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September 2022

REGULAR ITEMS

9 Industry News

Industry Profiles

30 Training

31 Troubleshooting

32 Production focus

36 Industry Events

39 The Market Place 40 The Interview

42 Industry Faces

6 Roger Gilbert

7 Joseph P Kearns

8 Professor Simon Davies

Rabbits as pets are one of the most suitable pets for a young family

In the UK alone it is estimated that we have 900,000 rabbits kept as pets. There should no surprises here as they are intelligent, responsive and take a great interest in their surroundings.

However, they are not a regular consumer of pelleted or extruded feeds.

Publisher – International Petfood

Their main diet consists of fibrous materials, such as grass and hay, which helps keep their digestive system working properly. We also know that feeding pelleted feeds must be managed properly as they may well substitute pellets for their normal diet of grass and hay and compromise their overall wellbeing.

Therefore, it is advisable to follow feed manufacturers recommendations.

And that is where International Petfood magazine can help. We have included reference to rabbits in Professor Simon Davies’ editorial column and our own staff writer, Andrew Wilkinson, contributes a thoughtprovoking and informative feature on rabbits and their diets. We also present a feature on the Farm brand from Estonia, a company producing rodent and reptile feeds as well as feeds for rabbits.

Elsewhere in this edition

Our magazine this month carries other features on the benefits of natural egg powder in pet diets submitted by Carlos Javier Ucero Serrano and Arent Arnout of Actipro, Spain. They look in detail at the functional and nutritional aspects of this ingredient for inclusion in petfoods.

Our last edition

Did you miss our August 2022 edition? If so, don’t panic!

You can still read all of the great quality content that we published last month on our App – which you can download from Apple Store, Google Play or online at: https://magstand.com/petfood – with the latter platform granting you the opportunity to see all of our back editions on the screen of your desktop computer.

What you may have missed…

Welfare in the ornamental fish trade by Megan Jones, University of the West of Scotland

Keeping ornamental fishes as pets is incredibly popular, with the ornamental fish trade estimated to be worth annually between US$15 and US$20 billion globally. The enthusiasm for keeping pet fishes is increasing, with an increase of 14 percent in the trade since the early 1970s.

It is well established scientifically that food fish aquaculture can expose fishes to conditions that can compromise their welfare. Due to the extended length of the acquisition process within the ornamental trade, there is the potential for welfare to become increasingly compromised at each phase.

To read more, go to:

https://issuu.com/international_aquafeed/docs/ipf2208_w1/26

MAGLINK: https://mymag.info/e/1597

Industry Profile – Hill’s Pet Nutrition

In order to support the global growth of its Hill’s Pet Nutrition business, its parent company Colgate-Palmolive Company plans to purchase three dry pet food manufacturing plants in the US.

The acquisition of the plants from Red Collar Pet Foods for US$700 million, includes sites in Orangeburg, South Carolina; Clinton, Oklahoma

Another joint submission is by Matthew Lantzy and Chris Prokop at CRB in the USA, which continues to review the survey of the US petfood industry that may have significant findings and recommendations for a wider, worldwide petfood audience.

We have been talking a lot about insect meal as a protein source in recent months, and now we have a further insect meal wanting to join the revolution with the production of protein from the humble silkworm.

Insect biologist, Fabiola Neitzel of Prombyx, Germany takes us on a journey in a feature that outlines the history of the silkworm and the potential contribution it can make to our petfood protein sources. It’s a fascinating and informative read.

In addition to innovative new petfood ingredients, we also look at staff training through the eyes of the UK’s Guttridge apprenticeship program before highlighting new equipment and other products for the production of petfood in our Production Focus section.

There’s a lot to be gleaned from this edition and our Events Section should not be missed.

We report on recently held events that related to the production of petfoods and also identify and preview those coming up.

I hope you enjoy this edition. And once again you may like to subscribe by visiting our subscription page at: https://store.magstand.com/petfood where you can elect for either our digital delivery, via our App, the printed version mailed directly to you or a combination of both.

and Washington Court House, Ohio. The three additions to the company’s portfolio will be integrated into Hill’s global supply network to produce dry pet food for Hill’s Science Diet and Prescription Diet brands. The purchase agreement also includes the transfer of the approximately 350 employees involved in the dry pet food operations.

To read more, go to:

https://issuu.com/international_aquafeed/docs/ipf2208_w1/34

MAGLINK: https://mymag.info/e/1598

The interview – Alexander Döring, Secretary General, FEFAC Alexander Döring graduated as an Agricultural Economist at the University of Bonn in 1991. He has been the Secretary General of the European Feed Manufacturers Federation (FEFAC) for over 25 years. Through his work at FEFAC he has been a regular participant to European Commission Advisory and Civil Society Dialogue Groups; EFSA stakeholder platforms meetings; EC seminars and training workshops on Feed Hygiene; EU- TAIEX workshops on Feed Safety Management as well as meetings of International Organisations including Codex Alimentarius, FAO, OIE and IFIF.

To read more, go to:

https://issuu.com/international_aquafeed/docs/ipf2208_w1/40

MAGLINK: https://mymag.info/e/1599

Roger Gilbert

To start I will say that I never had a cat, we only had dogs due to allergies to cats in the family.

Ranging from the most pristine indoor cats to the barnyard mousers and everywhere in between, the cat is a most unusual animal that operates in many different fashions.

As a result of this there are as many different types and styles of cat food available. Generally speaking, the two major categories are wet and dry cat food.

Joseph P Kearns Editor, International Petfood Magazine

Wet cat food primarily being canned are also available in pouches and other forms of delivery. Typically, wet cat foods are higher in moisture, lower in carbohydrates and very palatable.

However, some consider them smelly, expensive and to have a short shelf-life product once opened. I suspect the portion sizes are so small that once opened they are consumed but this also increases cost which is considered the major disadvantage in wet cat foods.

Dry cat foods are more affordable and have a long shelf life, but they are high in carbohydrates and lower in moisture. A good clean source of water is essential for cats and the wet cat food has advantages for cats that need more water as in nursing, pregnant and young cats.

Considerations based on the cat and the owner’s affordability tends to result in the product used, with some using both wet and dry for their feeding regime.

Wet vs dry cat food

Cat food sales are second only to dogs worldwide and in the USA. It is reported that over US$12 billion in cat food sales occurred in 2021. A steady growth over the years as lifestyle conditions have people considering cats as pets.

Wet cat foods are generally prepared canned or pouched retorted as in any canning procedure for elimination of bacteria under specific conditions based on what exactly is in the container with water being the main ingredient on a percent basis.

Dry cat foods predominately extruded contain more cereal grains or carbohydrates resulting in the dry cat foods as we know them. However not all extruders are the same and many different possibilities exist in the industry.

In general, expanded cat foods do have a minimum starch or carbohydrate level needed for the process of expansion, about 20 percent (give or take) based on the rest of the formula. Extruders with superior preconditioning can handle higher meat and fat levels and make very good quality shapes and kibbles.

Single screw extruders are limited at a lower level then twin-screw extruders in these cases but overall, I expect higher tonnages are produced on single screw extruders worldwide.

How our industry responds to issues

Referring back to articles in previous editions, Isabella Corsato Alvarenga discussed her studies on how to modify the extrusion

parameters to adjust the starch properties during extrusion for pet foods.

Another article revealed how newly developed extruders at Wenger were demonstrated where the elevated level of meats (and fats if desired) was possible. Elevated meats mean more moisture and lower carbohydrates as other sources of ingredients which include many vegetables and legumes offering possible binding ingredients of health choices.

These are a few examples of how the industry responds to issues discussed within the industry. There are other possibilities out there where proteins are being combined into meat like products from wheat gluten, soy isolates or concentrates, legumes and others including actual meat products to finalize possible formulations.

All types and styles of cat food are being made including the proactive and health condition cat foods now available for hairballs, skin, overweight and stomach conditions to mention a few.

The most efficient method of operating the dryer

Production of cat foods of the dry expanded style historically were produced at a lower production rate by about 20 to 25 percent due to the higher protein content and the shapes associated with cats being nibbling feeders. They tend to like smaller bits with appendages such as star shapes where the chew off the points of the stars or similar shapes.

Also, cats prefer a product of this style with higher energy inputs or a slight mallard reaction in the kibble. Having mentioned the lower production rates in the extruders resulted in a possible change in drying characteristics. This has been an area where dryer running conditions are often not changed when switching from dog food to cat food production, for example.

The total amount of water needed to be removed is reduced therefore energy usages can be improved if the dryer is adjusted. Simply stated the volume of air exhausted can be reduced increasing the amount of water per volume in the exhaust air, the most efficient method of operating the dryer.

This situation occurs when the maximum amount of water is in the exhaust air, but it is not raining or releasing water in the ducting. It used to be as simply as closing the exhaust vent gates proportionally along the dryer exhaust ducting but this adjustment was a guess.

Now the use of computers and added controls such as VFD driven exhaust fans, motorised exhaust gates matched up with wet bulb and dry bulb sensors allow for calculations and dryer condition modifications to take place quickly and efficiently.

Actually, dryer conditions should be modified for each product change for energy efficiencies.

Professor Simon Davies Nutrition Editor, International Petfood

‘What’s up doc?’

The healthy nutrition of the rabbit

One of the first pets I owned was a beautiful all white rabbit typically called ‘Snowy’. I think all white rabbits of my youth were called Snowy. I kept Snowy for many years and adored him.

However, in those days, animal nutrition science was in its infancy and scientific knowledge of the fundamental nutrition requirements of domestic animals and pets in particular was based on extrapolation of existing information on studies with small animals such as rodents like rats.

Pet rabbits have a mode of feeding and nutrition similar to their wild cousins and their nutritional needs compare favourably despite generations of selection and breeding for domestic strains. Rabbits are obligate herbivores and are physiologically adapted to only consuming vegetable/plant materials.

As such, they eat and digest plants, such as hay, grass, vegetables, and pellets. They also need plenty of highquality fibre to maintain healthy teeth (which continue to grow throughout their lives) and a healthy gut.

Feeding your rabbit the incorrect food or ration size can result in excessive weight gain, urinary and bladder problems, and often adverse dental health. The rabbit needs high fibre in the diet to stimulate a good digestive function overall and the caecum of a rabbit.

As a hind gut fermenter, the digestion system of a rabbit contains a rich microbiome of specialised microbes to assist in the degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins and all the other complex fibre classes constituting the cell walls of plants that would limit digestion in a strictly carnivore animal.

These bacteria also produce an array of short chain fatty acids that have localised function and can provide energy for intestinal cell metabolism for maintenance and replenishment. The role of the gut microbiome is at the heart of current nutritional research in companion animals.

It is imperative to mainly choose a superior quality hay product for rabbits as the main dietary component. This ideally will be dry in nature, possessing a sweet-odour, and free from grit, dust, and mould. Bespoke feeding hays are also available which provide a variety in flavour and nutrients. Rabbits can also enjoy the enrichment of being offered safe vegetables that may include asparagus, basil, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, celery leaves, chard, and courgette.

It is important to avoid any plants that can contain toxins

and anti-nutritional factors to rabbits. Herbage such as hay or grass should make up around 60-80 percent of your rabbit’s diet, so they should have unlimited access to it. This can be fresh or dried grass, or meadow hay. These contain all the nutrients your rabbit needs while also grinding down their teeth to prevent overgrowing. A lack of fibre can promote painful spurs on their teeth which cut into their gums and tongue, making ingestion very difficult.

