MXPA01005247A - Methods and compositions for enhancing palatability of pet food - Google Patents

Abstract

Compositions and methods for enhancing the palatability of dry and semi-dry pet food compositions, particularly extruded cat food compositions, are described. In one embodiment, the palatability enhancer is a dry cat food coating including tetrasodium pyrophosphate at about 0.1%to about 1.0%by weight of the finished pet food product. The palatability enhancer is applied after the extrusion process to the extruded particles or pieces of pet food.

Description

METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS TO IMPROVE THE FLAVOR OF FOOD FOR PETS CROSS REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of the provisional application of E.U.A. number 60 / 109,656, filed on November 24, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to methods and compositions for improving the taste of pet foods, and in particular to compositions and methods for improving the taste of dry and semi-dry foods for cats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Pet food manufacturers have long tried to provide foods that combine high nutritional value and resistance to decomposition, in addition to bacterial contamination, with a low cost of production. In addition, and with particular regard to cat food, pet food manufacturers desire a high degree of taste that can be obtained at a low cost.

The three main types of pet foods include the desired characteristics to varying degrees. Canned or high moisture foods (more than 50% moisture) are typically meat and therefore generally have a good flavor for animals. However, such foods have high production and packaging costs. They require the use of preservatives to inhibit spoilage and contamination, and are relatively less nutritious per unit weight than other pet food products. Dry or low moisture content pet foods (less than 15% moisture) generally have a higher nutritional level, can be packaged economically, and are very convenient for storage and use. However, dry or low moisture foods are generally the ones that have a lower acceptability in terms of taste of pet foods. Pet foods with an intermediate or semi-dry moisture content (between 15% and 50% moisture) generally have a better taste than dry foods, have a higher nutritional value and have a cheaper cost of packaging and are used in a more economical way. more comfortable than high moisture foods, however, foods with an intermediate moisture content may be more susceptible to bacterial contamination than dry pet foods, and generally have a lower acceptability in taste than foods with high humidity. moisture content.

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Dry and semi-dry foods are generally preferred by manufacturers and pet owners, probably because such foods have a more comfortable use and storage, and because they have a higher nutritional content than pet foods 5 high humidity . However, many animals, and particularly cats, are demanding and desire a high degree of flavor. There is still a need for a pet food of low humidity with a high degree of flavor. Known flavor improvers for low moisture pet foods include various coating compositions of ^ 10 surfaces. For example, known flavor improvers include • surface coatings of phosphoric acid, a combination of fat with hexamic, phosphoric or citric acid, and a mixture of phosphoric acid and citric acid. The taste can also be improved by applying liquid or dry flavors as a coating. The coatings Liquid or dried animal digestives are used extensively to improve taste, in addition, animal digestives are also used in liquid combinations with phosphoric acid. Dried animal digestives can be used in a two step coating process with liquid phosphoric acid. The dry application of sodium acid phosphate, which can be used in combination with animal digestives is also already known. Nevertheless, the known compositions and methods are still limited in the degree of resulting taste. It would be desirable to provide a composition and method for further improving the taste of dry and semi-dry pet foods. It would also be desirable to provide such a composition with a high degree of flavor for cats. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide such a composition and method that improves the taste of dry and semi-dry pet foods with a relatively low production cost. It would still be more desirable to provide such a flavor improver being potent between different formulations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION These and other objects can be obtained by a pet food flavor enhancer that includes tetrasodium pyrophosphate. The flavor enhancer and methods for improving the taste of pet foods generally refer to dry and semi-dry pet foods including a balanced mix in terms of nutritional value of proteinaceous and mealy materials. Generally, the flavor improver is a dry formulation that includes from about 0.1% to about 99% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate. In one embodiment, improving taste is formulated by the addition of tetrasodium pyrophosphate in the form of a dry powder to a dry composition for application to a dry pet food. The dry composition typically also includes ingredients readily available commercially, such as dry whey, dried animal digestive and yeast. The amount of tetrasodium pyrophosphate that is added to the dry composition is adjusted so that the tetrasodium pyrophosphate contributes from about 0.1% to about 1.0% by weight of the finished dry pet food. In use and in one embodiment, the flavor improver is applied to dry or semi-dry food particles or pieces, extruded for cats, specifically, the particles or parts are added to a coating drum and sprinkled with melted animal fat and other liquids. on the dry pieces. Flavor improvers are applied to the parts and the pieces are stirred in the drum to completely coat them. The flavor improver improves the acceptance of dry and semi-dry pet foods. The flavor improver is particularly effective in improving the taste of dry and semi-dry cat food. In addition, the flavor improver can be added to commercially available dry and semi-dry foods for cats or other pet and animal feeds at a relatively low production cost.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The flavor improver is generally a dry composition that includes about 0.1% and up to about 99% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate. The flavor improver is generally applied externally using dry application methods to commercially available dry or semi-dry pet foods.

