Texture Analysis update in the Petfood World

The very best in nutrition for our animal friends. 

Four out of five pet owners consider their pet a member of the family and with 79% saying the quality of their pet’s food is as important as their own, it is not surprising that the premium sector accounts for 40% of the $26 billion US pet food market. 


Globally the pet care products market is worth almost $100 billion. Don’t let yourself get lost in the expansive global pet food market. Update your physical testing procedures with a Texture Analyser and ensure yours is the brand that customers turn to time and again, because they know they are feeding their pet a product of the highest quality. 

To request a copy of the article ‘Texture Analysis of Pet Food and Accessories’, covering a wide range of test method ideas, please click or tap here... 

The TA.HDplus tackles a new challenge 

Dental health is a growing and diverse sector in the pet industry with many new product lines in foods, dental hygiene, toys and accessories, particularly for dogs. 

Mars Petcare has created a 'chewing robot' with which to research and test canine dental products. The robot is based around their TA.HDplus Texture Analyser and is used to show how well potential new products or prototypes are performing when it comes to plaque removal. Built using a scan of a real canine mouth and jaw, the 3D-printed model replicates the normal mastication action of a dog and the pressures it might exert on a dental chew. This, the company says, allows it to test the effectiveness of different product materials and shapes more rapidly and then refine its products at a much earlier stage in the research and development process. 

Dr Phil McGenity, Global Pet Oral Care Technical Leader, Mars Petcare, said the robot allows them to observe the effects of a dental chew much more easily than in a real dog: "Typically, it’s very difficult to look inside the mouth of a dog while it's chewing, but this robot allows us to assess products more rapidly than we’ve ever been able to in the past. It means we can continually improve the texture and materials in our products." 

Mars uses the robot to compare different textures and shapes of products by analysing how much plaque is removed from the robot’s teeth. Phil said: "We apply a plaque mimic to the surface of the teeth, so we can observe how effectively different prototypes or textures remove this mimic. We take before and after images and, using computer analysis, we can accurately determine what percentage of plaque has been removed. 


"This robot has been extremely beneficial for us, to see just how visible the effects of our products, such as DentaStix Daily Oral Care, are".

Veterinary dentist John Robinson said: "One of the key benefits of the chewing robot is it allows a preliminary testing stage before you move into clinical trials. Clinical trials are lengthy and expensive, but the chewing robot means the product can be refined and improved to ensure optimum effectiveness. 

"Then you can move into the full clinical trial knowing it has already had extensive texture and plaque removal analysis." 

He added: "New research developments such as the chewing robot are vital to improving home dental care in dogs and giving vets the confidence to recommend dental chews to dog owners. Although brushing is regarded as the gold standard, vets need to work more closely with owners to improve homecare via the use of dental products." 

Mars Petcare has produced a short report explaining each stage its product development and testing. 

You can download the report from the Waltham website here... 

Or you can watch this amazing video of the chewing robot in action here...  

---

For more information on how to measure texture, please visit the Texture Analysis Properties section on our website.

The TA.XTplus texture analyser is part of a family of texture analysis instruments and equipment from Stable Micro Systems. An extensive portfolio of specialist attachments is available to measure and analyse the textural properties of a huge range of food products. Our technical experts can also custom design instrument fixtures according to individual specifications.

No-one understands texture analysis like we do!

To discuss your specific test requirements, click here...