JP7253358B2 - Granules for pet food - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to pet food granules, and more particularly to dry-type pet food granules.

Commercially available pet foods are generally divided into moist type with a moisture content of 50% by mass or more, semi-moist type with a moisture content of approximately 20 to 40% by mass, and dry type with a moisture content of approximately 10% by mass or less. separated. Among these, the demand for dry-type pet food has increased in recent years due to its ease of handling and good preservability.

Dry pet foods are generally firmer than most other types of pet food, as well as most human foods. Dogs and cats were originally carnivorous, and their teeth evolved mainly to bite prey or to cut meat, and are not suitable for crushing hard things with their molars. It cannot be said that conventional hard dry pet food is easy to eat for dogs and cats. Grains that are easy to chew are easy to eat, and easy to eat leads to high palatability.

Therefore, conventionally, attempts have been made to improve the palatability of dry-type pet foods. For example, in Patent Document 1, a raw material containing starch with a high gelatinization temperature is used as a starch source, and the degree of gelatinization of starch is suppressed to adjust the degree of hardness of the pet food. Hood is described.

JP 2015-126715 A

However, reducing the firmness of pet food usually reduces the chewiness. Moreover, when adjusting hardness by raw material composition, it is limited to a specific raw material composition.
Therefore, the present invention provides dry-type pet food granules that can control the hardness regardless of the raw material composition and that can be easily chewed while maintaining the chewiness, thereby improving palatability. The task is to provide

The present invention includes the following aspects.
(1) Dry-type pet food granules having a major axis and a minor axis of 3 to 30 mm and a thickness of 3.5 to 6 mm, wherein 6 through holes are formed through the food granules in the thickness direction. 8 food granules for pet food, and the hardness of the food granules is 15 to 50N.
(2) The food grains for pet food according to (1), wherein the hardness of the food grains is 35 N or less.
(3) the ratio of the thickness (mm) of the hood grain to the number of through-holes (thickness (mm)
/number of through-holes) is 0.85 or less, the food grain for pet food according to (1) or (2).
(4) According to (3), the ratio of the thickness (mm) of the hood granules to the number of through-holes (thickness (mm)/number of through-holes) is 0.5 to 0.70. Food granules for pet food.
(5) The pet food granules according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the through holes are arranged in two rows consisting of a first row and a second row.
(6) Any one of (1) to (4), wherein the through-hole comprises one central hole arranged substantially in the center of the food granule and an outer peripheral hole arranged around the outer periphery of the central hole. The food granules for pet food according to item 1.
(7) The pet food grain according to (5) or (6), wherein the average value of the shortest distances between the adjacent through holes is 3.0 mm or less.
(8) The pet food granule according to (7), wherein the average shortest distance between the through-holes is 1.5 to 2.8 mm.
(9) The ratio of the average value of the shortest distances (mm) between the through-holes to the number of the through-holes of the food granules (average value of the shortest distances (mm)/the number of through-holes) is 0.47. The food grain for pet food according to any one of (1) to (8), which is less than
(10) The ratio of the average value of the shortest distances (mm) between the through-holes to the number of the through-holes of the food granules (average value of the shortest distances (mm)/the number of through-holes) is 0.25. The food granule for pet food according to (9), which is ~0.46.
(11) The pet food granules according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein the food granules have a surface area of 125 mm ² or less.
(12) The value of the ratio of the total surface area of the through-holes to the surface area of the food granules (total surface area of the through-holes/surface area of the food granules) is 0.2 to 5.0, (1) to ( The food grain for pet food according to any one of 11).
(13) The pet food according to any one of (1) to (12), wherein the ratio of the total surface area of the through-holes to the thickness of the food granules is 1:1 to 6:1. food grains.
(14) The pet food granules according to any one of (1) to (13), wherein the length of the through hole is 0.01 to 0.25 mm.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, dry-type pet food granules having improved palatability by being able to control the hardness regardless of the raw material composition and making it easier to chew while maintaining the chewiness. is provided.

1 shows an example of food granules for pet food according to one aspect of the present invention. (A) is a quadrangular food grain having six through holes. (B) is a round-shaped food granule having seven through-holes. FIG. 1(A) shows a schematic plan view (A) of the food grain and a cross-sectional view (B) taken along the line IIB-IIB. FIG. 1B shows a schematic plan view (A) of the food grain and a cross-sectional view (B) taken along the line IIIB-IIIB.

As used herein, "pet" refers to an animal kept by humans. In a narrower sense, a pet is an animal that is petted by its owner. In addition, "pet food" refers to feed for pets. The pet food of the present invention can be marketed as "animal feed" or "animal feed."
As used herein, "dry-type food granules" means food granules having a water content of approximately 6% by mass. The moisture content of dry type food granules is usually about 3 to 12% by mass, preferably about 10% by mass or less.

[Method for measuring moisture content]
In this specification, the value of water content is the value obtained by the normal pressure heat drying method.
Specifically, the object to be measured is pulverized by a pulverizer so as to pass through a 1 mm sieve, and this is used as a sample. Accurately weigh 2 to 5 g of the analytical sample, put it in an aluminum weighing dish (previously dried and accurately weighed), dry it at 135 ± 2 ° C for 2 hours, and allow it to cool in a desiccator. After that, the weight is accurately weighed, and the water content is determined from the weight difference before and after drying.
Specifically, the object to be measured is pulverized by a pulverizer so as to pass through a 1 mm sieve, and this is used as a sample. The mass (W1 gram) of the aluminum weighing can is measured in advance as a constant weight value. A sample is placed in this aluminum weighing can and the mass (W2 grams) is weighed. Next, the sample is dried at 135° C. for 2 hours using a forced circulation hot air dryer. After standing to cool in a dry atmosphere (in a silica gel desiccator), the mass (W3 grams) is weighed. The water content is calculated from each obtained mass using the following formula.
Moisture content (unit: mass%) = (W2-W3) ÷ (W2-W1) × 100

[Method for measuring hardness]
In this specification, the hardness of food granules is a value obtained by the following measuring method.
Using a compression tester (texture analyzer, model number: EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation), the food granules are compressed at a constant compression speed and the breaking strength is measured under the following conditions.
Plunger: Cylindrical plunger with a diameter of 15 mm and a thickness of 5 mm Platform: A deep asterisk-shaped saucer (inner diameter of about 33 mm x depth of about 4 mm) Compression speed: 60 mm/min, lowest point of the plunger : 4 mm (compression distance), measurement temperature: 25°C.
Specifically, one food grain to be measured is placed on a tray, and the test force is measured while pressing a plunger vertically from directly above at a constant speed. The peak value (maximum value) of the test force is read as the breaking force value. The measurement is repeated for 10 pieces and an average value is obtained. If the granule of food cracks during the measurement, the measurement of the granule of food is terminated at that point.
The unit is converted to Newton (N) by multiplying (multiplying) the numerical value of the breaking force (unit: kgw) measured by the compression tester by 9.8.

