternatively, the composition may be processed by frying, retorting, and / or other methods that make the product shelf-stable. The product may then be packaged in any of a variety of different packaging materials.

[0036]

[0036] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for providing nutrition to a pet is provided. The pet may be a companion animal, preferably a cat. The method comprises administering wet pet food prepared by any embodiment of the method disclosed herein. For example, the method may include the steps of removing the pet food disclosed herein from its packaging and then administering the pet food to the pet.

[0037]

[0037] As described above, a preferred embodiment of the pet food disclosed herein is a chunk-in-gravy composition. In other embodiments, the pet food is a loaf composition or a terrine composition.

[0038]

[0038] In a chunk-in-gravy composition, preferably the chunks are distributed substantially uniformly throughout the composition, and the gravy may be distributed substantially uniformly throughout the composition. For example, a chunk-in-gravy composition may be substantially uniform such that several similarly sized sections of the composition have substantially the same volume of chunks and / or substantially the same volume of gravy. The chunks and gravy may be present throughout the composition; for example, the chunks may be visually distinguishable from the gravy, but in some embodiments, the composition does not have distinct layers.

[0039]

[0039] In some embodiments, the chunks in the composition may be in the form of an emulsion of meat and / or vegetable protein sliced ​​into separate pieces. Non-limiting examples of meat emulsions for use in compositional chunks are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 10,993,445; 10,470,470; 7,736,686; 7,344,745; 6,767,573; 6,692,787; 6,649,206; 6,436,463; 6,379,738; 5,567,466; and 4,781,939; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0208689(A1); and International Publication Nos. 2008085293(A2) and International Publication Nos. 2012057826(A1); all of which are incorporated herein by reference in whole. Other non-limiting examples of suitable chunks include chunks of real meat, such as skeletal tissue and non-skeletal muscle of mammals, poultry, and fish, such as chunks of beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, or combinations thereof.

[0040]

[0040] In some embodiments, the chunks in the composition may optionally include meat by-products, such as non-meat, unrendered, clean parts derived from slaughtered mammals, poultry, or fish. In some embodiments, the chunks may include any meat by-products approved for use in animal food, such as mechanically deboned beef, chicken, or fish; beef and pig livers; lungs; and kidneys. As used herein, the term “meat” refers to undried meat and / or meat by-products, including frozen materials. This disclosure is not limited to any particular meat or combination of meats, and any meat known to those skilled in the art for the manufacture of food compositions may be used as chunks.

[0041]

[0041] Chunks may contain other ingredients in addition to any meat. For example, additives used in conventional meat emulsion products may be incorporated into the chunks by mixing them with the meat before and / or after emulsification. These additives include salt, spices, seasonings, and sugars in amounts sufficient to bring the desired flavor characteristics to the product.

[0042]

[0042] Before and / or after emulsification, one or more proteinaceous materials may be added to the meat to improve emulsion stability and binding, impart flavor, and / or reduce compounding costs. Suitable non-limiting examples of proteinaceous materials include wheat gluten, soy flour, soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, egg albumin, skim milk powder, and combinations thereof. Including one or more proteinaceous materials in the emulsion may be advantageous because it allows processors to use meat that has a protein-to-fat ratio and myosin-to-total protein ratio that is close to the acceptable limits for use in chunk preparation.

[0043]

[0043] However, in some embodiments, the chunks do not contain any meat. For example, plant proteins, such as pea protein, corn protein (e.g., ground corn or corn gluten), wheat protein (e.g., ground wheat or wheat gluten), soy protein (e.g., soy meal, soy concentrate, or soy isolate), and rice protein (e.g., ground rice or rice gluten), may be used in addition to or as a substitute for meat.

[0044]

[0044] The gravy may further contain dextrose, ribose, fructose, and / or xylose, and may also contain colorants as desired. Ingredients for adding flavor and / or aroma to the gravy may also be included as desired. The starch in the gravy may be natural starch, modified starch, or a combination thereof, and suitable gums include kappa-carrageenan, locust bean gum, guar gum, and xanthan gum.

[0045]

[0045] In various embodiments, the chunks and / or gravy may contain additional ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, nucleic acids, fillers, palatability enhancers, binders, flavorings, stabilizers, emulsifiers, sweeteners, colorings, buffers, salt, coatings, seasonings, and preservatives, which are known to those skilled in the art. The additional ingredients may be incorporated into the chunks by mixing them with the meat before and / or after emulsification.

[0046]

[0046] Non-limiting examples of supplemental vitamins include vitamin A, any of the B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K, and include various salts, esters, or other derivatives of the aforementioned vitamins. Non-limiting examples of minerals include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, iron, chloride, boron, copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese, iodine, and selenium. Additional nutritional supplements, such as niacin in any form, pantothenic acid, inulin, folic acid, biotin, and amino acids, as well as salts and derivatives thereof, may also be included.