Specifically, the flavor improver and methods for improving the taste of dry and semi-dry pet foods are generally required to a balanced mixture in terms of nutritional value of proteinaceous and mealy materials having a moisture content of approximately 50% or less in weight. Those mixtures are known to those skilled in the art as dry or semi-dry foods for pets, and the flavor improver is applied to dry or semi-dry food pieces. The pet food compositions described herein are not intended to be limited to the specific list of ingredients, because such ingredients will depend on factors such as the nutritional balance desired for the specific type of pet, and the availability of the ingredients. for the manufacturer. In addition to proteinaceous and mealy materials, the pet food composition may generally include vitamins, minerals and other additives, such as flavorings, preservatives, emulsifiers and humectants. The nutritional balance, including the relative proportions of vitamins, minerals, fat, protein and carbohydrates is determined in accordance with food standards that are known in the veterinary art. For example, the nutritional balance of the cat food compositions is determined in accordance with the known food requirements for cats. The proteinaceous material can include any material having a protein content of at least about 15% by weight, ?? including vegetable proteins, such as soybeans, cottonseed, and peanuts; animal proteins such as casein, albumin and fresh animal tissue, including fresh meat tissue and fresh fish tissue; and restituted or dried flour such as fish meal, poultry meal, meat meal, bone meal and the like. Other types of suitable proteinaceous materials include wheat gluten or corn gluten, and microbial proteins such as yeast. The mealy material can be defined as any material having a protein content of less than about 15% by weight and containing a substantial proportion of starches and carbohydrates, including grains such as corn, sorghum, alfalfa, wheat, barley, rice, husk. of soybeans and other grains that have a low protein content. In addition to proteinaceous and mealy materials, other materials such as whey and other dairy byproducts may be added, as well as other carbohydrates. In addition, known flavors can be added, among them, for example, syrup or corn molasses. In an exemplary embodiment, the flavor improver is applied to a dry cat food composition. Generally, the term "cat food composition" as used herein is applied to commercially sold food grade balanced food compositions that were created to substantially provide the unique diet for a cat. In this way, said compositions can be described as having a minimum protein content with which the health of the cat is maintained. However, the minimum protein content of the feed varies according to the age and breeding status of the animal. For example, a food composition for cats balanced in terms of nutritional value for breeding females and their puppies requires a minimum protein content of at least about 28% by weight on a dry matter basis. A food composition for cats balanced in nutritional value for adult cats that are not breeding requires a minimum protein content of approximately 26% by weight on a dry matter basis. Typically, the protein content of the compositions commercially available cat food for adult cats that are not breeding is approximately 30% by weight on a dry matter basis, to ensure that the food meets the nutritional requirements of any cat. For example, a typical formula already known in the art for A dry cat food composition, to which the flavor improver is applied, is as indicated below (in percent by weight): about 0 to 70% grain based meal, such as corn, wheat, barley or rice; about 0 to 30% flours of animal by-products, such as poultry or livestock flour; about 0 to 25% corn gluten meal; About 0 to 25% of fresh animal tissue, such as tissue from livestock or poultry birds; about 0 to 25% soybean meal; about 0 to 10% animal fat; about 0 to 20% of flour based on seafood; about 0 to 25% fresh fish tissue; about 0 to 10% high fructose corn syrup; about 0 to 10% dry molasses; about 0 to 1.5% phosphoric acid; and about 0 to 1.5% citric acid. Vitamins and minerals are added in accordance with the already known profiles of the American Association of Feed Control • Officials (AAFCO) Cat Food Nutrient profiles, and include calcium carbonate, 5 potassium chloride, sodium chloride, choline chloride, taurine, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin B 2, vitamin D3l riboflavin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, folic acid, piroxidine hydrochloride, calcium iodate, and sodium bisulphite-menadione complex (a source of vitamin K activity). • 10 In addition, the flavor improver refers to other foods for mascostas and animal feed in general without taking into account the protein content, which typically varies according to species, breeding status and age, among other factors. For example, the flavor improver may be used with a dry or semi-dry food composition for dogs, for adult dogs that are not breeding, which requires a minimum protein content of about 18% by weight on a dry matter basis. Similarly, the flavor improver can be applied to a dry or semi-dry pup food having a minimum protein content of about 22% by weight on a dry matter basis. The flavor improver can also used with other dry and semi-dry foods of different protein content, and with food for other animals such as livestock and research animals.

