A PET FOOD COMPOSITION AND PROCESS FOR ITS PREPARATION.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a pet food composition comprising red seaweed as a natural gelling agent with enhanced palatability. The compositions of the invention may be free of commonly used chemically treated gelling agents such as carrageenan, alginate, agar, and gellan gum.

Description

A PET FOOD COMPOSITION AND PROCESS FOR PREPARING IT 5 Background of the Invention Many commercially available pet food compositions that use hydrocolloid systems, e.g., jelly-in-knead cat food compositions, use gelling hydrocolloids such as kappa-carrageenan, alginate, agar, or gellan gum alone or in combination to achieve the desired jelly texture for both processing and palatability. However, consumers are increasingly concerned about the use of undesirable additives. Therefore, there is a need to develop natural ingredient alternatives to these hydrocolloid systems that impart similar or improved qualities in terms of product appearance, texture, and palatability. Currently, there are no solutions for reducing the amount of hydrocolloids without detrimental effects on product quality.These defects include the settling of pieces in the can, as well as inconsistencies in the amounts of gravy and 20 pieces when the can is filled. Nowadays, it's very common for pets to consume the same product throughout their lives. Therefore, such foods must be nutritionally complete and not cause any digestive problems. It is known that a significant amount of hydrocolloids in pet food produces detrimental effects on digestibility (e.g., low fecal scores). Additionally, existing pet food processing generally uses a two-stage can filling process, where the viscosity of the gravy must not exceed a specific value at the time of filling. The disadvantage of using the two-stage filling process industrially is that it can lead to inconsistencies in the amounts of gravy and kibble in each can. There is a clear need to develop technological solutions that allow the formulation of pet food products with lower amounts of hydrocolloids. Brief description of the figures Figure 1 shows various food compositions of red seaweed jelly pieces for cats according to the modalities of the present description with a kappa-carrageenan jelly recipe used as a reference. Description of the invention Definitions As used in this description and in the accompanying claims, the singular forms The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “a hydrocolloid thickener” or “the hydrocolloid thickener” includes two or more of those thickeners. The term “and / or” used in the context of “X and / or Y” should be interpreted as “X or Y” or “X and Y.” When used in this description, the terms “example” and “such as,” particularly when preceding a list of terms, are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered exhaustive or comprehensive. As used in this description, “approximately” is understood to refer to 10 numbers within a range of numerals, for example, the range of -10% to +10% of the reference number, -5% to +5% of the reference number, or in one aspect from -1% to +1% of the reference number and, in one specific aspect, from -0.1% to +0.1% of the reference number.Furthermore, it should be understood that all numerical ranges in this description include every whole number, whole or fraction, within the range. 15 These numerical ranges should also be interpreted as providing support for a claim directed to any number or subset of numbers in that range. For example, a description of 1 to 10 should be interpreted as supporting a range of 1 to 8, 3 to 7, 1 to 9, 3.6 to 4.6, 3.5 to 9.9, and so on. 20 All percentages expressed in this description refer to the % by total weight in the gravy, sheared gel gravy, pet food composition, or cat jelly chunk food composition, as specified in the description. The final composition includes water unless otherwise specified. The recipes in the examples illustrate how the person skilled in the art should understand the % by weight. 