[Method for measuring surface area of food granules]
As used herein, the surface area of the food granule is a value obtained by the following measuring method.
The food granules are observed and photographed with an optical microscope (VHX-900F (manufactured by KEYENCE)) to measure the surface area of the food granules.
Specifically, the food grain is observed with an optical microscope to obtain an image of the food grain. Based on the image, the surface area of the food grain is image-analyzed from the hue, and the surface area of the entire food grain is measured. In this specification, the "surface area of the food grain" means the area of the food grain, which is measured based on an image obtained from above the food grain when the food grain is placed on a horizontal table.

[Method for measuring the surface area of through-holes]
As used herein, the surface area of through-holes is a value obtained by the following measurement method.
The food granules are observed and photographed with an optical microscope (VHX-900F (manufactured by KEYENCE)), and the area of the through holes of the food granules is measured.
Specifically, the food grain is observed with an optical microscope to obtain an image of the food grain. Based on the image, the area of the through-hole is measured by performing image analysis on the portion having a different hue in the transmitted light as the through-hole. As used herein, the term "surface area of through-holes" means the area of through-holes measured based on an image obtained from above the food granules with the food granules placed on a horizontal table.

[Color measurement]
In the present specification, the color of the substrate and covering portion of pet food is a value obtained by the following measuring method.
Colorimetric color difference system ZE6000 (manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.) is used to measure the color of the substrate and the coated portion.
The substrate is uniformly pulverized using a miller manufactured by Iwatani Corporation to obtain a sample for measurement.
For the coated part, the composition for the coated part is heated at 70° C. to dissolve, poured into a measurement container, left at room temperature for 1 hour to solidify, and used as a sample for measurement.
About 80% of the measurement sample is placed in a 10 mL measurement container, and each coordinate value in the CIELAB color space is measured at three locations according to the manual attached to the instrument. Each data is obtained by the following formula.
ΔL ^* : Coating part (L ^* ) - Substrate (L ^* )
Δa ^* : Coating part (a ^* ) - substrate (a ^* )
Δb ^* : Coating part (b ^* ) - substrate (b ^* )
ΔE ^* : {(ΔL ^* ) ² + (Δa ^* ) ² + (Δb ^* ) ² } ^1/2
C ^* = {(a ^* ) ² +(b ^* ) ² } ^1/2
ΔC ^* : Coating part (C ^* ) - Substrate (C ^* )

[Measurement of Area Ratio of Covered Portion]
In this specification, the area ratio of the covering portion of pet food is a value obtained by the following measurement method (1) or (2).
≪Measurement method (1)≫
The area percentage of the covered portion is measured by image analysis using a visual analyzer.
Specifically, pet food (in the case of granular pet food, a predetermined amount (for example, about 50 g) of pet food grains) is placed on the measurement area on a plane (in the case of granular pet food, the front and back are randomly scattered), and the surface Get the color composition analysis data of the part. From the data obtained by analyzing the composition of each color for the entire pet food, a color having a color difference (ΔE ^* ) of 13.0 or less with respect to the center color of the covering portion was analyzed as the covering portion color, and the area ratio of the covering portion to the entire pet food was set to 100. Calculated as a fraction.

≪Measurement method (2)≫
The pet food is observed and photographed with an optical microscope (VHX-900F (manufactured by KEYENCE)) to measure the area ratio of the coated portion.
Specifically, the pet food (in the case of granular pet food, one pet food grain) is observed with an optical microscope to obtain an image of the surface having the covering portion. Based on the image, the surface area of the entire pet food and the area of the covered portion are measured, and the area ratio of the covered portion to the entire pet food is obtained as a percentage of 100.

[Method for measuring length, breadth and thickness of food granules]
In this specification, the major diameter, minor diameter and thickness of the food granules are values obtained by the following measuring methods.
The long diameter and short diameter of the food granules placed on the horizontal table when viewed from above are measured with vernier calipers, and their average values are defined as the average long diameter and average short diameter.
The thickness of the food granules is measured from the lower surface (lower end) to the upper surface (upper end) of the food granules placed on a horizontal table.

[Method for measuring shortest distance between through-holes of food granules]
The shortest distance between the through-holes of the food granules is a value obtained by the following measuring method.
The shortest distance between the through-holes when the food granules placed on the horizontal table are viewed from above is measured with a vernier caliper, and the average value thereof is taken as the average shortest distance.

[Method for measuring major and minor diameters of through-holes]
The major and minor diameters of the through-holes of the food granules are values obtained by the following measuring methods.
The major and minor diameters of the through-holes of the food granules placed on the horizontal table are measured with vernier calipers when viewed from above, and their average values are taken as the average major diameter and average minor diameter of the through-holes.

<Food granules for pet food>
In one aspect, the present invention provides a dry-type pet food granule having a major axis and a minor axis of 3 to 30 mm and a thickness of 3.5 to 6 mm, wherein the food granule penetrates in the thickness direction of the food granule. To provide food granules for pet food, having 6 to 8 through-holes through which the food granules are formed, and having a hardness of 15 to 50N.

FIG. 1(A) and FIG. 1(B) are diagrams showing an example of food granules according to this aspect. In the pet food grain 1 shown in FIG. 1(A), through holes 20a to 20f are formed in a rectangular base 10. As shown in FIG. FIG. 2(A) is a schematic plan view of the food granule 1, and FIG. 2(B) is a sectional view taken along line IIB-IIB in the plan view of FIG. 2(A).
In a pet food grain 1' shown in FIG. 1B, through holes 20a' to 20g' are formed in a round base 10'. FIG. 3(A) is a schematic plan view of the food granule 1', and FIG. 3(B) is a sectional view taken along line IIIB--IIIB in the plan view of FIG. 3(A).

(Number of through holes)
The pet food granules of this embodiment have 6 to 8 through-holes. The through-holes penetrate through the food granules in the thickness direction. The number of through-holes may be six, seven, or eight. By setting the number of through-holes to 6 or more, the number of starting points where the food grains crack when chewed by a pet increases, making it easier to chew. By setting the number of through-holes to 8 or less, it is possible to prevent the food granules from collapsing during transportation or the like, and to provide an appropriate chewiness.
For example, the pet food food grain 1 shown in FIGS. The food grain 1' has seven through holes 20a' to 20g'.

(Shape of through hole)
The shape of the 6 to 8 through-holes in the food granule is not particularly limited, and can be any shape. The through holes may have substantially the same shape, or may have different shapes. Examples of the shape of the through-hole include circular, elliptical, and polygonal (for example, triangular, quadrangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, rhombic, trapezoidal, etc.).
For example, in the pet food granules 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, the through holes 20a to 20f have substantially the same oval shape. In the pet food granules 1' shown in FIGS. 1B and 3, the through holes 20a' to 20f' have substantially the same triangular shape, and the through hole 20g has a circular shape.

