Patent Application
20070292484
In accordance with the present invention, a process for forming a treated pigskin pet treat that includes two distinctly treated pieces of pigskin has been developed. Related to the process, the resultant treated pigskin pet treat having improved texture and palatability has also been discovered. The process includes treating one piece of pigskin to defat it and treating a second piece of pigskin to flavor it, arranging the two pieces of pigskin together to form a shaped product, and drying the product to form a treated pigskin pet treat.
The pigskin of the present invention can be derived from a boar, pig, or a hog. After the skin, or hide, is removed from the body of the pig or hog it is split into layers. The first layer is used to produce leather products and the other layers, leftovers, or scrapes of skin are generally disposed of. Although any part of the skin can be used in accordance with the invention, the preferred skins are the leftover layers or scrapes of pigskins.
The pigskin of the present invention may be fresh or preserved. Fresh pigskin has been recently removed from the pig and has not been subjected to additional processing, other than its removal from the pig. Preserved pigskin is skin that has been removed from the pig and preserved by drying or salting in order to prevent deterioration. Alternatively, the pigskin may be in various other stages of freshness or preservation.
The pigskin may be in the form of pieces, strips, sheets, or particles. In addition, the pieces, strips, sheets, or particles may be cut into any desired size to provide a pet treat of different shapes or configurations.
The first piece of pigskin is treated to produce a defatted piece of pigskin having a puffed texture and whitened color. The defatted pigskin is subjected to a dehairing, soaking, and cleansing process. Any process generally known in the art may be used to dehair, soak, and cleanse the first piece of pigskin. After the pigskin is cleaned, the pigskin is subjected to a defatting process. During the defatting process the pigskin is contacted with hydrogen peroxide to whiten the pigskin and remove at least a portion of the fat from the pigskin. The process also includes contacting the first pigskin with a sodium hydroxide solution to ensure that when the first pigskin is arranged in continuous contact with the second pigskin and dried to form a treated pigskin pet treat, the protein within the first pigskin denatures and air pockets form within the layers of the skin giving the first pigskin a puffed texture. In accordance with the present invention, other defatting methods generally known in the art may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.
Typically, the first piece of pigskin is contacted with hydrogen peroxide in a suitable vessel. The first piece of pigskin and the hydrogen peroxide is typically agitated in the vessel to allow the hydrogen peroxide to infuse into the pores of the pigskin. The pigskin is contacted with the hydrogen peroxide for between about 1 hours and 6 hours, preferably from about 2 hours to about 4 hours. Typically, the weight ratio of hydrogen peroxide to the first piece of pigskin by weight is 3:1. The pigskin is contacted with hydrogen peroxide to remove at least 50% by weight of the total fat present in the skin, preferably at least 80% by weight of the total fat present in the skin, more preferably at least 90% by weight of the total fat present in the skin.
In general, the first piece of pigskin is contacted with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water. The strength or concentration of the hydrogen peroxide solution may vary depending on the desired texture of the pigskin or the amount of fat to be removed. The hydrogen peroxide solution may include from about 5% to about 50% by weight of the total solution hydrogen peroxide, preferably about 20% by weight of the total solution hydrogen peroxide.
After contact with hydrogen peroxide, the first piece of pigskin is then contacted with sodium hydroxide. Typically, the first piece of pigskin is contacted with sodium hydroxide in solution in a suitable vessel. The first piece of pigskin and the sodium hydroxide is typically agitated in the vessel to allow the sodium hydroxide to infuse into the pores of the pigskin. The pigskin is contacted with the sodium hydroxide for between about 30 minutes and 120 minutes, preferably from about 20 minutes to about 4 minutes. Generally, the first pigskin is contacted with a sodium hydroxide for a time sufficient to infuse the first pigskin so that when the first pigskin is heated, the protein within the pigskin denatures giving the first pigskin a puffed texture.
In general, the first piece of pigskin is contacted with a solution of sodium hydroxide and water. The strength or concentration of the sodium hydroxide solution may vary depending on the desired texture of the pigskin or the amount of fat to be removed. The sodium hydroxide solution may include from about 5% to about 50% by weight of sodium hydroxide, preferably about 40% sodium hydroxide.
The second piece of pigskin is treated to produce a piece of pigskin that is palatable and visually attractive to a pet. The second pigskin is subjected to a dehairing, soaking, and cleansing process. Alternatively, the second piece of pigskin may also be subjected to a defatting step, as described in detail above, to remove at least a portion of the fat present in the pigskin depending on the time of the year and season. After the second pigskin is cleaned it is then subjected to a smoking process to color and flavor the pigskin. A smoking process allows the flavorings to infuse the large pores of the second piece of pigskin. Any process generally known in the art may be used to smoke the second piece of pigskin, such as a grill, smoker, or smoke house. The pigskin may placed in a smoker rack with the flavorings placed below the pigskin, so that as the smoke rises and passes through the flavorings to the pigskin the palatability of the pigskin is improved. In addition, as the pigskin is smoked the color of the pigskin also changes. Alternatively, the pigskin may be coated with a flavoring and then placed in a smoker or grill so that the flavor is absorbed during the smoking process. Any flavoring that is attractive to a pet may be used. Suitable flavorings include natural flavors, artificial flavors, meat concentrates, dairy powders, dairy concentrates, fruit concentrates, vegetable powder, sweeteners, and mixtures thereof. Additional colorants may also be added to the pigskin, if desired, during the smoking process. Alternatively, a smoke flavor may be applied to the second piece of pigskin rather than subjecting the second pigskin to a smoking process.