25When referring to pH, the values ​​correspond to the pH measured at 25 °C. with standard equipment. A “quantity” may be the total amount of the referenced component per ration of the composition or per distinct unit of the composition and / or may be the weight percent of the referenced component on a dry weight basis. In addition, a “quantity” includes zero; for example, reciting a quantity of a compound does not necessarily mean that the compound is present, unless it is followed by an interval that excludes zero. The terms “feed,” “food product,” and “feed composition” mean a product or composition intended for ingestion by an animal and providing at least one nutrient to the animal. In this sense, these terms also mean that the product or composition is in a ready-to-eat form and is not merely an intermediate from which a consumable product or composition is made, although other feed compositions may be added in some forms. The term “pet food” or “pet feed composition” means any feed composition intended for consumption by a pet. The term “pet” means any animal that could benefit from or enjoy the compositions described herein.For example, the pet could be a poultry, bovine, canine, equine, feline, caprine, wolf, murid, ovine, or porcine animal, although the pet could be any suitable animal. As such, the term “cat food composition” means any food composition intended for consumption by a cat. The term “complete and balanced” when referring to a food composition means a food composition that contains all known required nutrients in appropriate amounts and proportions based on the recommendations of The recognized authorities in the field of animal nutrition, and therefore, are capable of serving as a sole source of dietary intake to sustain life or promote production, without the addition of supplemental nutrient sources. Nutritionally balanced pet food and animal feed compositions are widely known and used in the field, e.g., complete and balanced feed compositions formulated according to the standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). The term “pet” means a dog or a cat. “Wet food” means a pet food that has a moisture content of approximately 50% to approximately 90%, and in one aspect, approximately 70% to approximately 90%.“Dry food” means a pet food that has a moisture content of less than approximately 20%, and in one aspect, less than approximately 15%, and in one specific aspect, less than approximately 10%. “Semi-moist food” means a pet food that has a moisture content of approximately 20% to approximately 50%, and in one aspect, from approximately 25% to approximately 35%. “Gravy” refers to a viscous liquid that becomes a jelly after heat treatment and cooling. The term “chunks in jelly,” as used herein, refers to a food product consisting of kibble mixed with a jelly. approximate ratio of 25 / 75 to approximately 60 / 40. Hydrocolloid system, as used in the present description, refers to gravy sauces, jellies, and other semi-solid compositions. The term “semisolid”, as used in the present description, refers to a material whose physical properties lie between those of a liquid and those of a solid. The term “jelly-in-kneaded cat food composition”, as used in the present description, refers to a cat food product composed of food pieces and mixed with a jelly in an approximate ratio of 25 / 75 to approximately 60 / 40. The term “mechanically altered seaweed,” as used herein, typically refers to ground seaweed, shredded seaweed, or cut seaweed. Preferably, the longest average maximum diameter of each piece of seaweed after grinding, shredding, or cutting is between 150 microns and 3 mm. The seaweed is washed with water, unlike carrageenan and / or semi-refined carrageenan, which are chemically modified, for example, by alkali treatment. Mechanically altered seaweed is not chemically modified. The term “potassium source” refers to any compound containing ionic potassium. In one modality, the potassium source is selected from the group consisting of potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, potassium carbonate, and mixtures thereof. The term “receptacle”, as used in this description, may refer to a can, a bag, or a tray. The term “plant protein source” refers to a protein derived from a plant, as it is technically known. In one modality, the plant protein source is selected from the group consisting of wheat gluten, pea protein, egg protein, soy protein, and mixtures thereof. In this definition, meat and meat products used as food scraps mean all fleshy parts of slaughtered warm-blooded animals, whether fresh or preserved through appropriate treatment, and all products and byproducts resulting from the processing of the bodies or body parts of warm-blooded animals. Meat means, in particular, the meat of chickens, rabbits, cattle, or sheep, as well as waste. Waste means lung lobes, livers, or kidneys. Meat products means meal obtained from the carcasses of the