Most dry dog foods today are made on using a process called extrusion.
Raw materials are ground to the correct particle size (usually the consistency of coarse flour) and then mixed together to ensure all ingredients are properly blended. The resulting mix is then pre-conditioned. A process that starts the gelatinisation of the starches by blending the dry mix with water and steam.

The wet mix remains in the pre-conditioner for 40 to 50 seconds and then moves to the extruder.
The extruder is designed to propel the wet mix down a barrel. As the wet mixed is forced through the barrel, it generates its own friction and heat which cooks the product. The entire process from pre-conditioning to passing through the extruder barrel can take a matter of minutes (extruders can run at speeds of 12 tonnes an hour – that’s over 750 x 15kg bags an hour!)

However, the resulting spongy product coming out of the end of the extruder barrel has not yet turned into the pet food you feed.

The product is dried and cooled for a further 20 minutes at it is at this stage that fats and digests are added to the outside of the product.

Extruders are very poor at handling oils and fats as they can disrupt the gelatinisation process. Fats and digests are added to provide product palatability and without these dogs and cats would find the products very unpalatable.

Extruders are also used to make many breakfast cereals!

 

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