Abstract:
A packaged edible composition of pet food comprising an inner edible portion and an outer edible portion; said outer edible portion providing at least a partial containing enclosure of said inner portion so as to allow extraction of said edible composition from a package in one contiguous whole.

Description:
[0001]     The present invention relates to edible compositions or combinations and packaging of food items and, more particularly of such food items for pet animals.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     The keeping for pleasure, companionship and in some case usefulness of animals is a feature of many societies. The practice of feeding of such animals ranges from reliance of scraps and scavenging by the animal to specially prepared “gourmet” dishes, particularly for domestic pet animals such as cats and dogs.  
         [0003]     The industry providing pre-cooked and packaged foods, particularly for cats and dogs is very large and extremely competitive. Manufacturers are continually in search of new marketing opportunities, products and packaging presentation.  
         [0004]     Many such food preparations are of a consistency where they are messy and inconvenient to extract from their packaging and often a wasteful residue is left clinging to the inside surfaces of the packaging in such cases. Moreover many do not provided for a balanced diet desirable to maintain the health of an animal.  
         [0005]     Animals frequently require vitamin, conditioning and regular various preventative and curative medicinal supplements. These are often difficult to administer and require inconvenient additional acquisition, storage and a discipline regime to maintain correct and regular dosage.  
         [0006]     It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       [0007]     Accordingly in one broad form of the invention there is provided a packaged edible composition of pet food comprising an inner edible portion and an outer edible portion; said outer edible portion providing at least a partial containing enclosure of said inner portion so as to allow extraction of said edible composition from a package in one contiguous whole.  
         [0008]     Preferably said outer edible portion is comprised of a layer of crust-like material of a shape conforming to the inside surface of at least a portion of said package.  
         [0009]     Preferably said crust-like material is comprised of a hardened base portion and softer upwardly extending side portions.  
         [0010]     Preferably said outer edible portion is adapted to retain said shape for the shelf life of said composition and between removal from said package and consumption.  
         [0011]     Preferably said inner edible portion is comprised of any composition of food ingredients suitable for the feeding of domestic pet animals.  
         [0012]     Preferably said edible composition includes a separate food ingredient.  
         [0013]     Preferably said separate food ingredient is a gravy.  
         [0014]     Preferably said separate food ingredient is a sauce.  
         [0015]     Preferably said separate food ingredient is enclosed in a sachet.  
         [0016]     Preferably said package is comprised of a base portion and a closure portion.  
         [0017]     Preferably said base portion is formed of a compactable recycled plastic material or foil.  
         [0018]     Preferably said closure portion is comprised of a sheet foil or plastic peel-off lid attached to the rim of said base portion by suitable adhering means.  
         [0019]     Preferably said sachet is attached to the underside of said peel-off lid.  
         [0020]     Preferably said sachet is provided loose; said sachet lying in a depression under said peel-off lid.  
         [0021]     Preferably said package is a cylindrical can.  
         [0022]     Preferably said sachet is attached to the inside surface of the upper end of said cylindrical can.  
         [0023]     Preferably said sachet is provided loose; said sachet lying in a depression under said upper end of said cylindrical can.  
         [0024]     Preferably said inner edible portion is comprised of a biscuit-like material.  
         [0025]     Preferably said inner edible portion is provided with a cavity adapted to retain a protein source.  
         [0026]     Preferably said biscuit-like material is formed in the likeness of a bone.  
         [0027]     Preferably said outer edible portion is substantially comprised of a meat preparation.  
         [0028]     Preferably said outer edible portion is of a shape conforming to the inside surface of said package.  
         [0029]     Preferably said package is comprised of a plastic sheath shaped so as to resemble a sausage.  
         [0030]     Preferably said plastic sheath is provided with a zipper portion extending substantially the length of said sheath; said zipper portion adapted to allow ejection of said edible composition from said sheath as a contiguous whole.  
         [0031]     Preferably said package is a cylindrical can.  
         [0032]     Preferably said packaged edible composition includes a separate supplement.  
         [0033]     Preferably said supplement is a vitamin supplement.  
         [0034]     Preferably said supplement is a condition enhancing supplement.  
         [0035]     Preferably said supplement is a curative medicinal supplement.  
         [0036]     Preferably said supplement is a preventative medicinal supplement.  
         [0037]     Preferably said supplement is retained in a cavity formed in an edible portion of said edible composition.  
         [0038]     Preferably said supplement is retained in a sachet.  