The flavor improver generally includes tetrasodium pyrophosphate and is formulated as a dry mixture in the form of powder, granulated or encapsulated. Tetrasodium pyrophosphate is available in the form • of dry powder, for example from Solutia of St. Louis, Missouri, and combing with other dry ingredients, including known flavor improvers and preservatives. For example, other ingredients suitable for the flavor enhancer include various nucleotides such as inosine monophosphate (IMP), guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP); amino acids such as alanine and lysine; other inorganic salts such as NaCl, phosphate • 10 monosodium and dicalcium phosphate and organic materials such as whey, yeast and digestive products of animal by-products. The flavor improver includes about 0.1% up to about 99% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate. In one embodiment, the amount of tetrasodium pyrophosphate is adjusted so that the tetrasodium pyrophosphate contributes from about 0.1% to about 1.0% by weight of the finished pet food, depending on the relative amount of flavor enhancer added to the finished pet food. In general, the flavor improver contributes about 0.5% about 3.0% by weight to the food product just for cats. However, both the exact proportion of tetrasodium pyrophosphate in the flavor improver, thus ran the The relative proportion of the flavor improver to the finished cat food product may vary and be limited by factors such as the relative availability of ingredients, costs, and health of the animal. Moreover, the taste enhancer described herein is not limited to the specific list of ingredients because such ingredients equally depend on the availability and cost of ingredients to the manufacturer. To make a dry flavor improver formulation, for • example, the commercially available dry ingredients, including tetrasodium pyrophosphate, various nucleotides, amino acids, inorganic salts and organic materials are combined in the desired proportions in a stage mixer and mixed until homogeneous. In one embodiment, a dry formulation of taste enhancer typically includes about 15 to 25% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate, about 0.1% to 3.0 in • 10 amino acid weight, about 35 to 50% by weight of animal by-products such as dried animal digestives, and about 35 to 50% by weight of microbial proteins, such as brewer's yeast. For example, in one embodiment, the taste enhancer includes about 18% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate or, in another embodiment, about 25% by weight of pyrophosphate tetrasodium. In a specific exemplary embodiment, the flavor enhancer includes about 39.7% by weight of dry brewer's yeast, about 39.7% by weight of dry chicken liver, about 19.8% tetrasodium pyrophosphate, and about 0.8% by weight of L-alanine. To make a liquid flavor enhancer formulation, for For example, liquid ingredients commercially available in a mixer are combined. Wet ingredients such as animal tissue are milled or emulsified in a suspension and the liquid ingredients are combined with the suspension. The commercially available protease is added to the suspension ^^ - ^^^^ i ^ ji ^ g ^^ s ^^ is ^^^^ to hydrolyze proteins, and then inactive with heat, acid or other method. It also adds preservatives, such as sorbates, to the suspension. Water is added to adjust the viscosity and solids content in the suspension to be between about 10% and 50% to facilitate the application procedure as described below. Tetrasodium pyrophosphate, and other dry ingredients as desired, are added to the suspension before application. A liquid flavor enhancer formulation includes about 5 to 45% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate; about 1 to 50% by weight of animal tissue, such as hearts or livers of cattle, or hearts or chicken livers; about 0.1 to 3.0% by weight of amino acids such as alanine or lysine; about 0.1 to 1.0% by weight of preservatives such as ascorbic acid and about 0.1 to 2.0% by weight of enzymes as a protease. For example, one embodiment of the liquid formulation includes about 14 to 20% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate. In use, the flavor enhancer to the particles or pieces of dry food or semidry pet applies, for example, extruded dry pieces as known in the art. The flavor improver is applied, for example, by sprinkling or sprinkling on particles or food pieces. Specifically, to make a cat food composition to which the flavor improver is applied, the proteinaceous and mealy materials and the additional materials desired as described above combine to form a mixture and mix well. The mixture is then transferred to a steam conditioner and subjected to .A t £ _ ^^^^^^^^^? * '¿4' ^ ^ ag kS moisture vapor to adjust the moisture content of the mixture between about 20% and 40% by weight. The conditioned mixture is then fired under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure in an extruder, such as a single screw extruder. The extruder can include a die that has a particular shape, such as fish, crosses or circles. The product is cut into small particles or pieces by rotating a cutting knife while the product is extruded. The particles or parts are transported to a forced air drying system that raises the temperature of the parts to about 140 ° C and reduces the humidity level to about 8% by weight. The dried particles or pieces are then transferred by a volume conveyor to a coating drum and sprayed with animal fat. Other liquids, for example, citric acid or phosphoric acid can alternatively be applied to the pieces, or applied in addition to the animal fat. The pieces are then sprinkled or sprinkled with the flavor improver, and stirred to completely coat the parts with the flavor improver. Then the pieces are cooled to room temperature and packed. The taste enhancer with tetrasodium pyrophosphate in both liquid and dry formulations was tested in comparison with already known dry food coatings for cats. In both formulations, the flavor improver showed that it improves the taste over that obtained with the known flavor improvers.