The amount your rabbit should eat relates to their breed, age, and size. An average-sized rabbit (around 2.5kg), should also have about 250g of fresh green vegetables and 60g of pellets. Pellets can be offered to supplement your rabbit’s food to ensure they receive a balanced diet. It is highly recommended to purchase high-quality pellets instead of muesli style foods that are mainly granular.

In fact, selection of muesli food is one of the most common mistakes by rabbit owners. The muesli style of feed encourages selective feeding, and your rabbit may not get all the nutrients they need due to specific preferences. Pelleting of fine and coarse ingredients offers much more stability for uniform intake of all nutrients and is a good balancer for the forage.

Also, there is a move to a more kibble format for rabbit concentrate feeds. It is the pellet or kibble level where the formulator and pet food manufacturers can support good rabbit nutrition and health by presenting a more complete nutrient dense accessory diet.

These products are unique, weight control formula assisting in maintaining optimum performance for both body maintenance and growth at the correct level for each stage. They often contain natural prebiotics for digestive health and are fortified with vitamins and minerals and essential fatty acids such as omega-3 for healthy eyes, skin, and coat. Additionally, natural antioxidants are also provided such as vitamin E and selenium to support the immune system.

There are studies of a substantial scientific basis reported in many peer-reviewed journals for defining the protein, essential amino acids, energy needs for the rabbit as awell as for vitamins and minerals. These are summarised periodically in the NRC National Research Council (US) data compilation for the nutrient requirements for all major animal species.

There is clearly a great interest worldwide in the nutrition and feeding of the humble rabbit as one of the most popular pets – and especially for children.

New retail partnership for Karnlea marks its 100th

Karnlea has now secured its 100 th retail partner, five months after launching the UK’s first ambient bone broth for cats and dogs. This key milestone was boosted after the acquisition of Just for Pets as a new customer in April. The company has 21 outlets across the UK and emphasises natural products and ingredients.

The company has targeted independent retailers, using the expertise of shop staff to convey health benefits of their bone broth. The company’s founder Lara McCullough believes independent pet retailers are ‘key’ to influencing, educating and informing pet owners.

“We put independents front and centre our marketing strategy,” Ms McCullough explains. “Karnlea offers something totally new and we believe they are in the unique position as trusted retailers with expertly trained teams to convey our product’s benefits and help solve customers’ pet problems like skin, coat and digestive issues.”

Echoing her sentiments, Just for Pets Senior Merchandiser Leanne Blunn considers Karnlea the perfect fit for its stores.

“It’s great to be able to extend what we can offer our customers to assist the health and wellbeing of their pets,” she says. “With 100 percent natural ingredients, recyclable and sustainable packaging and off-the-shelf convenience, it made perfect sense for Just for Pets to showcase Karnlea to all customers, not just the one’s shopping in our raw department, so that more pets will benefit from it.”

Others backed Karnlea’s bone broth as a ‘must have’ product, among them Sammie Hunt owner of Redpaw in Plymouth.

“There are many reasons why pet owners should have bone broth in their cupboard: to hydrate their dog or cat on a hot day or before exercise, to supplement their diets and improve joint, skin and coat conditions and to provide a gentle food should their pet suffer from digestive issues or need to recuperate from sickness,” she explains.

“I am really excited about being able to stock Karnlea,” she adds. “The quality of the ingredients and the level of nutrients make it an ideal standby and unlike similar products, it doesn’t need to be frozen.”

In addition to brick and mortar stores, Karnlea is also stocking to online retailers in particular those specialising in products that offer health benefits. This includes Enzo’s Pet Pantry, which offers holistic and nutritional pet products to owners, and is the brain child of Vaneeta Bassi, who launched the company after investigating the products for her own dog.

“As a pet owner of a dog with health issues I can personally vouch for the benefits of the product. Enzo suffers from allergies, IBD, pancreatitis and hip dysplasia and Karnlea Bone Broth is perfect for helping me in managing all of his ailments as it is great for his joints, gut, skin and coat,” she comments.

“Its versatility is amazing, it can be given as a liquid, jelly and frozen, all of which appeals to even the fussiest of eaters. I’m grateful that I can now offer the same tried and tested benefits of Karnlea’s products to my customers,” she concludes.

Mondi’s investment to expand capacity of packaging plants

As part of a EUR€1 billion/ US$991.4 million investment programme to accelerate growth in sustainable packaging, Mondi is investing nearly EUR€65 million/US$64.4 million in three consumer flexibles packaging plants in Europe, in a move to meet growing consumer demand for sustainable petfood packaging solutions.

Work has already begun at the packaging plant at Mondi Korneuburg, in Austria, which includes new, stateof-the-art machinery and equipment alongside an expanded production area. This will lead to an increase in capacity and solidify the company’s position as one of the market leaders in pre-made retort stand-up pouches for wet petfood.

The company is also investing in advanced machinery at the plants

Mondi Halle and Mondi Steinfeld in Germany, to increase production capacity of sustainable pre-made solutions for petfood. The aim is to enable future growth in this area and support customers in their switch from non-recyclable packaging to more sustainable alternatives which include mono-material recyclable stand-up pouches and paper-based pre-made bags.

“We take pride in being an innovative, agile partner for our customers. With this investment, we continue to take the lead in packaging solutions that are sustainable by design, especially in the petfood industry,” explains Dirk Gabriel, COO Consumer Flexibles at Mondi. “This investment also supports our Mondi Action Plan 2030 sustainability framework which is focused on circular driven solutions, created by

empowered people taking action on climate.”

Mondi recently won the Swiss Packaging Award in recognition of their recyclable packaging, which is made of polypropylene based mono-material. Other companies are following in their stead, as Purina recently launched their ‘designed to be recycled petfood pouches,’ in recognition that to further advance sustainability in the petfood sector, packaging needs to be addressed.

“With these projects, we’re increasing operational efficiency and reducing our own energy consumption while also connecting our production network,” concludes Mr Gabriel.

Actor teams up with Jinx to ‘avenge’ unhealthy dog food

Petfood

brand Jinx announce that the actor, entrepreneur, and dog dad Chris Evans will play an active role in the business and creative direction of the brand.

Famous for playing Captain America in the recent reimagination of the Marvel Avengers franchise, his introduction to Jinx was first as a customer, after searching for a safer food brand for his beloved best friend, Dodger.

“I was thrilled to find Jinx – a food Dodger loves to eat and that I know is safe and healthy for him,” he says. “I’m excited to come on board and help grow awareness for the company so all dogs can have the highest quality food possible at an accessible price point.”

In his role, Mr Evans will be involved in the brand’s strategy and marketing campaigns, including a commercial campaign launching later in the year.

This is just the beginning as Jinx aims to be a single destination for all things relating to dog wellness. Jinx recently closed a Series A round of funding reaching over US$28M, allowing the company to expand its product portfolio to move beyond a direct-to-consumer model and bringing on high profile investors including Halsey, Odell Beckham Jr, Zachary Quinto, Trevor Noah, Lily Singh, NAS and more.

Jinx is redefining dog nutrition with better, healthier, and tastier food for dogs across the country, already available in over 2,000+ Walmart locations and on walmart.com. Every Jinx product has a transparent approach to ingredients; full of real, nutrient-rich superfoods, and free from preservatives or fillers.

Formulated by animal nutritionists and approved by certified veterinarians, Jinx’s rigorous vetting makes sure that dogs are getting the balanced nutrition they need, without anything they don’t.

They’re also expanding their audience in partnering with Evans: “We are thrilled to have Chris on our team. His entrepreneurship and his love for his dog, makes him a valuable addition to the Jinx leadership team,” says Sameer Mehta, Co-Founder of Jinx. “Our vision is to elevate the way we care for our dogs by providing premium, cleanlabel nutrition at an attainable price point.”

With this new addition to the team, Jinx has its short- and long-term focus set on making a high-impact difference in the lives of American dogs and their pet parents.

The full line of Jinx premium pet products includes all-natural kibble (US$10.88 – 45.88), limited-ingredient dental chews (US$8.97), slow-cooked jerky treats (US$4.98 – 9.48), and freeze-dried meal toppers (US$9.99).

Danish petfood brand launches insect & plant based dog treat line

NewDanish petfood brand Globe Buddy has now launched its first insect- and plantbased dog treat line. Globe Buddy Crunch is available in three recipes formulated with protein, fruits and vegetables.

Aligning itself with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Globe Buddy strives for sustainability in what it produces. ‘Insect Crunch’ is the company’s environmentally friendly, meat free alternative while Veggie Crunch is 100 percent vegan with vegetables and fruits and Spirulina Crunch, named after the algae spirulina, is also 100 percent vegan.

The new treats will be available for purchase from the company’s Shopify website, in addition through Amazon and select retailers. On top of this, the packaging for Crunch is plastic-free and fully recyclable.

“We want to inspire a sustainable pet life. Now we are giving pet parents a crunchy alternative to unsustainable, traditional meatbased treats,” explains Bjarne Gravesen Jensen, CEO and cofounder of Globe Buddy.

“We have recently started to offer our products via Amazon in Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. These expanding sales channels are helping Globe Buddy to meet the growing demand for premium and planet friendly products.”

A family-owned start-up, the company is looking towards the US market where cofounder of the company Palle Gravesen Jensen is based. The treats come after the launch of its first complete dog food product in 2021.

Globe Buddy also produces ‘Globe Buddy Blue,’ which is made from nutrient rich parts of salmon farmed responsibly in Norwegian fjords and uses upcycled salmon protein, providing dogs with a good source of protein and Omega 3 fatty acids.

Improve silo tightness.

Double Vertical Joint.

· Tightness is improved. Double sealing on both sides of the screws.

· Butyl rolls are supplied with double strip to improve assembly times.

Natural egg powder

A nutritional & functional ingredient for pet food

by Carlos Javier Ucero Serrano & Arent Arnout, Actipro, Spain

The relationship between human beings and animals has always been decisive for survival. What today are called companion animals were once defensive, hunting and working animals being crucial for the survival of our species.

In exchange for their faithful service, we humans provided these noble animals with food and shelter. This has not changed to this day and the premise of taking care of their well-being is still there. Nowadays only the way how has changed, evolving from intuitive domestic nutritionists to professional formulators.

Consumption habits and international trade have created a complicated conjuncture in which these professional formulators must balance the ingredients very well to provide the necessary nutrients, optimising the cost of the formulation, that is, choosing the raw materials wisely.

Within the immense, although not infinite, variety of ingredients available, the egg has an exceptional value thanks to its dual nutritional-functional nature. Being an old acquaintance for the human being, the egg has historically been one of the basic foods in the diet.

This article will explain the main reasons why the egg should be an essential ingredient in petfood formulation.

Natural, secure & sustainable

Powdered egg has been shown to be a highly safe ingredient to be included in formulations. Its production process includes different physical steps such as pasteurization and spray drying, in which pathogens are inactivated. Indeed, eggs are not suitable for raw feeding as this may cause foodborne diseases like

salmonellosis (Keerthirathne, 2017).

Moreover, consumption of raw eggs can cause egg white injury or biotin deficiency due to the anti-nutritional effect of active avidin, which is a biotin-binding protein present in raw egg white (Bolnave, 1977).

FEDIAF defines natural substances in petfood as those derived from plant, animal, microorganism or minerals to which nothing has been added and which have been subjected only to such physical processing as to make them suitable for petfood production and maintaining the natural composition, what is the exact definition of egg powder products. This makes egg products perfect for ‘natural labelled products,’ a very popular trend nowadays.

We do not want to forget to comment on two aspects that are becoming every day more important on the international scene: sustainability and circular economy. Egg by-products from the food industry are being collected and used for producing the Actipro egg powder range, which would otherwise be disposed of with severe environmental damages as a result.

