Direct starch molding

1 . A method for direct injection molding raw starch in an injection molding machine including a screw, a barrel and a mold to produce an animal chew, comprising:

introducing raw starch, plasticizer, and water directly into the barrel of the injection molding machine, wherein said starch is present at levels greater than about 50% by weight, and said plasticizer is present at levels greater than about 15% by weight;

mixing said starch, said plasticizer and said water in said barrel to form a starch composition;

forming said starch composition into a molded shape.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said step of introducing said starch, said plasticizer and said water directly into the barrel of the injection molding machine further comprises including an additive.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein said plasticizer comprises glycerin.

4 . The method of claim 2 wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of emulsifiers, cellulose and combinations thereof.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein said emulsifier comprises lecithin.

6 . The method of claim 4 wherein in said starch composition said starch is present between about 50-99% by weight of the starch composition, said water is present between about 1-10% by weight of the starch composition, said cellulose is present between about 1-15% by weight of the starch composition, said emulsifiers are present between about 1-10% by weight of the starch composition and said plasticizer is present above about 15% by weight of the starch composition.

7 . The method of claim 2 wherein said additive is selected form the group consisting of humectants, vegetable matter, fruit matter, animal products, animal by-products, animal digests, animal meal, fish products, fish by-products, fish digests, fish meal, rawhide, nuts, nut bits, nut flour, flavorants, attractants, herbs, herbal extracts, vitamins, minerals colorants, yeast products, soy products, calcium carbonate and combinations thereof.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein said additive is present between about 0.1 to 25% by weight of said starch composition.

9 . The method of claim 2 wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of gluten, fermented soy products and combinations thereof.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein said additive is present between about 0.1 to 40% by weight of said starch composition.

11 . The method of claim 2 wherein said additive comprises enzymes/coenzymes.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein said additive is present between about 0.1-10% by weight of said starch composition.

13 . The method of claim 1 wherein said barrel further includes a feed section and a nozzle including a plurality of temperature control zones in said barrel extending from said feed section to said nozzle.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein said barrel adjacent to said feed section is maintained at a temperature less than about 150 degrees F.

15 . The method of claim 13 wherein said plurality of temperature control zones in said barrel are set within the following temperature ranges:

zone 1 is set between about 35 to 150 degrees F.;

zone 2 is set between about 70 to 150 degrees F.;

zone 3 is set between about 50-300 degrees F.; and

zone 4 is set between about 200-375 degrees F.

16 . The method of claim 1 wherein said mold is set at a temperature between about 35 to 65 degrees F.

17 . The method of claim 1 wherein said mold includes a bushing and said bushing temperature is set between about 250 to 425 degrees F.

18 . The method of claim 13 wherein said nozzle is set at a temperature between about 250 to 390 degrees F.

19 . The method of claim 1 wherein said barrel is vented.

20 . The method of claim 1 wherein said mold is vented.

21 . A method for direct injection molding raw starch in an injection molding machine including a screw, a barrel and a mold to produce an animal chew, comprising:

introducing raw starch and water directly into the barrel of the injection molding machine, wherein said starch is present at levels greater than about 50% by weight, wherein said starch includes fermented soy product;

mixing said starch, water and fermented soy product in said barrel to form a starch composition; and

forming said starch composition into a molded shape.

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein said raw starch further includes gluten.

23 . The method of claim 21 wherein said raw starch further includes a plasticizer.

24 . The method of claim 23 wherein said plasticizer comprises glycerin.

25 . The method of claim 21 wherein said barrel further includes a feed section and a nozzle including a plurality of temperature control zones in said barrel extending from said feed section to said nozzle.

26 . The method of claim 25 wherein said barrel adjacent to said feed section is maintained at a temperature less than about 150 degrees F.

27 . The method of claim 25 wherein said plurality of temperature control zones in said barrel are set within the following temperature ranges:

zone 1 is set between about 35 to 150 degrees F.;

zone 2 is set between about 70 to 150 degrees F.;

zone 3 is set between about 50-300 degrees F.; and

zone 4 is set between about 200-375 degrees F.

28 . The method of claim 21 wherein said mold is set at a temperature between about 35 to 65 degrees F.

29 . The method of claim 21 wherein said mold includes a bushing and said bushing temperature is set between about 250 to 425 degrees F.

30 . A method for direct injection molding raw starch in an injection molding machine including a screw, a barrel and a mold to produce an animal chew, comprising:

introducing raw starch and water directly into the barrel of the injection molding machine, wherein said starch is present at levels greater than about 50% by weight,

mixing said starch and said water in said barrel to form a starch composition;

wherein said barrel further includes a feed section and a nozzle including a plurality of temperature control zones in said barrel extending from said hopper section to said nozzle, wherein said barrel adjacent to said feed section is maintained at a temperature less than about 150 degrees F. and wherein said plurality of temperature control zones in said barrel are set within the following temperature ranges:

zone 1 is set between about 35 to 150 degrees F.;

zone 2 is set between about 70 to 150 degrees F.;

zone 3 is set between about 50-300 degrees F.;

zone 4 is set between about 200-375 degrees F.; and

forming said starch composition into a molded shape.

31 . A method for direct injection molding raw starch in an injection molding machine including a screw, a barrel and a mold to produce an animal chew, comprising:

introducing raw starch and water directly into the barrel of the injection molding machine, wherein said starch is present at levels greater than about 50% by weight, wherein said starch includes enzymes/coenzymes;

mixing said starch, water and enzymes/coenzymes in said barrel to form a starch composition; and

forming said starch composition into a molded shape.

32 . The method of claim 31 wherein said raw starch further includes gluten.

33 . The method of claim 31 wherein said raw starch further includes a plasticizer.

34 . The method of claim 31 wherein said barrel further includes a feed section and a nozzle including a plurality of temperature control zones in said barrel extending from said feed section to said nozzle.

35 . The method of claim 34 wherein said barrel adjacent to said feed section is maintained at a temperature less than about 150 degrees F.

36 . The method of claim 34 wherein said plurality of temperature control zones in said barrel are set within the following temperature ranges:

zone 1 is set between about 35 to 150 degrees F.;

zone 2 is set between about 70 to 150 degrees F.;

zone 3 is set between about 50-300 degrees F.; and

zone 4 is set between about 200-375 degrees F.

37 . The method of claim 31 wherein said mold is set at a temperature between about 35 to 65 degrees F.

38 . The method of claim 31 wherein said mold includes a bushing and said bushing temperature is set between about 250 to 425 degrees F.