(Size of through hole)
The 6 to 8 through-holes may have substantially the same size, or may have different sizes. The size of the through-hole is not particularly limited, but the length is preferably in the range of 0.01 to 0.25 mm, more preferably 0.03 to 0.22 mm, and more preferably 0.05 to 0.2 mm. is more preferable. By setting the long diameter of the through-hole within the above range, it is possible to easily crush the pet when chewed, and to provide an appropriate chewing response. In addition, it is possible to suppress the collapse of the food granules during transportation or the like. The “longest diameter of the through-hole” means the diameter (longest diameter) of the portion of the surface of the food granule where the diameter of the through-hole is the longest. For example, the major axis of through-hole 20a is the length represented by major axis ll (20a) in FIG. is the length to be represented.
The short diameter of the through-hole is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 0.01 to 0.20 mm, preferably 0.03 to 0.15 mm, more preferably 0.03 to 0.1 mm. preferable. By setting the long diameter of the through-hole within the above range, it is possible to easily crush the pet when chewed, and to provide an appropriate chewing response. In addition, it is possible to suppress the collapse of the food granules during transportation or the like. The term "minor diameter of the through hole" means the diameter (shortest diameter) of the portion where the diameter of the through hole is the shortest on the surface of the food granule. For example, the minor axis of the through hole 20a is the length represented by the minor axis sl (20a) in FIG. 2A, and the minor axis of the through hole 20a' is the minor axis sl (20a) in FIG. 20a').

For example, in the pet food granules 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, the through holes 20a to 20f have approximately the same length and width. The major diameters ll(20a) to ll(20f) of the through holes 20a to 20f are, for example, within the range of 0.01 to 0.25 mm. The short diameters sl(20a) to sl(20f) of the through holes 20a to 20f are, for example, within the range of 0.01 to 0.25 mm.
For example, in the pet food granules 1' shown in FIGS. 1(B) and 3, the through holes 20a' to 20f' have substantially the same length and width. The major diameters ll(20a') to ll(20f') of the through holes 20a' to 20f' are, for example, within the range of 0.01 to 0.25 mm. The minor diameters sl(20a') to sl(20f') of the through holes 20a' to 20f' are, for example, within the range of 0.01 to 0.25 mm. The through hole 20g' has a round shape, and the major axis ll (20g') and the minor axis sl (20g') are substantially the same size, for example, within the range of 0.01 to 0.25 mm.

The through-holes may have substantially uniform diameters in the thickness direction, but they do not have to be uniform, and may be uneven or tapered.

(Arrangement of through holes)
The arrangement of the 6 to 8 through-holes is not particularly limited, and can be arbitrarily arranged. For example, they may be arranged in two or three rows, may be arranged such that some through-holes are surrounded by other through-holes, may be arranged in a grid, or may be circular. , elliptical or polygonal (eg, triangular, quadrangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, rhombic, trapezoidal, etc.).

For example, in the pet food granules 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, the through holes 20a to 20f are arranged in two rows, the through holes 20a to 20c are arranged in the first row, and the through holes 20a to 20c are arranged in the first row. 20d-20f are arranged in the second row. The first row of through holes 20a to 20c and the second row of through holes 20d to 20f are arranged substantially parallel to each other.
For example, in the pet food granules 1' shown in FIGS. 1B and 3, the through-hole 20g' is arranged substantially in the center of the base 10' (hereinafter, the through-hole 20g' is referred to as the "center hole 20g '”.), the through holes 20a′ to 20f′ are arranged at approximately equal intervals along the outer periphery of the center hole 20g′ (hereinafter, the through holes 20a′ to 20f′ will be referred to as “peripheral holes 20f'").

(Distance between through holes)
The distance between through-holes is not particularly limited, but for example, the average value of the shortest distances between adjacent through-holes can be 3.0 mm or less. The average shortest distance between adjacent through holes is preferably 1.5 to 2.8 mm or less. "The shortest distance between adjacent through holes" means the shortest distance between the outer peripheries of adjacent through holes. The “average value of the shortest distances between adjacent through-holes” means the average value of measured values of the shortest distances between adjacent through-holes for all the through-holes present in the pet food granules.

For example, as in the pet food granules 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 2 , when the through holes are arranged in two rows consisting of a first row and a second row, they are arranged in the same row. The average value (A1) of the shortest distances between adjacent through-holes can be 3.0 mm or less. The average value (A1) of the shortest distance is preferably 1.8 to 2.5 mm. By setting the average value (A1) of the shortest distances between the through-holes within the above range, it is possible to easily crush the pet when chewed, and to provide an appropriate bite. In addition, it is possible to suppress the collapse of the food granules during transportation or the like. In FIG. 2A, the shortest distance between the adjacent through holes 20a and 20b arranged in the first row is the distance d(20ab). The average value (A1) of the shortest distances is the shortest distance d (20ab) between the through holes 20a and 20b, the shortest distance d (20bc) between the through holes 20b and 20c, and the shortest distance d (20bc) between the through holes 20d and 20e. 20de) and the shortest distance d (20ef) between the through holes 20e and 20f. In calculating the average value (A1), the distance between the through-holes arranged in the first row and the second row (for example, the distance represented by d (20ad) in FIG. 2A) is taken into consideration. not.

For example, like the pet food granules 1' shown in FIGS. , the average value (A2) of the shortest distance between the center hole 20g' and each of the outer peripheral holes 20a' to 20f' is 3.0 mm or less. can do. The average value (A2) of the shortest distance is preferably 1.5 to 2.8 mm. By setting the average value (A2) of the shortest distances between the through-holes within the above range, it is possible to easily crush the pet when chewed, and to provide an appropriate bite. In addition, it is possible to suppress the collapse of the food granules during transportation or the like. In FIG. 3A, the shortest distance between the central hole 20g' and the outer peripheral hole 20a' is the distance represented by d(20a'g'). The average value (A2) of the shortest distances is the shortest distance d (20a′g′) between the through holes 20a′ and 20g′, the shortest distance d (20b′g′) between the through holes 20b′ and 20g′, the shortest distance d (20b′g′) between the through holes 20b′ and 20g′, The shortest distance d (20c'g') between the holes 20c' and 20g', the shortest distance d (20d'g') between the through holes 20d' and 20g', the shortest distance d (20d'g') between the through holes 20e' and 20g' 20e'g') and the shortest distance d (20f'g') between the through holes 20f' and 20g'. The calculation of the average value (A2) of the shortest distances does not take into consideration the distance between the outer peripheral holes (for example, the distance represented by d(20a'f') in FIG. 3(A)).

(shape and size of food grains)
The shape of the pet food granules is not particularly limited as long as it is granular, and any shape can be adopted. Examples of the shape of the food grain include circular, oval, polygonal (e.g., triangular, quadrangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, rhombic, trapezoidal, etc.), star-shaped, heart-shaped, clover-shaped, and cross-shaped. It is not limited to these.