Formulation flexibility

As we mentioned, the formulator must wisely choose and combine the ingredients used to achieve a homogeneous and replicable formula. Thanks to the variability of egg products in the Actipro® range, the formulator has different ingredients according to their fat and protein needs.

Thus, in the this range we can find powdered eggs with different protein/fat ratios, depending on the yolk and white content that is combined in the different products (Graph 1).

The need for industrialisation of food for pets requires that the ingredients are highly standardised. In this case, the egg has a very homogeneous composition and with little variability

between batches, also providing essential nutrients.

The composition of the eggs depends on the animal species, but we can roughly divide it into 60-65% white, 25-30% yolk and 10% shell. Nutritional components of white and yolk are mostly protein and fat, while the shell contains calcium carbonate.

Bioavailability

Unlike other production and transformation methods of animal-by products, the spray drying process is very gentle to the physicochemical properties of the ingredients, obtaining highly bioavailable products. It doesn’t only mean high absorption, but also a very high digestibility of nutrients within the body (>95%)

Focusing on the importance of lysine as a key element in pet food formulation, Donadelli et al, (2019) demonstrated a lysine availability of 96-97% in products obtained by spray drying,

compared to 78-84% of other severely heat-treated animal byproducts.

Protein & lipids

Egg products are excellent and highly digestible protein sources, containing all the essential amino acids, except taurine, to cover the basic maintenance, growth and reproduction needs of dogs and cats (Graphs 2 & 3).

Arginine is very present in the yolk and methionine and phenylalanine in the egg white, these being the main difference with vegetable protein ingredients, generally poor in these amino acids.

The well-known anti-proteinase activity naturally present in raw eggs is practically inactivated during the production process of egg powder and afterwards commercial petfood.

As we said before, given the clear nutritional division present in the egg, we can obtain different products depending on the relative composition of the white and the yolk.

Despite the differences in fat content, the fatty acid profile is always the same, containing 19 percent polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as omega 3 (n-3) and omega 6 (n-6). Egg also contains monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and saturated fatty acids (SFA) as represented in Graph 4.

Certain PUFA must be obtained directly from the diet, as they cannot be synthesized by the body, as Linoleic Acid (LA), Araquidonic Acid (AA), Alpha linoleic acid (ALA), Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexanoic acid (DHA), among others (Graph 5).

The fat content not only provides energy, but also influences the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and positively influences texture and palatability (Ahlstrøm et al, 2004).

Graph 1: Nutritional composition of Actipro egg powder products

Minerals & vitamins

Egg powders generally have a much lower ash content than other ingredients of animal origin because calcium and phosphorus are very scarce in the liquid fraction of the egg.

The egg has a high concentration of Vitamins, except for Vitamin C, which also remain stable during the spray drying process (reviewed by De Ritter, 2019). In the yolk we can find fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), especially A and D, in addition to the eight water-soluble vitamins of the B complex.

We also find Choline, which is analogous to water-soluble vitamins and can be produced in small quantities in the liver. It is a very important molecule for metabolism, a member of cell membranes and a precursor of neurotransmitters. The extensive use of choline is not covered by endogenous synthesis, so it must be provided in the diet.

Egg yolk has a high content of highly bioavailable choline, requiring only an egg yolk contribution of 8 and 10 percent in the diet of dogs and cats, respectively, to cover the minimum daily needs.

Crude fibre & carbohydrates

The crude fibre content is very low in the egg (1% and 4% respectively). A low carbohydrate content in the diet prevents adverse digestive effects on pets such as diarrhoea, flatulence, or bloating. The sucrose content is also very low around 0.1%.

Beyond its nutritional properties and being an excellent source of highly digestible nutrients, in egg we can find an enormous number of molecules that are naturally available for the growth and defence of the bird’s embryo. These molecules have great functionality that can be used within animals that consume this ingredient.

Antioxidants: lutein & zeaxanthin

Just as the life expectancy of human beings increases, so does that of our pets, resulting in a progressively greater number of elderly animals in homes. The xanthophyll carotenoids contained in eggs are fat-soluble pigments from plants that, unlike other carotenoids, are not transformed into Vitamin A after intestinal absorption.

The bioavailability and absorption of lutein and zeaxanthin present in eggs is greater than that of vegetables and other lutein supplements.

The main benefits of its nutritional contribution are the improvement and prevention of eye health, delay in the aging of the retina and lens of elder pets.

There is also a modulating effect on the immune system, improving the humoral response after vaccination in Beagle dogs (Kim et al, 2000) and an attenuating effect on oxidative stress induced by exercise.

Bioactive lipids

The lipid content of the egg yolk consists out of 28% phospholipids, 66% triglycerides, 5% cholesterol and 1% free fatty acids. In turn, most of the phospholipids are phosphatidylcholine (75%), phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingomyelin and phosphatidylinositol.

As main effects we can find the decrease in cholesterol levels and its influence on hepatic metabolism of fatty acids due to interaction with PPAR alpha, which results in a reduction in the expression of hepatic genes that regulate cholesterol synthesis and increases the expression of bile acid-producing genes.

Lipoprotein metabolism plays a critical role in the atherosclerosis process, since egg consumption is associated with an increase in HDL, which removes excess lipids from the blood and transports them to the liver (reverse cholesterol transport), reducing cardiovascular risk.

Antimicrobial proteins

To protect the embryo against possible infections, egg white contains lysozyme, which constitutes 3.5 percent of the proteins in egg white. Lysozyme is a protein with bacteriolytic action, which destroys the peptidoglycan of the bacterial wall of Grampositive bacteria. Because of this it is used as a food preservative to control food bacteria (such as listeria monocytogenes and clostridium botulinum).

Another important antimicrobial protein is Ovotransferrin (12% of the protein present in egg white) that has bactericidal properties against Gram positive and Gram negative (Staphylococci and Escherichia) thanks to its iron chelating effect and its direct effect on bacterial membranes.

And as a last reference we can add ovomucin (3.5% of the protein present in white) which has been shown to have a powerful effect against bacteria that cause food poisoning.

Passive immunity

Like other products of animal origin, such as milk or spraydried plasma, the powdered egg contains antibodies from laying hens, which are an effective tool against viruses, bacteria and bacterial toxins (salmonella, coli).

These immunoglobulins are called IgY and are produced by hens when they are exposed to pathogens or are vaccinated against certain pathogens. Similar to other immunoglobulins produced endogenously (IgG, IgA), they have the ability to bind to pathogens to prevent them from binding to the intestinal mucosa, thus avoiding tissue damage (Figure 1). It is worth highlighting the technological applications of egg products, frequently used in both dry and wet pet food.

Graph 2: Dietary essential amino acids in egg products and FEDIAF (2019) minimum recommended values for pet food

Graph 3: Amino acids in egg

Formation & stabilisation of emulsions

An emulsion is defined as a mixture of substances in the liquid phase that would normally not mix, such as the typical example of water and oil. Amphipathic emulsifiers, such as egg yolk lecithin, reduce the tension between the lipid and aqueous interface during mechanical homogenisation which leads to the formation of dispersed lipid droplets in the aqueous phase.

Thanks to this property, the powdered egg is used to improve the mixture between the lipid-providing ingredients and the water and steam in the extrusion process of pet food.

We can summarise gelation as a process in which a liquid substance passes into a gel form. In the case of the egg, this transformation is facilitated by an increase in temperature, producing heat-induced gelation.

In this process, the heat causes the denaturation of the native proteins, exposing the hydrophobic regions that gradually form a three-dimensional gel. Thanks to its gelling properties, egg powder is used to increase the viscosity and consistency of wet pet food.

Versatility, balance, functionality & sustainability

In short, the use of egg powder is a safe bet to provide all the nutrients necessary for the growth and development of companion animals.

The wide range of Actipro egg products is an ideal option for all those professionals who are looking for a solution to the complicated puzzle of pet nutrition formulation.

Versatility, balance, functionality and sustainability add an unmeasurable value to nutrologists, formulators and, in general, the whole petfood industry, even more if we take into account the natural labelling, safety, sustainability, functionality and the technical advantage it provides.

Graph 4: Fatty acids profile

Graph 5: Dietary essential fatty acids in egg products and FEDIAF (2019) minimum recommended values for pet food

Integrated project delivery in petfood manufacturing

by Matthew Lantzy, Senior Project Director, & Chris Prokop, Project Director, CRB, USA

Youcan get anything for your pets these days, including television made just for them. DOGTV, a premium cable network which features colour and sound adjusted programming to suit a dog’s unique senses, has been available in the US for a decade, but the pandemic-era ‘adoption frenzy’ propelled it to new heights: late last year, they expanded into England, Australia and New Zealand. Today, the network is available in more than a dozen different countries.

DOGTV’s global reach is an indicator of the transformation underway among pet owners. Families are more inclined to treat their four-legged companions as humanised members of the household who deserve premium quality and choice in terms of their entertainment, their toys, and, significantly, their meals and treats.

This trend has generated a powerful consumer segment with money to spend—US$275 billion annually to be exact, which is the

value that some analysts predict for the pet care industry by 2030.

To understand how pet food manufacturers are responding to this shift in market dynamics, we surveyed more than 300 companies and compiled their perspectives in our Horizons: Pet Food report. Some of our most interesting findings centre on the need for manufacturers to invest in modern and flexible production capacity in order to prepare for future surges in demand.

Both large and small companies share this need, though they have very different CapEx spending targets (Figure 1A). What they do have in common is an interest in modernising their packaging installations and embracing automation (Figure 1B).

This illustrates the pressure shared by all pet manufacturing companies to design more sustainability into their operations, and to address labour constraints, demand dynamics, and other challenges by integrating smart, efficient technologies into their plants.

We set out to uncover how today’s pet food manufacturers are approaching these capital projects given that real estate is at a premium, costs are rising, and longer-lead equipment can take a year or more to arrive.

Integrated project delivery is the answer

When we asked survey respondents about their preferred project delivery method, 50 percent pointed to Integrated Project Delivery, or IPD (Figure 2). If we consider Design-Build (DB) as a close sibling of IPD, the number of respondents who prefer lean and highly collaborative methods grows to nearly 70 percent, leaving just 29 percent in favour of the more traditional DesignBid-Build (DBB) model.

These results set the pet food industry apart from industries we have polled in the past. For example, our 2021 Horizons: Life Sciences report revealed that only 13 percent of drug companies who responded to our survey embraced the IPD model. What

68% of survey respondents are looking beyond design-builddelivery for faster, leaner, more costeffective project delivery models

does this tell us about the unique nature of project delivery in the pet food industry?

To answer that question, consider the core attributes that pet food manufacturers look for when assessing a successful project delivery (Figure 3). What stands out is the fact that nothing stands out. To compete in a crowded marketplace, pet food companies are trying to juggle multiple priorities, each more or less equally weighted and important to project success.

This contradicts the classic wisdom that delivery teams have to choose between speed, cost, and quality. Not only are pet food manufacturers insisting on all three—they are also adding sustainability, flexibility, and team engagement to that list. In a marketplace crowded with competitors and constrained by labour and supply chain challenges, aspiring for a perfect score across all of these attributes is the only way to succeed. Achieving that vision, though, is a difficult and complex task.

That complexity could be the reason why so many respondents are open to IPD and DB, despite the barriers that many perceive in switching delivery methods (Figure 4). Pet food manufacturers seem to know that traditional delivery methods deliver traditional results, and that to move from an idea on a piece of paper to an optimised and sustainable production line in today’s challenging environment, traditional simply will not cut it. IPD offers something different: a framework for completing capital projects faster and more cost-effectively through collaboration and shared accountability.

