WO2025012639A1

WO2025012639A1 - Pet treats

Info

Publication number: WO2025012639A1
Application number: PCT/GB2024/051799
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adele VOKE
Original assignee: Triangle Partners Ltd
Current assignee: Triangle Partners Ltd
Priority date: 2023-07-12
Filing date: 2024-07-10
Publication date: 2025-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 2026-01-12

Abstract

The invention provides a method of making a pet treat comprising mixing solid food pieces and matrix forming components including collagen and water; heating the mixture until the matrix forming components have formed a liquid; pouring into a mould of a desired shape; cooling until solidified; and releasing the solidified product from the mould. Ideally the food pieces are fruit chunks. The ingredients may include 35% collagen, 26% solid food pieces, 10% starch, 10% glycerine and 10% water. The invention also provides a formulation for a freezable pet treat comprising a high proportion of collagen, and solid food pieces. It further provides a freezable pet treat formed by such a method and /or such a formulation.

Description

Pet Treats

The present invention relates to freezable pet treats, especially but not exclusively treats for dogs. The invention also relates to formulations for making such pet treats and the methods for making such treats.

The traditional injection moulding process for forming treats involves granulation of a mainly starch based formula followed by low temperature injection moulding. It is impossible to add solid food (such as fruit) particles in this process.

In addition, to create a translucent product one has to add a lot of water to the starch to achieve complete gelatinisation, which makes it transparent. However, the traditional injection moulding process cannot cope with large amounts of water, as the mix cannot be granulated for subsequent manufacturing. Therefore existing products cannot be at least partially transparent and the contents cannot be seen. In addition those contents even if visible could not include solid food particles. Furthermore though a high water content may be useful for a freezable product, it is not convenient for transportation and storage.

The present invention aims to provide a method and formulation for making a freezable moulded treat containing solid food pieces. It is a further aim to make a treat that is at least partially translucent or transparent such that solid food pieces therein are visible from the outside.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making a pet treat comprising: mixing ingredients comprising solid food pieces and matrix forming components including collagen and water; i heating the mixture until the matrix forming components have formed a liquid; pouring the liquid and contained solid food pieces into a mould of a desired shape; cooling until solidified; and releasing the solidified product from the mould.

The food pieces may be of any food items, but preferably they are chunks of fruit. The pieces may be food that is dried or otherwise pre-processed or may be fresh. The pieces may be cut to appropriate sizes and shapes to suit.

The treat is intended to be frozen before being given to a pet. Preferably, the method is for making a freezable treat. The treat may also be prepared to be stored frozen or to be stored at room temperature and frozen prior to use. The finished product is solidified but soft/rubbery at room temperature. It may harden somewhat when frozen.

The solid food pieces may be added with the matrix forming components before heating, or they may be added to the liquified matrix after heating but before introduction to the mould.

The matrix forming components form a matrix in which the solid food pieces are suspended. The matrix may be akin to a binder and/or may be a gel. The matrix forming components may also include one or more of the following: glycerine, starch, sugar, sorbitol, potassium sorbate, flavourings, and colourants.

The ingredients may include 35% collagen, 26% solid food pieces, 10% starch, 10% glycerine and 10% water. The balance would be small amounts of other components. The method ideally forms a treat that is at least partially translucent or transparent such that the solid food pieces are at least partially visible in the finished product.

Mixing of the ingredients may be done at a first low speed and then at a second faster speed. The low speed may last for at least 1 minute and be at a speed of 60 rpm. The faster speed mixing may be at a speed of 240 rpm for at least 4 minutes.

The method may include the additional step of inserting a stick into the liquid before it solidifies. The stick can provide both a desirable visual appearance, a way to hold the treat before it is given to a pet and/or a different chewing texture. The stick is formed from a different material. The stick may be shaped to represent an ice- cream/lolly stick. The stick may be any shape such as elongate cylinder or elongate flattened pill shape. The stick may be edible or chewable. The stick may be formed by extrusion. The stick may be formed from a high starch composition.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a formulation for a freezable pet treat comprising a high proportion of collagen and solid food pieces.

The treat formed from this formulation and the method noted above is preferably translucent or transparent such that the solid food pieces contained therein are at least partially visible.

The collagen is composed of a large number of amino acids. Amino acids react with sugar and water at the same time to form stable hydrogen bonds. Therefore it does not need to be frozen to solidify like water, which means it is a transparent solid at room temperature. Collagen is also easy to digest so nutritionally useful.

The amount of collagen may be greater than 30%, and preferably is about 35%. The amount of solid food pieces is in the range of 20 to 30%, and preferably is about 26%. The comments with regard to the nature of the solid food pieces noted above apply equally to the formulation.

As well as comprising collagen and solid food pieces, the formulation may also include and additional ingredients selected from starch, water, glycerine, sorbitol, potassium sorbate, calcium propionate, citric acid, flavourings, and colourants.

In one embodiment the formulation may comprise: 35% collagen, 26% solid food pieces, 10.48% maltodextrin, 10% water, 10% glycerine, 3% sugar, 3% sorbitol, 2% syrup, 0.2% potassium sorbate, 0.2% calcium propionate, 0.1 % citric acid, 0.01 % carmine, and 0.01 % plain caramel.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a freezable pet treat formed by a method as described above and/or using a formulation as described above.