Both the long and short diameters of the pet food granules are within the range of 3 to 30 mm. Both the major axis and the minor axis of the food granules are more preferably 6 to 16.5 mm, and more preferably 8 to 13 mm. By setting the long diameter and short diameter of the food granules for pet food within the above preferred ranges, even small pets such as cats and small dogs can eat easily. In addition, it can be of a size that can be easily picked up by the owner's fingers.
For example, the major axis and minor axis of the pet food granules 1 are the lengths represented by ll(10) and sl(10), respectively, in FIG. 2(A). For example, the major axis and minor axis of the pet food grain 1' are the lengths indicated by ll(10') and sl(10'), respectively, in FIG. 3(A).

The thickness of the pet food granules is 3.5 to 6 mm. The thickness of the pet food granules is more preferably 3.5 to 5.5 mm, even more preferably 3.5 to 5 mm. By setting the thickness of the food granules for pet food within the above preferred range, even small pets such as cats and small dogs can easily eat the food, and at the same time, the food can be easily chewed to improve palatability. In addition, the thickness can be such that the owner can easily pick it up with his or her fingers.
For example, the thickness of the pet food granules 1 is the length represented by t(10) in FIG. 2(B). For example, the thickness of the food grain 1' is the length represented by t(10') in FIG. 3(B).

(Relationship between thickness of food grain and through-hole)
The ratio of the thickness (mm) of the food granules to the number of through holes (thickness/number of through holes) is preferably 0.85 or less, more preferably 0.70 or less. By setting the ratio of the thickness of the food granules to the number of through-holes within the above preferred range, it is possible to maintain the chewiness while making it easier to chew and to suppress crumbling during transportation.
For example, in the pet food granules 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, the ratio of the thickness (mm) of the food granules to the number of through-holes (thickness/number of through-holes) is defined as the "thickness t of the food granules. (10) mm/number of through-holes (6)”.
For example, in the pet food granules 1′ shown in FIGS. 1B and 3, the ratio of the thickness (mm) of the food granules to the number of through-holes (thickness/number of through-holes) is the “thickness of the food granules. t (10′) mm/number of through holes (7)”.

For example, as in the pet food granules 1 shown in FIGS. The ratio of the average value (A1) of the shortest distance (mm) between through-holes arranged in the same row to the number (average value (A1) of the shortest distance (mm) / average value of thickness) , preferably less than 0.47, more preferably 0.25 to 0.46. By setting the ratio of the thickness of the food granules to the number of through-holes within the above preferred range, it is possible to maintain the chewiness while making it easier to chew and to suppress crumbling during transportation.

For example, like the pet food granules 1' shown in FIGS. , the average value (A2 ) (average shortest distance (A2)/number of through-holes) is preferably less than 0.47, more preferably 0.25 to 0.46. By setting the ratio of the thickness of the food granules to the number of through-holes within the above preferred range, it is possible to maintain the chewiness while making it easier to chew and to suppress crumbling during transportation.

(Surface area of food granules/Surface area of through-holes)
The surface area of the pet food granules is preferably 125 mm ² or less, more preferably 120 mm ² or less, and even more preferably 115 mm ² or less. By setting the surface area of the food granules to the above upper limit or less, even a small pet such as a cat can be easily chewed.
Also, the total surface area of the through-holes is preferably 0.5 to 4 mm ² , more preferably 0.8 to 3 mm ² . By setting the total surface area of the through-holes within the above range, food granules that are resistant to crumbling and easy to chew can be obtained. The "total surface area of through-holes" means a value obtained by measuring the surface areas of all the through-holes present in the food granule and totaling the surface area values. That is, in the pet food granules 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, the total surface area of the through-holes is the sum of the surface areas of the through-holes 20a to 20f. In addition, in the pet food granules 1' shown in FIGS. 1B and 3, the total surface area of the through-holes is the sum of the surface areas of the through-holes 20a' to 20g'.
In addition, the ratio of the total surface area of the through-holes to the surface area of the food granules (total surface area of the through-holes/surface area of the food granules×100) is preferably 0.2 to 5.0%, and 1.0 to 2.0. is more preferred. By setting (the total surface area of the through-holes/the surface area of the food granules) within the above range, it is possible to obtain food granules that are resistant to crumbling and easy to chew.
The ratio of the total surface area of the through-holes (mm ² ) to the thickness of the food granules (mm) is: total surface area of the through-holes (mm ² ):thickness of the food granules (mm)=1:1 to 6: 1 is preferred, and 1.5:1 to 3:1 is more preferred. By setting the ratio of the total surface area of the through-holes to the surface area of the food granules within the above range, the food granules can be made difficult to crumble and easy to chew.

(ingredients for food grains)
The food granules can appropriately use known raw materials for pet food. Food granules are obtained, for example, by heating and molding a raw material mixture obtained by mixing a powder raw material and a liquid raw material. The food granules may be puffed granules or non-puffed granules, but puffed granules are preferable from the viewpoint of texture. The "expanded granules" are granules obtained by forming a raw material mixture into granules, and are granules obtained through a puffing process in which bubbles are generated inside the raw material mixture. “Expansion step” refers to a step of generating gas inside the raw material mixture by means of heating, fermentation, chemical reaction, pressure reduction, or the like. In the expansion step, gas is generated to increase the volume of the raw material mixture, resulting in a porous state. As the volume of the raw material mixture increases, the bulk density decreases. "Expanded granules" are obtained by forming the raw material mixture into granules before the expansion process, after the expansion process, or simultaneously with the expansion process. "Non-puffed grains" are grains produced without undergoing a puffing step.

Examples of powder raw materials include grains (corn, wheat, rice, corn gluten meal, wheat bran, bread crumbs, barley, oats, rye, etc.), potatoes (sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc.), and beans (whole soybeans). , defatted soybeans, etc.), starches (wheat starch, corn starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, sweet potato starch, sago starch, modified starch, etc.), meats (chicken, beef, pork, venison, etc.) Liver, beef tendon, pig ear, scissors, etc. Chicken meal, pork meal, beef meal, mixed meal of these, meat extract, etc.), seafood (fish such as tuna, bonito, horse mackerel, etc. Shrimp, Crustaceans such as crabs, molluscs such as octopus and squid, shellfish such as scallops and turban shells, processed fish meal, fish extract, bonito flakes, etc. Small fish representing the form, whitebait, white fish representing the meat quality etc.), vegetables, nuts and seeds, mushrooms, fruits, algae, eggs, sugars, milks, others (herbs, yeast, cellulose, etc.), additives such as: Examples include vitamins, inorganic salts, amino acids, acidulants, seasonings, flavor ingredients, coloring agents, preservatives, emulsifiers, antioxidants, and the like.

Examples of liquid raw materials include water, fats and oils, sugars (such as liquid sugar), moisturizing agents, preservatives, emulsifiers, and the like. Moisturizers and emulsifiers may be added in the form of aqueous solutions.
Fats and oils may be vegetable fats and oils, and animal fats and oils may be sufficient. It is preferable to use animal fats and oils because they are easy to obtain high palatability. Preferred animal fats and oils include chicken oil, lard, beef tallow, milk fat, and the like.
After the puffed grains are dried, they may be coated with a liquid raw material (coating agent) containing oils and fats, seasonings, palatability agents, fragrances, and the like. Preferably, the coating agent contains animal fat, and more preferably beef tallow.