Team integration is the heart of IPD. When project owners, engineers, construction leads, and trade experts work together from day one, they are able to identify potential downstream roadblocks during upstream planning phases, giving them an opportunity to eliminate those roadblocks before they cause delays and cost overruns. That is the key to realising those highranking project delivery attributes in Figure 3.

Trade partners, for example, have a unique perspective on industry trends that impact things like equipment lead times, material costs, and availability. Bringing that perspective and knowledge to the design table during the development phase allows delivery teams to see further into the future of their project’s lifecycle, enabling earlier cost and scheduling certainty and eliminating downstream problems.

In addition to bringing valuable expertise to the table early, IPD gives project teams an opportunity to develop a shared vision for the project and a plan to make that vision a reality, with all project team members on board.

Take sustainability, for example. Nearly 90 percent of respondents are striving towards formalised sustainability

benchmarks. The work of meeting those benchmarks begins during early project planning and continues through procurement, facility construction, turnover, and operation, and that work is far more likely to pay off if all team members understand from the start that sustainability is a fundamental condition of project success.

From this shared understanding, the delivery team can work collaboratively to design more efficiency into the building plan, reduce waste on the jobsite, minimise the overall carbon impact of delivery activities, and make other impactful decisions that help drive sustainability during construction and beyond.

IPD is powered by lean design

Simply gathering design, construction and trade experts together is only part of the solution, though. To unlock the full benefit of IPD’s collaborative approach, project teams need to embrace lean design – that is, a relationship-oriented philosophy that strives for less wasted effort, less rework, and less overengineering.

The concept of lean design has roots in the manufacturing industry, which may explain why more than half of our respondents are at least somewhat familiar with it (Figure 5). For the 44 percent of those with little or no familiarity, the words that some respondents choose to describe lean design may incentivise change (Figure 6).

This is particularly applicable as cost and scheduling pressure builds, making lean design a crucial component of accelerated project delivery.

The value of subject matter expertise

Because of its emphasis on collaboration, IPD helps pet food manufacturers maximise the expertise that their project delivery partners bring to the table—a high-ranking priority for them when choosing those partners, especially for the largest and smallest companies (Figure 7).

Small companies are perhaps likely to seek expert help with translating their plan from an aspirational idea to a real-world process. Larger companies are equally keen to find the right

Figure 1B: What types of projects are on your capital expenditure plan for the next five years? [Multi Select].

Figure 3: How important are each of the criteria below for evaluating successful project delivery in the current market? [Mean score: 5= Extremely important, 1= Not at all important].

Figure 2: What is your company’s preferred project delivery method for capital projects? [Single Select].

experts, only their goals may be more subtle.

Since they likely have an established process already, they may be looking for incremental ways to refine that process and generate more value over time, such as a new approach for generating onsite energy, or an innovative modification that reduces downtime by eliminating frequent clean-in-place (CIP) cycles.

Flexibility is a key priority

As Industry 4.0 emerges, bringing with it successive waves of new and efficient technologies, pet food manufacturers need to keep up, or risk getting left behind by competitors. But keeping up is difficult when the innovation lifecycle moves faster than the project delivery lifecycle. By the time a facility has evolved from the concept phase to full operation, whole new manufacturing technologies may have entered the marketplace, changing the game completely.

The only solution is to think strategically and design for flexibility from day one, clearing the way for manufacturers to integrate the new technologies they need, exactly when they need them. Our respondents know this, which is why many of them rank flexibility of production lines and ability to innovate so highly when asked about the attributes of a successful project (Figure 3).

Relatively minor design decisions can play a big role when it comes to enabling this level of flexibility. Take the concrete slabs in a facility’s floor, for example. Cost-conscious project teams may choose to install thicker slabs only where necessary, such as in areas designated for palletisers and other heavy equipment. But this decision limits the plant’s ability to adapt.

What happens if, for example, when facility owners want to improve material handling efficiencies by installing automated guided vehicles (AGVs) or autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)? They can’t move those palletisers to clear a travel path – at least, not without the cost and downtime required to pour new slabs.

If the project team had taken the pulse of emerging technologies during the initial design phase, they would have understood the potential ROI of installing thicker slabs, wider columns, armour joints, and other features designed to support future technology integrations. These are the far-sighted decisions that deeply integrated project delivery experts know how to make.

To get capital project delivery right, choose the right delivery partner. In a world where made-for-dogs TV has a global viewership and pet owners expect as much choice and quality in their dog’s dish as they find in their own cupboards, petfood manufacturers must ready themselves for anything and everything.

That is why IPD is gaining momentum, and that’s why so many pet food manufacturers are turning to expert project delivery partners who know the industry and who understand how collaborative execution strategies support today’s accelerated, quality-focused and flexible petfood manufacturing projects.

Figure 4: If you are not satisfied with your current delivery method, what are the top barriers to making a change? [Multi Select].

Figure 5: How familiar are you with “lean” design and construction project delivery principles? [Single Select].

Figure 6: Describe what you believe are the most important aspects of lean principles in successful project delivery.

Figure 7: How important are each of the criteria below for selecting design and construction partners? [Mean score: 5= Extremely important, 1= Not at all important]

About the Authors: Matthew Lantzy is a Senior Project Director with more than 20 years of experience in the design and execution of complex industrial projects. His projects have ranged from single production line installations to larger design-build turnkey projects with capital expenditures up to US$100M. Project types include food and beverage, industrial, manufacturing, and consumer products.

Chris Prokop is a Project Director with more than 30 years of experience leading complex projects through all phases of design, permitting and construction. He brings a passion for integrated project execution, working collaboratively with clients and project partners to deliver cuttingedge facilities that support their longterm values.

Magnetic Separation

The essential item of safety equipment for the petfood industry

by Kyle Rhodes, Vice President – Business Development, MPI Magnetic Products, USA

Described

as being the “revolutionary next step in magnetic separation innovation and factory automation for the petfood industry,” IntellI-Mag® is the first intelligent magnet to self-monitor ferrous metal saturation in real-time and log system data.

This new piece of petfood manufacturing equipment monitors ferrous contamination of incoming ingredients

and detects equipment malfunctions before scheduled cleanings.

In addition to this it also ensures fully saturated magnets are cleaned before metal events occur, reduces shutdowns for premature magnet cleaning, and ensures the separator is always working at peak performance, capturing weakly magnetic materials, such as work-hardened stainless.

Intell-I-Mag features

Real time monitoring for peak magnetic performance

- Internal sensors monitor tramp metal saturation levels and alert staff before an incident can occur - once magnet reaches the designated level, it notifies plant personnel of required cleaning or can activate the automated self-cleaning system.

- Oversee vendors during material unloading for earlier metal detection to reduce damage in production process.

- Avoid challenges caused by equipment failures, inadequate magnet cleaning intervals or inaccessible equipment

Customised reporting for quality compliance initiatives

- Data collection improves analysis of magnetic separator performance, including magnet saturation, cleaning

alerts, temperature monitoring, cleaning cycles and position location.

As captured metal increases and magnetic performance decreases, LED saturation level indicators indicate the current level of separator saturation with green, red and yellow lights.

Industry 4.0 and IoT ready the Intell-I-Mag’s Industry 4.0 compliant PLC controller allows for communication between controller and network for remote magnet monitoring and control. Built for the harshest environments, its controllers are rated for appropriate installation environments.

MPI products are also designed to be complete metal and foreign contamination control solutions for the food industry. MPI has always advocated that magnetic separators need to be installed in three key areas in the production process.

Intell-I-Mag is changing the way its customers use separators in these key locations including primary, secondary and finishing magnetic separation equipment.

Example 1: Primary Magnet Intell-I-Mag Impact improves:

- Plant protection from tramp metal.

- Vendor monitoring documentation.

- Receiving throughput.

At other facilities, the presence of metal may be known, but the user requires it to be removed prior to the product entering the facility. In this scenario, Intell-I-Mag can alert

Bolt'n'Go Advet (Half Page) - No Email_Layout 1 30/06/2015 12:17 Page 1

the user to stop the unloading process and clean the magnet prior to the separator reaching full metal saturation.

In either of these cases, the user can be confident that tramp metal has not entered the facility from a vendor. This helps the facility improve the quality of documentation with data collected by the Intell-I-Mag.

Finally, when metal is not present, the receiving process does not need to be stopped or shutdown to check the magnet, increasing throughput and speeding up delivery.

Facilities monitor vendor unloading to identify the presence of ferrous metal. The best way to keep metal out of the final product is to keep it from coming into the plant in the first place.

The product can also be set to the user’s specific requirements, enabling the user to help improve product quality and strengthen documentation at receiving locations. If the user has a strict no metal policy when receiving product, this product also helps identify the presence of metal as soon as possible, to ensure the unloading process can be stopped quickly.

Protecting processing equipment downstream Intell-I-Mag can also be used to protect downstream processing equipment, such as a hammer mill, airlock or mixer. To ensure proper protection of this equipment, it is important that the magnet not become overly saturated to the point that it cannot capture more metal.

It also empowers operators to set the level of saturation that they want to be alerted at, or to have the magnet automatically cleaned at. For a magnetic separator to protect processing equipment, the separator should not be

more than 50 percent saturated, still allowing 50 percent of its power to capture more tramp metal.

In this case, the user can set Intell-I-Mag to notify them when the magnet is saturated to 50 percent, giving the operator time to shut down the process immediately or schedule an upcoming shutdown to clean the magnet.

Preventing this metal event saves the user from unplanned maintenance and repair costs, as well as downstream damage, including loss of product integrity.

If the magnet does not reach the targeted saturation level, the user may not need to shut down the system to clean the magnet. This information helps users increase uptime of their processing systems.

With multiple Intell-I-Mags in use at control points throughout a facility, users can quickly pinpoint processing equipment that is breaking down and minimise metal contamination to good product.

Ensuring exceptional final product quality

It is important to document and ensure exceptional final product quality. When a facility has a good upstream metal control program in place, the largest threat to final product quality can be weakly magnetic work hardened stainless steel.

Using Intell-I-Mag, helps increase the capability of capturing otherwise difficult to target tramp metal. To do this, the product helps to ensure that the magnetic separator is always working at peak performance, quickly removing the captured metal from the product stream before it can be ‘washed off.’

To operate Intell-I-Mag successfully in a configuration like this, the controller is set to a low threshold for saturation, for example, three percent. When it reaches this saturation level, the user is alerted to clean the magnet. The system can also be configured to automatically cycle when it reaches this level. This configuration is ideal to ensure the finishing magnet removes the small and weakly magnetic tramp iron that is difficult to identify by a metal detector or X-Ray machine.

Cycling the magnet quickly after capturing ensures the captured metal cannot be washed off into the product flow and end up in the final product. In the event of a metal recall or report of metal in a final product, the user can be confident that either the metal does not have ferrous properties, or that the contamination is from another source outside of the facility, such as a rail car or tractor trailer.

Adding Intell-I-Mag data to customers quality reports provides another layer of confidence that the customers are receiving product without contamination.

Another benefit of using this piece of equipment at the finishing magnet is the packaging or load out system does not need to shut down for unnecessary magnet cleanings. If Intell-I-Mag shows that no metal has been captured, the system does not need to be shut down for cleaning, resulting in higher uptime for the system.