aforementioned animals. In this definition, fish and fish products are considered to fall within the definition of meat and meat products.Fish and fish products are understood to mean fish or parts of fish, whether fresh or preserved through appropriate treatment, as well as products derived from their processing. Salmon or sardines may be used as fish, and fishmeal may be used as a fish product. The forms described herein can be used interchangeably among products and processes. For example, a hydrocolloid thickener described in the The term "composition" may be used in the context of a process, e.g., a process for preparing a hydrocolloid system or for preparing a jelly chunk formulation, or in the context of a product, e.g., gravy, jelly chunks, or a hydrocolloid system. The compositions described herein may lack any element not specifically described herein. Therefore, a description of an embodiment using the term "comprising" includes a description of the embodiments "consisting essentially of" and "consisting of" the identified components. Similarly, the methods described herein may lack any step not specifically described herein. Therefore, a description of an embodiment using the term "comprising" includes a description of the embodiments "consisting essentially of" and "consisting of" the identified steps.Any embodiment described herein may be combined with any other embodiment described herein unless explicitly and directly stated otherwise. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms and any acronyms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by a person skilled in the art of the invention. Although any composition, method, article of manufacture, or other means or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used to carry out the present invention, the preferred compositions, methods, articles of manufacture, or other means or materials are described herein. All patents, patent applications, publications, and other references mentioned or referred to in this description are incorporated herein by reference to the extent permitted by law. The description of such references is intended merely to summarize the statements made therein. No admission is made that any such patents, patent applications, publications, or references, or any portion thereof, are prior material relevant to the present invention, and the right to challenge the accuracy and relevance of such patents, patent applications, publications, and other references is specifically reserved. Modalities In the present invention, the inventors have discovered the use of a natural gelling system that allows for one-step filling and the use of smaller quantities of hydrocolloids. Furthermore, the hydrocolloid systems described herein can be free of commonly used chemically treated gelling agents such as carrageenan, alginate, agar, and gellan gum. In this invention, the gelation of natural red seaweed can be induced during the pet food manufacturing process using hydrocolloid systems by adjusting key conditions (pH, temperature, and cation concentration). The insoluble fiber fraction of the red seaweed is generally left in the final product jelly.Although the contribution of insoluble fiber to gel firmness is less compared to traditional soluble carrageenan, the final jelly has an excellent texture, so the final product has better quality, appearance and palatability. During the pet food manufacturing process, the gravy containing red kelp may be mixed with the food pieces. At this stage, the viscosity is generally above a specific value (2000 mPa·s, 20 °C, 20 rpm, Brookfield RVT), preferably in the range of 2000 to 6000 mPa·s, so that the pieces can be suspended (without settling) and the cans can be consistently filled with the correct amounts of food pieces. With the present invention, the target viscosity, optimal can filling, and product quality can be achieved. This technology also offers the advantage of avoiding the use of processed kappa-carrageenan (milling, hot alkaline extraction, alcohol precipitation, drying, optional bleaching, and milling) in pet food compositions, including cat jelly-based lump food compositions. Instead, a mechanically altered red seaweed (preferably with a maximum average particle length of 5 mm) can be used by adjusting the processing conditions. The final product has properties similar to those of traditional hydrocolloid systems in terms of appearance and palatability. Furthermore, shear-gel gravy sauces derived from red