Hybrid Human Pet Snack Formulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current food products for humans and pets are separate and incompatible, with human food potentially toxic or unappealing to pets due to ingredients like artificial sweeteners, nuts, and grapes, making it difficult for owners to share safe and tasty snacks.
Innovation Solution
Development of hybrid food products optimized for both human and pet consumption, with ingredients, nutrition values, and recipes designed to be safe and appealing for both, following strict Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines, and marketed as snacks or treats that can be shared between people and pets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human food ingredients are used, then the food is tasty and safe for human consumption, but it may be toxic or unappealing to pets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes harmful ingredients from the food composition. Specifically, it excludes artificial sweeteners (xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol), nuts, grapes, and other ingredients that are toxic or unappealing to pets, while maintaining human-safe ingredients. This selective extraction resolves the contradiction by eliminating the harmful factors that would otherwise be present in human food.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different ingredient specifications for different consumer groups within the same product. The food contains ingredients that are safe and appealing for both humans and pets, with specific attention to pet-safe alternatives (e.g., pet-safe sweeteners instead of artificial ones, pet-safe fruits instead of grapes). This localized adaptation of ingredient quality resolves the safety-toxicity contradiction.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If pet food ingredients are used, then the food is safe and appealing to pets, but it is not suitable for human consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a single food product that serves multiple functions: it is safe and appealing for both human consumption and pet consumption. The ingredient selection, nutrition values, and manufacturing practices are designed to meet both human and pet safety standards simultaneously. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the food suitable for both consumer groups without requiring separate products.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the nutritional parameters of the food to satisfy both human and pet dietary requirements. It adjusts protein content, fat content, carbohydrate content, and micronutrient levels to create a balanced composition that meets human nutritional guidelines while also being appropriate for pet consumption. This parameter optimization resolves the safety contradiction for dual consumption.
3Reliability
If separate production lines are used for human and pet food, then each food meets its specific safety standards, but it prevents sharing and increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the requirements for human food production and pet food production into a single unified production system. By creating a hybrid food product that meets both sets of safety standards, the invention eliminates the need for separate production lines. The manufacturing practices are designed to satisfy both human GMP guidelines and pet food safety regulations simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between regulatory compliance and production complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the production system universal by designing it to produce food that satisfies both human and pet safety requirements. The single production line is configured to meet dual standards, making the system multi-functional. This universality resolves the contradiction by allowing one production line to replace what would traditionally require two separate lines.
4Reliability
If human GMP guidelines are followed, then food safety for humans is ensured, but ingredients may still be harmful to pets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes ingredients that are harmful to pets from the human GMP-compliant ingredient list. Specifically, it excludes artificial sweeteners (xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol), nuts, grapes, and other pet-toxic ingredients while maintaining compliance with human food safety standards. This selective extraction resolves the contradiction by eliminating pet-harmful factors from otherwise human-safe food.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by adapting ingredient selection to account for different consumer needs within the same product. While maintaining human GMP compliance, it selectively chooses ingredients that are also safe for pets (e.g., using pet-safe sweeteners instead of artificial ones, selecting pet-safe fruits and vegetables). This localized ingredient quality adjustment resolves the safety-toxicity contradiction.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a food product for consumption by both people and pets, comprising: (a) manufacturing practices which support both a human and a pet consumption; (b) ingredients which support consumption by both a person and a pet; (c) nutrition values which support consumption by both a person and a pet; (e) a recipe which is appealing for both a person and a pet.