         [0039]     Preferably said sachet is attached to the inside of a cover portion of said package.  
         [0040]     Accordingly in a further broad form of the invention there is provided a method of presenting a food composition to domestic pet animals; said method including the steps of: 
        (a) preparing said food composition as an inner edible portion and an outer edible portion,     (b) including said food composition in a package comprising a base portion and a peel-off lid portion,     (c) removing said food composition from said package,     (d) placing said food composition for consumption by said animals.        
 
         [0045]     Preferably said outer edible portion is in the form of a layer of crust-like material shaped so as to conform to the inside of said package.  
         [0046]     Preferably said inner edible portion is comprised of any composition of food ingredients suitable for the feeding of said domestic pet animals.  
         [0047]     Accordingly in a further broad form of the invention there is provided a method of presenting a packaged food composition and a mixable separate food ingredient to a domestic pet animal; said method including the steps of: 
        (a) preparing said food composition for enclosure in a package comprising a base portion and a peel-off lid portion,     (b) enclosing said mixable separate food ingredient in a sachet,     (c) attaching said sachet to the underside of said peel-off lid portion,     (d) removing said food composition from said package,     (e) removing said mixable food ingredient from said sachet for distribution over said food composition.        
 
         [0053]     Accordingly in a further broad form of the invention there is provided an animal nutritional composition comprising three juxtaposed nutrient structures; a first nutrient structure comprising a liquid carrier containing a protein source; a second nutrient structure comprising a substantially solid carrier containing a fibre source; a third nutritional structure comprising a bulk gel carrier containing a carbohydrate source.  
         [0054]     Preferably said protein source is at least partially provided in a separate gravy food ingredient.  
         [0055]     Preferably said protein source is at least partially provided in a separate sauce food ingredient.  
         [0056]     Preferably said fibre source is substantially provided in a biscuit-like portion of said composition.  
         [0057]     Preferably said carbohydrate source is substantially provided in said biscuit like portion of said composition.  
         [0058]     Preferably said substantially solid carrier forms at least a partial enclosure for said bulk gel carrier; said partial enclosure including a base portion and side portions.  
         [0059]     Preferably said substantially solid carrier forms a complete enclosure of said bulk gel carrier.  
         [0060]     Preferably said composition is enclosed in packaging.  
         [0061]     Preferably said liquid carrier is enclosed in a sachet included within said packaging.  
         [0062]     Preferably said packaging is comprised of a base portion and a closure portion.  
         [0063]     Preferably said base portion and said closure portion are formed of plastic or foil.  
         [0064]     Preferably said packaging is comprised of a metal cylindrical can.  
         [0065]     Preferably said liquid carrier is enclosed in a cavity provided in said substantially solid carrier.  
         [0066]     Preferably said substantially solid carrier is enveloped in said bulk gel carrier.  
         [0067]     Preferably said composition is enclosed in packaging.  
         [0068]     Preferably said packaging is comprised of a plastic sheath.  
         [0069]     Preferably said packaging is comprised of a metal cylindrical can.  
         [0070]     In yet a further broad form of the invention there is provided an animal nutritional composition comprising two juxtaposed nutrient structures; a first nutrient structure comprising a liquid carrier containing a protein source and a second nutrient structure comprising a substantially solid carrier containing a fibre source.  
         [0071]     Preferably said composition includes a further nutrient structure comprising a bulk gel carrier containing a carbohydrate source.  
         [0072]     In yet a further broad form of the invention there is provided an animal nutritional composition comprising two juxtaposed nutrient structures; a first nutrient structure comprising a substantially solid carrier containing a fibre source and a second nutritional structure comprising a bulk gel carrier containing a carbohydrate source.  
         [0073]     Preferably said composition includes a further nutrient structure comprising a liquid carrier containing a protein source.  
         [0074]     In yet a further broad form of the invention there is provided an animal nutritional composition comprising two juxtaposed nutrient structures; a first nutrient structure comprising a liquid carrier containing a protein source and a second nutritional structure comprising a bulk gel carrier containing a carbohydrate source. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0075]     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0076]      FIG. 1  is a cross section elevation through a preferred embodiment of an edible composition and packaging according to the invention.  
         [0077]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the edible composition and packaging of  FIG. 1  with the peel-off cover portion removed.  
         [0078]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the edible composition and packaging of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the peel-off cover portion partially removed from the packaging revealing a sachet of separate food ingredient attached to the underside of the cover.  
         [0079]      FIG. 4  is a sectioned view of a further embodiment of an edible composition and packaging according to the invention.  
