Abstract: The microorganism population of a flour-containing semifinished product (such as dough) is reduced by forming a suspension of flour with a liquid (particularly water, milk and/or the flowable ingredients of eggs), and subjecting the suspension to the action of an inert gas (such as carbon dioxide gas) for a period of between approximately 5 and 240 minutes at a pressure of between approximately 2 and 100 bars. The thus obtained semifinished product can be stored for extended periods of time in a standard refrigerator rather than only in a freezer. The method can further comprise the step or steps of stirring the suspension for the purposes of homogenization and/or abruptly reducing the pressure of gas upon elapse of the interval of 5-240 minutes and/or repeatedly varying the pressure of gas and/or adding to the suspension an animal and/or vegetable fat and/or adding to the suspension salt, sugar, an aromatic substance and/or another additive.

Abstract: A dry food for domestic dogs or cats is prepared by moistening and crushing cereals and/or legumes and thereupon drying the crushed substance at a temperature of not more than between 50.degree. and 70.degree. C. to form flakes, by drying chunks or lumps of meat, fish and/or comminuted vegetables, and by mixing the chunks or lumps and flakes with each other and with effective quantities of micronutrients and/or a gelling agent. The resulting dry food can be stored in bags and can be served dry or subsequent to contacting with water, milk or another liquid.