Process for preparing a pet food composition

A method for preparing a food product, the method comprising

• preparing a suspension of an alginate composition, wherein preparing the suspension of the alginate composition comprises:
• contacting a source of alginate with water;
• facilitating dissolution of the source of alginate in water by contacting the source of alginate and the water with an oil, wherein the oil is soybean oil;
• and
• mixing the source of alginate, the oil, and water to prepare the suspension;
• mixing a dry ingredient composition, a protein-containing composition, and the suspension of the alginate composition to provide a first mixture, wherein the protein-containing composition comprises a meat component;
• mixing the first mixture with a setting composition to effect a gelation reaction, wherein the setting composition comprises a source of calcium ions;
• and
• processing the product of the gelation reaction to provide a food product, wherein the food product has a stable structure prior to retort,
• controlling a rate of the gelation reaction, wherein controlling the rate of the gelation reaction comprises:
• adjusting the pH level in the first mixture;
• and
• including more than one of calcium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and calcium carbonate in the setting composition, and
• grinding the meat component through different grind-plates to form discrete food particles, wherein the grind plates have a size of about 1.27 cm to about 2.54 cm,
• wherein the alginate composition comprises an oil,
• wherein mixing the first mixture with the setting composition comprises combining the first mixture and the setting composition at a T-pipe of a helical static mixer to initiate the gelation reaction, wherein the gelation reaction comprises a controlled-rate gelation reaction comprising creation of ionic bonds between alginate polymers mediated by divalent cations of the setting solution,
• wherein the source of calcium ions comprises an encapsulated calcium source, and wherein a rate of the gelation is controlled by the inclusion of the encapsulated calcium source,
• wherein the food product comprises irregularly-shaped meat-analogue pieces,
• wherein the meat-analogue pieces comprise a striated structure, and
• wherein the meat-analogue pieces comprise a dimension with a range of from about 5 to about 50 mm.

A method for preparing a pet food composition, the method comprising:

• preparing a suspension of an alginate composition, wherein preparing the suspension of the alginate composition comprises:
• contacting a source of alginate with water;
• facilitating dissolution of the source of alginate in water by contacting the source of alginate and the water with an oil-based component, wherein the oil-based component is soybean oil;
• and
• mixing the source of alginate, the oil-based component, and water to prepare the suspension;
• preparing a dry ingredient composition, wherein preparing the dry ingredient composition comprises mixing a cereal grain, a fiber, a vitamin, and a mineral with one another;
• mixing the dry ingredient composition, a protein-containing composition, and the suspension of the alginate composition to provide a first mixture;
• mixing the first mixture with a setting composition to effect a gelation reaction, wherein the setting composition comprises a source of calcium ions;
• processing the product of the gelation reaction to provide a food product;
• combining the food product with a gravy composition to provide the pet food composition;
• retorting the pet food composition,
• wherein the food product has a stable structure prior to retort,
• wherein the pet food composition comprises protein in an amount of less than 25% by weight of the pet food composition on a dry matter basis.