Ralston Purina Company

Nestec Ltd

Thomas J Ernst

Janet R Jackson

Edward V Oborsh

Robert S Lepp

Foppe E Oreel

A method of inhibiting the growth ofin a pet food product includes the step of adding at least 0.3% by weight conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to the pet food product. Specifically, adding conjugated linoleic acid to the pet food product includes the steps of adding conjugated linoleic acid to a pet food meal pre-mix, extruding the conjugated linoleic acid containing premix to form the pet food product, cutting the pet food product to size, and drying the pet food product. The method can further include the step of coating the dried, cut to size pet food product with conjugated linoleic acid.

[object Object]

A method of preparing stable high moisture food products such as pet food products is disclosed which enables nutritious farinaceous-proteinaceous food materials to be preserved in a stable, nutritious and wholesome form without refrigeration or resorting to canning and autoclaving techniques. The preserved materials may be packaged in transparent, flexible containers and stored under ambient conditions for periods of a year or more. The method involves impregnating the materials with a preservative such as succinic acid, pyruvic acid, or fumaric acid, forming the materials, and packaging the formed food product.

Food preservation

A process for the production of a pet food product resembling a 'cooked' hamburger patty is set forth, which has a moisture content exceeding about 40% by weight and is stabilized against bacterial and mycotic penetration comprising: grinding raw animal meat into particles of a substantially uniform size, heating the same and impregnating the meat with a preservative composition which comprises a mixture of a bacteriostatic agent and an edible antimycotic. A critically defined range of expanded protein pieces are added to the final product which is between about 25 to 90% by volume of the product. The addition of a critically defined percentage of the expanded protein pieces provides a realistic chunky appearance and gives the product a shear value which exceeds about .080 ft. lb./gram. The bacteriostatic agent is preferably an organic acid selected from the group consisting of succinic acid, pyruvic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, glucono-.DELTA.-lactone, tartaric acid, lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid and mixtures thereof or an acid salt such as sodium hexametaphosphate and calcium acetate. The edible antimycotic is preferably a mixture of sorbic acid and salts thereof.

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St. Louis, MO, United States of America

Thomas J Ernst