Abstract: A flavor composition comprising at least one compound that modulates, increases and/or enhances the activity of a GPR92 receptor that can be used to enhance palatability of pet food products is described herein. Also disclosed herein are methods for identifying said compounds.

Abstract: Methods and systems for authenticating or identifying a food source for a food product are disclosed herein. Also disclosed herein are methods and systems for detecting a contaminant in a food product. The methods comprise obtaining sequence data for a plurality of nucleic acid sequences present in a food product, identifying one or more microbial signatures, wherein the one or more microbial signatures correspond to one or more microbes present in the food product, and determining whether the one or more microbial signatures correspond to one or more microbes associated with a particular food source or a particular contaminant.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an ultrasonic rotary molding system that is used to form edible compositions or food products as they move along a conveyor belt. The food products are formed by an ultrasonic rotary wheel that includes one or more cutting tools that cut, and perhaps three dimensionally mold, food product strips. The system may include a movable backing plate that is located below the point where the ultrasonic rotary wheel cuts the food product strips. The movable backing plate may be spring loaded and it may exert force upwards against the conveyor belt and in turn against the food product.

Abstract: A flavor composition containing at least one, two, three, four, five or more peptide compound(s) that can be used to enhance the taste of edible compositions including sweet goods, such as confectionery goods, and savory goods, such as pet foods.

Abstract: A flavor composition comprising at least one compound that modulates, increases and/or enhances the activity of a GPR120 fatty acid receptor that can be used to enhance the fatty acid taste and/or palatability of pet food products is described herein. Also disclosed herein are methods for identifying said compounds.

Abstract: A method is provided, comprising feeding a cat a foodstuff comprising a protein to fat ratio of 1:0.27 to 1:0.63 on a gram:gram as fed or dry matter basis, and measuring the level of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) in a blood sample from the cat before and after feeding the foodstuff. A reduction in GIP levels and/or maintaining low levels of GIP post-prandially is indicative of a foodstuff useful in preventing accumulation of and/or reducing body fat in a cat and therefore controlling the body weight of a cat.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for dynamically managing electronic transactions of pet homing data is disclosed. The method includes receiving a pet selection, sending a confirmation indicating that the pet has been homed, determining whether at least one pet owner profile corresponding to at least one user record exists in a data store, in response to the determining that the at least one pet owner profile does not exist in the data store, creating a new pet owner profile based on the at least one user record, determining whether the at least one pet profile corresponding to at least one pet record exists in the data store, in response to determining that the at least one pet profile does not exist in the data store, creating a new pet profile based on the at least one pet record, and associating the new pet profile with the new pet owner profile.

Abstract: Product packages and methods of reducing packaging waste arising from producing customized packages are disclosed. A plurality of trays are produced and a first batch of sleeves is produced corresponding to a first sleeve design, each sleeve of the first batch of sleeves being sized and shaped to be disposed about a respective one of the plurality of trays. Each sleeve of the first batch of sleeves is disposed about a respective one of the plurality trays to assemble a first plurality of packages. A second batch of sleeves is produced corresponding to a second sleeve design that is different from the first sleeve design, each sleeve of the second batch of sleeves being sized and shaped to be disposed about a respective one of the plurality trays. Each sleeve of the second batch of sleeves is disposed about a respective one of the plurality of trays to assemble a second plurality of packages.

Abstract: A system, method, or apparatus for controlling the ignition of a volatile organic compound cloud. The system can include a laser source configured to emit one or more laser beams, one or more fume cells, and a conveyor carrying one or more confectionery products. The system is configured to etch the one or more confectionery products using the one or more laser beams. The etching creates a volatile organic compound cloud above the one or more confectionery products. The system is also configured to control one or more factors of the system, where the one or more factors include at least one of laser power, laser wavelength, geometry of laser beam, etch geometry, or fume extraction air flow. The system is further configured to ignite the volatile organic compound cloud based on the controlled one or more factors.

