ypical raw materials used in pet food processing include cereal flour, vegetable proteins, minerals and vitamins and, in some cases, meat or fish flour and fresh meat. The dry ingredients enter the  the pre-conditioner and are steam-hydrated. The counter-rotary twin shaft unit blends the ingredients and ensures proper mixing of steam, moisture and ingredients. Preconditioning produces partial gelatinization of starches and texturing of polymers. The partially cooked mixture is then fed to the twin-screw extruder. Shearing, internal temperature, pressure, moisture and residence times are accurately controlled to achieve optimum starch gelatinization without loss of food quality. Liquids or steam may be injected through ports in the extruder barrel at various processing stages. Degassing is possible at this stage using a vent-stuffer.

Granules are then shaped when they are extruded through the die. They are then put through a dryer, which reduces moisture (generally between 8 and 10%). The product is then coated, and flavoring and fat is added before cooling and packaging.

Pet’s best friend

Clextral pet food production lines offer several advantages to manufacture quality products :

• Precise control of process parameters and automation to ensure optimized granule quality: gelatinization, expansion, texture and consistent quality. These quality criteria can be achieved because screws ensure homogeneous processing and positive pumping. The processing of the viscous paste does not depend on the friction between the screws and the barrel. The embedded automatic temperature control and adjustment systems, the modular screw configurations and screw speeds are easily programmed and contribute to the line’s high performance.
• Intelligent pet food extruder : recipe management (recording, access, supervision), process management (start/stop), installed sensors, control and maintenance. Advanced line automation contributes to lower operating costs and facilitates consistent nominal production.
• Creative shapes and finishing through the use of special dies to create innovative shapes and differently-textured products (co-extruded)
• Ingredient flexibility to process a wide range of raw materials with high fat content when needed
• Reduced maintenance using standard parts for extrusion and drying equipment, easy access to different machine components
• Support services, including training, assistance and design expertise for new products
• Capacity of 25 to 25,000 kg/h