Pet food

Pet food is close to human food in terms of health index and nutritional ingredients; some pets require even more than humans. Pet food generally consists of meat, meat by-products, cereals, grain, vitamins and minerals. Grains such as soybean meal, corn meal, cracked wheat and barley are often used to improve the consistency of the products. The meat is mixed with the other ingredients.

Ingredients are brought together in a mixer. Dry ingredients are ground prior to mixing with wet ingredients. The mixed ingredients are heated in the pre-conditioner prior to feeding into the extruder. In the extruder, the ingredients are cooked under intense heat and pressure as they move toward the open end of the extruder, where they pass through a shaping die and knife. Dog food is dried in a multi-pass dryer until its moisture content is low enough to make it shelf-stable. Dog food may then pass through a coating drum where animal fat and vitamins are applied.