Freeze-dried and air-dried snacks for pets have become a popular choice for many pet owners, particularly those seeking healthy, easy and protein-rich treats. These snacks aren’t just adored by pets: they offer the additional advantage of preserving the proteins in meat, making them a nutritious option.
However, producing these snacks requires premium whole-muscle meat offcuts that can be handled in raw condition. But what about lower-quality meats that are soft, mushy, or pasty? Can they be transformed into the same high-quality dried treats? That was exactly what one of our customers wanted to know and what the Dutch Food Engineers at Vaess have made possible.
Handling low-quality meets as premium cuts
Introducing Ager TXP – the game-changer in the realm of dried snacks. By incorporating Ager TXP and immersing the meat mass into a calcium chloride solution, even soft and mushy meats can feel and handle like premium cuts. This treatment process enhances the texture of the meats, enabling them to be freeze-or air-dried while still producing fluffy and brittle treats.
The key ingredient is Ager TXP’s unique formulation. It acts as a binding agent that improves texture and transforms the pasty meats into a more workable consistency. By using Ager TXP in combination with calcium chloride, companies can now transform previously unusable meats into high-quality dried snacks without compromising on taste and quality.
This innovative solution not only improves the handling properties of lower-quality meats but also ensures that the final products retain their nutritional value. The proteins remain intact throughout the drying process, providing consumers with a healthy snack option. Ager TXP is revolutionising the production of dried snacks by enabling manufacturers to transform lower-quality meats into delicious treats.