Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
281 words
A process for preparing a nutritionally-balanced dog food having improved palatability, said dog food comprising fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and containing of a weight basis from 20% to 80% farinaceous ingredients and from 20% to 80% proteinaceous ingredients, including proteinaceous meaty material at from about 25% to about 55% by weight of the proteinaceous ingredients, said process comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a farinaceous slurry comprising from about 30% to 70% water and from about 5% to about 25% of the total weight of said farinaceous ingredients; (b) forming a farinaceous reaction product by treating the farinaceous material in said farinaceous slurry with added alpha-amylase and protease enzymes in an amount and under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the farinaceous material to a mixture of oligo saccharides ranging in size from 1 to 10 monomer units, and at least a portion of the proteinaceous material to a mixture of peptides ranging in size from 2 to 300 monomer units, and effective to reduce the viscosity of the slurry by 50%; (c) preparing a proteinaceous slurry comprising water and a major portion of the proteinaceous meaty material; (d) forming a proteinaceous reaction product by treating the proteinaceous material in the proteinaceous slurry with protease enzymes in an amount and under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the proteinaceous material to peptides ranging in size from 2 to 300 monomer units and effective to reduce the viscosity of the slurry by 50%; and (e) incorporating the farinaceous and proteinaceous reaction products into a dog food in an amount effective to provide a significant increase in the palatability of the dog food to dogs.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
281 words
A process for preparing a nutritionally-balanced dog food having improved palatability, said dog food comprising fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and containing of a weight basis from 20% to 80% farinaceous ingredients and from 20% to 80% proteinaceous ingredients, including proteinaceous meaty material at from about 25% to about 55% by weight of the proteinaceous ingredients, said process comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a farinaceous slurry comprising from about 30% to 70% water and from about 5% to about 25% of the total weight of said farinaceous ingredients; (b) forming a farinaceous reaction product by treating the farinaceous material in said farinaceous slurry with added alpha-amylase and protease enzymes in an amount and under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the farinaceous material to a mixture of oligo saccharides ranging in size from 1 to 10 monomer units, and at least a portion of the proteinaceous material to a mixture of peptides ranging in size from 2 to 300 monomer units, and effective to reduce the viscosity of the slurry by 50%; (c) preparing a proteinaceous slurry comprising water and a major portion of the proteinaceous meaty material; (d) forming a proteinaceous reaction product by treating the proteinaceous material in the proteinaceous slurry with protease enzymes in an amount and under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the proteinaceous material to peptides ranging in size from 2 to 300 monomer units and effective to reduce the viscosity of the slurry by 50%; and (e) incorporating the farinaceous and proteinaceous reaction products into a dog food in an amount effective to provide a significant increase in the palatability of the dog food to dogs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the farinaceous and proteinaceous reactin products are admixed with the remaining proteinaceous and farinaceous ingredients of the dog food to form a plastic mass which is mechanically worked under elevated temperature and pressure, and is then forced through an orifice to an area of pressure sufficiently low to cause flashing of moisture and expansion of the mass.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the farinaceous and proteinaceous reaction products are incorporated onto the dog food by coating it on the surface thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the dog food is dried to a moisture content of less than 10%.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the dog food has a moisture content in excess of 10%.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process according to claim 5 wherein the dog food comprises from about 12% to about 20% moisture and contains sufficient levels of osmostic and antimicrobial agents to maintain it stable against microbial deterioration when stored in moisture-impermeable packages.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 6 wherein the proteolytic enzyme is employed in an amount sufficient to provide peptides ranging in size from 2 to 50 monomer units.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A proces according to claim 1 wherein the proteolytic enzyme is admixed with the proteinaceous slurry in at least two portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein the proteinaceous meaty material is admixed with the slurry in at least two portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said proteinaceous meaty material comprises meat meal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the farinaceous slurry comprises corn.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 11 wherein the farinaceous slurry further comprises wheat.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein all of the enzymes are heat labile and the process includes the further step of heating both the farinaceous and proteinaceous slurries after enzyme reaction to a temperature effective to inactivate the enzymes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 13 wherein the farinaceous ingredients present in the farinaceous slurry comprise from 60% to 80% by weight of wheat and from 20% to 40% by weight of corn.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 14 wherein the proteinaceous ingredients comprise from about 10% to about 40% by weight of the dog food of soybean meal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to claim 15 wherein the amylase enzyme comprises about one-half bacterial alpha-amylase and one-half fungal alpha-amylase.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 16 wherein the viscosity of the farinaceous slurry is reduced to 25% of the original viscosity.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A nutritionally-balanced dog food of improved palatability prepared according to the process of claim 1.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