Examples of blending of food grains include grains totaling 20-70% by mass, meats totaling 10-50% by mass, seafood totaling 0-30% by mass, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids totaling 0-10% by mass, Examples include 0 to 15% by mass of cellulose powder and 1 to 20% by mass of animal fat.

The blending of food grains is preferably set in consideration of, for example, nutritional balance, etc., and preferably satisfies the criteria for a comprehensive nutritional food. For example, when the food grain is cat food, it is preferably a comprehensive nutritional food that meets the nutritional food standards for cats.

The pet food granules of the present embodiment are dry-type food granules, and have a water content of about 6% by mass.
The pet food granules of the present embodiment have 6 to 8 through-holes, so that even dry-type food granules have a hardness within the range of 15 to 50 N, which makes it easy to chew. ing. More preferably, the hardness of the food granules for pet food of the present embodiment is 35 N or less.

In the pet food grains of the present embodiment, regardless of the component composition of the food grains, the hardness of the food grains is within the range of 15 to 50N by providing 6 to 8 through-holes. As a result, food granules that are easy to chew while maintaining the chewiness of the food granules are realized. Furthermore, by controlling the size of the through-holes, the distance between the through-holes, and the like, it is possible to obtain food granules that are hard to collapse even during transportation, and that are chewy and easy to chew.
Since the food granules for pet food of the present embodiment have a hardness within a predetermined range, they can be used for small pets such as cats and small dogs, aged pets, sick pets, and other pets with weakened chewing force. Even so, it is easy to chew and easy to eat. On the other hand, since the component composition of the food granules can be arbitrary, it is possible to provide food granules for pet food that contain desired nutritional components and are easy to chew.

≪Other configurations≫
The pet food granules of the present embodiment may have other configurations. Another configuration includes, for example, a covering portion that covers a part of the food grain (substrate).
(Covering part)
The covering part covers a part of the food grain. The component composition of the covering part is preferably different from the component composition of the food granules.
The covering portion does not cover all of the food granules, and some of the food granules are exposed. By having a covering portion with an ingredient composition different from that of the food granules, the pet food is imparted with visual changes, texture changes, and taste changes.

The area ratio of the covering portion to the surface area of the entire food grain is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 5 to 50%, preferably 5 to 30%, and more preferably 5 to 25%. More specifically, when the method described in "[Measurement of the area ratio of the covering part] <<Measuring method 1>>" is used, the area ratio of the covering part to the surface area of the entire pet food is 5 to 50%. is preferably 5 to 30%, more preferably 5 to 25%, even more preferably 7 to 15%. Further, when the method described in "[Measurement of the area ratio of the covering part] (Measuring method 2)" is used, the area ratio of the covering part to the surface area of the entire pet food is exemplified as 5 to 50%. 5 to 40% is preferred, 8 to 30% is more preferred, and 10 to 25% is even more preferred. In the case of granular pet food, using the method described in "[Measurement of area ratio of covering part] <<Measurement method 2>>", a plurality of (for example, about 2 to 10) food grains are covered. , and the average value thereof may be used as the area ratio of the covering portion.

Further, the pet food granules may have a surface having a covering portion and a surface formed only by an exposed portion where the substrate is exposed. In this case, when the surface having the coated portion and the surface formed only by the exposed portion are sandwiched between the teeth of the pet, the teeth of the surface having the coated portion enter from the coated portion, and then the food grains. Since the teeth go in, different textures can be imparted depending on the depth of chewing. That is, it is possible to provide pet food granules having different textures depending on the region in the depth direction of chewing (from the start of chewing to the end of chewing).

Although the height of the covering portion is not particularly limited, for example, the height from the surface of the food grain to the top of the covering portion is exemplified as 0.1 to 2 mm, preferably 0.5 to 2 mm. By making the height of the covering portion equal to or higher than the lower limit of the above range, the texture of the covering portion can be imparted at the beginning of chewing. Further, by setting the height of the covering portion to be equal to or less than the upper limit value of the above range, peeling of the covering portion is suppressed.

Although the shape of the covering portion is not particularly limited, it is preferably a line shape from the viewpoint of manufacturing efficiency. For example, a line-shaped covering portion may be formed so as to cross or longitudinally cut through the food granules. The line width of the line-shaped covering portion is not particularly limited, but is exemplified as 0.1 to 5 mm, preferably 0.5 to 3 mm. The width of the lines need not be constant and may be of non-uniform line width. Only one line-shaped covering part may be formed on the food granule, or several lines (for example, two or three lines) may be formed. The shape of the covering portion is not limited to a line shape, and may be a dotted shape, a circular shape, a polygonal shape, or the like.

The color of the coating is preferably different from the color of the substrate. As a result, the food granules for pet food are given a change in appearance, and the pet's interest can be aroused. The difference in color between the covering portion and the substrate is preferably such that the pet can visually recognize the difference. For example, in the CILAB color space, it is preferable to satisfy at least one condition selected from the group consisting of (a) to (d) below.
(a) ΔL ^* (L ^* of the coated portion - L ^* of the substrate) is 5.0 or more (b) ΔE ^* (color difference between the coated portion and the substrate) is 5.0 or more (c) ΔC ^* (of the coated portion C ^* - C ^* of the substrate) is -7.5 to -1.0
(d) ΔC ^* (C ^* of the coated portion - C ^* of the substrate) is 1.0 to 7.5

The color of the coating portion and the substrate more preferably satisfies any two or more of the above (a), (b) and (c) or (d), three of (a) to (c), or It is more preferable to satisfy three of (a), (b) and (d). The ΔL ^* is preferably 7 or more, more preferably 8 or more, and even more preferably 9 or more. The range of ΔL ^* is, for example, 5 to 15, preferably 7 to 13, more preferably 8 to 12, still more preferably 9 to 11. The ΔE ^* is preferably 7 or more, more preferably 8 or more, and even more preferably 9 or more. The range of ΔE ^* is, for example, 5 to 18, preferably 7 to 15, more preferably 8 to 13, still more preferably 9 to 12. The ΔC ^* is, for example, preferably from −7.0 to −1.5, more preferably from −6.0 to −2.0, and even more preferably from −5.0 to −3.0. Alternatively, the ΔC ^* is, for example, preferably 1.5 to 7.0, more preferably 2.0 to 6.0, even more preferably 3.0 to 5.0. When ΔC ^* is in the range of -7.5 to -1.0, the coating is visually perceived as paler than the substrate. When ΔC ^* is in the range of 1.0 to 7.5, the coating is visually perceived as lighter in color than the substrate.

The breaking strength (hardness) of the coating is preferably different from that of the substrate. This imparts a change to the texture of the pet food granules. The breaking strength of the covering portion is preferably lower than the breaking strength of the substrate. As a result, when the covered portions of the pet food grains are chewed, a soft texture is imparted, and when the exposed portions of the base are chewed, a hard texture is imparted. That is, it is possible to provide pet food granules having different textures depending on the area in the planar direction to be chewed. In addition, when the depth of chewing is shallow (eg, at the beginning of chewing), the grains are soft and easy for teeth to enter, and when chewing deeply, a hard texture can be felt. That is, it is possible to provide pet food grains having different textures depending on the region in the chewing depth direction (from the beginning of chewing to the end of chewing).

