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.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to animal chews and animal chew additives. More specifically, the present invention relates to the addition of vaccinium powder to animal chews either of the edible or non-edible type, depending upon the edible and/or plastic type carrier ingredients.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Most dogs and other animal pets enjoy chewing on various items, and many are especially attracted to animal bones and animal-derived chew toys. A variety of products have been manufactured to provide animal pets with objects to chew or gnaw. These products are intended to provide the pet with exercise for the teeth to maintain a healthy condition satisfying a need that arose when the natural pet food, raw meat, was replaced with processed pet foods. Rawhide strips knotted on the ends to resemble bones, for example, provide abrasion for cleaning teeth by removing tartar and massaging the gums, which is not provided by the typical canine dog food.  
         [0003]     Numerous pet chews have been developed to address the various dental and nutritional concerns. Examples of these devices include but are not limited to the following U.S. Patents. These patents are commonly owned by the assignee herein: U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,069 entitled “Molded Rawhide Chew Toy”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/923,070 filed Sep. 3, 1997 entitled “Vegetable Based Dog Chew now U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,427; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/738,423 filed Oct. 25, 1997 entitled “Edible Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,565; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/784,834 filed Jan. 17, 1997 entitled &#39;Carrot-Based Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,197; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/114,872 filed Jul. 14, 1998 entitled “Heat Modifiable Edible Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,161; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/138,804 filed Aug. 21, 1998 entitled “Improved Edible Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,978; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/116,070 filed Jul. 15, 1998 entitled “Wheat &amp; Casein Dow Chew With Modifiable Texture” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,521; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/116,555 filed Jul. 15, 1998 entitled “Heat Modifiable Peanut Dog Chew” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,441; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/227,767 filed Jan. 8, 1999 entitled “Method of Molding Edible Starch” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,516; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,616 entitled “Animal Chew”.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,661 entitled “Pet Chew Product Having Oral Care Properties” discloses an edible pet chew product having a flexible cellular matrix in which is contained cellulosic fibrous material such as corn cob fractions which are described as having a mechanical cleansing function when chewed by a pet.  
         [0005]     Other earlier examples of chew products are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,334 to Axelrod (nylon substrate containing liquid flavor and odor components), U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,733 to Axelrod (polyurethane toy containing aqueous-based flavor and odor components), and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,557,219 and 4,513,014 to Edwards (use of flavorings in a molded polyurethane dog chew).  
         [0006]     European Patent 0 272 968 B1 discloses a chewable product for dogs and other domestic animals wherein certain aqueous solutions of oral care agents, e.g., sodium fluoride (anti-caries agent), sodium benzoate (anticalculus agent) and bromochlorophene (antimicrobial/antiplaque agent) are used to soak rawhide, beef tendon, or ligament. The solution treated product is then dried whereby the oral care agents are absorbed into the surface of the product.  
         [0007]     As is apparent from the above review of the prior art, a variety of efforts have been made to create animal pet chews and particularly dog chews that are nutritionally satisfying, digestible, devoid of deleterious additives and/or of modifiable texture or hardness.  
         [0008]     An object of the present invention is to improve and expand upon the art of providing nutritional and dental supplementation in animal pet chew and particularly dog chews.  
         [0009]     Furthermore it is an object of the present invention to provide an additive that introduces both a flavoring and a colorant to starch media hereinbefore not seen in the art.  
         [0010]     Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an additive that supplements nutritional pet chews with an antioxidant.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0011]     According to one aspect, the present invention provides an animal chew comprising a resin and a vaccinium additive, wherein the resin may be selected from the group consisting of starch, thermoplastic, casein, denatured and partially hydrolyzed collagen, wheat gluten, rawhide, moldable proteins, and mixtures thereof.  
         [0012]     According to another aspect, the present invention provides a process for forming a molded animal chew comprising providing a resin and a vaccinium additive, wherein the resin is selected from the group consisting of starch, thermoplastic, casein, denatured and partially hydrolyzed collagen, wheat gluten, rawhide, moldable proteins and mixtures thereof; combining the resin and vaccinium additive to form a mixture; introducing and mixing the mixture in a melt mixing apparatus and forming the mixture into a desired shape. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     The present invention relates to animal chews and animal chew additives. More specifically, the present invention relates to the addition of vaccinium to animal chews of either edible or non-edible type, depending upon the edible and/or plastic type carrier ingredients.  