248 words
A process for preparing a nutritionally-balanced dog food having improved palatability, said dog food comprising fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and containing of a weight basis from 20% to 80% farinaceous ingredients and from 20% to 80% proteinaceous ingredients, including proteinaceous meaty material at from about 25% to about 55% by weight of the proteinaceous ingredients, said process comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a farinaceous slurry comprising from about 30% to about 70% water and from about 5% to about 25% of the total weight of said farinaceous ingredients; (b) forming a farinaceous reaction product by treating said farinaceous material in the farinaceous slurry with added alpha-amylase enzyme in an amount and under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the farinaceous material to a mixture of oligosaccharides ranging in size of from 1 to 10 monomer units and effective to reduce the viscosity of the slurry by 50%; and thereafter, (c) admixing a major portion of the proteinaceous meaty material with said reacted farinaceous slurry to prepare a combined slurry; thereafter, (d) forming a reaction product by treating the combined slurry with proteolytic enzyme in an amount and under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the proteinaceous material to peptides ranging in size from 2 to 300 monomer units; and (e) incorporating the reaction product of the combined slurry into dog food in an amount effective to provide a significant increase in the palatability of the dog food to dogs.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
248 words
A process for preparing a nutritionally-balanced dog food having improved palatability, said dog food comprising fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and containing of a weight basis from 20% to 80% farinaceous ingredients and from 20% to 80% proteinaceous ingredients, including proteinaceous meaty material at from about 25% to about 55% by weight of the proteinaceous ingredients, said process comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a farinaceous slurry comprising from about 30% to about 70% water and from about 5% to about 25% of the total weight of said farinaceous ingredients; (b) forming a farinaceous reaction product by treating said farinaceous material in the farinaceous slurry with added alpha-amylase enzyme in an amount and under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the farinaceous material to a mixture of oligosaccharides ranging in size of from 1 to 10 monomer units and effective to reduce the viscosity of the slurry by 50%; and thereafter, (c) admixing a major portion of the proteinaceous meaty material with said reacted farinaceous slurry to prepare a combined slurry; thereafter, (d) forming a reaction product by treating the combined slurry with proteolytic enzyme in an amount and under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the proteinaceous material to peptides ranging in size from 2 to 300 monomer units; and (e) incorporating the reaction product of the combined slurry into dog food in an amount effective to provide a significant increase in the palatability of the dog food to dogs.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
60 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein the farinaceous and proteinaceous reactin products are admixed with the remaining proteinaceous and farinaceous ingredients to form a plastic mass which is mechanically worked under elevated temperature and pressure, and is then forced through an orifice to an area of pressure sufficiently low to cause flashing of moisture and expansion of the mass.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein the combined slurry reaction product is incorporated into the dog food by coating it on the surface thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein the dog food is dried to a moisture content of less than 10%.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein the dog food has a moisture content in excess of 10%.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process according to claim 23 wherein the dog food comprises from about 12% to about 20% moisture and contains sufficient levels of osmostic and antimicrobial agents to maintain it stable against microbial deterioration when stored in moisture-impermeable packages.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 24 wherein the proteolytic enzyme is employed in an amount sufficient to provide peptides ranging in size from 2 to 50 monomer units.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein the proteolytic enzyme is admixed with the combined slurry in at least two portions.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 26 wherein the proteinaceous meaty material is admixed with the farinaceous slurry in at least two portions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein said meaty material comprises meat meal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 9 wherein the water in said combined slurry comprises from about 30% to about 70% of the slurry.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein the farinaceous slurry comprises corn.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 30 wherein the farinaceous slurry further comprises wheat.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein all of the enzymes are heat labile and the process includes the further step of heating the combined slurry after reaction to a temperature effective to inactivate the enzymes.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to claim 32 wherein the farinaceous ingredients in the farinaceous slurry comprise from 60% to 80% by weight of wheat and from 20% to 40% by weight of corn.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 33 wherein the proteinaceous ingredients comprise from about 10% to about 40% by weight of the dog food of soybean meal.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to claim 34 wherein the amylase enzyme comprises about one-half bacterial alpha-amylase and one-half fungal alpha-amylase.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 35 wherein the viscosity of the farinaceous slurry is reduced to 25% of the original viscosity.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
A nutritionally-balanced dog food of improved palatability prepared according to the process of claim 19.