Multicomponent pet food product and methods of making and using the same

A dual texture food product comprising:

• a soft inner component completely surrounded by a cereal based shell component, the dual texture pet food product being formed by the co-extrusion of the soft inner component within the shell component to form one dual component pet food product;
• wherein the soft inner component contains a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients forming a cream textured matrix, the inner component having a total moisture content less than about 15 wt %;
• and
• wherein the cereal based shell component contains at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof, the shell component having a total moisture content less than about 20 wt %.

A dual texture food product comprising:

• a lipid-based inner component completely surrounded by a cereal based shell component, the dual texture pet food product being formed by the co-extrusion of the lipid-based inner component within the shell component to form one dual component pet food product;
• wherein the first lipid-based inner component containing a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients forming a cream textured matrix;
• wherein the cereal based shell component containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof;
• and
• wherein the dual component pet food product provides for a feeding preference of at least a 110% increase in grams consumed of the pet food product per a feeding time of 1200 minutes over the consumption of a mono-textured pet food product per an equivalent feeding time.

A delivery system for process unstable or sensitive ingredients comprising:

• a dual texture pet food product having a first component completely surrounded by a second component, the dual texture pet food product being formed by the co-extrusion of the first component within the second component to form one dual component pet pet food product,
• wherein the first component containing a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients creating a cream-textured matrix, the first component having a total moisture content less ta about 15 wt %;
• wherein the first component further containing at least one process unstable or sensitive ingredient;
• wherein the second component containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof, the second component having a total moisture content less than about 20 wt %;
• and
• wherein the viability of the at least on process unstable or sensitive ingredient is maintained by the second component completely surrounding the cream-textured matrix of the first component.

A dual texture food product comprising:

• a first lipid-based component completely surrounded by a second cereal based component, the dual texture pet food product being formed by the co-extrusion of the first lipid-based component within the second cereal based component to form one dual component pet food product;
• wherein the first lipid-based component containing a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients forming a cream textured matrix, the first component having a total moisture content of less than about 15 wt %;
• and
• wherein the second cereal based component containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, ft or protein or combination thereof, the second component having a total moisture content less than about 20 wt %.

A dual texture food product produced by a process comprising the steps of:

• forming a first component of a dual texture pet food product containing a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients that create a cream-textured matrix, the first component being formed with a total moisture content less than about 15 wt %;
• forming a second component of the dual texture pet food product containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof, the second component being formed with a total moisture content less than about 20 wt %;
• and
• co-extruding the first component within the second component to form one dual texture pet food product wherein the second component completely surrounds the cream-textured matrix of the first component.

A dual texture food product produced by a process comprising the steps of;

• forming a first component of a dual texture pet food product containing a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients that create a cream-textured matrix, the first component being formed with a total moisture content less than about 15 wt %;
• forming a second component of the dual texture pet food product containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof, the second component being formed with a total moisture content less than about 20 wt %;
• and
• pumping the first component within the second component at a die head location of a co-extruder in order to avoid significant heat processing of the first component, thereby forming one dual component pet food extrudate, wherein the second component completely surrounds the cream-textured matrix of the first component.