Page 186 - Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 5th Edition

188 Small Animal Clinical Nutrition

(veterinary hospital, pet store, etc.) or word of mouth
Table 8-11. Standard accelerated stability tests and their conditions.*
VetBooks.ir Test Conditions Comments (breeder, veterinarian, other pet owners) for informa-
tion about a company or its products, endorsements
Room temperature
Ambient storage
Atmospheric pressure Too slow and company reputation are direct or indirect state-
ments about quality. Quality is a relative term mean-
Light Room temperature Different mechanism
Atmospheric pressure ing different things to different people.
Metal catalysts Room temperature More decomposition Quality procedures for manufacture of pet foods
Atmospheric pressure are neither required nor regulated. Implementation
Weight-gain method 30 to 80°C Endpoint questionable
Atmospheric pressure of a quality program is the sole responsibility of
Schaal oven 60 to 70°C Fewest problems individual pet food manufacturers. Some compa-
Atmospheric pressure nies go to the expense of studying and implement-
Oxygen uptake 80 to 100°C Different mechanism
Atmospheric pressure ing world-class manufacturing processes (bench-
Oxygen bomb 99°C Different mechanism marking); others do very little. Some companies
65 to 115 psi O 2 use high-quality human and pet food grade ingre-
Active oxygen (AOM) 98°C Different mechanism
Air bubbling dients; others purchase the least costly ones. Some
Rancimat 100 to 140°C Endpoint questionable companies conduct multiple tests to evaluate the
*Frankel EN. Trends in Food Science & Technology 1993; 4: 220-225. quality of raw ingredients and finished products;
others do what is minimally necessary. Some com-
panies submit to voluntary plant inspections; oth-
ers avoid such evaluations.
this system, cans from the sealer are conveyed to a bank of The rest of this chapter describes quality-manufacturing pro-
vertical retorts filled with water and situated over a cooling cedures that some pet food manufacturers follow in the contin-
canal filled with cold water. The first retort loads cans from uous pursuit of product excellence. The information discussed
the top, where they tumble to the bottom and are cushioned below should give the reader examples of a quality manufactur-
by water. When the first retort is filled, the conveyor moves to ing program employed by companies whose reputation is built
the next sterilizer and the process is repeated. After the retort upon the products and services they provide.
is filled with cans, the cushion water removed, the retort vent-
ed, the cans sterilized by steam, an unloading valve at the bot- Ingredients and Process
tom allows the cans to tumble into the cooling canal.The cans Understanding and controlling raw ingredients and the man-
are cooled and conveyed forward for labeling and casing. This ufacturing process are the keys to manufacturing a high-qual-
system has four to five times the capacity of the crate retort ity pet food. A good quality program to ensure raw ingredient
system. Product appearance, however, may be inconsistent integrity is essential. The key elements of such a program
because the headspace bubble will settle to the top regardless include: 1) ingredient specifications, 2) ingredient receiving
of the can’s orientation. and testing procedures and 3) ingredient handling procedures
at the plant.
LABELING/CASING The contractual agreement with suppliers should list ingre-
The temperature of cans coming out of the cooling leg will be dient specifications including nutrient composition, purity
º
between 32 and 40 C, which causes rapid evaporation of exteri- requirements, key analytical criteria and shipping conditions.
or moisture. The vacuum in the can is a critical quality compo- Receiving procedures at the manufacturing site should include
nent that assures seal integrity. Can vacuum is determined with analytical testing of ingredients, physical inspections and
a sensor that scans the tops of the cans just before labeling. If the checks to ensure raw ingredients are segregated appropriately
can lid is convex, the can will be rejected automatically. and maintained properly. Handling procedures after receiving
The dry cans then proceed to the labeling system, which and initial bulk storage are designed to ensure ingredients are
automatically applies adhesive and the appropriate label at a not damaged in any fashion. Proper conveyance mechanisms,
rate of about 450 to 500 cans per minute. rodent and insect control procedures and appropriate design of
After labeling, the cans proceed to casing, which is an auto- holding vessels to ensure first-in, first-out ingredient flow help
mated process that orients the cans, prepares the cardboard or eliminate damage and help ensure freshness. Good quality con-
paper case from flat stock, loads the appropriate number of cans trol practices include internal audits of these procedures and
per case and then seals the case with adhesive at a rate of about systems and audits by a third party, such as the American
1,000 to 1,300 cases per hour. Date code information is ink-jet- Institute of Baking.
ted on the case for rapid identification, and the cases are loaded Attention to the use of high-quality raw ingredients and
onto pallets for transportation. high-quality processing will ensure a high-quality product.The
essential element of a good quality program for the processing
QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES of pet foods is a complete understanding of each manufactur-
ing unit’s operation and its effect on the attributes of the fin-
Because pet owners depend on people at the distribution outlet ished product. Once these effects are understood, critical con-