         [0080]      FIG. 5  and  6  are sectioned views of further embodiments of an edible composition and packaging according to the invention.  
         [0081]      FIG. 7  is a sectioned view of yet a further embodiment of an edible composition and packaging according to the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0082]     The present invention seeks to provide combinations of three main elements desirable in a pet food, that is, taste, texture and nutrition, in a variety of compositions and packaging. The three elements according to the present invention may be incorporated in any one or in all of a number of disparate edible components within any of the preferred embodiments of packaging described in detail below.  
       First Preferred Embodiment  
       [0083]     With reference to  FIG. 1 a  packaged edible composition of pet food  10  is comprised of an outer edible portion  12  and an inner edible portion  14  enclosed in a package  16  comprised of base portion  18  and peel-off cover portion  20 .  
         [0084]     The edible outer portion  12  is, in at least one preferred embodiment of the invention, composed of a layer of crust-like material so as to form a container adapted to at least partly enclose and retain the edible inner portion  14  such that the inner edible portion  14  is not in contact with the inner surface  22  of base portion  18  of package  16 . The layer of crust-like material may be a biscuit composition for example and is shaped to conform to the inner surface  22  of the base portion  18  of package  16 . In at least one further preferred embodiment the edible outer portion  12  may be in the form of a pastry type crust.  
         [0085]     Preferably, though not necessarily, the base portion  24  of outer edible portion  12  may be of a thicker or harder composition then the upwardly extending edge portions  26 . In at least one preferred embodiment outer edible portion  12  or at least the base portion thereof is of a composition adapted to provide fiber into the diet of the animal.  
         [0086]     Regardless of the composition of outer edible portion  12 , it is adapted to retain its original shape as packaged as well as its properties of retention of the inner edible portion for the shelf life of the product. As well its properties are such as to not stick to the inner surface  22  of the package so that both inner and outer edible portions are readily removable from the package when required for use and the shape of the edible composition retained until addressed by a consuming animal.  
         [0087]     The inner edible portion  14  may be comprised of any suitable pet food such as for example chunks of meat held in a matrix of a gel and is formulated for properties of taste, texture and nutrition. Alternatively, the inner edible portion may consist of dry palletized food ingredients.  
         [0088]     Also with reference to  FIG. 1  in a further preferred embodiment of the invention, packaged edible composition  10  includes a mixable separate food ingredient  28 . Food ingredient  28  is contained in a sachet  30  and, as may best be seen in  FIG. 2 , is so arranged as to fill a depression  32  generally in the middle of the upper surface  34  of inner edible portion  14 . In at least one preferred form of this embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3 , sachet  30  is attached to the underside  36  of peel-off cover portion  20  of package  16 .  
         [0089]     Separate food ingredient  28  may be a gravy for example or a sauce adapted to add flavour, moisture and nutrition to both the inner edible and outer edible portions of the edible composition. Separate food ingredient  28  may further be formulated as an additional protein source.  
         [0090]     The base portion  18  of package  16  is preferably formed of compactable and recycled plastic or foil. The peel-off cover portion  20  may be of a suitable foil or plastic sheet material and attached to the rim  38  of base portion  18  by any suitable means such as for example heat or ultrasonic welding. For convenience, package  16  may be provided with an outwardly extending tab portion  40  on base portion  18  (shown in broken outline in  FIG. 2 ) and a corresponding tab portion  42  on peel-off cover portion  20  as best seen in  FIG. 3 . The base portion tab  40  may be provided with perforations  42  adapted to allow tab  40  to snap off when sufficient force is applied and, by remaining attached to the peel-off cover tab portion  42 , provide a convenient grasping element allowing the peeling off of the cover  20 .  
         [0091]     Package  16  may be of any convenient shape such as circular as shown in FIGS.  1  to  3  for example, or it may be of oval, square, rectangular, diamond shaped or cylindrical.  
         [0092]     In use, the peel-off cover portion  20  is removed from the base portion  18 . This also pulls the sachet  30  if provided, from the depression  32  in inner edible portion  14 . Edible outer portion  12  and edible inner portion  14  are then readily slid out of base portion  18  of package  16  as a contiguous whole and cleanly deposited for example in the feed bowl of an intended animal consumer. The sachet  30 , if provided, may then be pierced and its contents spread over the inner and outer edible portions.  
       Second Preferred Embodiment  
       [0093]     In a further preferred embodiment, the outer edible portion could be provided as a complete enclosure of the inner edible portion, this being then comprised of a base portion and sides with a lid portion of the same edible composition.  
