Multicomponent food product and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

A dual texture pet or animal food product having inner and outer components. The soft inner component contains a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients and has a water activity, a w , less than about 0.65 and a total moisture content less than about 15 wt %. The outer component is a cereal based shell containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof, the shell component having a total moisture content less than about 20 wt %. The shell component completely surrounds the soft inner component and is formed by the co-extrusion of the soft inner component within the shell component to form one dual component pet or animal food product.

1 - 62 . (canceled)  
     
     
         63 . A dual texture pet or non-human animal food product comprising: 
 an extruded cereal based shell component completely surrounding a co-extruded inner component, wherein the extruded cereal based shell and co-extruded inner component form one dual textured pet or non-human animal food product, wherein the shell component is harder than the inner component;    said shell component having a total moisture content of less than about 20 wt % and containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof; and    said inner component having a water activity, a w , of less than about 0.65, a total moisture content of less than about 15 wt % and comprised of a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients, wherein the lipid content of the inner component is at least about 10 wt %.    
     
     
         64 - 92 . (canceled)  
     
     
         93 . A dual texture pet or non-human animal food product comprising: 
 an extruded cereal based shell component completely surrounding an inner component, wherein the extruded cereal based shell and inner component form one dual textured pet or non-human animal food product, wherein the shell component is harder than the inner component;    said shell component having a total moisture content of less than about 20 wt % and containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof; and    said inner component having a water activity, a w , of less than about 0.65, a total moisture content of less than about 15 wt % and comprised of a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients, wherein the lipid content of the inner component is at least about 10 wt %.