JP2024073392A - Cat food granules and cat food - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide cat food granules that are excellent in transportability within the esophagus and have an excellent effect in preventing regurgitation, and cat food using the same. [Solution] A cat food granule having a bulk specific gravity of 430 g/L or less, a circularity of the cat food granule in both plan and side views of 0.78 to 0.96, and an average length of 5.5 mm to 9.0 mm. It is preferable that the bulk specific gravity is 335 g/L or more. It is also preferable that the hardness is within the range of 1 to 10 kgf. It is also preferable that the grains and fiber source material are contained in an amount such that the fiber source material is 3 parts by mass to 35 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the grains. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to cat food granules and cat food.

Various types of cat food granules are known in the art. Patent Document 1 describes that by setting the bulk density within a specified range, the effects of palatability and molding stability can be obtained. Patent Document 2 describes that cat food granules that have a specified arithmetic mean roughness and a hardness after immersion in hydrochloric acid that is equal to or less than a specified value are used to prevent regurgitation after eating.

International Publication No. 2013/129636 JP 2018-050541 A

However, conventional technologies either do not take into account transportability within the esophagus or are insufficiently effective at preventing regurgitation.

As a result of extensive research, the inventors discovered that by providing a specific shape and size with a bulk density equal to or less than a specific value, excellent transportability within the esophagus and excellent regurgitation prevention effects can be obtained, and thus came up with the present invention.

The present invention has a bulk density of 430 g/L or less,
The cat food granules have a circularity in plan view and a circularity in side view of 0.78 or more and 0.96 or less,
The present invention provides cat food granules having an average length of 5.5 mm or more and 9.0 mm or less.

The present invention also provides a method for producing cat food granules, comprising:
A pre-conditioner for mixing cat food ingredients;
A manufacturing device is used that includes an extruder that heats and kneads the cat food raw materials mixed in a preconditioner and discharges the kneaded mixture, a die plate that is provided on the discharge port side of the extruder and discharges the kneaded mixture, and a cutting device that cuts the discharged kneaded mixture in the vicinity of the discharge port of the die plate,
The die plate has a flow path that communicates an opening formed on the extruder side with an opening formed on the cutting device side, and the flow path is circular when viewed from the cutting device side,
a ratio (R1/R2) of a minimum inner diameter R1 of the flow path in the die plate to a length R2 of a minimum inner diameter portion of the flow path of the kneaded material in the die plate is 0.55 to 8.4;
The minimum inner diameter R1 of the flow path in the die plate is 3.5 to 5.0 mm,
The present invention provides a method for producing cat food granules, which includes a step of adding steam to the kneaded material in a preconditioner and/or extruder so that the steam-added material is 4% by mass or more, discharging the kneaded material to which steam has been added from a die plate to expand it, and cutting the kneaded material before it expands and shrinks.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide cat food granules that have excellent transportability in the esophagus and excellent regurgitation prevention effects, and cat food using the same. Furthermore, the manufacturing method of the present invention can successfully manufacture cat food granules that have excellent transportability in the esophagus and excellent regurgitation prevention effects in an industrially advantageous manner.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing an example of an extruder and a die plate. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing the minimum inner diameter portion in FIG. FIG. 3 shows images taken during Esophageal Transit Study 2.

The present invention will now be described based on its preferred embodiments.
Patent Document 2 focuses solely on the disintegration property due to immersion in hydrochloric acid in the stomach, but the present inventor focused on the poor movement of solid objects in the esophagus in cats. It is known that cats are more likely to vomit than humans because they do not chew food and their esophagus is horizontal. In addition, cats have poorer esophageal movement than dogs, which makes it easier for cat food granules to remain in the esophagus. When cat food granules remain in the esophagus, there are problems such as the tendency for regurgitation to occur, esophageal stenosis, esophageal obstruction, aspiration, etc. to occur. The present inventor's research has revealed that the retention property in the esophagus can be excellently improved by giving the cat food granules a specified shape and size. In addition, it has been found that in this configuration, regurgitation can be effectively prevented by setting the bulk density to a specified value or less.
Thus, the cat food granules of the present invention have excellent transportability within the esophagus, can effectively suppress esophageal stenosis, esophageal obstruction, and aspiration, and can effectively prevent regurgitation.
As shown in the examples described below, the cat food granules of the present disclosure not only have a short time from when they are swallowed until they reach the stomach (esophageal residence time), but also a short time from when they reach the stomach until they are completely filled into the stomach, demonstrating excellent esophageal transportability.
As used herein, regurgitation refers to the act of expelling food when cat food particles become stuck in the esophagus and are expelled before they can enter the stomach, or immediately after they have entered the stomach.