^^^^^ A ^, ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ - ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^! ^ * In four separate tests described in examples 1 through 4, each of eighteen adult cats were offered a control ration R1, a R2 test ration in a two vessel test during • two days. R1 consisted of Meow 5 Mix® dry cat food pieces, base formula, commercially available from Ralston Purina Company, Checkerboard Square, St. Louis, Missouri, 63164, with 2.25% by weight of a typical dry coating for cats that it contains from 0.1 to 3.0% by weight of amino acids, about 35 to 50% by weight of animal by-product, as a dry digestive for animals, and about 35 to 50% by weight of yeast from • 10 beer. R2 was Meow Mix®, pieces of base formula coated with 2.5% by weight of a dry coating for cats that also included 0.5% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate.

EXAMPLE 1 Of all the food consumed during the two days, R2 represented 84.6% of the total, while R1 represented 15.4%, and the ratio of amount consumed from R2 to the ratio R1 consumed was 5.5. The animals ate 55.3 grams / day / cat of R2, compared to 11.0 grams / day / cat of R1. The eighteen cats preferred R2 over R1.

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EXAMPLE 2 Of all the food consumed during the two days, R2 represented 82.7% of the total, while R1 represented 17.3%, and the ratio of the amount consumed of R2 in relation to the amount consumed of R1 was 4.8. The animals ate 58.0 grams / day / cat of R2, compared to 12.0 grams / day / cat of R1. Seventeen cats preferred R2 over R1, while one cat showed no preference.

