Chew Stick for Dogs With Enhanced Chew Time and Flavor

Abstract

A chew stick for dogs made from strips of beef bladders or esophagus formed into sticks and infused with a solution of water, syrup and gelatin, and humectant, and other ingredients, and colored for appearance, and then heated to dehydrate the chew to about 8% to 14% moisture content to achieve the finished product. The stick may also be coated with a mixture of emulsified meat, such as beef, starch, flavoring extract, oil, and water, to give it an attractive flavoring and toughness as a finished product.

Claims

1. A chew stick for dogs with enhanced chew time, hardness, and flavor, comprising: a chew stick formed of strips of beef, steer, or related animal parts taken from the bladder or esophagus, said strips having some inherent epithelial tissue fraction, said strips being cut to a length between about 6 to 18 in length, and approximately to in width; an infusion solution including a mixture of water, a toughness enhancer, a carbohydrate ingredient, humectant, and a coloring agent, the strips being soaked in said infusion solution, said infusion solution being maintained at a temperature between about 120 F. to 170 F., and soaking through submersion of said strips for about 45 minutes to three hours result in the absorption of said infusion solution into said strips between about 18-50% by weight; and applying heat within an oven food dehydrator to the infusion solution treated strips at a temperature of about or above 160 F. for a retention time of about 6 hours to heat set and pasteurize said treated strips, and to dehydrate said strips to a moisture content of less than 12% to enhance their toughness.

2. The chew stick of claim 1 wherein said infusion solution is formulated in the following ranges: TABLE-US-00011 Ingredient % Range Water 50-70% Gelatin or calcium caseinate 2-10% High maltose carbohydrate syrup or solids 20-40% Vegetable glycerin 2-8% Carmel color 0-3%

3. The chew stick of claim 2 wherein the ingredients of the infusion solution are more specifically included in the following ranges: TABLE-US-00012 Ingredient % Water 38.0% High maltose rice syrup 51.0% Gelatin 5% Carmel color 1.0% Glycerin 5.0%

4. The chew stick of claim 1, and including a meaty coating mixed in an emulsifier and applied to the surface of the chew sticks to enhance their palatability and flavoring of the chew stick to the attraction of the dog during usage.

5. The chew stick of claim 4 wherein the meaty coating applied to the surface of the infused sticks has a formulation within approximately the following ranges: TABLE-US-00013 Ingredient % Mechanical, deboned beef 30-70% Rice starch 5-15% Carmel Color 0-2% Beet Color 0-1% Water 20-35%

6. The chew stick of claim 1 wherein said infusion solution is formulated in the following ranges: TABLE-US-00014 Ingredient % Water 30-50% 42 DE Corn Syrup Solids 20-50% Vegetable Glycerin 2-8% Gelatin 2-10% Calcium Caseinate 3-8%

7. The chew stick of claim 1 wherein said infusion solution is formulated in the following ranges: TABLE-US-00015 Ingredient % Water 30-50% High maltose rice syrup 30-50% Gelatin 2-10% Carmel Color 0-3% Glycerin 2-8% Rice starch 5-20%

8. The chew stick of claim 1 wherein said infusion solution is formulated in the following ranges: TABLE-US-00016 Ingredient % Water 30-50% High maltose rice syrup 20-50% Gelatin 2-10% Carmel color 0-3% Glycerin 2-8% Gum Arabic 5-40%

9. The chew stick of claim 1 wherein a solution of hydrogen peroxide in the range of a 5% solution applied to the raw bladder or esophagus strips initially to attain their slight puffing to enhance the absorption rate of the hardener solution into said strips during their infusion treatment.

10. The process for forming a chew stick for dogs with enhanced chew time, hardness, and flavor, comprising: forming chew sticks prepared from strips of beef, steer, or related animal parts taken from the bladder or esophagus, said strips being cut to a length between about 6 to 18 in length, and approximately to in width, forming an infusion solution including a mixture of water, a toughness enhancer, a carbohydrate ingredient, a humectant, and a coloring agent, and soaking said prepared strips in said infusion solution maintained at a temperature between about 120 F. to 170 F., and soaking through submersion of said strips for about forty-five minutes to result in the absorption of said infusion solution into said strips to add between about 18-50% to their weight, applying heat within an oven food dehydrator to the infusion solution treated strips at a temperature about or above 160 F. for a retention time of about six hours to heat set and pasteurize said treated strips, and to dehydrate said strips to a moisture content of less than 12%.