<Circularity>
The cat food granules of the present invention have a circularity of 0.78 or more and 0.96 or less when viewed from the top and side. The cat food granules of the present invention have excellent esophageal transportability because the circularity of each of the cat food granules in the top and side views is 0.78 or more. From this viewpoint, the circularity of each of the cat food granules in the top and side views is 0.78 or more, preferably 0.81 or more, and it is particularly preferable that at least one of the circularities of the top and side views is 0.84 or more. In addition, the cat food granules of the present invention have a circularity of 0.96 or less when viewed from the top and side, which is advantageous in that the cat food of the present invention is easy to eat. From this viewpoint, the circularity of each of the cat food granules in the top and side views is preferably 0.95 or less, more preferably 0.93 or less, and particularly preferably 0.90 or less.
The circularity is a value calculated by the following formula.
Circularity=4πS/L ² (where S is the area and L is the circumference).

The cat food granules of the present invention are not completely spherical, and the plan view shape and side view shape do not have to be completely the same. The circularity only needs to be the degree when the cat food granules are placed on a horizontal surface in the most stable state. For example, when the cat food granules are expanded columnar raw material granules (hereinafter also simply referred to as "expanded granules"), the most stable state is usually when the surface corresponding to the bottom surface of the columnar raw material granules faces downward. Therefore, when the cat food granules are expanded granules, the circularity in the plan view and side view is preferably measured by measuring the circularity in the plan view and side view when the columnar raw material granules are placed on a horizontal surface with the surface corresponding to the bottom surface facing downward (hereinafter also referred to as "vertical placement").
The expanded granules are obtained, for example, by extruding cat food ingredients through holes of a specific shape to expand them, with the extrusion direction being approximately parallel to the central axis direction of the columnar raw material granules.

When the cat food granules are expanded granules, from the viewpoint of further improving transportability in the esophagus, the ratio A/B of circularity A to circularity B, where A is the circularity in a plan view and B is the circularity in a side view, is preferably 0.85 or more, more preferably 0.90 or more, and particularly preferably 1.00 or more. From the viewpoints of ease of eating the cat food granules and ease of manufacture, it is preferable that A/B is 1.10 or less.

Circularity can be measured, for example, using image-J for images taken with a digital camera, and is taken as the average value of 80 to 120 particles. Images taken with a digital camera should have a resolution of 1,000,000 dpi or higher, and images in which a single particle occupies 1.0% or more of the area of the image should be selected. The image-J settings are as follows: Threshold setting: Lower: 0, Upper: 80-250, Size setting in AnalyzeParticles: 0.3-Infinity, and Circularity is measured.

Cat food granules having the above circularity can be produced by adjusting the ratio of the flow path length to the hole diameter of the die plate in the preferred cat food granule production method described below, adjusting the composition of the raw materials, and adjusting the amount of steam or water added to the raw materials in the extruder.

<Average length>
The cat food granules of the present invention have an average length L, specifically, an average value of the major axis and the minor axis, of 5.5 mm or more and 9.0 mm or less. The major axis here refers to the length in the maximum length direction that crosses the image of the cat food granules when viewed in a plane (hereinafter also referred to as the "major axis"). The "minor axis" refers to the length in the direction perpendicular to the maximum length direction in the image of the cat food granules when viewed in a plane (hereinafter also referred to as the "minor axis"). The average length of the cat food granules is 5.5 mm or more, which can effectively reduce the residence time in the esophagus, and is more preferably 6.0 mm or more, and even more preferably 6.5 mm or more. The average length of the cat food granules of the present invention is 9.0 mm or less, which is preferable in terms of improving the cat's eating ability and avoiding esophageal obstruction in individuals with small physiques, and is more preferably 8.5 mm or less, and particularly preferably 8.0 mm or less. The average length is the average value of the major axis and the minor axis for 20 pieces.

The average length L of the cat food granules of the present invention may be the length when the cat food granules are placed on a horizontal surface so as to be in the most stable state, but if the cat food granules are expanded granules, the average length is measured when the cat food granules are placed upright and viewed in a plan view. A digital caliper is used to measure the average length. Examples of digital calipers include DIGIPA, PC-15JN, and Mitutoyo Corporation.

The cat food granules of the present invention preferably have a ratio (W/L) of thickness W to the average length L described above in a range of 80-113%, and more preferably in a range of 85-110%. Here, thickness W corresponds to the height of the cat food granule when it is placed on a horizontal surface when its average length is measured, and can be measured with a digital caliper in the same manner as the average length. The ratio (W/L) of thickness to average length is the average value of W/L determined for each of the 20 cat food granules.

<Bulk density>
The cat food granules of the present invention have the above-mentioned shape and size, and have a bulk density of 430 g/L or less, thereby obtaining a good regurgitation suppression effect. From this viewpoint, the bulk density is preferably 425 g/L or less, more preferably 420 g/L or less, and more preferably 415 g/L or less. The bulk density can be measured by the following measurement method. From the viewpoint of ease of production and the viewpoint of easily obtaining a better regurgitation suppression effect, the bulk density of the cat food granules is preferably 335 g/L or more, more preferably 340 g/L or more, even more preferably 350 g/L or more, and particularly preferably 360 g/L or more.

(Method of measuring bulk density)
The mass (W1) of a 1L measure is measured when it is empty. This 1L measure is used to scoop out a full scoop of cat food, and the mass (W2) of the measure and cat food combined is measured. The apparent specific gravity is calculated by subtracting the mass of the measure previously measured from this mass (W2-W1). The above measurement is carried out five times, and the average of the measurements is the bulk specific gravity (g/L) of the cat food granules.