The Intell-I-Mag (Patent #10,543,492) Controller is offered exclusively on MPI magnetic separation equipment. The intelligent magnet controller is available on most MPI gravity bulk free flowing, pneumatic conveying and liquid pipeline magnets to maintain peak magnetic performance.

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The Online Milling School provides a comprehensive 12-week remote learning experience covering all aspects of feed mill ing, from raw material handling through to final packaging and dispatch.

by Fabiola Neitzel, Prombyx, Germany

SILKWORM PROTEIN

Lookinginto the shelves of a pet food vendor nowadays, it seems almost every brand has included an insect-based product into their portfolio. This trend reflects the customer’s rising awareness of sustainability, animal welfare and the hunger for innovation.

When customers take a closer look on the ingredients list, they will most likely read a certain percentage of ‘insect’. This generalisation seems rather vague, given the fact that insects are the most diverse group of animals. Taxonomists estimate that there are more insect species than species other animals, plants and fungi together.

The ‘insect’ in current pet food will most likely mean black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) or house cricket (Acheta domesticus). Major efforts were made during the last years to establish industrial rearing facilities for them.

However, insect rearing is not a new phenomenon. Bee keeping for honey and wax and sericulture for silk production have a history of thousands of years, to only mention two examples. We will hereafter take a closer look on the latter and its potential as a protein source for pet food.

A historic economic importance

The earliest known evidence of sericulture was found in China and dates back more than 5000 years. The historic economic

importance of this resource is reflected in the name of the major continental trade route between Asia and Europe, the silk road.

The silkworm as such bears potential for confusion. It is an insect, despite being called ‘worm’ for its trivial name. Furthermore, it goes through a complete metamorphosis. Depending on the life stage, it can appear as egg, caterpillar, pupae inside a silk cocoon or moth.

Thousands of years of selected breeding led from a wild silk moth to the silkworm Bombyx mori, as we know it today. It became tame, easy to handle and a diligent producer of highquality silk fibres in evenly formed cocoons.

China is still the biggest producer of silk today, followed by India. Many more countries in Asia, Europe and South America practice sericulture or have a history of doing so. Hundreds of thousands of tons of silkworm pupae are produced as a byproduct of silk production every year.

The unregulated disposal of large quantities of silkworm pupae leads to environmental issues. Only a fraction of it is used for local livestock feed after being rudimentarily sun dried.

In some areas, silkworm pupae are considered a delicacy for human consumption. These pupae are usually reared especially for this purpose and not used for silk production beforehand.

Feeding on a variety of substrates

Unlike black soldier fly larvae, which can feed on a variety of substrates, Bombyx mori silkworms are strict feed specialists. They only accept mulberry leaves as their food source. The

uniformity of their nutrition leads to a stable nutritional profile of the pupae. The amino acid profile of silkworms differs significantly from that of other insects and is therefore well-suited to supplement the range of pet food products for every need.

Silkworm oil for example, is liquid at room temperature due to its high content of mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids. This aspect opens new areas for applications of insect fat fractions. While silkworm oil is already an esteemed ingredient in human cosmetics, the connotation to silk makes it also especially suitable as additive in pet care products.

Silkworm protein got approved as livestock feed by the European Union in November 2021. This approval is an important step towards the use of an existing resource to their best potential and gives millions of small-scale silkworm farmers in developing countries perspectives for additional income.

However, large quantities of silkworm pupae in EU feed quality are not yet available for the industry, as silkworm pupae were not processed further according to the required quality parameters.

The right raw material

The new processing way starts with the right raw material: fresh, pesticide free pupae. To date, there is barely any official data available on the use of pesticides in sericulture. The types of pesticides used differ from region to region and the quantity fluctuates seasonally. Pesticide entrance ways can be found from mulberry plantation over processing to storage.

The EU pesticide residue limits in insect protein are set at the limit of detection, meaning no pesticide residues must be found. To achieve this, the control of the whole production chain from farmer over silk-reeler to pupae processing is key.

Once the pupae are reeled, they need to be collected from the reeling centres and being oven-dried within a few hours for sanitation and shelf life. As silkworm pupae are larger in diameter than black soldier fly larvae or mealworms, the drying process must be adapted accordingly. Whole dried silkworm pupae are great for wet pet food formulations.

A mechanical defatting step leads to a powder with around 70 percent crude protein, which is suitable for extruded products.

Wet processing and the transportation of the frozen silkworm protein fraction is also an option to be considered in the future.

Generally, the processes should fit the local circumstances, which differ greatly between China and India. Nevertheless, additional work is required to establish reliable high volume supply.

Sustainability and CO2 footprint of pet food products are much discussed topics in the industry nowadays. While insect protein has a low impact compared to traditional livestock in general, byproduct silkworm pupae are especially environmentally friendly with a footprint of only 1.9kg CO2 equivalents per kg protein.

Roughly two thirds of it account for the drying, while one third is produced by transportation (India to Central Europe, for example). Silkworm pupae are a great example of turning an underused by-product into a valuable resource and using existing materials to their best potential.

About the author

Fabiola Neitzel is an insect biotechnologist and founder of PROMBYX GmbH. Her startup was founded in 2021 and is located in Giessen, Germany. PROMBYX is specialised in silkworm-based ingredients and feed products. PROMBYX developed the first hypoallergenic canned dog food based on silkworms and had it successfully tested in a university feeding study. Further research for dog and cat food as well as livestock feed is on the way.

The diet of the pet rabbit

Striking the delicate nutritional balance that the modern pet rabbit requires to survive

by Andrew Wilkinson, International Petfood magazine, UK

Consideredto be grazing animals, rabbits or Oryctolagus cuniculus to give their Latin name, are herbivores. As carriers of a very complex digestive system, rabbits are very efficient food processers. In addition to this, rabbits also have very specific dietary needs.

This can mean that if owners introduce new foods too quickly, or feed inappropriate food choices, the rabbit’s normal digestive flora (normal bacteria) will be disturbed, gas- and toxin-producing bacteria can overgrow, and the rabbit may become very sick and possibly die.

For that reason, getting a rabbit’s diet right is of critical importance – a genuine matter of life and death. Rabbits should be fed a daily diet that consists mostly of hay, a smaller quantity of fresh vegetables, and a limited number of pellets.

A balanced gut & good dental health

Hay is the most important part of a rabbit’s daily intake. Unlimited, high-quality grass hay, such as Timothy, orchard or brome, should make up the bulk of a rabbit’s diet, making up approximately 80 percent of its daily food intake.

This is largely because hay helps the rabbit’s gut remain balanced and maintains good dental health. It also helps to prevent hairball blockages in the gut and encourages curiosity and foraging

Grass hay is also high in fibre, which is critical to maintaining a rabbit’s healthy digestive tract. While young, growing rabbits can eat any type of grass hay, alfalfa hay is not recommended for adult rabbits, as it is too rich in protein and too high in calcium.

Timothy pellets can be offered at approximately 1/8-1/4 cup per 5 lbs (2.25 kg) of bodyweight. Over-feeding pellets to adult rabbits is a common cause of obesity and soft stool (caused by an overgrowth of abnormal bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract), as pellets are generally low in fibre and high in carbohydrates.

Timothy hay is the most fibre-dense type of hay and it is the most coarse. This makes it excellent for a rabbit’s digestive health and for their teeth. But there are other types of grass hay that owners can mix in with Timothy hay to offer the rabbit some variety.

The fibre and protein content of these grass hays make them ideal for regulating a rabbit’s digestive system. It also makes sure that the rabbit is absorbing nutrients and everything is running smoothly.

Fibre is essential

Hay is very high in fibre, which is absolutely essential to a rabbit’s diet. Because of the rabbit’s foraging ancestors, their long digestive tract is set up to break down fibrous vegetation.

This is because the long fibre strands of hay work much better than the ground-up fibre in commercial rabbit pellets for keeping the rabbits gut moving. One of the most common and dangerous

conditions for a rabbit is known as GI stasis.

This happens when a rabbit’s digestion slows down or stops completely. Having a supply of hay always available helps to keep its digestion moving so these dangerous blockages are much less likely to threaten the rabbit’s health.

Hay is also very good for a rabbit’s teeth. This is because rabbit teeth are like fingernails and always keep growing, so they need to eat foods that help wear down their teeth. Hay is the best food for this since the long hard strands are abrasive enough to make a difference. Make sure to provide your rabbit with some wooden chew toys too, to help keep their teeth stay healthy and trimmed.

Pellets

The bad news for rabbit food producers is that dry rabbit food pellets should only make up a small percentage of its diet, making up about five percent of its daily dietary intake. Strictly speaking, pellets are not even a necessary part of a rabbit’s diet, but they can be an easy way to provide extra nutritional value, with rabbits typically loving them.

Another noteworthy point is that unlike some pets, it’s okay for them to have an empty bowl from time to time, as a rabbit should still have its unlimited hay available to forage on.

In fact, online rabbit adviser BunnyLady.com https://mymag. info/e/1660 suggests that owners should be encouraged to feed their rabbit more hay than pellets, so they shouldn’t replenish them until the next day.

The different types of pellets

Like hay, there are a lot of different types of pellets on the market. There are a couple of points to keep in mind when owners are choosing what kind to get feed their rabbit. They should also make sure it is getting fed a brand that is just the boring pellets.

This is because anything with colourful, fruity pieces is going to have sugar content that is far too high and is generally speaking,

Table

Table

not good for a rabbit’s health. Most rabbits will still love to gobble of those plain boring-looking pellets.

BunnyLady.com also recommends that owners take a look at the ingredients and make sure the first item on the list is timothy hay or timothy grass. Like with hay, alfalfa pellets are okay for young rabbits (less than 6 months) or underweight rabbits, but by the time the rabbit is reaching adulthood, owners should make sure to transition over to a timothy blend.

Kiwi Acorns

Kohlrabi Almonds

Apples Apple Seeds

Lemon Peels Leeks

Apricots Artichoke Leaves

Lemons Lentils

Asparagus Mandarins

Mango Avocado

Baby Sweetcorns Milk

Bananas Mushrooms

Bean Sprouts Beans

Nectarines Noodles

Beet Greens Nuts

Beetroot Olives

Oatmeal Bread

Beets Pasta

Okra Candy

Bell Peppers Peanut Butter

Blackberries Peanuts

Orange Peels Cereal

Oranges Cheese

Brussel Sprouts Popcorn

Peaches Potatoes

Cantaloupe Chocolate

Carrots Coffee

Cauliflower Sweet Potatoes

Pears Sugar

Celery Walnuts

Pineapple Yogurt

Celery Leaves Kelp

Pinecones Figs

Plums Green Onions

Cherries Honey

Grapefruit Hot Peppers

Grapes Tomato Leaves

Ice Eggs

Grapefruit Peel Garlic

Tomatoes Currants

Pet advice website VCA Hospitals https://mymag.info/e/1659 recommends that Timothy pellets can be offered at approximately 1/8-1/4 cup per 5 lbs (2.25 kg) of bodyweight. Over-feeding pellets to adult rabbits is a common cause of obesity and soft stool (caused by an overgrowth of abnormal bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract), as pellets are generally low in fibre and high in carbohydrates. In addition to hay, wild rabbits eat a lot of other fresh vegetation.

A pet rabbit’s diet should be supplemented with a variety of leafy green vegetables every day. Rabbits can consume as many vegetables as they want to each day as long as they do not get diarrhoea and as long as the vegetables are not high in carbohydrates, as carrots and potatoes are.

Variety is important. Introduce new vegetables slowly and in small quantities, and monitor for soft faeces, diarrhoea, or signs of gas pain.