11. The process for preparing chew sticks of claim 10, including after preparing said chew stick strips, and before applying them to the infusion solution, treating the chew stick strips with hydrogen peroxide to produce a slight puffing of the prepared strips and to enhance their porosity to increase the absorption of the infusion solution into said strips during their processing.

12. The process for preparing chew sticks of claim 10, and including the addition of one of high maltose carbohydrate syrup or solids, high maltose rice syrup, rice starch, Gum Arabic, to the infusion solution to add to the toughening and flexibility of the infused chew stick strips during their preparation.

13. The process for preparing chew sticks of claim 10, and including preparing a meaty coating formulation of ground meat, and adding to such a coloring agent, a starch, and water, and applying said coating to the surface of the solution infused strips within a tumbler to add a meaty coating to the surface of the strips during their final processing.

14. A process for preparing chew sticks of claim 10, including preparing a meaty coating formulation of ground beef, adding the same to the infusion solution, and then soaking through submersion of said prepared strips the meat coating mixed infusion solution to provide for both flavor and toughness to the chew stick strips during their preparation.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0048] The invention as previously summarized herein, and in generally describing the configuration of the chew sticks, their formulation from beef bladder, and other body part fractions, taken from processed related animals, which when treated in the manner as described herein, provides a developed chew stick for dogs with enhanced palatability, appearance, toughness, and chew time during usage.

[0049] The following examples are set forth as illustrative of this invention.

EXAMPLE 1

[0050] Beef bladders were washed and cut into long strips and dried. Forty 6 dried bladder sticks with a total weight of 720 grams were submerged in one gallon of infusion solution having the following formulation:

TABLE-US-00003 Ingredient % Water 38.0% High maltose rice syrup 51.0% Gelatin 5% Carmel color 1.0% Glycerin 5.0%

[0051] The infusion solution was mixed up and heated to 160 F. before the bladder sticks were added. The solution was kept at 160 F. for a holding time of 45 minutes with the sticks applied therein. At the end of 45 minutes the solution was drained from the infused sticks with a resulting marinated stick weight of 935 grams. This represented a pick-up of 23% infusion solution on a wet weight basis.

[0052] The forty sticks with a weight of 935 grams were then deposited into a 5 gallon tumbler 11.5 wide and 14.25 deep. The tumbler had two deflectors built into the inside of the tumbler to help achieve a continuous tumbling action of the bladder sticks during a 15 minute tumbling cycle at 20 rpm. During this tumbling step the sticks were coated with a coating of the following composition:

TABLE-US-00004 Ingredient % Ranqe Emulsified beef 63% Rice Starch 7% Carmel color 1% Beet Juice Extract 1% Water 28%

[0053] Thirty percent of a coating was applied on a wet weight basis (400 grams). Only 265 grams of coating stuck to the surface of the products as the remaining 135 grams stuck to the inside of the coating drum.

[0054] The coated sticks were then passed through a Wearever conveyor oven operating at a temperature of 160 F., with a retention time of 20 minutes. After coming from the conveyor oven, the sticks were stacked on 20 mesh dryer trays and dehydrated for 6 hours at 160 F. in an Excalibur food dehydrator. The final sticks had a weight of 969 grams equaling 25.7% infusion solution and coating plus 74.3% of the starting dry bladder sticks. The final sticks had a physical appearance nearly identical to commercial bully sticks (pizzles) and with a size somewhat between the sizes of a typical bully stick and a typical steer stick.

[0055] An analysis of the percentage of infusion solution that was absorbed into the formulation of Example 1, wherein various bladder batches were used, using somewhat different drying techniques in their application. The results of these tests are as follows:

TABLE-US-00005 % infusion pick up wet weight basis Atmospheric drying approximately 90 F. 15% Atmospheric drying 90 F. with moderate 20% air circulation. Smokehouse drying with temperature control 27% and high velocity air.