Cat food granules having the above bulk density can be produced in a suitable cat food granule production method described below by adjusting the ratio between the length R2 (see FIG. 2) of the minimum inner diameter portion 3A in the flow path 3 and the minimum diameter (minimum inner diameter) R1 (see FIG. 2) of the hole (flow path 3) in the die plate, adjusting the composition of the raw materials, and adjusting the amount of steam applied in the preconditioner and/or extruder.

<Moisture content>
The cat food granules of the present invention preferably have a moisture content in the range of 1 to 10% by mass, more preferably in the range of 2 to 8% by mass, and particularly preferably in the range of 2 to 7% by mass. The moisture content in this range has the advantage of creating an environment in which bacteria are less likely to grow, thereby improving the shelf life of the cat food. The moisture content is a value obtained by near-infrared spectroscopy. Specifically, it is measured using a near-infrared spectrometer (laboratory near-infrared spectrometer DS2500 Solid Analyzer, Metrohm Japan Co., Ltd.). Specifically, the object to be measured is placed in a sample container dedicated to the near-infrared spectrometer so that the amount specified is satisfied. This is measured using the near-infrared spectrometer to determine the moisture content. The moisture content is the average value of five measurements.

<Hardness>
The hardness of the cat food granules of the present invention is preferably within the range of 1 to 10 kgf, more preferably within the range of 1.2 to 8 kgf, particularly preferably within the range of 1.5 to 8 kgf, even more preferably within the range of 2.0 to 6.5 kgf, and most preferably within the range of 2.5 to 5.0 kgf. A hardness within this range is preferable in terms of transportability through the esophagus, palatability, and reducing the burden on the cat when chewing.

The hardness (breaking hardness) of the food granules constituting the cat food is a value obtained by the following measurement method.
Using a universal tensile/compression tester (MKS precision force measuring instrument, model number: PL-100, Marubishi Scientific Machinery Works, Ltd.), the breaking stress when compressed at a constant compression speed is measured under the following conditions.
Plunger: cylindrical plunger with a diameter of 5.0 mm, platform: flat plate, compression speed: 50 mm/min, lowest point of plunger: 2.0 mm (gap between the flat plate and plunger).
Specifically, one food granule to be measured is placed on a flat plate, and the stress is measured while a plunger is pressed vertically from directly above the food granule at a constant speed. The peak value (maximum value) of the stress is read as the breaking stress value.
The hardness is determined as the average value of the measurements of 30 cat food pellets.

Cat food granules having the above hardness can be produced by adjusting the composition of the raw materials and the amount of steam applied to the raw materials in the extruder in a suitable method for producing cat food granules, which will be described later.

<Composition>
The cat food of the present invention may contain, for example, grains, processed meat products, oils and fats, fiber source materials, and the like.
Examples of cereals include flour and starch, soybean flour and its processed products, corn gluten meal, etc. Examples of flour include corn flour, wheat flour, whole wheat flour, rice flour, barley flour, oat flour, rye flour, etc. Examples of starch include wheat starch, corn starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, sweet potato starch, sago starch, and processed starches thereof. Examples of soybean flour and processed legume products include soybean flour, defatted soybean flour, etc.
In the cat food granules of the present invention, the mass ratio P1/P2 of the total amount P1 of the grain flour, starch, and corn gluten meal to the amount P2 of the bean flour and processed bean products is preferably 2.5 to 5.0, more preferably 2.5 to 4.0, and particularly preferably 3.0 to 4.0. By setting the mass ratio within this range, it is easy to achieve appropriate swelling in the suitable production method described below as a composition having a certain proportion of starch, which is preferable in that it is easy to improve esophageal transportability and it is easy to produce cat food granules with the above-mentioned bulk density and shape and size.

In the present invention, among the grains, flour or starch is preferably used in order to obtain swelling due to starch, and in particular, it is preferable to contain flour, and in particular, the inclusion of whole wheat flour is preferable in that it contains a certain proportion of starch while containing a relatively large amount of fiber, making it easier to achieve appropriate swelling in the preferred manufacturing method described below, which makes it easier to improve esophageal transportability, and is also preferable in that it is easy to manufacture cat food granules with the above-mentioned bulk density and shape and size, is advantageous in terms of health, and improves palatability. From these perspectives, when flour is used, it is preferable that the amount of flour contained in the cat food granules is 7 to 40% by mass, more preferably 7 to 32% by mass, even more preferably 12 to 28% by mass, and particularly preferably 15 to 25% by mass.

It is preferable that the grains constitute less than 53% by mass of the cat food granules, because in the preferred production method described below, the starch content is kept at a certain amount or less, which allows for moderate swelling, making it easier to improve esophageal transportability, and because it is easy to produce cat food granules with a bulk density in the above range and with the above shape and size. From this perspective, it is more preferable that the grains constitute less than 49% by mass of the cat food granules, even more preferable that it is less than 46% by mass, and most preferable that it is less than 43% by mass. It is preferable that the grains constitute more than 20% by mass of the cat food granules, and more preferably more than 25% by mass, because it is easy to produce cat food granules with a bulk density in the above range and with the above shape and size, and because it is highly palatable.