EXAMPLE 3 Of all the food consumed during the two days, R2 represented 85.4% of the total, while R1 represented 14.6%, and the ratio of the amount consumed of R2 in comparison with the amount consumed of R1 was 5.9. The animals ate 54.4 grams / day / cat of R2, compared to 8.7 grams / day / cat of R1. Sixteen cats preferred R2 over R1, while one cat showed no preference and one cat was eliminated by consuming an unimportant amount.

EXAMPLE 4 Of all the food consumed during the two days, R2 represented 77.6% of the total, while R1 represented 22.4%, and the ratio of the amount consumed of R2 in comparison with the amount consumed of R1 was 3.5. The animals ate 49.2 grams / day / cat of R2, compared with 14.7 grams / day / cat of R1. Sixteen cats preferred R2 • on R1, while a cat preferred R1 on R2 and a cat showed no preference. Table 1 summarizes the result of examples 1 through 4.

TABLE 1 • 10 fifteen In two separate tests set out below, examples 5 and 6, a control ration coated with liquid digestive for animals was tested against a test portion coated with liquid digestive for animals, including an amount of tetrasodium pyrophosphate.

L EXAMPLE 5 Each of eighteen adult cats was offered a • control ratio R1, and a test ration R3 in a test of two containers for two days. R1 consisted of Meow Mix® pieces of base formula coated with liquid digestive for animals at 3% by weight] R3 consisted of Meow Mix pieces of base formula coated with liquid digestive for animals at 3% by weight, plus tetrasodium pyrophosphate at 0.75% in weight. Of all the foods consumed during the two days, R3 represented 10 69.0% of the total, while R1 represented 31.0%, and the ratio of the amount consumed of R3 to the amount consumed of R1 was 2.2. The animals ate 41.5 grams / day / cat of R3, compared to 19.0 grams / day / cat of R1. Fifteen cats preferred R3 over R1, while two preferred R1 over R3, and one showed no preference. 15 EXAMPLE 6 Each of eighteen adult cats were offered a test ration of R2, and a second test ration of R3 in a 20-two-recipient test for two days. R2 consisted of Meow Mix® pieces with base formula coated with liquid digestion for animals in 3% by weight, plus tetrasodium pyrophosphate at 0.5% by weight. R3 consisted of Meo Mix® pieces of base formula coated with animal digestive fluid at 3% by weight plus tetrasodium pyrophosphate at 0.75% by weight. Of all the food consumed during two days, R3 represented 60.9% of the total, while R2 represented 39.1% and the ratio of the amount consumed of R3 to the amount consumed of R2 was 1.6. The animals consumed 35.1 grams / day / cat of R3, compared with 23.2 grams / day / cat of R2. Fourteen cats preferred R3 over R2, while three preferred R2 over R3 and one showed no preference. The results suggest a positive dose response relationship between the amount of tetrasodium pyrophosphate added to the feed and the degree of preference of the animal for the feed. Table 2 summarizes the results of examples 5 and 6.

TABLE 2 Examples 1 through 6 show that tetrasodium pyrophosphate improves taste in both dry and liquid flavor improver formulations. The addition of tetrasodium pyrophosphate to the digestive liquid for animals was found to be more effective as a flavor enhancer than the liquid digestive for animals alone. The addition of tetrasodium pyrophosphate to a dry coating for cats produced a more effective taste enhancer than a typical dry coating alone. The use of tetrasodium pyrophosphate to improve the taste of • Dry and semi-dry pet food represents a substantial improvement over current methods. The flavor improver is particularly effective in improving the taste of dry and semi-dry cat food. In addition, the use of tetrasodium pyrophosphate represents a relatively low added production cost for pet food manufacturers. In addition, the improved taste enhancing effect of tetrasodium pyrophosphate • 10 endures in a range of different application systems and different formulations. From the above description of various embodiments of the present invention, it is clear that the objects of the invention are obtained. Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it should be clearly understood that the descriptions and illustrations were created solely by way of illustration and example and should not be taken as limiting. In this way, the spirit and scope of the invention will be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

