Low density edible animal chews and methods of making same

1:

• A method of making an edible pet chew, the method comprising:
• preparing a dry mix comprising a pre-gelatinized cereal flour and further comprising sodium bicarbonate that is 0.2 to 1.5 wt. % of the dry mix;
• metering the dry mix into an extruder comprising an extrusion die, the extruder further comprises a barrel comprising a vent and a vent-stuffer;
• adding a polyhydric solvent to the dry mix to form a dough;
• using the vent to provide ambient pressure in the extruder;
• aerating the dough in the barrel comprising the vent and the vent-stuffer;
• using a reverse element of the extruder to extend a time spent by the dough in the barrel comprising the vent and the vent-stuffer;
• using mixing elements in the barrel comprising the vent and the vent-stuffer to whip the dough and promote nucleation;
• promoting further nucleation of the dough by subjecting the dough to a combination of shear and temperature of at least 120° C. in the extruder, wherein the combination of shear and temperature is applied to the dough in a section of the extruder adjacent to the extrusion die, wherein the temperature in the section adjacent to the extrusion die is higher than a temperature of at least one previous section of the extruder;
• and
• directing the nucleated dough through an opening of the extrusion die comprising grooves, each of the grooves has an open end and a bottom surface opposite to the open end, and the width of the bottom surface is greater than the width of the open end,
• wherein the grooves have a substantially triangular cross-section, have a width that continuously decreases as the grooves extend toward the center of the opening, and are evenly spaced along an inner periphery of the opening of the extrusion die.