Preferably, the taste of the coating is different from the taste of the substrate. As a result, the taste of the pet food granules is varied. That is, it is possible to provide pet food granules having different tastes depending on the area in the planar direction to be chewed. It is possible to provide food granules for pet food with different tastes depending on the area in the chewing depth direction (from the start of chewing to the end of chewing).

The coating portion may have a component composition different from that of the substrate, and known raw materials for pet food can be appropriately used. The covering part may contain, for example, fats and powder raw materials. Examples of the composition for forming the covering part include a cream composition. For example, oils and fats, powder raw materials, and optional raw materials such as excipients may be mixed and stirred at about 40 to 60° C. to form a creamy composition, which may be used as the composition for forming the covering part. . The coated portion can be formed, for example, by coating a portion of the substrate with the creamy composition and cooling to solidify.

Fats and oils may be vegetable oils and fats, and may be animal fats and oils. Moreover, hardened fats and oils may be used. Fats and oils include, for example, those with a high melting point (about 45 to 65°C, preferably about 56.5 to 60.5°C) and those with a low melting point (about 20 to 45°C, preferably about 30 to 40°C). It is preferable to use together. If only one with a high melting point is used, it is difficult to dissolve and decompose in the body when ingested. On the other hand, if only one with a low melting point is used, the workability is poor and there is a risk that it will melt at high temperatures. By using both a high melting point material and a low melting point material, it is possible to obtain a composition that has good workability and is easy to melt when eaten. Examples of such combinations include combinations of vegetable oils and hardened oils. Alternatively, instead of vegetable oil or together with vegetable oil, refined beef tallow, refined lard, chicken fat, mutton fat, horse fat, palm fractionated oil, palm kernel oil, vegetable oil, fish oil, fatty acids (linoleic acid, linolenic acid), and butter and the like may also be used. A suitable example of vegetable oil is palm oil. Hydrogenated fats and oils may be vegetable or animal. Hardened fats and oils are preferably extremely hardened fats and oils (melting point 56.5 to 60.5° C.).

The powder raw material is blended in order to reduce the fluidity of the creamy composition and form a raised covering portion. As examples of the powder raw material, all powder raw materials that can be used for pet food can be used without particular limitation. For example, those exemplified in the above “(ingredients of food grains)” may be mentioned. Specifically, grains, meats, starches, bran, sugars, beans, seafood, eggs, milk, plant protein extracts, fruits, mushrooms, algae, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, cellulose , yeast, flavors, seasonings and the like.
A suitable example of the powder raw material is soybean powder. Among them, concentrated soybean protein is preferred, and heat-treated soybean protein is more preferred in consideration of digestion. In addition to soybean powder, or instead of soybean powder, pregelatinized wheat flour, isolated soybean protein, protein hydrolyzate, brewer's yeast powder, cheese powder, milk powder, seafood powder, amino acid powder, meat , beans, rice flour, malt powder, nucleic acids and the like may be used. It is preferable to use powder raw materials that are compatible with oils and fats. The pulverized particle size of the powder raw material is not particularly limited, but the maximum pulverized particle size is preferably 400 μm or less, and the average pulverized particle size is more preferably 100 μm or less.

In addition to the above, freeze-dried raw materials may be used as raw materials for the composition for forming the coating portion, from the viewpoint of improving appearance and palatability. The freeze-dried ingredients may be sprinkled onto the creamy composition, for example, after the food granules have been coated with the creamy composition and before solidification.

Examples of blending of the composition for forming the coating include a total of 5 to 70% by mass of oils and fats with a low melting point (vegetable oils and the like), a total of 3 to 40% by mass of oils and fats with a high melting point (such as extremely hardened oils and fats), powder raw materials A total of 5 to 70% by mass, and a total of 2.5 to 35% by mass of excipients (dextrin, starches, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, etc.).

The ratio of the mass of the coating portion to the total mass of the entire pet food grain is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 1 to 20% by mass, preferably 3 to 15% by mass, more preferably 5 to 12% by mass. .

Since the pet food granules of the present embodiment have 6 to 8 through-holes, when the covering portion is provided, part of the covering portion enters the through-holes, making it difficult for the covering portion to peel off. Therefore, as a suitable example of the pet food granules of the present embodiment, those having a covering portion that covers a part of the food granules (substrate) are exemplified.

<Method for producing food granules for pet food>
The pet food granules can be produced as follows.

[Granulation process]
In the granulation step, the raw material mixture is granulated to obtain food granules. A known method can be used for the method of mixing raw materials to form a raw material mixture and the method of forming (granulating) the raw material mixture into granules.
For example, a method of producing puffed grains using an extruder can be suitably used.
A method for producing puffed grains using an extruder is described, for example, in "Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 5th Edition" (edited by Michael S. Hand, Craig D. Thatcher, Rebecca L. Remillard, Philip Roudebusg, Bruce J. Novotny, Mark Morris Associates, 2014; p.209-215) can be applied.

An example of a method for producing puffed grains using an extruder will be described. First, among the raw materials of the expanded grains, the raw materials other than the external additive are pulverized as necessary and then mixed. They may be mixed while pulverized using a grinder or the like. Moreover, water (not included in the raw material composition) is added as necessary to obtain a raw material mixture.
The obtained raw material mixture is put into an extruder, heated and pressurized, and then extruded from an outlet. The outlet is provided with a plate having a hole of a predetermined shape and a cutter for cutting the raw material mixture extruded from the plate into a predetermined length (thickness). The raw material mixture is extruded through a hole in the plate and cut by a cutter into a predetermined shape. By expanding the raw material mixture, porous granules are obtained. By attaching an attachment having a predetermined shape capable of forming 6 to 8 through-holes to the tip of the extruder, it is possible to obtain food granules of a desired shape having 6 to 8 through-holes.

[Drying process]
The granules thus obtained are dried, if necessary, to obtain puffed granules (food granules) until they reach a predetermined moisture content. A drying step is essential when producing dry-type food granules.
For example, the grain discharged from the extruder has a moisture content of 10-20% by weight. Good moldability is likely to be obtained when the water content is in this range.
The temperature of the granules discharged from the extruder depends on the heating temperature inside the extruder. For example, it is 90 to 150°C.
A known method can be appropriately used for drying the grains discharged from the extruder. For example, a hot air drying method in which hot air is blown onto grains to dry them, a vacuum drying method, a method of frying in oil, and the like can be used. For example, a hot-air drying method using a conveyor-type hot-air dryer is preferred.
The drying conditions (temperature, time) are such that the temperature of the granules is raised to 100°C or higher to evaporate the moisture in the granules without causing thermal denaturation of the components of the granules, and the moisture content can be adjusted to the desired level. I wish I had.
For example, when drying with a hot air dryer, the temperature of the hot air to be brought into contact with the grains is preferably 100 to 140°C, more preferably 100 to 110°C. The drying time is not particularly limited, and is, for example, about 5 to 20 minutes.