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Claims (20)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS •

1. A method for improving the taste of an extruded food for pets, characterized in that it comprises the step of: applying a taste improving composition including tetrasodium pyrophosphate to an extruded food composition of low humidity or intermediate humidity for pets in a sufficient amount to contribute from about 0.5% to about 10% tetrasodium pyrophosphate to the pet food, wherein the flavor improving composition comprises from about 0.1% to about 99% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate and therefore minus one of a plurality of additional flavor improving ingredients.

2. A method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the flavor improving composition is dry and said step of applying the flavor improving composition to the pet food comprises dipping the flavor improving composition on the extruded food. for pets.

3. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the extruded pet food is a dry cat food.

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4. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the extruded pet food is a semi-dry cat food. • 5.- The method according to claim 1,

5 further characterized in that the flavor improving composition is a liquid and said step of applying the flavor improving composition to the pet food comprises spraying the flavor improving composition on the pet food extrudate.

6.- A method to improve the flavor of a low food

• intermediate moisture or humidity for pets, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: providing a flavor enhancing composition, wherein said step of providing a flavor improving composition comprises the steps of: combining about 15% to about 25% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate with about 50% by weight of an animal by-product, and

15 from about 35% to about 50% by weight of microbial protein in a mixer; and mixing the tetrasodium pyrophosphate, the animal by-product and the microbial protein until a homogenous mixture is obtained; and applying the flavor improving composition to a low moisture or intermediate moisture pet food.

7. A flavor improving composition for extruded food with low humidity or intermediate moisture for pets, characterized in that it comprises from about 15% to about 25% by weight of pyrophosphate

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tetrasodium pyrophosphate; from about 35% to about 50% by weight of microbial protein; and about 35% to about 50% by weight of animal by-product.

8. The flavor improving composition according to claim 7, further characterized in that it comprises from about 15% to about 30% by weight of carbohydrates.

9. The flavor improving composition according to claim 7, further characterized in that it comprises from about 15% to about 30% by weight of a dairy by-product.

10. The flavor improving composition according to claim 10, further characterized in that it comprises from about 18% to about 25% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate.

11. The flavor improving composition according to claim 7, further characterized in that said flavor improving composition is dry.

12. The flavor improving composition according to claim 7, further characterized in that said flavor improving composition is liquid.

13. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the taste-improving compound comprises: from about 15% to about 25% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate; from about 0.1% to about 3.0% by weight of amino acid; from about 35% to about 50% by weight of animal by-product; and from about 35% to about 50% by weight of microbial protein.

The method according to claim 13, further characterized in that the flavor improving composition comprises about 18% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate.

15. The method according to claim 13, further characterized in that the flavor improving composition comprises about 19.8% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate.

16. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the flavor improving composition comprises from about 14% to about 20% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate.

17. The method according to claim 6, further characterized in that it comprises the step of providing the taste-improving compound further comprises the steps of: combining from about 0.1% to about 3% by weight of amino acids with tetrasodium pyrophosphate, the animal by-product and the microbial protein in the mixer; and mix the carbohydrate, the milk by-product, the tetrasodium pyrophosphate, the animal by-product and the microbial protein until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

18. The method according to claim 17, further characterized in that the flavor improving composition comprises about 18% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate.

19. A method according to claim 17, further characterized in that the flavor improving composition comprises from about 18% to about 25% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate.

20. - A method for improving the taste of pet food, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: applying to a pet food of low humidity or intermediate humidity a flavor improving composition that includes from about 0.1% to about 99% in weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate, in an amount sufficient to contribute from about 0.5% to about 3.0% by weight of tetrasodium pyrophosphate to pet food low in moisture.

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