Abstract: A system, method, and media permit a computing system to access information associated with one or more distribution points comprising a distribution network. The computing system can receive a request from a first user to access a first distribution point of the one or more distribution points and determine that the first user has permission to access the first distribution point. The computing system can determine an account of a second user associated with the first distribution point and transmit, from the account of the second user to an account associated with the first user, one or more credits. The computing system can update one or more properties of the distribution network based on the transmittal.

Abstract: Methods for detecting an allergen or toxigen are disclosed herein. The methods comprise obtaining sequence data for a plurality of nucleic acid sequences present in a food product; identifying one or more allergen sequences, or one or more toxigen sequences, in the sequence data, wherein the one or more allergen sequences, or one or more toxigen sequences correspond to an allergen or a toxigen present in the food sample; and detecting the presence of the allergen or the toxigen in the food product if the one or more allergen sequences, or the one or more toxigen sequences, are above a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Pet food products are provided herein that comprise a reconstituted animal material, itself comprising an animal protein and micro-particulate denatured whey protein isolate having a volume distributed mean particle diameter (D[4,3]) between 37.81 ?m and no more than 70 ?m.

Abstract: A pet food product comprising a fat component in an amount of from 2.0 wt % to 8.0 wt % by total weight of the pet food product, and a proteinaceous component in an amount of from 6.0 wt % to 14.0 wt % by total weight of the pet food product, wherein said proteinaceous component comprises polypeptides and free amino acids, wherein the ratio of the fat component to the proteinaceous component is from about 0.45:1.0 to about 1.0:1.0, and wherein the amount of free amino acids in the pet food product is at least 0.5 wt % by total weight of the pet food product.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of determining the susceptibility of a dog to liver copper accumulation, comprising detecting in a biological sample obtained from the dog the presence or absence in the genome of the dog of one or more polymorphisms, and methods of treating or breeding the dog based on such determination.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter relates to methods of screening raw materials and pet food products to manufacture a palatable pet food product. The presently disclosed subject matter also relates to methods for identifying compounds that modulate the activity and/or expression of a taste receptor.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for improving communication between mobile or wearable devices and access points of the wireless land area network. The method includes sensing at a client station a service set identifier for a wireless access network. The method also includes determining a subset of channels within the wireless access network by accessing information stored in a database, and determining a scan time interval associated with the service set identifier by accessing the information stored in the database. In addition, the method includes transmitting a probe request through the subset of channels to an access point located within the wireless access network and receiving a probe response at the client station from the access point during the scan time interval. Further, the method includes identifying location of the client station based on the probe response.

Abstract: A flavor composition comprising at least one compound that modulates, increases and/or enhances the activity of a GPR92 receptor that can be used to enhance palatability of pet food products is described herein. Also disclosed herein are methods for identifying said compounds.

Abstract: A flavor composition comprising at least one compound that modulates, increases and/or enhances the activity of a GPR120 fatty acid receptor that can be used to enhance the fatty acid taste and/or palatability of pet food products is described herein. Also disclosed herein are methods for identifying said compounds.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mounting base (300) for attaching a portable electronic device (402) to a collar apparatus (400). Mounting base (300) includes a frame (102) and a latch (200). Latch (200) is moveable between a latched position and an unlatched position. Latch (200) includes an actuator (206) with a button (208) that may be depressed by a user to manually move latch (200) between the latched and unlatched positions. A portable electronic device (402) includes an insertion portion (410) that is received in a receiving aperture (108) in the frame (102). Once the insertion portion (410) is inserted, the device (402) may be rotated manually to engage latch (200). During rotation, a lock stub (216) on latch (200) engages a corresponding feature on insertion portion (410), thereby preventing counter-rotation of device (402). Additionally, one or more tabs (120) on frame (102) interfere with corresponding structure on insertion portion (410) to secure device (402) onto mounting base (300).