Pet food with visible particles and process for making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11419349-B2
Application number	US-202016732394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 2, 2020
Priority date	Nov 5, 2013
Publication date	Aug 23, 2022
Grant date	Aug 23, 2022

Abstract

The invention provides dry pet food diet compositions that include visible micronutrient particles comprising micronutrients, and improved methods for their preparation. The methods provide pet food diet compositions that have improved palatability and retention of micronutrients.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pet food composition comprising a plurality of kibbles with one or more micronutrient particles incorporated therein,
wherein the micronutrient particles are visually distinct and comprise one or more micronutrients and an extrudable binder,
wherein the extrudable binder comprises rice and gluten,
wherein the micronutrient particles comprise:
brewers rice in an amount of from 45% to 55%;
wheat gluten in an amount of from 35% to 45%;
ascorbic acid in an amount of from 1% to 5%; and
thiamine hydrochloride in an amount of from 1% to 5%,

wherein the plurality of kibbles have a coefficient of variance for the content of the micronutrients of less than 10%, and
wherein the plurality of kibbles are extruded.

2. The pet food composition of claim 1 , wherein the micronutrient particles further comprise one or more micronutrients selected from antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, carotenoids, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, nutraceutical ingredients, nutrient supplements, medicines, or combinations thereof.

3. The pet food composition of claim 1 wherein the micronutrient particles are 0.5-5 mm in size.

4. The pet food composition of claim 1 , wherein the micronutrient particles are delayed-release particles.

5. The pet food composition of claim 1 , wherein the micronutrient particles comprise 1% to 10% by weight of the pet food composition.

6. The pet food composition of claim 1 , wherein the micronutrient particles further comprise one one or more pigments.

7. The pet food composition of claim 1 , wherein the micronutrient particles comprise one or more orally acceptable insoluble pigments in an amount effective to impart color to the micronutrient particle.

8. The pet food composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more micronutrient particles comprise at least 100 times the concentration of a particular micronutrient relative to the concentration of the particular micronutrient in the rest of the kibble.

Assignees

• Hills Pet Nutrition Inc

Inventors

• Lin Hungwei
• Jewell Dennis
• Macleay Jennifer

Classifications

• A23K50/42

  Dry feed · CPC title

• A23K40/25 Primary

  by extrusion · CPC title

• A23K20/174

  Vitamins · CPC title

• A61P43/00

  Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00 · CPC title

• A23K40/20

  by moulding, e.g. making cakes or briquettes · CPC title