FARM

Using science-based recipes & smart production to create real petfood

With a range of products that are all produced at its production plant in Estonia, Farm is a petfood brand that provides premium and super premium products for dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits, reptiles and other small animals.

The main products are various meat products, but they also produce a lot of plant products for rabbits, various rodents and reptiles. They have a unique hydroponic gardening system that allows them to provide leafy vegetables year-round.

All the plants are available fresh in their stores in Estonia and Finland, where they offer complete food and snacks for pets, which are made from high-quality raw materials considering pet’s needs and healthy well-being.

The company’s dry food series has been developed taking into account the general physiological needs of all rodents and rabbits. The company believes that this is the only way for the pet to get all of the essential nutrients from food, ensuring they stay healthy and strong.

A selection of Farm’s products has also been marked with the bioorganic certificate. This certification is provenance that the food is grown without the use of synthetic chemicals, such as human-made pesticides and fertilisers, and does not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Organic certification also means that these products have fulfilled strict conditions on how they must be produced, processed, transported and stored.

Farm has also managed to keep colour, structure and natural smell of every plant, compare to others where is usually mix of pressed powder. Estonia has many farmers, good climate and ECO plants that gives opportunity to

use fresh, high quality raw material that become difficult to grow in other countries due to climate changes – it is neither too hot nor does it rain too much.

In Estonia the company believes that they have a unique combination and that they have enough facilities to produce enough to sell all around the world.

Operating a hydroponic gardening system in the Baltics Farm’s petfood production plant in Northern Europe, Estonia has a hydroponic farming system, which is set up in a transport container. In the hydroponic agricultural complex, the company mainly grows different salads for rabbits and rodents, whilst also offering them as treats for the animals living in the company’s stores.

Hydroponic plant cultivation differs from traditional plant cultivation mainly because plants grow in water and not in soil. This may sound like a complicated process, but it’s actually quite simple.

Firstly, we need to think about what a plant needs to grow: water, nutrients, air, light, space and time. Hydroponics can fulfil all these conditions by providing all three necessary macronutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium along with other important nutrients such as magnesium and calcium.

In addition to this, there are further advantages in using a hydroponic gardening system, including the fast that it saves space and reduces water consumption. Plants growing in soil have to spread their roots to get nutrients and water, which means that the plants have to have a certain distance from each other.

Using hydroponic plant cultivation, nutrients and water are available everywhere, with a hydroponic system using about 10 times less water compared to conventional agriculture.

This is due to the fact that the water with nutrients is located in a place controlled by the person and does not spill out. One very important advantage is that less chemicals are used in the system because there is no competition of weeds or other pests.

Thanks to the ideal growing conditions, plants with a hydroponic plant growing system grow 30-50 percent faster compared to conventional farming. There is also no risk of erosion because no soil is used.

A wide selection of snacks

FARM offers many different herb mixes that have several health benefits – offering a good source of various vitamins, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects. Suitable for rodents, rabbits, reptiles and birds, the snacks are also sun dried from the company’s own production plant.

In this assortment, the company offers snacks that contain calendula & birch leaf; rose pedals & salad; chamomile & raspberry leaves; chamomile & romaine salad; cornflower & clover; nettle & dandelion; pumpkin & pumpkin seeds; tomato & parsley, as well as beetroot & carrot.

Industry Training

The Guttridge apprentice program

Encouraging the creation of trainee positions & apprenticeships across the animal feed and petfood conveying business

Experience and knowledge are not qualities that happen by accident, they require nurturing as they develop over time. One company that is aiming to bridge this apparent skills gap through its blossoming apprentice and traineeship schemes is UK based manufacturing company Guttridge.

Each year the manufacturer of conveying solutions for the animal feed and pet food industries takes on people to undertake full time, accredited apprentice courses in various disciplines including fabricator/welder, assembly fitter and technician. The company also offers training packages in nonmanufacturing based disciplines such as design, finance, IT, purchasing and sales.

Currently, Guttridge have various trainees across different departments where they complete in-house training and additional external courses where needed which are relevant to their position. This normally lasts 18 months to two years to allow them to gain industry and job knowledge.

The company’s current ‘Apprentices in Production’ work with a local training provider which focus on teaching welding and fabrication, as well as being paired with a mentor when at work who very experienced with the types of bulk material handling machines that Guttridge design and manufacture. Apprentices

generally start at Level 2 and can move to Level 3 if required. Not all Guttridge apprentices have stayed in the same role. They have gone on to use the knowledge they gained through their apprenticeship as a base to build on and to move into different departments.

Some candidates have also used this acquired wisdom to further their own development at the company, whether that resulted in positions in external sales, quality, design or even senior management.

The scheme has received a great deal positive feedback over the years, with the company proudly taking home two awards at SHAPA AGM and Solids Handling Awards Dinner.

Held in April 2022, Aiden Heyes, the company’s apprentice in welding/fabrication won the ‘Apprentice of the Year’ award. Aiden Heyes joined Guttridge in 2019 at the age of 16, showing his enthusiasm and talent from his very first day.

The ‘Best Newcomer Award’ was won by Sam Matthews, Internal Sales Engineer at Guttridge, who was incredibly surprised when he was nominated; “I’m really thankful and wasn’t expecting it in the slightest!”

To find out more about Guttridge apprenticeships, go to:

Troubleshooting

Part 9: Extrusion during operation

Inthis section, we review a number of areas, hitting some general topics which come up often is this month’s topic, water addition. We will begin by discussing steam input into the conditioner.

During this process, the steam is usually in the two-bar range. If pressure is too high, then excessive steam can be seen exiting the atmospheric opening if used. This is caused by the steam blowing a hole in the materials in the cylinder and not being absorbed.

Look for about 85 – 90°C in the downspout area as this indicates the steam released its energy and moisture into the product. Steam at four-bar can indicate 100°C in the downspout as well as excessive amounts of steam at two-bar pressure. 100°C steam indicates free or unused steam in the conditioner which is a waste of energy.

Water addition, the effect of water addition can be seen in the product and the goal is to find the optimum amount for the formulas extruded. In general, the moisture level for the best product shape, less fines and overall extruder operation including wear of screws and energy usage for the main drive motor and dryer operation is in the 22 to 32 percent moisture level.

Have you ever seen uneven product from the extruder in cycles?

This is called surging and is caused by a variety of possibilities or combinations of them. Extruder barrel tolerances are exceeded causing back flow or reduced die pressure in cycles, non-uniform feed delivery.

This is mainly caused by feeder screw and feed bin situations, lack of cooling in the head jackets on the barrel, moisture level is too low and or excessive steam injection in the barrel.

Seeing stripes or uneven colour in the kibble out of the extruder?

This can be corrected by adding more water as well as changing the extruder barrel configuration so as to increase mixing. Mixing lobes, cut flight screws and/or the sleeve or head design in the correct position create some controlled backflow which is in different terms is mixing inside the barrel. Twin screw extruders by design do a great job of mixing as the materials moves forward.

Causes of rough kibble surfaces is usually due to the barrel being too hot, too much mechanical energy, operating too dry, land length of the die holes is too long, coarse grinding or harsh abrasive handling.

And finally, non-uniform product dimensions off the extruder, missing or broken knife blades or improper die flow. Die flow

situations can include too much open area, increase the steam and or water to improve flow, die holes not symmetrically arranged, partial die blockage, fats or other liquids not blended properly – with the die is not in its optimum position in terms of the distance from the final screw face.

Previously on Troubleshooting...

1. Density

An examination of product density and its relationship with moisture levels, heating, cooling feeder screw rate and automation.

2. Non-uniform and rough appearance

A guide to understanding the science involved in improving the art of making products of all the same size.

3. Extrusion dies

This article takes a look at aspects of the process including high, medium and low shear as well the adjustments required when producing feed for small mammals.

4. Dryers

The dryer is without a doubt one of the machines in the system which greatly impacts the bottom line. How? Water is the reason, as products are sold with a max water percentage on the labels, so it is the lowest cost ingredient and one that should be watched closely.

5. The Extruder Barrel - Part 1

Forming extruders are used for some select products –thus this part of the discussion centres on single and twin designs.

6. Cook in the Extruder Barrel – part 2

As discussed last month, the extruder barrel has a number of functions, but the main goal is to finalise the cook, yield the desired shape with the density target.

7. Coating

The coating process has a few areas of importance, with this edition of ‘Troubleshooting’ exploring the most important of these.

8. Expanded cat food

Dry expanded cat food production is similar to dog food production, but there are some differences, with this edition exploring a choice selection of these…

PRODUCTION

Innovations this month

September 2022

This month’s Production Showcase section features equipment and ingredients that will help in the production of petfood, taking you right from the recipe book, right up until until your product is ready to leave your factory door. If you would like your product or service to appear on this page in a future edition of International Petfood magazine, then please contact us at editorial@perendale.co.uk

Magi-con dosing system from Dinnissen

In recognition of the challenges animal feed manufacturers face, the Magi-con dosing system from Dinnissen allows for flexible production of a wide range of feed in small and large quantities in the factory.

Feed is taken into a vacuum environment and sprayed with precision dosage, followed by micro-ingredients being sucked deep into the grain through the vacuum. This is to protect them from crumbling at the same time. After which a thin layer of fat is applied, to make the material more elastic and ensure it breaks or crumbs less quickly.

In doing this, the system allows for high energy values in the feed and prevention of contamination. Micro-ingredients can be dosed in powder or liquid form with maximum precision, to save costs.

https://www.dinnissen.eu/machine/magi-con-dosing-system

FOCUS

RV Series Multihead Weigher by Ishida

The RV provides the operator with high speed and a high accuracy multi-head weighing performance, on top of support from experts in multi-head weighing for food products.

The weigher delivers up to 100 percent efficiency, measuring high speeds and levels of accuracy. Its benefits include increasing the pace of production, anti-floor vibration to improve product flow even in sticky applications, with its robust and reliable waterproof design testament to the claim that it is engineered to last.

The RV series can be adapted to include hoppers up to seven litres in size, for applications in potatoes and large fruits. The capacities range between 0.05 and seven litres, with up to 400 weighments per minute.

Its waterproof design has a IP69K rating, to recognise protection against dust, high temperature and high pressure water.

https://www. ishidaeurope.com/en/ products/weighingmachines/multiheadweighers/rv-series

Automatic External Pole Magnet by Goudsmit Magnetics

The automatic external pole magnet, recently developed by Goudsmit Magnetics from Waalre, is suitable for processing large capacities of feed and bulk goods. The magnet shown at the Victam stand 1351 can be used for intake in ship unloading installations and serves to protect the machinery.

Two powerful capturing magnets are mounted on the outside of the completely smooth casing and, depending on the version, separate coarse or very fine iron particles from various material streams.

The outer core magnet is fitted with Neodymium-IronBoron (NdFeB) magnets for mounting in free-fall lines.

An advantage of this outercore assembly is that no bridging or clogging of the material can take place on the inside. Since the valve box is fully integrated in the design, the installation height remains limited.

The external pole magnet is available in various versions up to an inlet/ outlet of 300x1000 mm. It is suitable for large capacities up to 200 m3/ hour.

https://www.goudsmitmagnets.com/solutions/magnetic-filtering-

IFW series flow scales from Satake

Satake announces its new compact, high-capacity flow scales. The IFW series provides high weighing capacities while maintaining a minimal footprint.

With maximum capacities of 80 metric ton/hour and 120 metric ton/ hour respectively, IFW100A-T (pictured) and IFW150A-T are accurate weighing solutions for large rice milling plants.

