Method of making a dry pet food having a marbled meat-like texture

Claim 1

A method for the production of a dry pet food having a moisture content of less than 15 percent by weight and a soft, elastic, marbled, meat-like texture and appearance comprising the steps of forming a first dough containing a first coloring agent and a second dough containing a second coloring agent, each dough comprising a fat, a proteinaceous adhesive, and a plasticizing agent; and sufficient amount of water to produce a product having less than 15 percent by weight moisture and an additional amount of process water; wherein said proteinaceous adhesive is present in an amount of from about 4 to about 60 percent by weight of the dough and said plasticizing agent is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 40 percent by weight of the dough; separately cooking said first and second doughs at a temperature between 160° and 300° F.; combining the first dough with said second dough such that the final product contains from about 70-90 percent by weight of said first dough and from about 10-30 percent by weight of said second dough; and drying the final product sufficiently to reduce the moisture content of the final product to less than 15 percent by weight of the final product.

Claim 2

A method for the production of a dry pet food having a moisture content of less than 15 percent by weight and a soft, elastic, marbled, meat-like texture and appearance comprising the steps of forming a first dough containing a first coloring agent and a second dough containing a second coloring agent, each dough comprising a fat, a proteinaceous adhesive, and a plasticizing agent; and sufficient amount of water to produce a product having less than 15 percent by weight moisture and an additional amount of process water; wherein said proteinaceous adhesive is present in an amount of from about 4 to about 60 percent by weight of the dough and said plasticizing agent is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 40 percent by weight of the dough; separately cooking said first and second doughs at a temperature between 160° and 300° F.; combining the first dough with said second dough such that the final product contains from about 70-90 percent by weight of said first dough and from about 10-30 percent by weight of said second dough; and drying the final product sufficiently to reduce the moisture content of the final product to less than 15 percent by weight of the final product.

Claim 13

A method for the production of a dry pet food having a moisture content of less than 15 percent by weight and a marbled meat-like appearance and texture comprising the steps of: forming a first dough containing a first coloring agent and a second dough containing a second coloring agent, each dough comprising a fat, a proteinaceous adhesive, a plasticizing agent, and sufficient water to produce a product having less than 15 percent by weight moisture and an additional amount of process water; wherein said proteinaceous adhesive is present in an amount of from about 4 to about 60 percent by weight of the dough; said plasticizing agent is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 40 percent by weight of the dough; and heating said first dough in a first extruder barrel at a temperature between 160° and 300° F. for a time sufficient to cook said ingredients; heating said second dough in a second extruder at a temperature between 160° and 300° F. for a time sufficient to cook said ingredients; combining the cooked dough formed from the first dough and the cooked dough formed from the second dough by extruding said first dough and second dough combined through a die to form a product containing from about 70 to 90 percent by weight of a first dough and from about 10 to about 30 percent by weight of a second dough; discharging the combined dough formed from the first and second dough onto a moving conveyor; cooling and subdividing the combined dough to form pieces of dry pet food; and drying the combined dough sufficiently to reduce moisture content of the combined dough to less than 15 percent by weight of the combined dough.

Claim 14

A method for the production of a dry pet food having a moisture content of less than 15 percent by weight and a marbled meat-like appearance and texture comprising the steps of: forming a first dough containing a first coloring agent and a second dough containing a second coloring agent, each dough comprising a fat, a proteinaceous adhesive, a plasticizing agent, and sufficient water to produce a product having less than 15 percent by weight moisture and an additional amount of process water; wherein said proteinaceous adhesive is present in an amount of from about 4 to about 60 percent by weight of the dough; said plasticizing agent is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 40 percent by weight of the dough; and heating said first dough in a first extruder barrel at a temperature between 160° and 300° F. for a time sufficient to cook said ingredients; heating said second dough in a second extruder at a temperature between 160° and 300° F. for a time sufficient to cook said ingredients; combining the cooked dough formed from the first dough and the cooked dough formed from the second dough by extruding said first dough and second dough combined through a die to form a product containing from about 70 to 90 percent by weight of a first dough and from about 10 to about 30 percent by weight of a second dough; discharging the combined dough formed from the first and second dough onto a moving conveyor; cooling and subdividing the combined dough to form pieces of dry pet food; and drying the combined dough sufficiently to reduce moisture content of the combined dough to less than 15 percent by weight of the combined dough.