seaweed can be successfully formed by applying a flow field to the seaweed solution during gelation. As a result, a suspension of microgelled particles can be formed with rheological properties significantly different from those of the original inactive gel. The shear-gel gravy exhibits flow behavior intermediate between that of a 'weak' and a 'strong' gel, with a clearly defined yield point and a viscosity that remains constant over time. It has now been demonstrated for the first time that shear-gel gravy sauce derived from seaweed can be formed during the manufacturing process of pet food compositions that include chunks in jellies.This allows for a significant reduction in the total amount of hydrocolloids (xanthan gum, locust bean gum) while maintaining optimal gel viscosity and firmness. This reduction in hydrocolloid content can improve the cat's stool consistency. Another advantage of using seaweed-sheared gel gravy for the manufacture of pet food compositions, including jelly-in-chunk food compositions for cats, is that the viscosity generally does not decrease over time, allowing for greater flexibility during industrial production. Accordingly, the invention generally relates to a process that uses red seaweed as a natural gelling agent for hydrocolloid systems used in pet food, e.g., jelly-in-knead cat food compositions, which can match or exceed the palatability of traditional hydrocolloid systems, such as non-natural hydrocolloid systems. Furthermore, such use can provide the additional benefit of using less hydrocolloid in pet food applications. For example, an additional cooling and shearing stage during the process can allow the total amount of hydrocolloids to be reduced by 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, or even as much as 60%. In particular, the invention relates to a process for preparing hydrocolloid systems comprising mixing mechanically altered seaweed and other ingredients in water to form the hydrocolloid system. Additionally, the present invention relates to a process for preparing a gravy, a pet food composition, including a jelly-like cat food composition, comprising mixing mechanically altered seaweed and other ingredients in water to produce a gravy and adding food pieces to produce a pet food composition. In one embodiment, a process for preparing a pet food composition, e.g., a jelly-chunk food composition for cats, may comprise mixing mechanically altered red seaweed, a potassium source, and hydrocolloid thickeners in water to produce a gravy, adjusting the pH of the gravy, optionally cooling until a gel forms and shearing to produce a sheared gel gravy, adding food chunks, heat-treating, and cooling to produce a jelly-chunk food composition for cats. In particular, the invention relates to a process for preparing a food composition of jelly pieces for cats comprising: mixing mechanically altered red seaweed, a source of potassium, and hydrocolloid thickeners in water to produce a gravy sauce, wherein the gravy sauce comprises 0.2 to 2% by weight of mechanically altered red seaweed; adjust the pH to 7 or higher; Optionally, cool until a gel forms; shear to produce a sheared gel gravy; add pieces of food; Fill a receptacle with the gravy gel, sheared and chopped food; Heat treat the receptacle to at least 75°C; and cool to produce a lump-like cat food composition. In one embodiment, the gravy may comprise 0.3 to 0.6% by weight of mechanically altered red seaweed. If the gravy comprises less than 0.2% by weight of mechanically altered red seaweed, then gel formation is unlikely. In one modality, the red marine algae is selected from the group consisting of Euchema Cottonii, Euchema Spinosum, Chondrus Crispus and mixtures of these. In one modality, the red marine algae is selected from Euchema Cottonii and Chondrus Crispus. In one form, the source of potassium is potassium chloride. In one embodiment, the gravy sauce comprises 0.1 to 2% by weight of potassium chloride, preferably approximately 0.17% by weight. In one embodiment, the hydrocolloid thickeners are selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, locust bean gum, cassia gum, microcrystalline cellulose, preferably selected from xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the hydrocolloid thickeners are selected from xanthan gum and locust bean gum. In one embodiment, the hydrocolloid system, pet food composition and / or jelly lump food composition for cats is free from gelling agents selected from the group consisting of