Examples of processed meat products include powdered fish, beef, chicken, and pork. In order to facilitate the production of the preferred form of cat food granules of the present disclosure, the processed meat product is preferably present in an amount of 15 to 40% by mass, and more preferably 20 to 32% by mass, of the cat food granules.

Examples of fats and oils include animal fats and oils such as beef tallow and fish oil, and vegetable fats and oils. The content of fats and oils other than the coating fat in the cat food granules is preferably 24% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 15% by mass or less. The amount of fats and oils other than the coating fat is preferably, for example, 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 0.8% by mass or more, even more preferably 1% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 3% by mass or more.

Fiber source raw materials include raw materials that contain a large amount of water-soluble or insoluble dietary fiber, for example, 60% by mass or more. Examples of water-soluble dietary fiber include pectin (water-soluble), sodium alginate, psyllium, resistant dextrin, resistant oligosaccharides, agarose, inulin, etc. Examples of insoluble dietary fiber include cellulose, hemicellulose, chitin, chitosan, etc. An example of a fiber source raw material that contains a large amount of water-soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber is beet pulp. Another example of a fiber source material is resistant oligosaccharides, but the amount of resistant oligosaccharides in the fiber source material is preferably 10% by mass or less.

The cat food granules of the present invention preferably contain a water-soluble dietary fiber source other than beet pulp, since this makes it easier to achieve both intestinal regulating effects and transportability in the esophagus. In particular, the use of at least one selected from psyllium and resistant dextrin is preferable from the viewpoint of improving digestive symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea, and it is particularly preferable to use a combination of psyllium and resistant dextrin.
In the cat food granules of the present invention, the total amount of psyllium and resistant dextrin is preferably 0.5 to 9% by mass, more preferably 1 to 6% by mass, and even more preferably 1.5 to 5% by mass, because the effect of using at least one selected from psyllium and resistant dextrin becomes even better when it is within the above range.

In consideration of intestinal regulation function and ease of gastric acid penetration, the cat food granules of the present invention preferably contain 3 parts by mass or more of fiber source material per 100 parts by mass of grain, and more preferably 10 parts by mass or more. In particular, it is even more preferable that the cat food granules of the present invention contain 16 parts by mass or more of fiber source material per 100 parts by mass of grain, because when a suitable manufacturing method described below is adopted, it is easy to obtain the above-mentioned shape and size while satisfying the above-mentioned bulk specific gravity, and it is easy to improve transportability in the esophagus, and it is even more preferable that it contains 18 parts by mass or more, and it is particularly preferable that it contains 20 parts by mass or more, and it may be 22 parts by mass or more. On the other hand, in terms of palatability, the cat food granules of the present invention preferably contain 35 parts by mass or less of fiber source material per 100 parts by mass of grain, and more preferably 33 parts by mass or less.

In the present invention, the amount of water-soluble dietary fiber is preferably 1 to 8% by mass in the dry matter of the cat food granules, and more preferably 2.5 to 6% by mass, because it is easy to obtain the above-mentioned shape and size while satisfying the above-mentioned bulk density and to further improve the balance between esophageal transportability and intestinal regulation. In the present invention, the amount of insoluble dietary fiber is preferably 4 to 20% by mass in the dry matter of the cat food granules, and more preferably 6 to 17% by mass, and particularly preferably 6 to 14% by mass, because it is easy to obtain the above-mentioned shape and size while satisfying the above-mentioned bulk density and to further improve the balance between esophageal transportability and intestinal regulation. Furthermore, the amount of dietary fiber in the dry matter is preferably 2 to 25% by mass, and more preferably 8 to 20% by mass. The amount in the dry matter referred to here means the amount calculated assuming that the moisture content is 0% by mass. The amount of dietary fiber is measured by the Prosky method. The amount of water-soluble dietary fiber is determined by the modified Prosky method. The amount of insoluble dietary fiber is determined by the modified Prosky method.

Furthermore, the cat food granules of the present invention can contain ingredients that are conventionally used in cat food, such as vitamins, minerals, seasonings, and amino acids, as appropriate.