After drying, the pet food may be coated with a coating agent containing crude beef tallow, a seasoning, a flavoring agent, or the like.
A coating method is not particularly limited, and for example, a vacuum coating method can be used.
The vacuum coating method is a method in which the pressure is reduced while the heated food granules are brought into contact with or adhere to each other, and then the pressure is gradually released to the atmosphere. The coating agent may be liquid or powder. The coating can improve pet palatability (bite).

≪Formation of covering section≫
The pet food granules of the above embodiment may have a covering portion that covers a part of the hood grains (substrate). Formation of the covering portion can be performed, for example, as follows.

[Preparation of Composition for Forming Coating Part]
First, the oil and fat components are put into a pan or the like, mixed, and heated to 50 to 70° C. (preferably about 65° C.) (oil and fat component mixture). In addition, raw materials other than fat and oil components are mixed (powder raw material mixture). Next, while adding the powder raw material mixture to the fat component mixture, the mixture is stirred for about 10 to 15 minutes with a homodisper or a homogenizer. During stirring, the temperature is preferably maintained at 55°C or higher (preferably about 60°C). In this manner, a cream-like coating composition can be obtained. After the agitation, the composition for forming the covering portion may be filtered using a sieve (eg, 650 to 800 μm mesh size). The covering part-forming composition can be stored in a heat-retaining tank maintained at 40 to 70°C.

[Coating process]
The coating step is a step of coating a portion of the food granules with the composition for forming the coating portion. The coating step can be performed using, for example, a decorator. For example, a portion of the food granules can be coated with the coating-forming composition by discharging the coating-forming composition from above with a decorator onto the food granules conveyed by the conveyor. The nozzle diameter of the decorator may be appropriately adjusted according to the size of the food granules. The movement of the nozzle of the decorator is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of coating efficiency, for example, it may be moved in an elliptical direction with respect to the traveling direction of the conveyor. It is preferable to maintain the vicinity of the discharging portion of the decorator at 40 to 70° C. while discharging the composition for forming the coating portion.
By discharging the covering portion-forming composition from above onto the food granules, the covering portions are formed only on the upper surfaces of the food granules. After forming the food granules on the upper surfaces of the food granules, the food granules are turned over and the composition for forming the coating portion is discharged onto the back surfaces of the food granules to form the coating portions on the back surfaces of the food granules. can be done.

[Solidification process]
The solidification step is a step of solidifying the covering portion-forming composition. Solidification of the composition for forming the covering portion can be performed by, for example, cooling. The cooling may be performed by lowering the temperature to the solidification temperature of the composition for forming the coating, for example, 30 to 40°C or less. The coating part-forming composition can be solidified at room temperature, but it may be cooled with a spot cooler or the like in order to shorten the time until solidification.

[Connect breaking process]
The step of breaking the connection is a step of breaking the lumps of the pet food that are bound together by the coating portion-forming composition. Breaking the connection can be performed by impacting the food grain. The method of applying the impact is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include a method of loosening the connect using a ladder shooter or the like, a method of applying vibration, and the like. The connection breaking step may be performed after the covering step and before the solidifying step, after the solidifying step, or both before and after the solidifying step.

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[Production example of food granules for pet food]
The raw materials for the food granules were mixed according to the formulation shown in Table 1. The obtained raw material mixture was put into an extruder and heat-treated at about 115° C. for about 2 minutes while kneading to gelatinize the starch component. At the outlet of the extruder, a tip attachment of a predetermined shape was attached to extrude the kneaded product into a columnar shape, and the columnar product was cut with a cutter so as to have a thickness of 4 mm to obtain granules.
The obtained granules are dried at about 100° C. for 5 to 20 minutes using a dryer, and then coated with an external additive (1.5% oil coating) to form dry-type puffed granules. Obtained a food grain.

(Example 1)
Food granules were produced using a tip attachment having a square 6-hole shape according to the production example described above to obtain a hood granule having a square 6-hole shape (see FIG. 1A). This was used as the food granules of Example 1. Hereinafter, each through-hole of the food granule of Example 1 is indicated according to the reference numerals shown in FIG. 2(A).

(Example 2)
According to the production example described above, food granules were produced using a tip attachment having round 7 holes to obtain food granules having round 7 holes (see FIG. 1B). This was used as the food granules of Example 2. Hereinafter, each through-hole of the food granule of Example 2 is indicated according to the reference numerals shown in FIG. 2(B).

(Comparative example 1)
According to the production example described above, food granules were produced using a tip attachment without a heart hole to obtain a hood granule without a heart hole. This was used as food granules of Comparative Example 1.

(Comparative example 2)
A commercially available dry-type granular pet food (Gonta's Denta Food; manufactured by Sunrise) was purchased and used as the food granules of Comparative Example 2. The food granules of Comparative Example 2 have a round-shaped food granule with one central hole (hereinafter referred to as "hole 0") and five outer peripheral holes (hereinafter "hole 1", "hole 2", " (referred to as hole 3", "hole 4" and "hole 5") are provided.

[Evaluation of hardness]
The hardness of the food granules of each example was measured according to the method described in the above "[Method for measuring hardness]". The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

In Examples 1 and 2, both food granules had a thickness within the range of 3.5 to 6 mm and a hardness within the range of 15 to 50N. The value of thickness (mm) of food granules/number of through holes was 0.85 or less for all food granules.
The food granules of Comparative Example 1 had a thickness in the range of 3.5 to 6 mm, but most of the food granules had a hardness exceeding 50N.
The thickness of the food granules of Comparative Example 2 exceeded 6 mm, and the hardness of many food granules exceeded 50N. The value of thickness (mm) of food granules/number of through-holes exceeded 1 for all food granules.
From the above results, by setting the thickness of the food grain and the thickness (mm) of the food grain/the number of through-holes within a predetermined range, food grains having a hardness within the range of 15 to 50 N can be manufactured with high accuracy. It became clear that it was possible.

[Shortest distance between through holes]
The hardness of the food granules of each example was measured according to the method described in the above "[Method for measuring the shortest distance between the through-holes of the food granules]". The results are shown in Tables 4-8.