[0056] Hydrogen peroxide treatment followed by high velocity air drying. 31%

[0057] This shows the percentage of infusion depending upon the technique for drying of the raw bladder strips, as utilized before for infusion of the solution into the treated sticks.

EXAMPLE 2

[0058] This second example demonstrates the use of dry 42 DE corn syrup in place of the rice syrup utilized in Example 1. It also shows a method of incorporating the milk protein calcium caseinate into the infusion solution to yield a tougher bladder stick end product, which resulted in longer chew time even for large dogs. Forty 6 long dried bladder sticks with a starting weight of 792 grams were submerged into 1 gallon of infusion solution with the following formulation:

TABLE-US-00006 Ingredient % Water 41.0% 42 DE Corn Syrup Solids 45.0% Vegetable Glycerin 5.0% Gelatin 3.0% Calcium Caseinate 6.0%

[0059] The infusion solution was mixed up and heated to 160 F. The calcium caseinate was added last so that the infusion solution could be adjusted to a pH of approximately 7.1 to help with the solubilization of the milk protein fraction. The dried bladder sticks were then submerged in the solution and were held at a temperature of 160 F. for a period of 45 minutes. At the end of the 45 minutes, the infusion was drained off and the marinated bladder sticks had a weight of 1115.5 grams resulting in a composition of 29% infusion solution on a wet weight basis. The sticks were then put into the tumbler described in Example 1 and were coated with 30% of the same coating that was used in Example 1. After the coating step, the sticks had a gross weight of 1395 grams, and were dried at 175 F. for a retention time of 20 minutes in the conveyor oven described in Example 1. The sticks were then dehydrated on a batch basis (piled on top of each other) in the dehydrator outlined in Example 1. At the end of a 6 hour drying step at 160 F., the sticks had a weight of 1115 grams. The sticks were hard, but still flexible and could not be hand broken because of the combination of flexibility, toughness, and strength. When comparing these sticks to the sticks of Example 1, the sticks with the milk protein were tougher and resulted in a longer chew time when tested on even larger dogs.

[0060] Another ingredient for further toughening the end product is the use of a starch. The most functional one for this invention for increasing product toughness is rice starch, as previously reviewed. A process change is required to utilize the starch fraction with this process. Starch needs to be marinated into the raw material in an ungelatinized state. Therefore, the infusion solution needs to be kept below about 125 F. during the marinating step.

EXAMPLE: 3

[0061] Example 3 shows an experiment using rice starch to help toughen the final dog chew stick.

TABLE-US-00007 Ingredient % Water 46.5% High Maltose Rice Syrup 27% Gelatin 5% Carmel Color 1% Glycerin 3% Rice Starch 17.5%

[0062] The hardening solution was mixed and heated to 125 F., and forty, 6 bladder sticks with a total weight of 495 grams were added. The solution was kept at 125 F. for a holding time of 45 minutes. At the end of the 45 minutes the sticks were drained and had a weight of 807 grams. This represented a pickup on a wet weight basis of 38.6%. The sticks were then tumble coated with 30% of a meaty coating, as outlined in Example 1. Following the heat setting step the sticks were dehydrated to approximately 10% moisture. The forty sticks had a final weight of 696 grams and were composed of 71% starting bladder sticks plus 29% hardener and meaty coating. The sticks had an appearance of commercial pizzle sticks and when tested showed a shear test result of 220 pounds. In the further processing of the chew sticks of this invention, the application of pressurized infusion of the thicker formulation is to use what is opposite from what has been applied in the fabrication of prior art chew sticks, where vacuum infusion was employed. The use of a reactor tank, which is a closed tank that can be pressurized, to place the starting material therein and then submerge sticks in such an infusion solution has been found satisfactory, in increasing the absorbance of the solution into the sticks through the use of pressure. The reactor tank is particularly advantageous when utilizing very thick hardening solutions that do not penetrate well into the sticks, ordinarily. Utilizing pressures from 10 psi to 50 psi have been very satisfactory in injecting the infusion solution into the stick. The pressure process also allows one to reduce the time needed to soak in the desired quantity of infusion solution. This approach has worked well when numerous hardening agents are used in the formulation or when one of the hardening agents is calcium caseinate which is a thicker component than the other options. Laboratory testing has shown the use of a pressurized vessel to force in the hardening solution to be very effective.