[0047]

[0047] Stabilizers include substances that tend to improve the shelf life or structure of pet food, such as preservatives, synergists and metal ion chelating agents, packaging gases, emulsifiers, thickeners, gelling agents and plasticizers. Examples of emulsifiers and / or thickeners include gelatin, cellulose ethers, starch, starch esters, starch ethers and modified starch.

[0048]

[0048] Examples of suitable flavorings include yeast, animal fat, rendered animal meals (e.g., poultry, beef, lamb, pork), flavor extracts or blends (e.g., roasted beef). Suitable colorings that can be used in meat-like chunks and / or gravy include FD&C colorings, e.g., Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6; natural colorings, e.g., caramel color, annatto, chlorophyllin, cochineal, betanin, turmeric, saffron, paprika, lycopene, elderberry juice, pandan, and butterfly pea; titanium dioxide; iron oxide; and any suitable food colorings known to those skilled in the art. Suitable spices that can be used in meat-like chunks and / or gravy include parsley, oregano, sage, rosemary, basil, thyme, and chives.

[0049]

[0049] The selection of additional raw materials and their quantities is known to those skilled in the art. The specific amount of each additional raw material will depend on various factors such as the raw materials included in the composition; the species of the animal; the age, weight, health condition, sex, and diet of the animal; the rate of ingestion by the animal; and the purpose for which the food composition is administered to the animal. Accordingly, the amounts of ingredients and raw materials may vary and deviate from the preferred proportions described herein.

[0050]

[0050] Accordingly, the pet food composition of the present invention may contain protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber. In some embodiments, the pet food composition may further contain about 15% to about 60% protein, about 5% to about 40% fat, about 5% to about 60% carbohydrates, and / or about 0.5% to about 5% fiber.

[0051]

[0051] In one embodiment, chunks may be prepared by emulsifying meat, a dry protein material, water, and one or more of any additional ingredients. Optionally, the emulsion further contains flour, thereby forming a dough. Suitable examples of flours include wheat flour, amaranth flour, bean flour, white or brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, chestnut flour, chickpea flour, potato flour, corn flour, nut flour made from ground fatty nuts, pea flour, peanut flour, rye flour, tapioca flour, soy flour, and the like. Chunks are not limited to any particular flour, and any flour known to those skilled in the art for dough preparation can be used.

[0052]

[0052] The emulsion can be formed using equipment commonly used for emulsifying meat, such as a mixer, blender, grinder, silent cutter chopper, or emulsion mill. Other ingredients for the chunks may be added to the meat before and / or after emulsifying the meat. The emulsion may then be processed by a high-speed emulsion mill in a second emulsion step in which the emulsion is thermally gelled by rapid heating. The heated emulsion may then be cooled. For example, the heated emulsion may be discharged from the mill into a heat exchanger to lower the temperature of the emulsion and solidify it into a striated meat-like structure.

[0053]

[0053] The fibrous meat-like structure may be sliced ​​into small pieces to produce meat-like chunks. For example, the product can be cut into pieces of a desired size using a dicer, rotary cutting knife, water jet knife, or knife grid. In one embodiment, a portion of the fibrous meat-like structure may be processed differently to produce pieces of different sizes.

[0054]

[0054] In a preferred embodiment, the gravy is prepared separately from the chunks. For example, the gravy may be mixed by standard means well known in the art before being mixed with the chunks. In one embodiment, the gravy may be formed by adding the non-aqueous components of the gravy to water during continuous mixing, such as with a high-speed mixer, and the gravy may be formed at ambient temperature. In another embodiment, the gravy can be formed by mixing the non-aqueous components of the gravy into a portion of water at ambient temperature to form a slurry, heating the other portion of the water, and then adding the slurry to the heated water during continuous stirring, for example, with a stirrer.

[0055]

[0055] In consideration of the foregoing disclosure, one embodiment is a method for producing a wet pet food formulated for administration to a pet, the method comprising the steps of: incorporating at least one palatability enhancer into the wet pet food in an amount effective to enhance the palatability of the pet food; and incorporating at least one of the compound combinations listed in Table 1 in the ratios listed in Table 10.

