Edible animal chews and methods of making and using same
Edible chews having a polygon-shaped cross-section, such as a star-shaped cross section. This cross-sectional shape provides an increased surface area and forms edges, and these features clean teeth of an animal such as a dog. These edible chews have a soft chewy texture which avoids or significantly reduces gum bleeding which is caused by known dental treats with typically have a hard texture.
1. An edible pet chew comprising an expanded pre-gelled cereal flour that is 30 wt. % to 60 wt. % of the edible pet chew, the edible pet chew further comprising a humectant that is 10 wt. % to 17% of the edible pet chew, the edible pet chew having a moisture content of 18 wt. % to 24 wt. % and having a transversal cross section that has a star polygon shape,
wherein the edible pet chew further comprises an additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a grain, a grain by-product, a vitamin, a mineral, a preservative, an antioxidant, a colorant, a flavorant, gelatin, a gum, an emulsifier, an oil, and mixtures thereof,
an entirety of the protein in the edible pet chew is provided by the cereal flour and any protein in the additional ingredient,
wherein the edible pet chew is a single unitary piece that is substantially homogenous,
the edible pet chew comprises a first end that has the star polygon shape, a second end that has the star polygon shape, and a length defined by the distance between the first end and the second end, wherein the transversal cross section is perpendicular to the length, and the first end has a continuous uninterrupted surface over an entirety of the area within the star polygon shape on the transversal cross section of the first end.
2. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the continuous uninterrupted surface over the entirety of the area within the star polygon shape on the transversal cross section of the first end is substantially planar.
3. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the star polygon shape of the continuous uninterrupted surface at the first end is a pentagram shape.
4. The edible pet chew of claim 1 , wherein the edible pet chew has the star polygon shape along substantially the entirety of the length of the chew.
5. The edible pet chew of claim 1 , wherein the length is two to ten inches.
6. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the star polygon shape of the transversal cross section is a pentagram shape.
7. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the humectant is a polyol.
8. The edible pet chew of claim 1 , which is an extruded product.
9. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of soy lecithin, monoglycerides, diglycerides, and mixtures thereof.
10. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the preservative is selected from the group consisting of potassium sorbate, sorbic acid, sodium methyl para-hydroxybenzoate, tricalcium phosphate, calcium propionate, propionic acid, and mixtures thereof.
11. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), vitamin E, and mixtures thereof.
12. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the flavorant is selected from the group consisting of yeast, tallow, an animal meal, an animal digest and mixtures thereof.
13. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the colorant is selected from the group consisting of FD&C colors, roasted malt flour, caramel coloring, annatto, chlorophyllin, cochineal, betanin, turmeric, saffron, paprika, lycopene, elderberry juice, pandan, butterfly pea, titanium dioxide, and mixtures thereof.
14. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the gum is selected from the group consisting of gellan gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, pectin, kappa carrageenan, iota carrageenan, lambda carrageenan, cellulose gum, gum Arabic and mixtures thereof.
15. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the oil is selected from the group consisting of soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, high oleic sunflower oil, olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, palm oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, almond oil, hazelnut oil, grapeseed oil, and mixtures thereof.
16. The edible pet chew of claim 1 wherein the additional ingredient comprises animal meal in an amount up to 2 wt. % of the edible chew.
17. The edible pet chew of claim 1 consisting of the expanded pre-gelled cereal flour, the humectant, the moisture content and the additional ingredient.
18. The edible pet chew of claim 1 , wherein the star polygon shape is a pentagram.