The higher capacity IFW150A-T provides an accurate, high-capacity weighing solution in a small package, with dimensions of only 1.6 x 1.7 x 2.2 meters.

To facilitate improved process control, weighing information is shown on both an attached touch panel and at the central operating system, improving convenience and reducing operational costs.

Each IFW model consists of a supply tank, a weighing hopper, a discharge gate, and an operational panel. The machines are designed to handle the weighing needs of many of the unit processes in rice milling including product receiving.

https://www.satake-europe.com/ product/flow-scale-ifw

SEE YOUR PRODUCTS IN THIS MAGAZINE

If you produce a product that you think we should feature in International Petfood magazine, please get in touch

To be considered for inclusion in the magazine please;

Email: editorial@perendale.co.uk

Include 75 words about the product along with a high resolution image and a web link to more information about the product in your email

TruClean™ Sheet Forming & Cutting Systems by Baker Perkins

Sheet forming and cutting lines for petfoods by Baker Perkins are designed to handle the low fat, abrasive doughs used in the pet food industry.

TruClean™ hygiene standards ensure minimum debris accumulation and maximum effectiveness of cleaning. Features include good access, few and easily removed guards, and easy dismantling for cleaning without tools.

A robust, stable and highly visible process controlled by a PLC with local touch screen interfaces, which makes it simple for operators to run the plant. Clear and intuitive touch screen HMIs include indication and setting of all the main running adjustments.

Low-deflection solid gauge rolls with pre-loaded bearings mounted in rigid frames guarantee precise weight control over many years. The control system also makes a significant contribution through accurate speed control of each unit, and a sophisticated cascade system that maintains a smooth flow of dough along the line.

https://www. bakerperkins. com/pet-food/ equipment/ pet-food-formingcutting/trucleansheet-formingcutting-systems/

VICTAM Health & Nutrition Asia 2022

Co-located event showcases the future of

sustainable feed and food manufacturing solutions

by Professor Simon J Davies, Editor-in -chief, International Aquafeed magazine, UK

Ireport

from the Victam Asia Health and Nutrition venue held at the IMPACT Exhibition and Trade Center in Bangkok Thailand.

This was held September 7-9, 2022 and attracted a large number of stakeholders in the animal feed industry sector across Asia and globally. The meeting is a real showcase for the technology of feed production such as milling and grinding equipment, as well as various types of pelleting machinery.

On display was an array of products – ranging from simple steam conditioned pelleting machines, right up to advanced single and double screw extrusion equipment for the manufacturing of animal production diets, pelleted pet food and of course aquafeed.

There was special representation from those promoting novel post extrusion conditioning processes, such as spray coating and vacuum coating of emulsions, oils and stabilisers. These included solutions for top dressing feeds with sensitive feed supplements and additives such as vitamins, pigments and medicinal agents. The drying technology is also very significant, with consideration of optimal conditions and energy costs.

Creating a circular bio-economy

Of course, my particular focus was on the aquaculture sector and we had on the 6th September Aquatic Asia, which was organised as a special separate session under VIV that overviewed some of the defining key areas of fish and crustacean nutrition research and development.

I was delighted to be the key-note speaker and also hosting with Roger Gilbert and Tuti Tan from our Perendale Publishing Ltd. I spoke on the latest vision for creating a circular bioeconomy and provided an example of my own research into

fermented wheat protein derived from bioethanol production; either from the bio-fuel or beverage industries such as breweries and potable alcohol companies.

There is considerable scope for utilisation of corn or wheat fermented protein in fish and shrimp feeds and development of their functional, as well as their nutritional properties. Other colleagues spoke on the aquafeed potential in Thailand in relation to a wide range of species local to Asia such as pangasius, snakehead, tilapia, grouper and sea bass. Tilapia is a very important fish for this region.

Dr Loc Tran from Vietnam described health management and nutritional approaches to achieve more robust shrimp. This was also a theme I picked up at my second talk. Dr Noratat Prachom spoke of the possibilities a bio-circular green economic model for sustainable aquaculture and aquafeed manufacturing using case studies in Thailand.

We were most privileged to also have Dr Ram C Bhujel from AIT (Asian Institute of Technology) with his extensive experience of the Thai aquaculture domain and gave us a very positive view of the future. Lukas Manomaitis representing USSEC Aquaculture Technical programme contractor presented an upbeat reassessment of the use of soybean meal as a responsibly resourced core ingredient for aquafeeds.

Dr Eckel’s Viktor Eckel made a really impacting impression of their products in terms of how phytogenic feed additives can really address aquatic animal production health with focus on tilapia and shrimp survival following pathogenic challenge tests with data from experimental work on functional immune related modulators.

Likewise, Dr Octavio Castro gave a highly informative talk of how Phileo has been advancing the mitigation of how pathogens interact with the intestine, and how their yeast based products can address this balance to significantly elevate the health of fish and shrimp in practice.

Interesting interactions

At the trade show there was much to be seen with aquaculture connections. I was very interested in the stand from the Netherlands hosting the Insect Engineer and Insect School, which offers training into the production of Black Soldier fly for their larval based meal powder.

It is something we have reported on numerous occasions from a variety of commercial enterprises. I was also taken by the new company originating in Ireland called Celtic Minerals, an organisation that has developed by-products from harvesting material from the seabed from degrading seaweed biomass.

The resultant calcium rich deposits also possess a spectrum of trace elements that could offer a highly bioavailable source of nutrition for fish and shrimp within the feed, or by augmenting the aqueous environment within production ponds and supporting primary and secondary growth of trophic food webs. The larger more familiar companies were also present such as DSM, Evonik and Trouw with information on their specific and well known animal feed additives and supplements.

I was also able to catch up with colleagues from France just close to the end of the Channel tunnel near Calais. Soprapeche was once a much focused specialist in marine ingredients such as a high grade fish meal and hydrolysates. Now they have expanded their portfolio and address a vast range of plants and other terrestrial specialist high quality animal by-products for the lucrative petfood market.

They are really the frontiers of hydrolysed protein concentrates that have known functional properties of considerable potential in aquaculture for fish and shrimp.

Additionally, I had productive discussions with Impextraco the Belgian company specialising in minerals, pigments, amino acids and antioxidants in farm animal diets and also now testing their products on fish and shrimp.

Another very interesting interaction was my long chat with Eurofeed Technologies based in Italy with their portfolio of feed additives.

I was impressed by

presence of several Asian based companies now developing health products, which are associated with good nutrition in the form of organic supplements, immune-stimulants and various bespoke prebiotic and probiotic products. This is an active area for my own research focus, and I found their openness to discuss the potential of such products to be quite refreshing and opportunities for me to support their vision.

Leading manufactures of milling & extrusion equipment

During the conference we had a meeting with senior Famsun officials from China, where we discussed their agenda as leading manufactures of milling and extrusion equipment, which concerns all aspects of grain and processing, animal feed technology and of course – possesses a strong relevance to aquafeed production.

The challenges of both technical and world commerce formed the core of discussions, with much positive thinking about the future. The venue offered many side meetings with innovation awards being given to key success stories.

The AFTAN Animal Feed and Nutrition and GRAPAS awards are much coveted and highlight enterprise as well as innovations. As a VIP attendee I was delighted to participate in the evening reception function and an opportunity to meet others in a more relaxed setting.

The buffet was excellent with local Thai and Asian dishes –with a selection of wine and beers also available.

A pleasant & warm experience

To be back at face to face meetings was indeed a nice experience and made it all worthwhile. There will no doubt be more visits to similar meetings in the year and certainly in 2023.

The weather was mainly pleasant and warm but after a major drought in Europe I was pleased to experience the very tropical thunderstorm and heavy rain on one night – it was odd for me to see a flooded road.

Towards the end of my visit, being a British citizen, I received many expressions of condolence following the very sad news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to do so for their kindness and sympathy.

PETZOO Ankara 2022

12th edition of the famous Turkish pet care franchise does not disappoint

The 12th edition of the PETZOO Fair franchise, PETZOO Ankara was once again held at the city’s Anfa Expo Center. Taking place between 15-18 September 2022, another version of the event has been held in Istanbul since 2012 and from 2017, the franchise extended its location to include Ankara – the capital of Turkey.

Initially organised with the primary purpose of developing the pet sector, PETZOO exhibitions have now become an exhibition brand representing Turkey’ s pet sector throughout the world.

Described as being a commercial platform where visitors can reach new products, new brands and sectoral companies in order to build new commercial connections, PETZOO Ankara also enables important industry networking opportunities.

A key gathering for sector professionals, this event hosts manufacturers, distributors, importers and wholesalers in a wide scale, which exhibit their latest products and services, whilst also providing last consumer awareness.

Professional visitors can also strengthen their existing commercial connections, build new commercial connections and find out new and latest products. In addition to this, professionals; hobbyists, consumers, interested private/public sector professionals and media reporters are also granted the opportunity to study all aspects of the sector closely and get fully informed about the latest pet products and services.

During the busy four days that the event took place, PETZOO also offered its visitors the chance of contact with federations, numerous associations, clubs and sectoral corporations in addition to watching exciting shows, competition and contests.

As pet products are now big business throughout the world, this sector has developed in Turkey rapidly too, with new native and foreign companies also investing in its domestic markets.

Pet Fair South East Asia 2022

Pet Fair South East Asia 2022 (PF SEA 22) is to be held from October 26-28, 2022 at the BITEC International Exhibition Center in Bangkok, Thailand.

Organised by the VNU Group, the event’s mission is to create an ASEAN Pet Industry Hub for distribution, retail and sourcing of pet food, pet supplies and veterinary products.

Pet Fair SEA 22 is the South-East Asian edition of the ‘Pet Fair Network’ – the world’s largest innovation hub for the global pet industry with shows in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Bangkok.

As of July 2022, many industry stakeholders from 45 different countries have pre-registered to attend the event.

More than 120 companies from various markets such as the US, Canada, Europe, India, China, Japan, South Korea and of course South East Asia will be exhibiting their product portfolios and solutions.

Pet Fair SEA 22 also provides the international pet industry with a strategic market-entry and market expansion platform for Asia’s high-growth markets with an intent to further fuel the growth of pet Industry in Asia.

With Thailand being the 4th largest petfood exporting country worldwide, the show furthermore functions as a global sourcing hub for private label petfood / treats and ingredient solutions.

The fully B2B trade show in Bangkok, Thailand serves to unite the region’s key distribution, retail and veterinary players. As one of the earliest exhibition organisers in China, VNU Exhibitions Asia has been a leader in China’s exhibition industry for more than twenty years.

Prior to the in-person show in October 2022, the third edition of Pet Fair SEA’s virtual event series ‘PreConnect’ was held from February 16-18, 2022.

More information on Pet Fair SEA and the upcoming virtual PreConnect event can be found at www. petfair-sea.com

Industry Events

2022 October

26-28

Pet Fair South East Asia 2022 Bangkok, Thailand www.petfair-sea.com

4-5

Nordic Pet Food ASIA 2022 Skurvebakkane, Norway www.nordicpetfood.com

2022 November

13-15

US Private Label Trade Show Chicago, USA www.plmainternational.com

17-20

China International Pet Show (CIPS) Guangzhou, China www.en.cipscom.com

18-20

K-Pet Seoul, Soufh Korea www.bizkpet.co

2023 January 24-26

IPPE Atlanta, Georgia, USA www.ippexpo.org

25-27

Global Pets Forun Berlin, Germany www.globalpetindustry.com s

2023 March 6-8

Animal Health, Nutrition, and Technology Innovation Europe 2023 London, UK

www.kisacoresearch.com/events/animal-health-europe-2023

22-23

Global Pet Expo 2023 Orlando, Florida, USA www.globalpetexpo.org/2023M

2023 May

1-3

Petfood Forum 2023 Kansas City, Missouri, USA www.petfoodforumevents.com

15-17

Zoomark International Bologna, Italy https://www.expobeds.com

2023 August

16-18

Pet South America 2023 Sao Paulo, Brazil www.petsa.com

2024 May

7-10

Interzoo 2024 Nuremberg, Germany www.interzoo.com

PPMA

Total 2022

Petfood & pet care event

This year’s Processing and Packaging Machinery Trade Show (PPMA) offers everything you need to know about innovations in the petfood and pet care sectors.