gellan gum, kappa-, iota-carrageenan, alginate, agar, pectin and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the concentration of hydrocolloid thickeners is between 0.05 and 5% by weight in the gravy sauce, preferably approximately 1% by weight in the gravy sauce. In one form, the concentration of hydrocolloid thickeners is less than 0.5% by weight in the food composition of cat lumps and jelly. In one version, the pH of the gravy is adjusted to between 7 and 9. In one embodiment, an additional step may involve cooling to the gelling point of the seaweed followed by shearing after adjusting the pH of the gravy and before adding the food pieces to create a sheared gel gravy. In one embodiment, the viscosity of the gravy is greater than 2000 MPa.s (20 rpm, 20 °C, RVT Brookfield), so that when the food pieces are added, a stable suspension can be formed for single-stage filling. For example, in one aspect, approximately equal amounts of gravy and food pieces can be placed in each receptacle with an acceptable level of variation. In one version, the food pieces are meat, gluten, or any other source of plant protein and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the heat treatment of the receptacle is at a temperature greater than 80 °C for at least 1 minute, preferably at least 120 °C for 30-60 minutes. In one embodiment, the cooling and shearing stage comprises the steps of: adding water to reduce the temperature to the gelling point of the seaweed (approximately 45-60 °C); and shearing the resulting gravy to or below the gelling point of the seaweed to form a stable sheared gel gravy with a viscosity greater than 2000 MPa.s (20 rpm, 20 °C, RVT Brookfield), thus enabling a 1-stage filling process. In one version, the gravy is mixed with the food pieces in an approximate 50:50 ratio. The invention further relates to a food composition of jelly pieces for cats made by a process as described above in this description. Additionally, the invention relates to a hydrocolloid system comprising mixing mechanically altered seaweed and other ingredients in water to form the hydrocolloid system. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a gravy and a pet food composition, including a jelly-based chunk food composition for cats, wherein the composition comprises 0.1 to 1% by weight of mechanically altered red seaweed, a potassium source, hydrocolloid thickeners, and chunk food, and wherein the composition is at a pH of 7 or higher. In one form, the food composition of jelly pieces for cats comprises 0.15 to 0.3% by weight of a red marine algae. In one form, the pH of the food composition of jelly pieces for cats is between 7 and 9. In one form, the source of potassium is potassium chloride. In one embodiment, potassium chloride is present in an amount of 0.05 to 1% by weight in the food composition of cat lumps and jelly, preferably at approximately 0.085% by weight. In one embodiment, the hydrocolloid thickeners are selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, locust bean gum, cassia gum, microcrystalline cellulose, preferably selected from xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the hydrocolloid thickeners are selected from xanthan gum and locust bean gum. In one embodiment, the hydrocolloid system and / or pet food composition, which includes a jelly-chunk cat food composition, is free from gelling agents selected from the group consisting of gellan gum, kappacarrageenan, iota-carrageenan, alginate, agar, pectin and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the concentration of hydrocolloid thickeners is between 0.025 and 2.5% by weight in the composition, preferably approximately 0.5% by weight. In one embodiment, the concentration of hydrocolloid thickeners is less than 0.25% by weight in the pet food composition, e.g., a jelly-in-piece cat food composition. In one form, the food pieces are meat, gluten, or any other source of plant protein and combinations thereof. Examples Example 1: Physical properties of seaweed The physical properties of seaweed, such as gelation, were compared. Temperature sweep cycles were performed on a rheometer to determine the gelation temperature of the various hydrocolloid systems considered. The gelation performance of the marine algae Eucheuma cottonii and Chondrus crispus was compared with that of semi-refined kappa-carrageenan to understand the gelation kinetics (mechanical spectra obtained from the gel structures). Promising results were obtained for the gel structure