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Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed, it being distinguished by the fact that it comprises the steps of drying and preservation by thermal treatment and pressure treatment of the nonperishable semimoist animal feed packaged in a packaging unit. In a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a thus obtainable semimoist animal feed packaged in a substantially gas-tight packaging unit having improved storage properties, especially storage stability. Lastly, sales units comprising multiple packaging units, optionally detachable from one another, containing the semimoist animal feed are provided.

Claims

1. A method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed, comprising the steps of: providing an animal-feed precursor; comminuting and shaping of the animal-feed precursor to form a shaped animal-feed precursor, and optionally drying the shaped animal-feed precursor; obtaining a semimoist animal feed having a moisture content of >15% by weight and <50% by weight from the shaped animal-feed precursor; packaging the semimoist animal feed in a substantially gas-tight packaging unit; and preserving the semimoist animal feed by thermal treatment, and optionally pressure treatment, to obtain a nonperishable semimoist animal feed present in a packaging unit.

2. The method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed according to claim 1, wherein the step of preserving includes steam sterilization.

3. The method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing the animal-feed precursor provides the animal-feed precursor with at least 50% by weight of meat and animal by-products, or provides the animal-feed precursor with at least 50% by weight vegetables and/or vegetable constituents, or provides the animal-feed precursor with at least 50% by weight insects and/or insect constituents, or provides the animal-feed precursor with at least 50% by weight fish and/or fish by-products.

4. The method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the animal-feed precursor comprises providing an animal-feed precursor containing less than 1% by weight of salt.

5. The method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed according to claim 1 wherein drying is performed on the shaped animal-feed precursor to a moisture content of from at least 30% by weight to below 50% by weight.

6. The method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed according to claim 1 wherein the animal-feed precursor provided in the providing step does not comprise a nitrite salt.

7. The method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed according to claim 1 wherein drying is performed on the shaped animal-feed precursor at a temperature of from 70° C. to 95° C.

8. The method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed according to claim 1 wherein the preserving step comprises thermal treatment with elevated pressure of from 0.3 bar to 5 bar, such as 3.5 bar to 4 bar.

9. The method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing the animal-feed precursor provides at least 50% by weight of meat and animal by-products, not more than 1% by weight of salt, starch, and optionally no preservatives; the step of comminuting and shaping of the animal-feed precursor and optionally drying of the shaped animal-feed precursor obtains a semimoist animal feed having a moisture content of >15% by weight and <50% by weight; the step of packaging of the semimoist animal feed into a substantially gas-tight packaging unit is performed when the semimoist animal feed has a moisture content between 30% by weight and 45% by weight; and the step of preserving is performed with steam sterilization of the semimoist animal feed, packaged in the substantially gas-tight packaging unit, in order to obtain the nonperishable semimoist animal feed.

10. A semimoist animal feed in a substantially gas-tight packaging unit made by the process of claim 1.

11. The semimoist animal feed according to claim 10, wherein the semimoist animal feed it has a shelf life of at least 15 months.

12. The semimoist animal feed according to claim 10 wherein the semimoist animal feed has a fat content of below 10% by weight and/or an ash content of below 5% by weight.

13. The semimoist animal feed according to claim 10 wherein the semimoist animal feed is packaged in tubular bag packaging and/or the semimoist animal feed is formed as a stick.

14. The semimoist animal feed according to claim 10, wherein an individual semimoist animal feed product is present per packaging unit.

15. A sales unit comprising multiple packaging units, optionally detachable from one another, each of the packaging units containing the semimoist animal feed of claim 10.

16. The method for producing and preserving a semimoist animal feed according to claim 2, wherein the steam sterilization is performed in an autoclave under thermal treatment with elevated pressure.

17. The semimoist animal feed according to claim 10 wherein the semimoist animal feed contains less than 1% by weight of salt.

Description

[0075] FIG. 1 schematically depicts the production of a semimoist animal feed according to the invention based on a meat product in the present case.

[0076] In a first step, animal-feed precursors comprising 95% by weight of meat and animal by-products (insect products, fish products or plant products are alternatively also conceivable) containing not more than 1% by weight of salt, especially not more than 1% by weight of table salt, and additionally further constituents, such as starch or pea starch and pea powder, are placed into a bowl cutter 5 as comminution means. These additives are, for example, present in the containers 2 and optionally 3 if separate containers are intended, for example for meat from different animal species, and are fed to the local bowl cutter 5. Furthermore, further containers (6,7) contain further constituents, such as vegetables, etc., which can be added to the meat additives. Further containers, for example for salts, etc., the contents of which can reach the bowl cutter 5 via intakes, are not depicted in the FIGURE.

[0077] According to the invention, it is especially not intended to add preservatives at this moment or at any other moment in production.

[0078] Optionally, a perforated disk 4, for example, can be placed upstream of the bowl cutter in order to allow comminution of the meat additives.

[0079] After comminution, the emulsion thus obtained is fed to the former 8 for shaping. From the former 8, the shaped animal-feed precursor is, if necessary, fed to the dryer 9, where it is dried to a moisture content of, for example, 30% to 45% by weight in order to obtain a semimoist animal feed.

[0080] After drying or alternatively after shaping, the semimoist animal feed is fed to a packaging machine/packing machine 10, in which the semimoist animal feed is packaged into substantially gas-tight packaging. After packaging, this packaging unit containing the semimoist animal feed is fed to a preservation process, for example by steam sterilization 11, in order to obtain lastly the packaged nonperishable semimoist animal feed 1.

[0081] During steam sterilization, the sterilization is, for example, carried out at a counter-pressure of from 0.3 to 5 bar, such as 2.5 to 4 bar, above standard pressure.

[0082] The end product thus obtained has an excellent shelf life of from at least 24 months to 36 months, there being no preservatives contained in the product.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0083] 1 Packaging unit containing a semimoist animal feed [0084] 2 Container [0085] 3 Container [0086] 4 Perforated disk [0087] 5 Bowl cutter [0088] 6 Container [0089] 7 Container [0090] 8 Former [0091] 9 Dryer [0092] 10 Packing machine [0093] 11 Steam sterilization