Extruded animal feed with gelatin binder and low starch content and method of making

1. A method for producing an extruded animal feed particle, the method comprising:

extruding through an extruder having a screw within a barrel, a feed composition comprising nutritional feed components and gelatin; and

drying the extruded composition to form the extruded animal feed particle having a moisture content of less than about 12% by weight of the feed particle after drying,

wherein the gelatin is substantially distributed throughout the feed composition and binds the feed composition in the extruded animal feed particle after exiting the extruder and after drying,

wherein the gelatin is present at about 0.2 to 0.3 weight percent of the feed particle during extrusion when the extruded animal feed particle has a particle size of less than about ⅜ inch and gelatin is present at about 0.3 to 5 weight percent of the feed particle during extrusion when the extruded animal feed particle has a particle size of about ⅜ inch or larger,

wherein any starch in the feed composition has a concentration of less than 15 weight percent after drying and is insufficient and unavailable to serve as a binder, and

wherein the particle has a percent durability of at least approximately 70% as determined by a modified K-state durability test.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the extruder is operated at a temperature sufficient to solubilize the gelatin.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the gelatin forms a gel that binds the composition when the composition exits the extruder.

4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of cooling the composition upon exiting the extruder to at least a temperature at which the gelatin sets to form a gel.

5. The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of grinding the feed composition before extruding in the extruder.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the feed composition has been ground through a screen having a size of about 12/64 inches or less before extruding in the extruder.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the feed composition has been ground through a screen having a size of about 6/64 inches or less before extruding in the extruder.

8. A particle made by the method of claim 1 characterized by its durability after extrusion and prior to drying.

9. A method of forming a food particle, the method comprising:

extruding a food composition through an extruder having a screw within a barrel, the food composition comprising nutritional food factors and a binder consisting of gelatin, the gelatin substantially distributed throughout the food composition once the food composition exits the extruder such that the food particle is formed;

drying the extruded food particle to a moisture content of less than about 12% by weight of the food particle,

wherein the gelatin distributed throughout the food composition binds the food composition in the extruded food particle after exiting the extruder and after drying,

wherein the gelatin is present at about 0.5 to about 10.0 weight percent of the food particle during extrusion when the extruded and dried food particle has a particle size of about 5/32 inch,

wherein any starch in the feed composition has a concentration of less than 15 weight percent after drying and is insufficient and unavailable to serve as a binder, and

wherein the particle has a percent durability of at least approximately 70% as determined by a modified K-state durability test.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the extruder is operated at a temperature sufficient to solubilize the gelatin.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the gelatin forms a gel that binds the composition when the composition exits the extruder.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the gelatin is at a concentration that ranges from about 1.0% to about 10% by weight of the food particle.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the composition has a moisture content of less than about 12% moisture by weight of the food particle after drying.

14. The method of claim 9 and further including:

cooling the composition upon exiting the extruder to at least a temperature at which the gelatin sets to form a gel.

15. The method of claim 9 and further including the step of grinding the food composition before extruding in the extruder.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the food composition has been ground through a screen having a size of about 12/64 inches or less before extruding in the extruder.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the food composition has been ground through a screen having a size of about 6/64 inches or less before extruding in the extruder.

18. A particle made by the method of claim 10 characterized by its floatability after extrusion and drying.