Next, a preferred method for producing the cat food granules of the present invention will be described.
Explaining with reference to FIG. 1, this manufacturing method uses a manufacturing apparatus 1 including a preconditioner (not shown) that mixes cat food ingredients, an extruder 4 that heats and kneads the cat food ingredients that have been through the preconditioning process and discharges a kneaded mixture 10, a die plate 7 that is provided on the discharge port side of the extruder 4 and discharges the kneaded mixture 10, and a cutting device that cuts the discharged kneaded mixture 10 near the discharge port 7A of the die plate 7,
The die plate 7 is provided with a flow path 3 that communicates an opening formed on the extruder 4 side with an opening formed on the cutting device side, and the flow path is circular when viewed from the cutting device side,
The minimum inner diameter R1 of the flow path in the die plate is 3.5 to 5.0 mm,
the ratio (R1/R2) of the minimum inner diameter (minimum diameter) R1 of the hole (flow path 3) in the die plate 7 to the length R2 of the minimum inner diameter portion 3A in the flow path 3 of the die plate for the kneaded material is 0.55 to 8.4;
This method for producing pet food granules includes a step of adding 4% by mass or more of steam to a kneaded material 10 in a preconditioner and/or extruder 4, and discharging the kneaded material 10 to which steam has been added through a die plate 7 to expand it, and cutting it before it shrinks. The minimum inner diameter R1 of the flow path in the die plate is preferably 4 to 5 mm. R2 is preferably 2 mm to 7 mm, and particularly preferably 2 mm to 4.5 mm. By setting R2 within such a range, it becomes easier to obtain cat food granules that have a predetermined circularity and a predetermined average length.
Moreover, cutting before shrinkage is intended to exclude a mode in which cutting is performed after expansion is completely completed and shrinkage begins. In this method, cutting before or during expansion is preferable. Cutting before or during expansion can be achieved by cutting immediately after being discharged from the die plate. Such expansion and cutting steps make it easier to keep the circularity in plan view and the circularity in side view within a suitable range.
As shown in FIG. 1, the extruder 4 and the die plate 7 may be directly connected, or may be connected via an adapter or the like having a flow path that communicates with the inside of the extruder 4 and the flow path 3 of the die plate 7.
Although not shown, a cutter is provided near the outlet of the minimum inner diameter portion 3A to cut the kneaded material 10 to a predetermined length. Reference numeral 8 in Fig. 1 indicates the cutting position by the cutter. For example, a rotary blade is used as the cutter.

The holes (flow passages 3) of the die plate 7 are circular when viewed from the discharge port 7A side (not shown). In the side cross section of the device as shown in Figure 1, the holes of the die plate 7 are formed with the smallest diameter at the discharge port 7A (the opening formed on the extruder side), and have a portion on the discharge port 7A side where the smallest diameter holes are continuous for a certain length (length in the extrusion direction), and this portion is called the minimum inner diameter portion 3A (see Figure 2). The minimum inner diameter portion 3A is a cylindrical portion having a cross-sectional inner diameter equal to the diameter of the circular hole on the end face on the discharge side of the die plate 7. The cross-sectional inner diameter here refers to the diameter of the circular hole in the cross section perpendicular to the extrusion direction of the die plate 7. As shown in the side cross sections of the device as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the flow passages 3 have a tapered shape in which the hole diameter gradually widens as it moves toward the extruder 4 side from the minimum inner diameter portion 3A. When a cross section of the die plate along the extrusion direction (for example, a cross section including the central axis of rotation of the extruder 4) is viewed sideways with the extrusion direction oriented horizontally, the angle θ (see FIG. 2) between the top surface of the tapered portion 3B and the horizontal direction (the axial direction of the cylindrical portion constituting the minimum inner diameter portion 3A) is preferably 20° or more, and may be 30° or more.

This manufacturing method includes a preconditioner process in which a powder material and a liquid material are mixed in advance, and an extruder process in which the mixture mixed in the preconditioner process is extruded toward a die plate.
Here, examples of the liquid material include water and liquid oil, and the composition of the powder material can be appropriately selected from the raw materials of the cat food granules described above, except for the liquid material. The cat food raw material to be subjected to the preconditioner process can be similar to the composition listed as the preferred composition of the cat food granules described above. In other words, the preferred amounts of the grains, processed meat products, oils and fats (oils and fats other than the coating oils and fats), and fiber source materials in the cat food raw materials can be the same as the preferred amounts of the grains, processed meat products, oils and fats (oils and fats other than the coating oils and fats), and fiber source materials in the powder raw materials in the cat food described above. In addition, the amount ratios of the water-soluble dietary fiber, the insoluble dietary fiber, and the dietary fiber in the dry matter of the cat food granules can be similarly selected from the amounts listed as the preferred amounts in the cat food granules described above.

In the preconditioner step and/or extruder step, adding 4% by mass or more of steam to the kneaded product is preferable in terms of obtaining a bulk density of a predetermined value or less while obtaining a predetermined shape. With respect to the amount of steam, "with respect to the kneaded product" means based on the total of components other than water and steam in the mixture mixed in the preconditioner step. In other words, "adding 4% by mass or more of steam to the kneaded product in the preconditioner and/or extruder" specifically means "adding 4% by mass or more of steam to the kneaded product in the preconditioner and/or extruder with respect to the total of components other than water and steam in the mixture mixed in the preconditioner step."
The amount of steam added in the preconditioner step and/or extruder step is the amount added in that step when steam is added in only one of the two steps, and is the total amount added in both steps when steam is added in both steps. The temperature of the steam is preferably, for example, 120 to 140°C.

In the present manufacturing method, it is preferable to have a moisture addition step in which water and/or steam is added to prepare a raw material mixture in the preconditioner step (hereinafter also referred to as the "first moisture addition step"). In this case, the temperature of the water is usually 40 to 60°C. In order to more successfully obtain the desired shape, it is preferable to add 0 to 25 mass% of water and steam at the above temperature in total to the amount of the raw material mixture before the first moisture addition, and it is more preferable to add 10 to 25 mass%. Although not limited thereto, when both water and steam are added in the first moisture addition step, the mass ratio of water to steam is preferably 1 to 4:1, and more preferably 2 to 3.5:1. The amount of water and steam added at this stage is not included in the amount of water and steam added in the extruder.

