Patent ID: 8412369

Claim:
A computer-implemented optimization method for manufacturing food products comprising: defining a first group comprising at least two subgroups, at least one of the subgroups of the first group comprising at least one variable and at least one constraint; defining a second group comprising at least two subgroups, at least one of the subgroups of the second group comprising at least one variable and at least one constraint, wherein the first group comprises a first pet food formulation and the second group comprises a second pet food formulation, and wherein the variables of the first and second groups each comprise a single ingredient of the first and second pet food formulations; defining at least one common constraint between the first and second groups; optimizing the variables using a computer processor to obtain final values for the variables of the first group and the second group based on a defined objective subject to the at least one common constraint of the first group and the second group; and optimizing the first pet food formulation and the second formulation based on the final values for the variables of the first group and the second group.