[0056]

[0056] In some embodiments, the method of the present invention includes a step of producing wet food as a chunk-in-gravy composition. The step of incorporating a precursor or raw material into wet food, which provides a palatability enhancer, or at least one combination of a palatability enhancer and a compound from Table 10, in the ratios described in Table 10, may include at least one step selected from the group consisting of: (i) producing gravy by a process comprising adding the precursor or raw material or palatability enhancer and / or combination from Table 10 to one or more other raw materials of the gravy; (ii) producing gravy by a process comprising adding the precursor, palatability enhancer, or raw material and / or combination from Table 10 to one or more other raw materials of the gravy; and (iii) producing chunks by a process comprising adding the precursor, palatability enhancer, raw material and / or combination from Table 10 to one or more other raw materials of the chunks. In some embodiments, the method of the present invention includes the step of producing a wet food as a loaf composition by preferably incorporating both a precursor, a palatability enhancer, a raw material, and / or a combination from Table 10 into the loaf composition. In preferred embodiments, the palatability enhancer and the compound combination are formed during production from a precursor or from a raw material containing a palatability enhancer.

[0057]

[0057] In some embodiments, the method of the present invention includes the wet food being formulated for administration to a cat, preferably for complete nutrition of the cat, and may be, for example, a complete and balanced pet food.

[0058]

[0058] Another embodiment is a method for providing nutrition to a pet, comprising the step of administering to the pet a wet food prepared by any of the methods disclosed herein. The pet is preferably a cat. The pet may have renal failure or be at risk of renal failure, and the wet food may be free of or substantially free of added phosphates or polyphosphates, such as diphosphates, for example trisodium diphosphate. [Examples]

[0059]

[0059] The following non-limiting examples further support the compositions and methods disclosed herein. "GiG" means chunks having the appearance of grilled meat and made by one or more methods disclosed in U.S. Patents 10,993,445 and 10,470,470, which are incorporated herein by reference in whole, including the commercial product FANCY FTEAST®. "CiG" means real meat chunks that do not contain artificial additives (except vitamins and minerals). "Loaf" means mousse products. "HsCC" means terrine products.

[0060] Example 1

[0060] Various commercially available products were analyzed to identify volatile compounds (volatile command) that positively or negatively affect palatability. Tables 1 and 2 show the concentrations in ppm (mg / L) of volatile compounds found in various commercially available CiG or GiG pet foods, measured using the external standard method by GC / MS.

[0061] [Table 1]

[0062] [Table 2]

[0063]

[0061] Furthermore, as shown in Tables 3 to 9, various ratios between each palatability-enhancing volatile substance and each palatability-decreasing volatile substance were calculated.

[0064] [Table 3]

[0065] [Table 4]

[0066] [Table 5]

[0067] [Table 6]

[0068] [Table 7]

[0069] [Table 8]

[0070] [Table 9]

[0071]

[0062] As shown in Table 10, various ratio combinations of the above compounds were found that resulted in pet food with enhanced palatability, which had not been previously known.

[0072] [Table 10-1]

[0073] [Table 10-2]

[0074]

[0063] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the currently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter and without impairing the intended advantages. Accordingly, such changes and modifications are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pet food composition comprising a palatability enhancer selected from the group consisting of dimethyl sulfide, isoamyl alcohol, 2-methyloxolan-3-one, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, and combinations thereof, wherein the composition contains at least one of the compound combinations provided in Table 10 in the ratio provided in Table 10. Table 1-1 Table 1-2

2. The pet food according to claim 1, wherein the pet food composition further comprises protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber.

3. The pet food composition according to claim 1, wherein the pet food composition is formulated for cats.

4. The pet food composition according to claim 1, wherein the pet food composition is wet cat food.

5. The pet food composition according to claim 4, wherein the wet cat food is a mousse composition or a loaf composition.

6. The pet food composition according to claim 4, wherein the wet cat food comprises gravy.

7. The pet food composition according to claim 4, wherein the wet cat food is a chunk-in-gravy composition.

8. The pet food composition according to claim 1, wherein the pet food has at least two combinations of ratios provided in Table 10.

9. A method for preparing a pet food composition, wherein the method is A step of incorporating a precursor of a palatability enhancer, a raw material containing the palatability enhancer, or the palatability enhancer into pet food, wherein the palatability enhancer is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl sulfide, isoamyl alcohol, 2-methyloxolan-3-one, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, and combinations thereof. A step of incorporating the combination of compounds provided in Table 10 into the pet food in the ratios provided in Table 10, wherein the compounds are added as raw materials containing the compounds, formed from precursors added to the pet food, or added directly to the pet food. Includes, A method wherein the combination of the palatability enhancer and the compound is present in an amount effective in enhancing the palatability of the pet food composition.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pet food composition further comprises protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the combination of the palatability enhancer and the compound is formed during manufacturing.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pet food composition is wet cat food.

13. The method according to claim 13, wherein the wet cat food is a mousse composition or a loaf composition.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the wet cat food comprises gravy.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the wet cat food is a chunk-in-gravy composition.

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