Next, the obtained raw material mixture is supplied to the extruder 4 of the above-mentioned device, heated and pressurized, and then extruded from the outlet. In the extruder 4, the contents are preferably heated to 110 to 180°C while kneading the raw material mixture, and more preferably heated to 120 to 150°C. In the extruder 4, water and/or steam may be further added to the raw material mixture (second moisture addition step). The total amount of water and steam added here is preferably 0 to 15% by mass relative to the amount of the raw material mixture before the second moisture addition, because when the kneaded material is discharged from the outlet of the die plate 7, swelling occurs appropriately, and grains of a predetermined particle size, a predetermined bulk density, and a predetermined shape can be easily obtained. In the second moisture addition step, it is particularly preferable to add steam out of water and steam.
In addition, adding water and/or steam not only before feeding the raw material mixture into the extruder 4 but also inside the extruder 4 is preferable in that it increases the temperature of the raw material mixture and the filling rate of the raw material inside the extruder, thereby adding thermal energy and mechanical friction energy, making it easier to obtain the above-mentioned size, shape, and bulk density.
The amount of water added in the preconditioner step and/or extruder step is preferably 4.0% by mass or more, particularly preferably 4.0 to 15.0% by mass, based on the total amount of components other than the added water (water and steam) in the mixture mixed in the preconditioner step, as described above. The amount of water added is preferably within the range of 0.0 to 30.0% by mass in both steps, and particularly preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 17% by mass or more in both steps. The temperature of water referred to here is preferably 40 to 60° C. As described above, water and steam can be used in combination.

In this manner, in the present production method, the kneaded material to which water vapor has been added is discharged from the die plate 7 and cut to form food granules. The cutting is performed immediately on the discharged kneaded material, and the kneaded material expands all at once after cutting, resulting in cat food granules of the present invention having the above-mentioned shape, bulk density, and size. In this production method, the kneaded material discharged from the extruder 4 is discharged from the die plate 7 and cut, and at the same time expands to obtain the above-mentioned shape. In this production method, the above-mentioned shape is easily obtained by having a ratio (R1/R2) of the minimum diameter R1 of the holes in the die plate 7 to the length R2 of the minimum inner diameter portion 3A of the kneaded material in the flow path 3 of the die plate being 0.55 to 8.4.
By setting the extrusion pressure of the extruder to 1.5 to 3.0 MPa, cat food granules having the desired bulk density, size and shape can be more easily obtained by this production method.
The obtained expanded pellets are preferably appropriately dried and then appropriately coated with fats and oils, seasonings, taste ingredients, etc. The drying temperature is preferably a temperature at which the above-mentioned moisture content is obtained, for example, 100 to 110°C.

Cat food containing the cat food granules of the present invention will be described below. The cat food of the present invention preferably contains 50% by mass or more of the cat food granules of the present invention, more preferably contains 60% by mass or more, even more preferably contains 70% by mass or more, even more preferably contains 80% by mass or more, and particularly preferably contains 90% by mass or more, and may be composed of the cat food granules of the present invention.
The cat food of the present invention takes advantage of the effects of the cat food granules in improving esophageal transport and preventing regurgitation, thereby providing excellent regurgitation prevention and also contributing to the prevention of esophageal stenosis, reflux esophagitis, esophageal obstruction, and aspiration.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to such examples. Unless otherwise specified, "parts" means "parts by mass" and "%" means "% by mass".
Example 1
The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 was used. The diameter (minimum inner diameter) R1 of the circular hole of the die plate 7 was 4.2 mm, and the ratio of R1/R2 was 2.1. The expanded pellets were produced using the extruder 4. First, 40.6 parts of grains, 26.2 parts of processed meat products, 12.3 parts of fiber source material, 3.5 parts of oils and fats, and 6.6 parts of other components such as vitamins and minerals were mixed while being pulverized using a grinder as raw materials. During the mixing process, as the first moisture addition process, 17.8% by mass of water (50°C) and 5.4% by mass of steam (130°C) were added to the total amount of raw materials supplied to the extruder 4 (excluding the amount of water and steam added in the first moisture addition process). In this way, a raw material mixture was obtained. The obtained raw material mixture was put into the extruder 4, heated and pressurized at 120 to 150°C, and then discharged from the outlet 7A of the die plate 7. In the extruder 4, 1.0% by mass of steam (130°C) was added to the kneaded material. The kneaded material to which water and steam had been added was discharged from the discharge port 7A of the die plate 7 and cut to obtain expanded pellets. The extrusion pressure of the extruder was 2.0 MPa.