         [0094]     A particular advantage of the above described composition is its improved shelf life.  
       Third Preferred Embodiment  
       [0095]     In yet a further preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided as shown in  FIG. 4  an edible composition  100  comprised of an inner edible portion  110  in the form of a biscuit-like preparation and an outer edible portion  112  substantially in the form of a meat preparation.  
         [0096]     Inner edible portion  110  may for example be shaped as a bone and in at least one preferred form of this embodiment, may include a central cavity  114  filled with an edible gel. The edible gel may range in consistency from a viscous slurry to a near solid.  
         [0097]     Inner edible portion  110  is further preferably formulated so as to provide a source of carbohydrate and fiber to the animal and as well provide a chewable element conducive to its dental health.  
         [0098]     Edible composition  100  in this embodiment is enclosed in packaging comprising a sheath or skin  116  of plastic, preferably to provide a sausage shaped package  120  provided with a tear open zipper (not shown) . In use the zipper which extends substantially the length of the package is adapted to allow the whole of edible composition  100  to be ejected from the package for placement for example in the feed bowl of an intended animal consumer.  
         [0099]     Edible composition may further be formulated for frozen or refrigerated storage prior to sale and prior to use.  
       Fourth Preferred Embodiment  
       [0100]     In yet a further preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6  a packaged edible composition of pet food  200  is comprised of an inner edible portion  202  and an outer edible portion  204  enclosed in a cylindrical sealed can  206 . Outer edible portion  204  in at least one preferred form of this embodiment is composed of a biscuit-like layer conforming to the inside surfaces of at least the sides and base of the can  206 , but may also completely envelop inner edible portion  202  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The inner edible portion may then be comprised of any suitable pet food such as for example chunks of meat in a matrix of a gel. In this embodiment also, the inner edible portion could be in the form of dry palletized food ingredients.  
         [0101]     In this preferred embodiment also, a mixable separate food ingredient  208  may be supplied in a separate sachet  210  retained between a circular upper end  212  of the can  206  and a depression  214 , either in the upper surface of inner edible portion  214  or in a suitable depression in upper portion  216  of outer edible portion  204  where outer edible portion  204  completely encloses the inner edible portion  202 .  
         [0102]     In at least one preferred form of this embodiment mixable separate food ingredient may be supplied in a sachet releasable attached to the inside of the circular upper end  212  so that when the lid is removed from the can the sachet is pulled from its retaining depression  214 .  
       Fifth Preferred Embodiment  
       [0103]     With reference to  FIG. 7  packaged edible food composition  300  is provided in a cylindrical can  306  and comprises an outer edible portion  304  and an inner edible portion  302 . In this embodiment it is the inner edible portion  302  which is composed of a biscuit-like material and may be formed for example in the shape of a bone. The outer edible portion  304  may then be comprised of any suitable pet food such as for example chunks of meat held in a matrix of a gel, but could also be comprised of dry pelletized food ingredients.  
         [0104]     In at least one preferred form of this embodiment a mixable separate food ingredient  308  may be provided in a sachet  310  retained between the circular upper end  312  of can  306  and a depression  314  in the upper surface of outer edible food portion  304 . In this form also the sachet  310  may be attached to the inside of circular upper end  312 .  
         [0105]     In at least one other preferred form of this embodiment the inner edible portion  302  may be provided with an internal cavity  316  adapted to contain a preferred food supplement such as for example a protein rich composition.  
         [0000]     Nutritional Structure  
         [0106]     The composition of the various elements of the food ingredients of the above described embodiments rely on a balanced juxtaposition of nutritional structures. Broadly, these may be considered as consisting of three main sources comprising a carrier containing a protein source, a carrier containing a fibre source and a carrier containing a carbohydrate source.  
         [0107]     The fibre and carbohydrate sources may primarily be provided in the biscuit-like portions of the packaged edible food compositions of the above described embodiments. The other edible portion may also provide both fibre and/or carbohydrate depending on the chosen composition of the suitable pet food. Likewise this portion will carry at least some of the protein.  
         [0000]     Composition of Supplement  
         [0108]     Additional protein may be provided in the separate food ingredient of the sachet gravy or sauce for example.  
         [0109]     Alternatively, the sachet may be used in any one of the above embodiments as a carrier for additional vitamin supplements, or a conditioning, curative or preventative medicinal compound.  
         [0110]     The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.