formed from the marine algae E. Cottonii, especially in the presence of potassium chloride ions. Table 1 pH = 7 and 0.15 % KCI 0.3 % guar gum pH = 8.5 and 0.15 % KCI 0.3% guar gum and 0.4 % K2CO3 Kappa-carrageenan semi-refined 38 °C 50 °C Eucheuma Cottonii 35 °C 48 °C Chondrus Crispus 28 °C 40 °C These gelation temperatures were obtained by studying the jelly in water without a retort. For the pieces processed / retorted in jelly, the results should show the same trend. Promising results were obtained for the gel structure formed by the marine algae E. Cottonii, in the presence of potassium chloride and potassium carbonate. Two tests were performed. The first was conducted at pH 7 with 0.15% KCl and 0.3% guar gum. The second was conducted at pH 8.5 with 0.15% KCl, 0.3% guar gum, and 0.4% K2CO3. It was observed that E. cottonii and semi-refined kappa-carrageenan have a similar gelation temperature. There is a significant difference in gelation temperature between E. cottonii and C. crispus. With KCl and a pH of 7, the gelation temperature is approximately 38 °C for kappa, 35 °C for E. cottonii, and [missing information - likely a typo] °C for C. crispus. There is a significant difference between E. cottonii and C. crispus regarding viscosity and gelation temperature. With K2CO3 and a pH of 8.5, the gelation temperature is approximately 50 °C for kappa, 48 °C for E. cottonii, and 40 °C for C. crispus. Example 2: Recipes for raw cat food compositions used for raw cat food. Jelly recipes for the different food compositions of jelly chunks for cats are shown in Table 2 below (in % by weight of jelly). The same species of red marine algae (Chondrus Crispus) was used from a commercially available source (available from NUWEN BY SETALG - AGROALIMENTAIRE, Presqu'ile De Pen Lan, 22610 Pleubian, FRANCE) with different particle sizes. Table 2 REF. (% by weight) T.1 (% by weight) T.2 (% by weight) T.3 (% by weight) T.4 (% by weight) T.5 (% by weight) Gums (thickeners) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Potassium carbonate 0.200 0.200 0.200 0.400 0.400 Kappa-carrageenan gum 0.300 Seaweed Chondrus Crispus D90 <150 microns 0.300 0.300 0.900 Seaweed Chondrus Crispus D90 < 2000 microns 0.300 Seaweed Chondrus Crispus 0.5-2 cm 0.300 Potassium chloride 0.170 0.170 0.170 0.170 0.170 0.170 Flavoring agents 2.36 2.36 2.36 2.36 2.36 2.36 Water 96.17 95.97 95.97 95.97 95.77 95.47 Example 3: Production process for raw food compositions for cats with red seaweed The red seaweed Chondrus crispus was dry-mixed with the other powders (potassium carbonate, potassium chloride, thickeners, and flavoring agents) in the quantities listed in the table above. The dry mixture was added to a B22 dispersion tank (Karl Schnell) and mixed at 3000 rpm at room temperature until the salts and thickeners were completely solubilized. At this point, the red seaweed dispersed in the aqueous phase. The dispersion, containing the seaweed as well as the solubilized salts and gums, was then mixed with pieces of meat and transferred to cans using a one-stage process. The cans were then sealed and retort-treated in a sterilization stage (120 °C for at least 30 minutes). The final compositions of cat food chunks in jelly are shown in Figure 1. It can be observed that the compositions retained their optimal shape. The chunks were evenly distributed in the jelly. Compositions T1–T5 were as good as the reference. Example 4: Gel rigidity of the food composition of cat food chunks in a flake with red seaweed A Rheo TA XT2 texture analyzer was used to measure the hardness characteristics of the jellies made with the recipes in Table 2. The jelly comprised all the ingredients mentioned in Example 2, except for the pieces of food gluten. The food composition of cat lumps was heated into jelly. The resulting gravy was separated from the gluten lumps by sieving through a 1 mm sieve. Gelation was induced by cooling, and the hardness of the resulting jellies was measured by penetrometry at room temperature using a 12 mm diameter cylindrical probe, a speed of 0.5 mm / s, and a penetration depth of 10 mm. Five replicate measurements were performed, and the penetration depth at 4 mm was recorded. Table 3 shows the maximum strength and gel rigidity for different pieces in jelly recipes. By varying the amount of seaweed and the salt levels in recipes 2 to 6, different texture levels were achieved. Table 3 Product Recipes Average Max. Force in g Average Stiffness / Slope g / mm Reference 158.06 28.30 T.1 