In Example 1, the average value (A1) of the shortest distances between through-holes arranged in the same row was 3 mm or less for all food granules. In addition, the average value of the shortest distance between through-holes (A1)/the number of through-holes (n) was less than 0.47 for all food granules. Also, the shortest distance d (20ad) between the first row of through holes 20a and the second row of through holes 20d and the average value (A2) of the average values (A1) and d (20ad) Even the grain size was 3 mm or less. Furthermore, the value of the average value (A2)/number of through holes (n) was also less than 0.47 for all food granules.
In Example 2, the average value (A1) of the shortest distance between the central hole and the outer peripheral hole was 3 mm or less for all food granules. In addition, the average value of the shortest distance between through-holes (A1)/the number of through-holes (n) was less than 0.47 for all food granules. Moreover, the shortest distance d (20a'f') between the outer peripheral hole a' and the outer peripheral hole 20f' and the average value (A2) of the average values (A1) and d (20a'f') Even the grain size was 3 mm or less. Furthermore, the value of the average value (A2)/number of through holes (n) was also less than 0.47 for all food granules.
On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, the average value of the shortest distances between the central hole and the peripheral hole exceeded 3 mm for most of the food granules. In addition, the average value of the shortest distance between through-holes (A)/the number of through-holes (n) was 0.47 or more for all food granules.
From the above results, by setting the shortest distance between the through-holes of the food granules and the average value of the shortest distance between the through-holes/the number of through-holes within a predetermined range, the hardness is within the range of 15 to 50N. It became clear that certain food grains can be manufactured with high precision.

[Long and short diameters of food granules]
The major diameter and minor diameter of the food granules in each example were measured according to the method described in the above "[Method for measuring the major diameter, minor diameter and thickness of the food granules]". Table 3 shows the results.

[Long and short diameters of through-holes]
The major and minor diameters of the through-holes of the food granules of each example were measured according to the method described in the above "[Method for measuring major and minor diameters of through-holes]". Table 3 shows the results.

In Examples 1 and 2, the average length of the through-holes was in the range of 0.01 to 0.25 mm.

[Surface area of food granules and through-holes]
According to the methods described above in "[Method for measuring surface area of food grain]" and "[Method for measuring surface area of through-hole]", the grain No. of each example was measured. The food granule surface area and pore surface area were measured for 1 to 10. The results are shown in Table 11. Table 11 shows the average values for 10 food granules.

As shown in Table 11, in Examples 1 and 2, the food grain surface area was 125 mm ² or less. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, the food grain surface area exceeded 200 mm ² .
In Examples 1 and 2, the ratio (S2/S1×100) of the total through-hole surface area (S2) to the food grain surface area (S1) was within the range of 0.2 to 5.0%. rice field. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, (S2/S1) exceeded 7%.
In Examples 1 and 2, the ratio of the average thickness of the food granules to the total surface area of the through-holes (S2) (average thickness/S2) was within the range of 1-6. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, (average thickness/S2) was less than one.
From the above results, the food grain surface area, the ratio of the total through-hole surface area (S2) to the food grain surface area (S1), and the ratio of the average thickness of the food grain to the total through-hole surface area (S2) were determined. It has been clarified that food granules having a hardness within the range of 15 to 50 N can be manufactured with high accuracy by setting the hardness within the range.

(Reference examples 1 and 2)
The food granules of Examples 1 and 2 were decorated using the cream produced as follows.
Cream ingredients were mixed according to the formulation shown in Table 12. The vegetable oil and hydrogenated oil were placed in an inching pan and warmed to 65°C (Mixture 1). Soy protein and dextrin were mixed (mixture 2). While adding the mixture 2 to the mixture 1, the mixture was stirred for 10 to 15 minutes with a homodisper (Automixer Model 20 manufactured by Primix Co., Ltd.). The resulting mixture was passed through a sieve (710 μm mesh size) to obtain a cream. The cream was stored in a storage tank kept at 40-70°C.
The cream produced as described above was put into a decorator, and the decorator was reciprocated in an elliptical direction to sprinkle the cream on the food granules of Examples 1 and 2 from above. The decoration was carried out so that the ratio of the total mass of all food granules to the total mass of the cream used for decoration (total mass of food granules/total mass of cream) was 93/7. After decoration, cooling allowed the cream to solidify. As a result, food granules (Reference Examples 1 and 2) having a line-shaped cream-covered portion were obtained.

In the food granules of Reference Examples 1 and 2, peeling of the cream was suppressed by entering the through-holes. Further, when the food granules of Reference Examples 1 and 2 were fed to an adult cat, good bite (palatableness) was exhibited.
In addition, when the food granules of Reference Examples 1 and 2 and the food granules without the covering portion were evaluated for their preference for cats (N = 19) based on the amount of food intake for 2 days, the results with the covering portion were as follows: Food granules with a coating portion were preferred, with no coating portion being 56:44.

In addition, when users of pet food for cats were asked to evaluate the food grains of Reference Examples 1 and 2, 86& users liked them. Furthermore, the food granules of Reference Examples 1 and 2 and commercially available pet food granules (Sheba (registered trademark) Duo (registered trademark)) were given to domestic cats for comparison. 1 and Reference Example 2: Commercial product = 58:42.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, the invention is not limited to these embodiments. Configuration additions, omissions, substitutions, and other changes are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is not limited by the foregoing description, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

Reference Signs List 1, 1'... food grains for pet food, 10, 10'... substrate, 20a to 20f, 20a' to 20g'... through holes

Claims (14)

Dry type pet food granules having a major axis and a minor axis of 3 to 30 mm and a thickness of 3.5 to 6 mm,
6 to 8 through-holes passing through the food granules in the thickness direction,
The hardness of the food granules is 15 to 50 N,
The food grain consists of one puffed grain having 6 to 8 through-holes,
Food granules for pet food. The food granules for pet food according to claim 1, wherein the hardness of said food granules is 35 N or less. 3. The hood for pet food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a ratio of the thickness (mm) of the food grains to the number of through-holes (thickness (mm)/number of through-holes) is 0.85 or less. grain. The pet food according to claim 3, wherein the ratio of the thickness (mm) of the food grains to the number of through-holes (thickness (mm)/number of through-holes) is 0.5 to 0.70. food grains. The pet food granules according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the through holes are arranged in two rows consisting of a first row and a second row. 5. The through-hole according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the through-hole comprises one central hole arranged substantially in the center of the food granule and an outer peripheral hole arranged around the outer periphery of the central hole. Food granules for pet food. The pet food granules according to claim 5 or 6, wherein an average value of shortest distances between said adjacent through holes is 3.0 mm or less. The pet food granules according to claim 7, wherein the average shortest distance between said through-holes is 1.5 to 2.8 mm. A ratio of an average value of the shortest distances (mm) between the through-holes to the number of the through-holes of the food grain (average value of the shortest distances (mm)/number of through-holes) is less than 0.47. The food granules for pet food according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The ratio of the average value of the shortest distances (mm) between the through-holes to the number of the through-holes of the food granules (average value of the shortest distances (mm)/the number of through-holes) is 0.25 to 0.25. 10. The food grain for pet food according to claim 9, which is 46. The food granule for pet food according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the food granule has a surface area of 125 mm ² or less. The ratio of the total surface area of the through-holes to the surface area of the food granules (total surface area of the through-holes/surface area of the food granules×100) is 0.2 to 5.0%. or food grains for pet food according to item 1. The food granules for pet food according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the ratio of the total surface area of said through-holes to the thickness of said food granules is 1:1 to 6:1. The pet food granules according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the long diameter of the through holes is 0.01 to 0.25 mm.

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