         [0014]     An embodiment of the present invention relates to an animal chew comprising a starch and a vaccinium additive. Preferably, the vaccinium additive is a blueberry powder. More preferably, the blueberry additive is prepared from a blueberry concentrate disposed on a malto-dextrin carrier. Most preferably, the vaccinium supplements the animal chew with an antioxidant. In the context of the present invention the vaccinium may be present at levels of about 0.1-40% (wt.), and all incremental values therebetween.  
         [0015]     In addition to the nutritional benefit of the vaccinium herein, it is worth noting that the vaccinium powder also supplies a unique appearance and color to the chew product, along the lines of an aqua-marine type color. It is also believed to provide an attractive flavor for the pet, thereby making the treats herein desirable to various pets.  
         [0016]     Preferably, the starch is composed of any carbohydrate of natural or vegetable origin composed mainly of amylase and/or amylopectin. More preferably, the starch may be isolated from potato, rice, tapioca, corn, rye, oats or wheat. As alluded to above, the starch may be present at levels between 99%-60% (wt.), and at all incremental values therebetween.  
         [0017]     In another embodiment of the present invention a thermoplastic (polyurethane, polyamide, ethylene copolymers), or a thermoplastic such as a polyesteramide may be mixed with the vaccinium. The amount of vaccinium may again be present at levels of between about 0.1-40% (wt.) and the thermoplastic present at levels of about 99%-60% (wt.), and at all incremental values therebetween. Most preferably, the thermoplastic is an aliphatic polyesteramide, a mixed aliphatic/aromatic polyesteramide, an aromatic polyesteramide, and a mixture thereof.  
         [0018]     In another embodiment of the present invention, a number of additives may be added to the vaccinium animal chew, of either the edible (starch) or plastic variety. Preferably, these additives include attractants or humectants. More preferably, attractants such as chicken powder, liver powder, ham, turkey, beef or fish may be used. Also more preferable is the use of oat fiber, sorbitol, glycerol or propylene glycol as a humectant.  
         [0019]     In another embodiment, the present invention provides a process for forming a molded animal chew comprising combining starch (or thermoplastic) and a vaccinium additive to form a mixture; introducing and mixing the mixture in a melt mixing apparatus such as an extruder or injection molding machine and forming the mixture. According, the mixture may be formed through extrusion and injection molding techniques into a desired shape. More preferably, the mixture may be formed by injection molding the mixture into a desired shape such as bone, a disk, a rod or a ring.  
         [0020]     In the context of the melt processing herein, it is also preferable that the melt mixing is carried out under those conditions wherein any thermal degradation of the vaccinium is substantially minimized or avoided. In that context, moisture may be included in the mixture, at levels of between 1-40% (wt), and at all increments therebetween which moisture level is then selectively reduced during melt processing to a desired level. In that fashion, the moisture serves to allow for melt processing at lower temperatures, thereby minimizing or avoiding thermal degradation of the vaccinium.  
         [0021]     In one particularly preferred process of manufacturing the animal chew toy herein, starch and water and vaccinium are first combined wherein the water content is in the range of 20-40% by weight with respect to that of said starch. The mixture is introduced into a vented barrel extruder to form extruded beads, wherein the water content upon discharge is less than the water content of said mixture entering the extruder.  
         [0022]     This is followed by introduction of the extruded beads to a heated injection molding machine containing a mold and injection molding and cooling to form the molded article wherein the water content of the molded article is at or below about 20% by weight, wherein the injection molding machine contains a hopper feed section, a barrel and an output nozzle, including a plurality of heating zones in said barrel extending from said hopper section to said nozzle including a plurality of heating zones extending from the hopper section to said output section wherein the 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. and melt mixing and molding and cooling to form said chew toy wherein the water content of said chew toy is between 5% and 20% with respect to the resin so that a portion of the vaccinium mixed therein is not thermally degraded by said molding.  
         [0023]     The foregoing description is provided to illustrate and explain the present invention. However, the description hereinabove should not be considered to limit the scope of the invention set forth in the claims appended here to.