The freezable pet treat is ideally translucent at room temperature and/or when frozen such that the solid food pieces are at least partially visible. Some or all of the pieces may be visible externally.

The method and formulation of the present application provides a significant benefit both in terms of the finished product but also in the manufacture thereof. The mixture of ingredients can be formed by the method using liquid casting to form a soft treat that is translucent/transparent and soft at room temperature.

In order that it be better understood, but by way of example only the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an end view of a pet treat according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an opposite end view of the pet treat of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a side view of the pet treat of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the pet treat of Figures 1 to 3; and

Figure 5 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of method for manufacturing a treat according to the present invention.

Figures 1 to 4 show various views of a pet treat 10. The treat 10 is shaped like an ice lolly with a main body 11 formed from moulded matrix material with embedded food pieces. The food pieces are fruit chunks 13. The main body matrix is transparent such that the fruit chunks 13 are visible. A round prism shaped stick 12 extends into the main body 11 . The stick is formed from a harder non-transparent material that is extruded or otherwise formed. It may be formed from a high starch composition that is sufficiently hard to provided a teeth cleaning dental chew that can be chewed after the softer main body and food pieces are consumed.

Figure 5 shows a method of forming a treat. This may include the treat set out in Figures 1 -4. That method is set out below:

First the raw materials are accepted and weighed at step 20. These ingredients include: collagen, solid fruit pieces, maltodextrin, water, glycerine, sugar, sorbitol, syrup, potassium sorbate, calcium propionate, citric acid, carmine, and plain caramel.

The weighed raw materials are then added to a mixer according to the prescribed ratio. The materials are then mixed (step 22), for more than 5 minutes. Ideally the mixing is first at low speed (60 r/min) for 1 minute, and then at a high speed (240 r/min) for 4 minutes.

At step 24 the mixture is then heated and stirred until the solid parts of the matrix components are dissolved/dispersed in the water to form a liquid in which the solid food pieces are suspended. Ideally it is heated to about 80°C. The liquified matrix and suspended pieces 13 are then poured at step 26 into an appropriately shaped mould to form the desired shape. The filed mould is then allowed to cool so that the matrix will solidify. A stick is introduced via the upper open end of the mould into the matrix before the matrix has solidified. As the matrix hardens the stick is held therein.

Once the matrix is solidified, the stick 12 and main body 11 are removed from the mould (step 28). It then undergoes sterilization treatment at step 30 using standard techniques.

Quality control, such as metal detection, occurs at step 32 to remove contaminated products. The metal content in the product may come from ultrafine metal particles in the air. Metal detectors pick out products with excessive metal content and these are rejected.

The finished products are then put into inner packing bags at step 34, and sealed. The inner packaged product is put (step 36) into outer packaging bag and re- sealed so it is ready to be shipped (step 38).

Claims

1 . A method of making a pet treat comprising:

- mixing ingredients comprising solid food pieces and matrix forming components including collagen and water;

- heating the mixture until the matrix forming components have formed a liquid;

- pouring the liquid and contained solid food pieces into a mould of a desired shape;

- cooling until solidified; and

- releasing the solidified product from the mould.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the food pieces are fruit chunks.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein a stick is inserted into the liquid before it solidifies.

4. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the matrix forming components also include one or more of the following: glycerine, starch, sugar, sorbitol, potassium sorbate, flavourings, and colourants.

5. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the ingredients include 35% collagen, 26% solid food pieces, 10% starch, 10% glycerine and 10% water.

6. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the treat formed is translucent such that the solid food pieces in the finished product are at least partially visible.

7. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein mixing is done at a first low speed and then at a second faster speed.

8. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the stick is edible and is formed by extrusion.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the stick is formed from a high starch composition.

10. A formulation for a freezable pet treat comprising a high proportion of collagen, and solid food pieces.

11. A formulation as claimed in claim 10 wherein the treat formed is translucent such that the solid food pieces are at least partially visible.

12. A formulation as claimed in claim 10 or clam 11 , wherein the amount of collagen is greater than 30%, and preferably is about 35%.

13. A formulation as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the amount of solid food pieces is in the range of 20 to 30%, and preferably about 26%.

14. A formulation as claimed in any of claims 10 to 13 comprising collagen, solid food pieces, and additional ingredients selected from starch, water, glycerine, sorbitol, potassium sorbate, calcium propionate, citric acid, flavourings, and colourants.

15. A formulation as claimed in any of claims 10 to 14 comprising: 35% collagen,

26% solid food pieces, 10.48% maltodextrin, 10% water, 10% glycerine, 3% sugar, 3% sorbitol, 2% syrup, 0.2% potassium sorbate, 0.2% calcium propionate, 0.1 % citric acid, 0.01 % carmine, and 0.01 % plain caramel.

16. A freezable pet treat formed by a method according to any of claims 1 to 9 from a formulation as claimed in any of claims 10 to 15.

17. A freezable pet treat as claimed in claim 16 which is translucent such that the solid food pieces are at least partially visible.