Abstract: A rehydratable dry animal food is prepared by preparing a mix of comminuted, heat-treated meaty materials, fat and pregelatinized starch carbohydrate binder, forming the mix into pieces and drying the pieces to form permeable solid pieces which rehydrate to a paste-like material of heterogeneous texture. The mix preferably contains bone fragments, which can be softened by autoclaving and which lend a desirable flaky texture to the rehydrated product. The pregelatinized starch carbohydrate binder may be pregelatinized potato powder or cereal products in which the starch content is in pregelatinized form or other starch containing products in which the starch component has been pregelatinized. Typical mixes contain 70-80% meaty materials, 10% fat and 10-20% of said binder. The pieces may be extruded under low pressure or extrusion-expanded to give an open texture.

Abstract: A shelf stable food product, which can be used for domestic animals comprises solid protein pieces in an aqueous gel and contains 6 to 20% protein, 3 to 12% fat and 65 to 95% moisture and is stabilized by antimycotic and a pH of 4.5 or below achieved with acid-producing micro-organisms. The product is prepared by dissolving a gelling agent in the aqueous phase of the product components at a pH value above 4.5, and after adding the other ingredients a gel is formed, and the pH is reduced by fermentation to a value below 4.5. Gelling agents may be ionic polysaccharides, including alginates, pectates and carrageenan, or thermoreversible protein systems such as gelatine.

Abstract: The invention relates to food products having a gelled or thickened aqueous phase, a pH value of 2.5 up to 5.0 and in the case of milk products up to the neutral range about 7.5. Applicants have found unexpected benefit in using crude pectinaceous material of which the degree of esterification is or has been reduced to less than 20%, and preferably less than 10%, as the thickening or gelling agent in such products. Gel strength measurements show that comparable gels are formed with much lower pectin concentrations when the crude material is used than when purified or extracted pectin is employed. Gel structures are better and there is an outstanding cost advantage. Products contain from 0.1 to 20% crude pectinaceous material such as comminuted citrus peel. They may contain comminuted animal or vegetable protein or fruit puree or other flavoring at a pH of 2.5 to 5.0.