18.87 1.75 T.2 14.67 1.61 T.3 16.21 1.58 T.4 12.76 1.32 T.5 34.08 5.23 Example 5: Palatability results for cats of raw food compositions for cats with red seaweed Product performance was measured through a technical evaluation of palatability. This included quantitatively measuring cat food preference in a controlled environment using validated pet sensory panelists. The comparative test used was a paired two-cup palatability test, in which preference between two foods offered simultaneously was measured by quantifying the amount consumed of each. The primary dependent measure was the mean percentage consumed for each food, and significance was set at a p-value < .05. Surprisingly, despite the differences in gel firmness, the cats did not distinguish between the reference product and the seaweed trials, as shown in Table 4 below, no significant differences were found. Table 4 Consumption by cats P-values ​​K-carrageenan Test 53.9 46.1 T.1 0.43 NS - not significantly different 49.4 50.6 T.2 0.917 NS - not significantly different 48.8 51.2 T.3 0.836 NS - not significantly different 59.3 40.7 T.4 0.122 NS - not significantly different different 60.7 39.3 T.5 0.176 NS - not significantly different Example 6: Food compositions of raw cat food with gravy sauce made from sheared red seaweed gel Recipes for the different pieces in jelly with seaweed composition in % by weight. The same species of red seaweed (Chondrus Crispus) was used from a commercially available source (available from NUWEN BY SETALG - AGROALIMENTAIRE, Presqu'ile De Pen Lan, 22610 Pleubian, FRANCE). Table 5 REF. (% by weight) T.1 (% by weight) T.2 (% by weight) Gums (thickeners and stabilizing agents) 1.00 Xanthan gum 0.250 0.250 Locust bean gum 0.250 0.250 Potassium carbonate 0.200 0.200 Kappa-carrageenan gum 0.300 0.300 Chondrus crispus seaweed D90 < 2000 microns 0.300 Potassium chloride 0.170 0.170 0.170 Flavoring agents 2.36 2.36 2.36 Water 96.17 96.37 96.37 Viscosity (mPa.s) 3300 3500 3600 The process used to prepare the reference gravy sauce is the same as in Example 2. The process for preparing gravy sauces T1 and T2 was as follows: Mix the red seaweed, potassium chloride and gums at 80°C in 50% water (approximately 100 liters of water in a dispersion tank); adjust the pH to 8.5 with potassium carbonate; Add the remaining 50% of water (cold 15°C) until a gel forms (approximately 45°C); reduce the temperature from 80 °C to 50 °C; Shear the resulting gravy for 10 minutes (3000 rpm) in a Ystral mixer until a sheared gel gravy is formed, with a final viscosity of 4000 MPa.s (20 rpm, 40 °C, RVT Brookfield); mix the gravy gel with the chopped pieces; Perform a 1-stage filling at 20°C; and heat treatment at 130°C. The advantage of using the sheared gel gravy approach includes a significant reduction in the total amount of added hydrocolloids used; from 1.3% to 0.5%. This reduction in the total amount of hydrocolloids is expected to improve the cat's fecal consistency. Another advantage of using the sheared gel gravy approach is that the viscosity remains constant at room temperature over time, whereas a reduction in viscosity is typically shown when only thickeners such as guar gum and xanthan gum are used. Example 7: Tests for the diostability of pieces in a random product Fecal consistency (FC) in vivo (cat and dog) was tested on the sample of jelly products. The fecal consistency of the seaweed products was similar to or greater than the standards with semi-refined kappa-carrageenan. Fecal consistency is better with lower amounts of xanthan gum and carob for C. crispus jelly. The use of fluid gel technology improves fecal consistency (from 72% to 89%) for E. cottonii.5 Studies of the impact of total hydrocolloid (HC) content on fecal consistency (FC) show that FC is better with a lower amount of HC. With the same level of total hydrocolloids, the same results of good fecal consistency are obtained with kappa and seaweed. When the amount of hydrocolloids is reduced and fluid gel technology is used, better fecal consistency results are obtained for all 10 seaweeds compared to the standard. In conclusion, when comparing acceptable fecal scores among the three hydrocolloid systems tested, the fecal score clearly improves when seaweed is used in the jelly with fluid gel technology and the total HC content is reduced.The 15th reason for this improvement may be the significantly lower percentage of hydrocolloid used (approximately 50% less) when using the fluid gel compared to the classic jelly.

