Use of fat compositions for sustaining an enhanced palatability of pet food over time

Abstract

The present invention concerns the use of a fat composition for sustaining an enhanced palatability of a food for pet over time, wherein said fat composition has a C12:0/C10:0 fatty acid weight ratio from about 0.85 to about 2.5 and/or a C14:0/C12:0 fatty acid weight ratio from about 0.45 to about 4.3. The present invention further concerns the use of said fat composition for preparing other enhanced palatability-sustaining fat compositions as well as foods for pet, all compositions and foods having an enhanced palatability sustained over time.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method for preparing an enhanced palatability-sustaining fat composition for use in a pet food, comprising:
 a) providing at least one palatability-enhancing composition ingredient;   c) providing at least one fat;   d) mixing said fat with said palatability-enhancing composition ingredient; and   e) obtaining said enhanced palatability-sustaining fat composition,   wherein said enhanced palatability-sustaining fat composition has a C12:0/C10:0 fatty acid weight ratio from 0.85 to 2.5 and/or a C14:0/C12:0 fatty acid weight ratio from 0.45 to 4.3.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said fat in step c) has a C12:0/C10:0 fatty acid weight ratio from 0.85 to 2.5 and/or a C14:0/C12:0 fatty acid weight ratio from 0.45 to 4.3. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising the step b) of grinding at least one palatability-enhancing composition ingredient. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said composition has an enhancing-palatability effect sustained over at least 12 months of storage in an appropriate container at ambient temperature. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said fat in step c) comprises an at least partially-hydrolyzed fat. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein said fat in step c) comprises an at least partially-hydrolyzed fat. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to of  claim 19 , wherein said palatability-enhancing composition ingredient is selected from the group consisting of animal digests, vegetarian palatability-enhancing composition ingredients, Maillard ingredients and Maillard reaction products. 
     
     
         26 . A method for preparing a pet food having an enhanced palatability sustained over at least 8 months of storage in an appropriate container at ambient temperature, comprising:
 i) providing:
 at least one enhanced palatability-sustaining fat composition as defined in of  claim 19 ; and/or 
 at least one fat having a C12:0/C10:0 fatty acid weight ratio from 0.85 to 2.5 and/or a C14:0/C12:0 fatty acid weight ratio from 0.45 to 4.3; 
   ii) providing a pet food preparation;   iii) adding said enhanced palatability-sustaining fat composition and/or said fat to said pet food preparation; and   iv) obtaining said pet food.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein said pet food has an enhanced palatability sustained over at least 15 months of storage in an appropriate container at ambient temperature. 
     
     
         28 . A pet food having an enhanced palatability sustained over at least 8 months of storage in an appropriate container at ambient temperature, obtainable by a method according to  claim 26 , with the exception of a drink and a beverage. 
     
     
         29 . A pet food having an enhanced palatability sustained over at least 8 months of storage in an appropriate container at ambient temperature, obtainable by a method according to  claim 27 , with the exception of a drink and a beverage. 
     
     
         30 . A kit for sustaining an enhanced palatability of a pet food comprising, in one or more containers in a single package:
 one or more enhanced palatability-sustaining fat compositions as defined in  claim 19 .   
     
     
         31 . The kit according to  claim 30 , further comprising at least one pet food ingredient.