Taking place September 27–28, 2022 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, UK, the pet sector takes its place in the wide-ranging line-up of industries to be seen at this year’s PPMA Trade Show.

Described as being a very important opportunity for decision-makers and managers to find out about the latest developments and opportunities in the pet food and pet care sectors.

Major market sectors

As much as 40 percent of UK households own one or more pets, with the national pet population now running to 20 million. That makes petfood and pet care major market sectors, which is why they have a significant presence at the PPMA Total Show.

The pet food market is diversifying. The core remains wet food produced in the established way of chunking up proteins, vegetable, cereal and dairy matter followed by cooking and jellying. For packaging, tins are now side by side on the shelves with pouches and trays with the different opportunities they present for graphics and branding.

Dried pet food too continues to be hugely popular, but it’s now available coated and extruded into kibbles in an infinite variety of shapes. Newer trends are the arrival of premium brands, the rise of the ‘gastropooch’ and raw petfoods.

Side-by-side with developments in foods, the pet care market is evolving fast too. Pet nutrition is a key concern for many owners, and there are a growing number of specialist supplements available for teeth, costs, joints and much more.

Alongside changes in consumer demand, quality assurance remains paramount as well as following the legislation from the UK and EU (for now at least) on ingredients and processing.

Petfood & pet care processing and packaging

As well as presenting an opportunity to meet machinery suppliers and network with industry peers, visitors to PPMA can also explore new ways to develop your business in the pet food and care sectors.

I addition to this, the event also allows attendees to explore the opportunities offered by new machinery and new trends, as well as learning from machinery suppliers and experts about of-the-shelf and bespoke solutions.

What’s happening at the PPMA Total show 2022? This year’s show brings experts and exhibitors in your industry together under one roof. Where you’ll learn a lot and find inspiring ideas. We have enhanced our new Enterprise Zone.

Here you’ll find a line-up of thought leaders sharing their knowledge and expertise in a series of break-out sessions. And opening the show, we have a high-profile industry speaker who will deliver an inspiring, insightful address.

Attendees will meet over 400 exhibitors and see 2500 brands. You’ll be able to explore and buy machinery to help you develop your business. Live, real-time demonstrations of the latest production and manufacturing technology will enable decision-makers fully to assess the features and benefits of a range of machinery.

PPMA Total 2022 will also allow visitors to engage and connect with industry peers, potential suppliers and future customers. There will be plenty of opportunities to network, so remember to look out for the dedicated meeting spaces located in and around the exhibition space.

To find out more, go to: https://mymag.info/e/1600

PPMA 2022 - Who should attend?

Owners, managers and consultants working in pet food and pet care;

Decision-makers interested in exploring the latest developments in machinery for processing and packaging pet food and pet care products;

Sector specialists who will benefit from keeping up to date to the latest thinking through meeting suppliers and networking.

Bagging systems

Dosing

FrigorTec GmbH

+49 7520 91482-0 www.frigortec.com

FAMSUN +86 85828888 www.famsungroup.com

Van Aarsen International +31 475 579 444 www.aarsen.com

Yemmak +90 266 7338363 www.yemmak.com

Yemtar Feed Mill Machines

+90 266 733 8550 www.yemtar.com

Bühler AG +41 71 955 11 11 www.buhlergroup.com

Van Aarsen International +31 475 579 444 www.aarsen.com

Elevator buckets

4B Braime +44 113 246 1800 www.go4b.com

Tapco

+1 314 739 9191 www.tapcoinc.com

Yemtar Feed

+90 266 733 8550 www.yemtar.com

Elevator & conveyor components

4B Braime +44 113 246 1800 www.go4b.com

Bühler

www.buhlergroup.com

Henry

+44 0161 804 2800 www.henrysimonmilling.com

Tapco

314 739

the interview

Dr Eric K Altom - Technical Nutritionist and Innovation Lead, Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health, USA

As a principal nutritionist and industry consultant, Eric has over twenty years’ experience in companion animal nutrition including complex formulation design, application of new nutrients in product development, and novel ingredient qualifications, Dr Eric K Altom has worked for international pet and animal nutrition companies.

He joined Balchem in July of 2016 and is currently the technical nutritionist and innovation lead for the monogastric nutrition team in the Animal Nutrition and Health Division.

Dr Altom earned a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science from Tennessee Technological University, a Master of Science degree in nutrition from the Clemson University, and a PhD in animal nutr ition from Auburn University.

He has authored numerous articles and interviews for both scientific and trade publications. Throughout his career, Dr Altom has presented invited nutrition lectures at national and international meetings, as well as an invited instructor for university level nutrition courses. His research interests have focused on optimal requirements and nutrient delivery for physiologically stressed animals.

He continues to be in high demand as a technical resource throughout the global companion animal nutrition industry.

You have a rich 20+ year career in the industry, what initially lead you to get into this field?

Like many of my global industry colleagues, my interest in animals, specifically sporting dogs and horses began at a very early age. Through my university training, I was introduced to nutritional sciences and chose this area of focus.

During a student visit to a multi-species nutrition research and development center, I was introduced to the world of companion animal nutrition.

AFIA recognised your efforts in facilitating the display of posters for students who could not attend the event in person due to Covid-19. What in your opinion is the worst impact the pandemic had on the industry?

The AFIA annual hosts the International Production & Processing Expos in January and as part of this global event, the AFIA Pet Food Committee hosts the annual Pet Food Conference. Several years ago, the committee outlined its desire to help young scientists showcase their research to the global pet nutrition industry.

As a result, a portion of the conference program has been dedicated to three oral student presentations. Given the overwhelming interest from universities, we always have more applications than we can showcase.

Because of this, we added a poster session to allow additional students to showcase their research studies. Over the past several years, I have assisted the committee by helping facilitate this portion of the conference.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we all experienced various struggles, both personally and professionally. In 2022, some students were not allowed to travel to the conference, yet still wanted to showcase their hard work and successful results.

I must admit, I could not refuse a student that needed assistance as throughout my academic training and professional career many people have helped me. I simply viewed this effort as assisting the next generation of technologists. To this end, I helped coordinate the completion, printing, and display of student posters who could not attend in person.

What are the most critical technological development taking place in our sector in recent years from your perspective?

One of the most interesting and rapidly growing areas of pet nutrition are the development of new nutrition platforms. These include baked kibble, fresh/frozen/ refrigerated diets, incredibly diversified treats, and new nutraceuticals for pet supplements.

Three areas of specific interest to me and my colleagues are: 1) specific nutrients, and potentially increased nutrient levels, as part of a health maintenance and overall weight management program for pets; 2) translational technologies for increased pet food safety in new fresh, frozen, and/or refrigerated diets, and 3) the up-cycling of protein co-products for better sustainability of pet nutrition. Each one of these areas could be a full article discussion.

Do you think standards of pet nutrition are met in developing countries? If not, what actions could possibly be taken by the industry in bringing a change?

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many people around the world adopted pets thus prompting a surge in the international market for quality pet nutrition. As we well know, sharing our lives with animals makes us better people and pets helped alleviated the lack of connection many of us were experiencing during this unique time.

In many of developing markets, safe nutritious pet foods are readily available, both regionally and through global companies importing products to these fast-growing markets. Product manufactured in these regions are leveraging many readily available international technical resources such as AAFCO profiles, FEDIEF guidelines, and a wide range of consultants.

Our ability to provide tactical input to new product development from remote locations is very easy with the many new communications platforms. I am very excited to see the companion animal nutrition industry continue to grow in new regions.

Going forward, which aspects of nutrition and production would you like to see addressed and why?

As pet parents continue to desire products that look and smell like home-cooked meals, in addition to increased desires for fresh and refrigerated products, we must be very diligent in the translation of food safety technologies into pet nutrition platforms. As we well know, an ingredient that is safe for humans in no manner should be considered safe for pets without profound due diligence and critical review.

I see this is as a very challenging and interesting area of product development. Additionally, as the global pet nutrition industry continues to grow, we must determine best methods for up-cycling protein co-products that are being underutilised for greater sustainability.

THE INDUSTRY FACES

Zoetis appoints new member to its Board of Directors

Zoetis announced today the appointment of Vanessa Broadhurst to its Board of Directors. Ms Broadhurst, who works as Executive Vice President Global Corporate Affairs at Johnson & Johnson, has experience in consumer insights and direct-to-consumer advertising. Her appointment increases the size of the board from 11 to 12 members.

Ms Broadhurst is a member of Johnson & Johnson’s Executive Committee and leads the company’s global marketing, communication, design and philanthropy functions as well as having oversight of Johnson & Johnson Health & Wellness Solutions.

Ms Broadhurst was named ‘2022 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America’ by Savoy magazine and has also been recognised as ‘Healthcare Champion of the Year’ by the National Association for Female Executives.

She serves as a member of The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), an association of black business owners which focuses on board and executive leadership development, in addition to philanthropy, skills and talent development.

Andritz appoints new Vice President

The Austrian technology supplier Andritz, an international technology group that provides plants, systems, equipment and services for various industries, announces the appointment of Marco Baumann to oversee its petfood business.

Andritz Feed & Biofuel, Andritz’s division responsible for the animal feed and pet food industries, recently named Marco Baumann as the new vice president of business.

Mr Baumann was previously the company’s Animal Feed Industry Director and he will now focus on tackling global challenges, especially in feeding the global population.

“They must be faced head on, and we are uniquely placed as a business to make a tangible impact –from pioneering the process changes required to use alternative proteins in feed, to optimising biomass fuel production,” he comments.

APOP appoints Executive Director

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) is pleased to announce the appointment of Susan Hays as its executive director. She previously served as Executive Director of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and was recognised in the 2021 Pet Age Power 50 List.

“APOP has served as a strong grassroots movement of concerned veterinary professionals and pet owners for the past 17 years,” comments APOP Executive Board Member Dr Julie Churchill, a Professor of Veterinary Medicine.

“Adding Sue as Executive Director will enable us to move forward as a broader, more inclusive and industry-wide coalition to help improve the lives of the dogs, cats and other animals we love.”

“I’m excited to work with APOP and its mission,” says Susan Hays. “The topic of pet obesity is important to the pet industry and millions of pet owners.”

WF Young appoints new Director of Regulatory Affairs & Development

WF Young has appointed Audra Mulligan as Director of Regulatory Affairs and Development. Ms Mulligan will be helping the company to achieve its goals by directing the regulatory compliance process and technical product development.

She will also be responsible in overseeing the company’s global compliance regulations, alongside liaising with legal counsel and regulatory consultants.

Ms Mulligan has a decade of experience in regulatory management and customer service and comes as a natural fit for the role. Her additional certifications in pest management and horticulture bring “unique specialisation” to the job.

“I’m thrilled to become a part of W.F. Young’s rich history of provide high-quality products and exceptional customer care,” comments Ms Mulligan. “Every day there is a new opportunity to enrich the lives of our customers, and the animals they care for.”