Claims

1. A process for preparing a hydrocolloid system for pet food comprising mixing mechanically altered red seaweed and hydrocolloid thickeners in water.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising adding a source of potassium to produce a gravy sauce, characterized in that the gravy sauce comprises from 0.2 to 2% by weight of mechanically altered red seaweed.

3. The process of claim 2, characterized in that the gravy sauce comprises 0.3 to 0.6% by weight of mechanically altered red seaweed.

4. The process of any claim 2 to 3, characterized in that the gravy comprises from 0.1 to 2% by weight of the potassium source, preferably approximately 0.17% by weight.

5. The process of any claim 2 to 4, further comprising adjusting the pH of the gravy, optionally cooling until a gel forms, and shearing to produce a sheared gel gravy.

6. The process of any claim 2 to 5, characterized in that the source of potassium is potassium chloride.

7. The process of any claim 2 to 6, characterized in that the concentration of the hydrocolloid thickeners is between 0.05 and 5% by weight in the gravy, preferably approximately 1% by weight in the gravy.

8. The process of any claim 2 to 7, characterized in that the pH of the gravy is adjusted between 7 and 9.

9. The process of any claim 2 to 8, characterized in that the viscosity of the gravy sauce is greater than 2000 MPa.s., preferably between 2000 and 6000 MPa.s.

10. The process of claims 1 to 9, further comprising adding food pieces and heat treatment to form a pet food composition.

11. The process of claim 10, characterized in that the pet food composition is a jelly-in-piece cat food composition.

12. The process of any claim 10 to 11, characterized in that the food pieces are selected from the group consisting of meat, gluten, a vegetable source, and mixtures thereof.

13. The process of any claim 10 to 12, characterized in that the heat treatment is at a temperature greater than 80 °C for at least 1 minute, preferably at least 120 °C for 30-60 minutes.

14. The process of any preceding claim, characterized in that the red algae are selected from Euchema Cottonii, Euchema Spinosum and Chondrus Crispus.

15. The process of any preceding claim, characterized in that the hydrocolloid thickeners are selected from xanthan gum and locust bean gum.

16. The process of any preceding claim, characterized in that the hydrocolloid system is free of gelling agents selected from the group consisting of gellan gum, kappa-carrageenan, iota-carrageenan, alginate, agar, pectin, and mixtures thereof.

17. A hydrocolloid system comprising mechanically altered red marine algae and hydrocolloid thickeners.

18. The hydrocolloid system of claim 17, characterized in that the red marine algae are selected from Euchema Cottonii, Euchema Spinosum and Chondrus Crispus.

19. The hydrocolloid system of any claim 17 to 18, characterized in that the hydrocolloid thickeners are selected from xanthan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, locust bean gum, cassia gum, microcrystalline cellulose, preferably selected from xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum.

20. The hydrocolloid system of any claim 17 to 19, characterized in that the hydrocolloid system is free of the gelling agents selected from gellan gum, kappa-, lambda-, iota-carrageenan, alginate, agar and / or pectin.

21. The hydrocolloid system of any claim 17 to 20, characterized in that the red marine algae is present in an amount of 0.05% by weight to 5% by weight.

22. The hydrocolloid system of any claim 17 to 21, characterized in that the hydrocolloid thickeners are present in an amount of 0.05% by weight to 2% by weight.

23. A pet food composition comprising the hydrocolloid system of claims 17 to 22.

24. The pet food composition of claim 23, characterized in that the pet food composition is a jelly-chunk cat food composition.

25. The pet food composition of any claim 23 to 24, the composition comprising 0.1 to 1% by weight of mechanically altered red seaweed, a source of potassium, hydrocolloid thickeners, food pieces, and wherein the composition is at a pH of 7 or higher.

26. The pet food composition of any claim 23 to 25, the composition comprising 0.15 to 0.3% by weight of a red marine algae.

27. The pet food composition of any claim 23 to 26, characterized in that the pH of the composition is between 7 and 9.

28. The pet food composition of any claim 23 to 27, characterized in that the source of potassium is potassium chloride.

29. The pet food composition of any claim 23 to 28, characterized in that potassium chloride is present in an amount of 0.05 to 1% by weight, preferably approximately 0.085% by weight. 5 30. The pet food composition of any claim 23 to 29, characterized in that the pet food composition is free from the gelling agents selected from gellan gum, kappa-, lambda-, iota-carrageenan, alginate, agar and / or pectin. 10 31. The pet food composition of any claim 23 to 30, characterized in that the concentration of the hydrocolloid thickeners is between 0.025 and 2.5% by weight in the composition, preferably approximately 0.5% by weight.

32. The pet food composition of any claim 23 to 31, 15 characterized in that the food pieces are meat, gluten or any other source of vegetable protein and combinations thereof.