PET Food Processing - March 2020 - 46

FORMULATION

Pet owners are an
important source of
feedback on a
pet's food or treat
preference, watching
for behaviors in their
animals that indicate
their happiness with
different food and
treat offerings.
©chalabala - stock.adobe.com

with the meal or they want more food. Another consideration is the animal's head position on the bowl while
eating. The ability of the owner to translate the behavior
of their animal helps decode these experiences.

Creating attractive palatants
Texture and the quality of fresh, raw materials play a major role in palatability, as does the use of dry and liquid
palatants. Created through a combination of technology and expertise, palatants gather the aromas and taste
compounds that cats and dogs crave. As carnivores, animals take their energy from protein and fats. The encapsulating qualities of the fat contribute to the product's
flavor, nutritional value, texture and ultimate palatability. Therefore, it's important palatants do not become encapsulated in the fat, making the order of palatant application key to maintaining accessibility and performance.
The hydrolysis of proteins can also help to boost a
product's performance in different ways. For fresh raw
materials, biogenic amines are very important to analyze. Because biogenic and volatile amines can greatly
influence the smell of a product, they play a major role
in the ability of a finished product to be palatable. Small
peptides can enhance taste, but too-small peptides (less
than 3,000 Da) can create bitterness, according to Herve.
While freshness management, process control and
the use of food or liquid agreeable to the palate are
critical for palatability, matrix-dependent palatants are
not one size fits all, Castillo says, and not all customers
abide by the same definitions of palatability as explained
by Preetha Banerjee, manager, customer engagement,
AFB Research & Development. "Each customer is different and has different definitions of palatability," she

PET FOOD PROCESSING | March 2020 | www.petfoodprocessing.net

continues. "Palatant form, protein sources, performance
level and application rate are all considered."

Dry and wet food palatants
In dry pet food, palatants are generally added in a top coating after extrusion. Diana Pet Food recommends applying
the fat, liquid and powder palatant sequentially, allowing
time for each of the components to bond before proceeding to the next step. The company suggests mixing kibble
for 45 to 60 seconds after each spreading sequence. Lossin-weight feeders deliver powdered palatants consistently,
and vibratory distributors help spread out the dry palatant.
Lastly, tracers can measure for the real amount of dry palatant applied to individual pieces of kibble.
In wet pet food, palatability includes the level of
grinding. Once texture is established, volumetric pumps
accurately dose fat and liquid palatants through nozzles
at a consistent, smooth rate. Some palatants are formulated with precursors of the Maillard reaction, which occurs during wet food retorting and generates flavor and
aroma that stimulates the animal's appetite.
Palatants can be included in the "meaty" part of the
food or in the accompanying jelly/sauce, but if the jelly is
too strong it could trap the flavors. Palatants used in wet
foods must also consider high temperatures employed in
the sterilization of cans or pouches, according to de Ratuld.
Overheating can destroy sensitive flavor components.
Historically, the retorting process was used to preserve pet food. Advantages include a more reliable product over time with less oxidation and off-flavors and
no risk of microbial development post-processing. The
natural addition of oxygen and the resulting alteration
of the lipid's chemical structure can make nutrition less

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PET Food Processing - March 2020

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