Patent ID: 8771775

Claim:
A process for forming a pet chew comprising: providing a first extruder operable with a first extruder die providing a first extruder die profile shape, a second extruder operable with a second extruder die providing a second extruder die profile shape and a third extruder operable with a third extruder die having a third extruder die profile shape; providing a first composition containing a nutritional additive to said first extruder and a second composition to said second extruder and a third composition containing a nutritional additive to said third extruder; extrusion processing said first composition through said first extruder and said first extruder die to form a first extrudate having a first extrudate profile shape; extrusion processing said second composition through said second extruder and said second extruder die to form a second extrudate having a second extrudate profile shape; extrusion processing said third composition through said third extruder and said third extruder die to form a third extrudate having a third extrudate profile shape; joining said first extrudate, said second extrudate and said third extrudate to one another with a combining die located downstream of the first extruder die, the second extruder die and the third extruder die; wherein said first extruder is operating at a selected barrel temperature (BT 1 ), including a selected residence time for said first composition (RT 1 ) and a selected shear rate (γ 1 ); wherein said second extruder is operating at a selected barrel temperature (BT 2 ), a selected residence time for said second composition (RT 2 ) and a selected shear rate (γ 2 ); wherein said third extruder is operating at a selected barrel temperature (BT 3 ), a selected residence time for said third composition (RT 3 ) and a selected shear rate (γ 3 ); wherein at least one of the following conditions is present: BT 1 <BT 2 RT 1 <RT 2 γ 1 <γ 2 ; and wherein at least one of the following conditions is present: BT 3 <BT 2 RT 3 <RT 2 γ 3 <γ 2 ; and wherein said first and third extrudates each provide a portion of an outer layer and said second extrudate provides a core, and wherein the first and third extrudates are each directly bonded to the second extrudate forming the core and completely surround the second extrudate forming the core; wherein said nutritional additive of said first composition is a thermally degradable and/or shear degradable nutrient additive; wherein said nutritional additive of said first composition is not present in the second composition; and wherein said nutritional additive of said first composition comprises a vitamin or mineral or herb, wherein 75% or more by weight of said nutritional additive in said composition remains non-degraded after processing in said first extruder.