Vaccinium injection molding

Abstract

The present invention contemplates animal chews and the use of vaccinium as an additive in animal chews. The animal chew may be formulated from a resin and a vaccinium additive, wherein the resin may be either a starch, thermoplastic, casein, denatured and partially hydrolyzed collagen and mixtures thereof.

1 . An animal chew comprising a resin and a vaccinium additive.  
   
   
       2 . The animal chew of  claim 1  wherein said resin is selected from the group consisting of starch, thermoplastic, casein, denatured and partially hydrolyzed collagen, wheat gluten, rawhide, proteins, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The animal chew of  claim 1  wherein said resin is present between about 60-99% by weight and said vaccinium additive is present between about 1-40% by weight.  
   
   
       4 . The animal chew of  claim 1  wherein said vaccinium additive comprises blueberry powder.  
   
   
       5 . The animal chew of  claim 4  wherein said vaccinium additive is prepared from a blueberry concentrate disposed on a malto-dextrin carrier.  
   
   
       6 . The animal chew of  claim 1  wherein said resin is a starch is composed of any carbohydrate of natural or vegetable origin composed of amylase and/or amylopectin.  
   
   
       7 . The animal chew of  claim 6  wherein said starch may be selected from a group consisting of potato, rice, tapioca, corn, rye, oats and wheat.  
   
   
       8 . The animal chew of  claim 1  wherein said resin is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyamide, ethylene copolymers, polyesteramide and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The animal chew of  claim 8  wherein said polyesteramide is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyesteramide, a mixed aliphatic/aromatic polyesteramide, an aromatic polyesteramide, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The animal chew of  claim 1  further comprising an attractant.  
   
   
       11 . The animal chew of  claim 10  wherein said attractant may be selected from the group consisting of chicken powder, liver powder, ham, turkey, beef or fish.  
   
   
       12 . The animal chew of  claim 1  further comprising a humectant.  
   
   
       13 . The animal chew of  claim 12  wherein said humectant may be selected from the group consisting of oat fiber, sorbitol, glycerol, propylene glycol and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The animal chew of  claim 1  wherein said animal chew is shaped like a bone, a rod, a disk or a ring.  
   
   
       15 . An animal chew comprising a starch, water and a vaccinium additive, wherein the water content is between about 1-40% (wt.) and said vaccinium additive is at about 0.1-40% (wt).  
   
   
       16 . A process for forming a molded animal chew comprising: 
 providing a resin and a vaccinium additive;    combining said resin and vaccinium additive to form a mixture;    introducing and mixing said mixture in a melt mixing apparatus; and    forming said mixture.    
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 16  wherein said resin is selected from the group consisting of starch, thermoplastic, casein, denatured and partially hydrolyzed collagen, wheat gluten, rawhide, proteins and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       18 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 16  wherein said resin is present between about 60-99% by weight and said vaccinium additive is present between about 0.1-40% by weight.  
   
   
       19 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 16  wherein said vaccinium additive is a blueberry powder.  
   
   
       20 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 19  wherein said vaccinium additive is prepared from a blueberry concentrate disposed on a malto-dextrin carrier.  
   
   
       21 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 17  wherein said starch is composed of any carbohydrate of natural or vegetable origin composed mainly of amylase and/or amylopectin.  
   
   
       22 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 21  wherein said starch may be selected from a group comprising potato, rice, tapioca, corn, rye, oats and wheat.  
   
   
       23 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 17  wherein said thermoplastic is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyamide, ethylene copolymers, polyesteramide and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       24 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 23  wherein said polyesteramide is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyesteramide, a mixed aliphatic/aromatic polyesteramide, an aromatic polyesteramide, and a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       25 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 16  further providing an attractant and combining said attractant to form said mixture.  
   
   
       26 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 25  wherein said attractant may be selected from the group comprising chicken powder, liver powder, ham, turkey, beef or fish.  
   
   
       27 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 16  further providing a humectant and combining said humectant to form said mixture.  
   
   
       28 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 25  wherein said humectant may be selected from the group consisting of oat fiber, sorbitol, glycerol, propylene glycol and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       29 . The process of forming a molded animal chew of  claim 17  further providing water, present between about 1-40% (wt.) of the resin component, providing a resin component present between about 60-99% (wt)., wherein said resin is starch, and a vaccinium additive 0.1 to 40% (wt.).  
   
   
       30 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 16  further comprising injection molding said mixture.  
   
   
       31 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 16  further comprising injecting said mixture into a mold prior to forming said mixture.  
   
   
       32 . The method of forming a molded animal chew toy of  claim 16  wherein said heating zones are set at the following temperature ranges: zone 1 is at or below about 70° F.; zone 2 is at or below about 150° F.; zone 3 is at or below about 300° F. and zone 4 is at or below about 375° F.  
   
   
       33 . The process for forming a molded animal chew of  claim 16  wherein said mixture is formed into a bone, a rod, a disk or a ring.