The first and/or second piece of pigskin may also include herbal extracts for health benefits, enzymes for digestive disorders, vitamins for nutritional benefits, among others. Similarly, the pet treat of the present invention may also include other additives such as preservatives to improve the shelf-stability of the pet treat or an antimicrobial agent. Suitable preservatives include sodium benzoate, calcium propionate, and phosphoric acid.
After the first and second pieces of pigskin are treated, the first piece of pigskin is placed in continuous contact with the second piece of pigskin to form a shaped treat. Generally, the first and second pieces of pigskin may be arranged into various shapes, manually or mechanically. The first piece of pigskin may be placed on top of the second piece of pigskin and they may both be rolled together so that the first piece of pigskin forms an outer layer around the second piece of pigskin. The first piece of pigskin may also have cuts therein to allow the second piece of pigskin to protrude through the first piece of pigskin.
Alternatively, the first and second piece of pigskin may be interlayered together. In one embodiment, the first and second pieces of pigskin may be braided together and knotted at the ends to form a shaped treat. In another embodiment, a sheet of the first pigskin may be wrapped around a second piece of pigskin. In yet another embodiment, a piece of the second pigskin may be wrapped around a particle of the first pigskin. In a further embodiment, the first piece of pigskin may be rolled and a second piece of pigskin on top of the rolled first piece of pigskin. In addition, the pigskins may be in another shape other than sheet, strip, piece, or particle. For example, one of the pigskins may be a bar, stick, cylinder, or irregular shape. Alternatively, the positioning of the first and second pigskin may be reversed from that described above. For example, the first and second pieces of pigskin may be rolled together so that the second piece of pigskin forms an outer layer around the first piece of pigskin. The combined first and second pigskin may also be knotted to form a shaped treat. The combined pigskin may have at least one knot. Alternatively, the combined pigskin may have multiple knots. The knot may be on one end of the combined pigskin. Alternatively, the knot may be in the central portion of the combined pigskin. In another alternative, the combined pigskin may have two knots, each knot on opposing ends of the combined pigskin. In yet another alternative, the combined pigskin may have three knots, two knots on opposing ends of the combined pigskin and one in the central portion of the combined pigskin.
In addition, multiple pieces of pigskin may be defatted and wrapped around one or more smoked pigskin pieces. The resultant shaped treat has at least one defatted pigskin and at least one smoked pigskin, but is not limited thereto. The length of the pigskin treat may vary depending on the desired shape. Typically, a rolled pet treat, knotted at both ends may be from about 3 inches to about 12 inches in length.
After the first and second pieces of pigskin are arranged together to form a shaped treat, the treat is dried to form a treated pigskin pet treat. The drying process changes the texture of the first piece of pigskin. In particular, the pet treat is dried at a temperature and for a time sufficient for the infused hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide to react with the first pigskin, denature the protein of the skin, and whiten and puff the skin changing its color and texture. In addition, the drying process also ensures that the shaped treat maintains its shape during shipment and storage.
Generally, the shaped treat is gradually heated to ensure that the pigskin is not cooked into gelatin. Typically, the drying process can last up to 2 days, heating the shaped treat at a very low temperature for a period of time and gradually increasing the temperature to achieve the desired textured pet treat. The shaped treat may be dried in one continuous conventional drier with multiple distinctly heated sections or in multiple distinctly heated conventional driers. The particular construction and configuration of the heating apparatus used is not critical in the practice of the present invention. The drying process temperature ranges from about 45° C. to about 85° C., more preferably from about 60° C. to about 70° C. Typically the treat is dried for between about 15 to about 24 hours. The pet treat is dried to a moisture content of less than about 12% by weight. The first piece of pigskin of the dried pet treat has a fat content of 3.5% by weight. The second piece pigskin of the dried pet treat has a fat content of 3.4% by weight.
The above description of the preferred embodiments is intended only to acquaint others skilled in the art with the invention, its principles, and its practical application, so that others skilled in the art may adapt and apply the invention in its numerous forms, as may be best suited to the requirements of a particular use. The present invention, therefore, is not limited to the above embodiments, and may be variously modified.
With reference to the use of the word(s) “comprise” or “comprises” or “comprising” in this specification (including the claims), Applicants note that unless the context requires otherwise, those words are used on the basis and clear understanding that they are to be interpreted inclusively, rather than exclusively, and that Applicants intend each of those words to be so interpreted in construing this specification (including the claims).
