Edible animal chews

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the alkyl succinate modified starch is selected from sodium octenyl succinate starch, calcium octenyl succinate starch, potassium octenyl succinate starch, aluminium octenyl succinate starch and any combination thereof.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edible animal chew comprises a partially hydrolysed collagen and wherein the partially hydrolysed collagen has a Bloom gel strength of at least 300, as measured in accordance with ISO 9665.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the partially hydrolysed collagen has a molecular weight of at least 60 kDa, optionally at least 70 kDa, as measured using gel permeation chromatography (GPC).

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the partially hydrolysed collagen, before incorporation into the edible animal chew, is formable by a process comprising forming a wet collagen product in the form of a fibrous mass from a hide or skin at a temperature of 50° C. or less, followed by drying the wet collagen product using a contact dryer, having a surface temperature of 150° C. or higher, to obtain the partially hydrolysed collagen in the form of a powder.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the partially hydrolysed collagen comprises a 30:70 to 70:30 mixture of a water soluble component and a non-water soluble component.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a high purity natural collagen, in that the high purity natural collagen comprises less than 8 wt % fat.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edible animal chew comprises 8 wt. % to 60 wt. % partially hydrolysed collagen.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edible animal chew comprises 15 wt. % to 45 wt. % partially hydrolysed collagen.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edible animal chew comprises 20 wt. % to 40 wt. % partially hydrolysed collagen.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edible animal chew comprises 1 to 25 wt. % alkyl succinate modified starch.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edible animal chew comprises from 1 wt. % to 20 wt % alkyl succinate modified starch.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edible animal chew further comprises unmodified starch.

The edible animal chew according to any preceding claim, wherein the edible animal chew comprises a plasticiser.

The edible animal chew according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edible animal chew comprises less than 5 wt % fat.

The edible animal chew according to any preceding claim, wherein the edible animal chew is an elongate edible animal chew.

The edible animal chew according to any preceding claim, wherein the edible animal chew has been formed by extrusion.

The edible animal chew according to any preceding claim, wherein the edible animal chew has an internal cellular structure.

The edible animal chew according to any preceding claim, wherein the edible animal chew is aerated.

The edible animal chew according to any preceding claim wherein the alkyl succinate modified starch is sodium octenyl succinate starch.

The edible animal chew according to any preceding claim, wherein the tensile toughness of the edible animal chew is at least 300 MPa.

The edible animal chew according to any preceding claim, wherein the edible animal chew comprises components (‘additives’) other than those mentioned in the preceding claims, wherein the additives comprise 10 wt. % or less of the edible animal chew.

An edible animal chew, comprising a blend of

• (i) a natural collagen extract, optionally having a fat content of 8 wt % or less and/or a protein content of at least 800 g per kg of the extract;
• and
• (ii) a partially hydrolysed collagen.