The resulting granules were dried at 100-110°C and then coated with fats and oils, seasonings and flavoring ingredients to obtain the cat food granules of Example 1. The resulting cat food granules have a mass ratio P1/P2 of the total amount P1 of flour, starch and corn gluten meal to the ratio P2 of the amount of bean flour and processed bean products of 3.0-4.0, the amount of flour is 15-25% by mass in the cat food granules, the flour includes whole grain flour, the amount of grains in the cat food granules is 25% by mass or more and less than 43% by mass, the amount of processed meat products in the cat food granules is 20-32% by mass, and the amount of fats and oils other than the coating fats and oils in the cat food granules is 3-1. 5% by mass, contains psyllium and resistant dextrin, the total amount of psyllium and resistant dextrin is 1.5-5% by mass in the cat food granules, the content of fiber source material is 22-33 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of grain, the amount of resistant oligosaccharides in the fiber source material is 10% by mass or less, and the dry matter of the cat food contains more than 2.5% by mass to 6% by mass of soluble dietary fiber, 6-14% by mass of insoluble dietary fiber, and 8-20% by mass of dietary fiber.

Comparative Example 1
In the above Example 1, the diameter (minimum inner diameter) R1 of the circular hole of the die plate was set to 5.8 mm. The ratio of R1/R2 was set to 1.14. Other than these points, the same procedure as in Example 1 was used to obtain cat food granules of Comparative Example 1 having a large particle size.

Comparative Example 2
In the above Example 1, the shape of the hole in the die plate was a cross-shaped hole, and the maximum length of the line segment crossing the cross hole shape was 8.8 mm (R'1). The ratio of R'1/R2 was 0.57. Other than that, the cat food granules of Comparative Example 2 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1.

Comparative Example 3
In the above Example 1, the diameter of the circular hole of the die plate (minimum inner diameter R1) was 5.0 mm. The ratio of R1/R2 was 0.53. Other than these points, the same procedure as in Example 1 was used to obtain cat food granules of Comparative Example 3 having a large particle size.

Comparative Example 4
In the above Example 1, the amount of water and steam added in the first moisture addition step was changed to 19.5% by mass of water (50°C) and 3.7% by mass of steam, and no steam was added in the second moisture addition step. Except for this, the cat food granules of Comparative Example 4 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1.

Example 2
In the above Example 1, the diameter (minimum inner diameter) R1 of the circular hole of the die plate 7 was 4.8 mm, and the ratio of R1/R2 was 0.96. Except for this, the cat food granules of Example 2 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1.

Example 3
In the above Example 2, the raw material composition was changed to 52.3 parts of grains, 15 parts of processed meat products, 13.8 parts of fiber source materials, 1.0 part of fats and oils, and 6.6 parts of other components such as vitamins and minerals. In addition, the amount of water and steam added in the first moisture addition step was changed to 16.0% by mass of water (50°C) and 4.9% by mass of steam. The cat food granules of Example 3 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 2 except for these points.
The obtained cat food granules have a mass ratio P1/P2 of the total amount P1 of grain flour, starch, and corn gluten meal to the ratio P2 of the amount of bean flour and processed bean products of 2.5 or more and less than 3.0, the amount of grain flour is 32 to 40 mass% in the cat food granules, the grain flour does not contain whole grain flour, the amount of grains in the cat food granules is 49 to 53 mass% in the cat food granules, the amount of processed meat products in the cat food granules is 15 to 20 mass%, and the amount of fats and oils other than coating fats and oils in the cat food granules is 0.8 to 10 mass%. The cat food contains psyllium and resistant dextrin at a total content of 0.5 to 1.5 mass% of the cat food granules, the fiber source material content is 22 to 33 mass% per 100 parts by mass of grain, the amount of resistant oligosaccharides in the fiber source material is 10 mass% or less, and the dry matter content of the cat food is 2.5 to 6 mass% water-soluble dietary fiber, 14 to 17 mass% insoluble dietary fiber, and 8 to 20 mass% dietary fiber.

Example 4
In Example 3, R1/R2 was set to 2.4. Other than these points, the cat food granules of Example 4 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 3.

The circularity, length and bulk density of the cat food granules of the Examples and Comparative Examples were measured and are shown in Table 1 below.
The circularity was measured in the most stable state, specifically, the circularity in a plan view and the circularity in a side view when the columnar raw material grains were placed in a stationary state with the surface corresponding to the top or bottom surface facing downward.

<Esophageal transport test 1 (time from swallowing to reaching the stomach)>
Three cats were used as test animals in each test group.

A barium sulfate solution (manufactured by Kaigen Pharma Co., Ltd.) containing 200 g of barium sulfate per 100 ml was applied to the cat food granules of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3.
The obtained barium-coated cat food pellets were coated with oils and fats and a palatability agent, and then fed to the individual. The state of eating for each individual was photographed using an X-ray fluoroscopy device, and the time from swallowing the cat food pellet until at least one pellet reached the stomach was measured. The average results for the three cats are shown in Table 2. Note that none of the three cats ate the cat food pellets of Comparative Example 1, so it was not possible to measure. One of the reasons for not ingesting them is thought to be that the average length of the pellets was too large for the cats to swallow them.

As shown in Table 2, by using a specific shape and size, it is possible to reduce the esophageal retention time. Reducing the esophageal retention time leads to the effect of preventing regurgitation.

