Abstract: A packaged food product includes a container and a food product. The container has a rim and at least one sidewall extending from the rim to a bottom wall. The at least one sidewall and the bottom wall define a storage area, and the food product is retained within the storage area such that the food product is in contact with the sidewall. The sidewall is readily deformable by a hand of a user to reduce a volume of the storage area. Finger engaging recesses are formed in the bottom wall to assist in deforming the container, with reducing the volume of the storage area causing the food product to exit the storage area. The bottom wall of the container includes an integral tool portion for breaking up and/or tenderizing the food product after removal from the storage area. The food product can be a wet cat or dog food.

Abstract: A pet dental treat includes an outer shell constituting a dense, solid shell which keeps the dog occupied while the dog's teeth sink into a soft, chewy porous inner core, potentially coated on exposed surface(s) such as with a bio-active compound, to scrape tartar and remove plaque from the dog's teeth, including hard-to-reach teeth, thereby helping to maintain the oral health of the dog while also reducing bad breath. The pet dental treat has a cross-section visually resembling a tooth and includes a longitudinal slot defining an integral pocket having in-turned retaining elements at an entrance to the slot, with the pocket provided to selectively retain a functional, edible additive insert, such as a vitamin, medicinal item or the like insert, to be given to the pet, with the retaining elements preventing the edible insert from inadvertently falling out of the pocket.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the automated mass production of spiral body pet treats, particularly chewable, spiraling rawhide-type pet treats, employs an extruder for extruding at least one rope in the form of a spiraling cross-sectional body having a plurality of radially spaced layers and an outer terminal end portion which is radially in-turned and conjoined with an adjacent one of the plurality of radially spaced layers. The rope is cut by a cutting assembly at longitudinally spaced locations in creating spiral shaped intermediate products which are then dried to form the spiral body pet treats. The spiral body pet treats are hard when dried but, with the radially in-turned outer terminal end portion being joined to a radially inward spiral layer, no terminal edge with potentially sharp contact points is exposed.

Abstract: A wet food supply apparatus of a wet food processing system includes an outer housing defining an internal cavity, a rotary food processing unit located within the internal cavity during operation of the wet food supply apparatus, and a separation assembly for withdrawing the rotary food processing unit from within the internal cavity for cleaning purposes. The separation assembly includes a threaded rod having a first portion attached to the rotary food processing unit, a second portion rotatably supported by the outer housing for relative rotation, and a third, terminal end portion including a tool mounting member for receiving a drive head of a drive mechanism, such as a portable, battery powered rotary impact tool, for rotating the threaded rod to selectively shift the rotary food processing unit out of the internal cavity of the outer housing to expose the rotary food processing unit.

Abstract: A packaged food product includes a container and a food product. The container has a rim and at least one sidewall extending from the rim to a bottom wall. The at least one sidewall and the bottom wall define a storage area, and the food product is retained within the storage area such that the food product is in contact with the at least one sidewall. The at least one sidewall is readily deformable by a hand of a user to reduce a volume of the storage area. Finger engaging recesses are formed in the bottom wall to assist in deforming the container, with reducing the volume of the storage area causing the food product to exit the storage area. The bottom wall of the container includes an integral tool portion for breaking up and/or tenderizing the food product after removal from the storage area. The food product can be a wet cat or dog food.

Abstract: A pet food is described that has a veneer on a surface that is low in sugar, low in moisture, transport stable, and has a smooth appearance at room temperature. A veneer includes a non-fat solids content of about 40% to about 60% by weight of the veneer, and a fat composition in an amount of 35% to 60% by weight of the veneer.

Abstract: A packaged food product includes a container and a food product. The container has a rim and at least one wall extending away from the rim. The at least one wall defines a storage area, and the food product is retained within the storage area such that the food product is in contact with the at least one wall. The at least one wall is readily deformable by a hand of a user to reduce a volume of the storage area. Reducing the volume of the storage area causes the food product to exit the storage area. The container includes an integral tool portion including a tine extending from a distal end of the tool portion for breaking up the food product after removal from the storage area. The food product can be a wet cat or dog food.