EXAMPLE 4

[0063] Forty 6 dried bladder sticks with a starting weight of 390 grams were submerged in one gallon of hardening solution at 160 F. and placed in a three gallon pot and pressured to 30 pounds of pressure. The hardening solution utilized was thicker than the one in Example 1 and had the following formulation.

TABLE-US-00008 Ingredient % Water 29% High Maltose Rice Syrup 40% Gelatin 5% Carmel Color 1.0% Glycerin 5.0% Gum Arabic 20%

[0064] The batch was processed identical to the Example 1 procedure, except the gum Arabic was solubilized in the water before being mixed with the rest of the ingredients. After being removed from the pressure pot after a 45 minute hold time, the sticks had a weight of 774 grams. The pickup of hardening solution was therefore 49.6% on a wet weight basis. After the drying step the end product had a total weight of 688 grams, and a shear test result of 320 pounds of pressure. The final sticks were 57% starting bladder pieces and 43% hardener and coating.

EXAMPLE 5

[0065] An example of the use of beef esophagus sticks as a raw material to produce a simulated pizzle or bully stick, is as follows: Twenty dried 9 esophagus sticks with a starting weight of 560 grams were submerged in two quarts of hardening solution with the following formulation:

TABLE-US-00009 Ingredient % Water 48% High Maltose Rice Syrup 40% Gelatin 8% Carmel Color 1% Glycerin 3%

[0066] With the esophagus sticks being marinated in the hardening solution at a lower temperature of 130 F. for 45 minutes, prevented distortion of the sticks. At the end of the 45 minutes the sticks had a weight gain of 666 grams. The sticks were then coated with 30% of the meaty coating used in all of the various examples herein. After coating, the sticks were dried in first a conveyor oven to heat-set the meat and then in a dehydrator to reach a lower 10% moisture content. The weight to the final product was 675 grams resulting in an end product that was 83% esophagus and 17% hardener and the meaty coating. The sticks had the appearance of commercial pizzle sticks but were somewhat less hard than processed bladder sticks and exhibited a shear strength test of 165 pounds pressure.

[0067] A final analysis of a formulation for the meaty coating when applied to the sticks after the infusion process is noted herein.

TABLE-US-00010 Ingredient % Mechanically Deboned Beef 63.0% Rice Starch 7% Carmel Color 1% Beet Juice Extract 1% Water 28%

[0068] This type of a meaty coating applied to the processing sticks provides the sticks with the appearance of being a much more meat like product and consistency, to add to its attractiveness, and functions as a flavor enhancer, to further add to the attractiveness of the product for the dogs.

[0069] The description as provided herein furnishes a definition of the ingredients, in the various examples, that are used for treating various beef and steer stick like strips of bladders, and other components of such animals, such as esophagus sticks, treating the same with an infusion solution, as identified, and then heating the same to achieve a level of dehydration for the finished products for packaging and marketing to the trade. Obviously, where various percentage of ingredients and their range of usage within the various formulations as identified, could be increased, or decreased by as much as 10%, and, it is believed, will still provide an effective formulation for treating the various chew sticks, during their processing and manufacture. As an example, such as shown in EXAMPLE 5 herein, identifying the rice syrup at a 40% level, that could be decreased to a 36% level, or increased to a 44% level, and it is believed, will work just as effectively as an included ingredient. The same could be said with respect to the other percentage ranges for the various examples as set forth herein.

[0070] Variation or modifications to the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon review of the development as identified herein, and upon undertaking a study of the Description of its Preferred Embodiments, in view of its various Examples. Such variations, if within the spirit of this invention, are intended to be encompassed within the scope of any claims to patent protection issuing herein. The detailed description of the invention as set forth within the Specification, is generally intended to provide an illustration of the overall subject matter of the current invention that is intended to be covered by any claims to patent protection issuing upon this invention.