<Esophageal transport test 2 (time from reaching the stomach to when the entire substance is completely filled)>
Five cats were used as test animals in each test group.
The subjects were fasted for 12 hours before the test.
5 g of the cat food granules of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 2 and 3 was coated with an aqueous barium sulfate solution (manufactured by Kaigenformer) containing 200 g of barium sulfate per 100 ml.
The obtained barium-coated cat food pellets were coated with oils and fats and a palatability agent, and then fed to the individual. The state of eating of each individual was photographed using an X-ray fluoroscopy diagnostic device, and the time from when the cat food pellets were swallowed once and the first pellet entered the stomach until all the pellets swallowed in one swallow were completely entered into the stomach was measured. The average number of pellets swallowed in one swallow was 5 to 6. In addition, images taken in this test using an X-ray fluoroscopy diagnostic device showing the state of (A) the cat food pellets being swallowed, (B) the state where the first pellet of the food pellets swallowed in one swallow reached the stomach, and (C) the state where all the food pellets swallowed in one swallow were completely entered into the stomach are shown in Figure 3. As mentioned above, five cats were used in each test group, but the number of test cats used for evaluation was 3 to 5, because cats that did not eat or cats whose esophagus was not well visualized by X-ray were excluded. The average results of two tests are shown in Table 3.

As shown in Tables 2 and 3, by setting the particle size, shape, and bulk density to a specified value or less, not only is the time from when it is swallowed until it reaches the stomach (esophageal residence time) short, but the time from when it reaches the stomach until it is completely filled into the stomach is also short, and it can be seen that excellent esophageal transport properties can be obtained.

<Vomiting Reduction Test 1>
For each test group, 42 cats (1-13 years old) were used as test animals. During the acclimation period, the cats were kept in an individual room, which was assigned to each individual, in the same environment as their daily living environment. The feeding method was constant feeding, so that the cats could eat at their own timing, and the feeding time was from 11:00 am to 9:00 am the next day. Each test food was given for two days. Specifically, the number of times that all test cats vomited from the start of feeding to 12:00 am the next day and the contents were recorded twice, and the total number of times of vomiting was calculated. At that time, the state of the vomit was confirmed, and the number of times that the shape of the cat food was left was evaluated as "regurgitation". The results are shown in Table 4. The total number of times of vomiting, including vomiting that did not leave a shape, was two in Example 1 and six in Comparative Example 4.

<Vomiting Reduction Test 2>
Twenty-four cats (2 to 15 years old) were used for each test group. Except for this, the reduction in vomiting was evaluated in the same manner as in <Vomiting Reduction Test 1>. The results are shown in Table 5.

As shown in Tables 4 and 5, by setting the bulk density to a predetermined value or less with the same specified particle size and shape, it is possible to actually prevent regurgitation.

1 Manufacturing device 3 Flow path 3A Minimum inner diameter portion 4 Extruder 7 Die plate

Claims (9)

The bulk density is 430 g/L or less,
The cat food granules have a circularity in plan view and a circularity in side view of 0.78 or more and 0.96 or less,
A cat food pellet having an average length of 5.5 mm or more and 9.0 mm or less. The cat food granules according to claim 1 or 2, having a bulk density of 335 g/L or more. The cat food granules according to claim 1 or 2, having a hardness within the range of 1 to 10 kgf. The cat food granules according to claim 1 or 2 contain grains and a fiber source material in an amount of 3 parts by mass or more and 35 parts by mass or less of the fiber source material per 100 parts by mass of grains. The cat food granules according to claim 1 or 2, which contain at least one fiber source selected from psyllium and indigestible dextrin. Cat food granules according to claim 1 or 2, having an oil and fat content of 24% by mass or less. The cat food granules according to claim 1 or 2, containing soluble dietary fiber in an amount of 1 to 8% by mass based on the dry matter of the cat food granules, and containing insoluble dietary fiber in an amount of 4 to 20% by mass based on the dry matter of the cat food granules. Cat food containing the cat food granules according to claim 1 or 2. A method for producing cat food granules, comprising:
A pre-conditioner for mixing cat food ingredients;
A manufacturing device is used that includes an extruder that heats and kneads the cat food raw materials mixed in a preconditioner and discharges the kneaded mixture, a die plate that is provided on the discharge port side of the extruder and discharges the kneaded mixture, and a cutting device that cuts the discharged kneaded mixture in the vicinity of the discharge port of the die plate,
The die plate has a flow path that communicates an opening formed on the extruder side with an opening formed on the cutting device side, and the flow path is circular when viewed from the cutting device side,
a ratio (R1/R2) of a minimum inner diameter R1 of the flow path in the die plate to a length R2 of a minimum inner diameter portion of the flow path of the kneaded material in the die plate is 0.55 to 8.4;
The minimum inner diameter R1 of the flow path in the die plate is 3.5 to 5.0 mm,
The method for producing cat food granules includes a step of adding steam to the kneaded material in a preconditioner and/or extruder so that the steam-added material is 4% by mass or more, and the kneaded material to which the steam has been added is discharged from a die plate to expand, and then cut before shrinking.

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