NuPAL Tech Support, LLC

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Cecil Carpenter
5 years ago
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NuPAL Tech Support, LLC PROVIDING A WIDE RANGE OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO THE PET FOOD INDUSTRY Who Are We?

Over the years, we have all contributed significantly to solving the technical challenges presented by the aggressive growth in this industry.

Try out-sourcing yourself, see if it works for you and invest later when you have all the facts.

1 NuPAL Tech Support, LLC PROVIDING A WIDE RANGE OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO THE PET FOOD INDUSTRY Who Are We? We are a group of technical experts who have over 70 years combined experience in the pet food industry. Over the years, we have all contributed significantly to solving the technical challenges presented by the aggressive growth in this industry. Whether you are a multinational, a mom & pop, cottage industry or just getting started it is becoming financially prudent to out- source many technical functions. Try out-sourcing yourself, see if it works for you and invest later when you have all the facts. We have access to the technical services you need like kennels for feeding studies, analytical labs for QA/QC, label compliance, ingredient specifications, GMO s, Melamine, and the list goes on. We do have exclusive kennel access for specialty feeding studies as well as AAFCO feeding protocols and palatability testing (PAL). Use us as a technical service supplier and we can manage your needs or let us help you to build your own technical resources. We can advise, facilitate and develop the tools you need to keep up with the advancing technology, regulatory issues and competitor pressures. Talk to us about your needs. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that we have already been there. Member Profiles Dr. Andrew Crawford Over thirty years experience in research and analytical chemistry. This includes 10 years corporate R&D lab management and process research for a multinational food company and 12 years R&D lab director in the pet food industry. Expertise in analysis & measurement, statistics, food chemistry, product stability, process analysis, experimentation (DOE, Design Of Experiments), QC and QA assessment, laboratory & technical team management, lab database and feeding study development & analysis. Dr. Sharon Machlik Kennel owner and longtime breeder of prize winning show dogs with an active interest in local and national breed clubs. Over 30 years experience in canned and dry pet food development. Formulated key product lines for a major pet food company. Designed and implemented processing, QC and QA procedures. Developed flavoring, spice blends, digests for the bakery and pet food industries and expert in formulation, compliance and regulatory issues. Leo Pinal Over 25 years experience in the pet food industry with expertise in all areas of manufacturing. This includes dry, wet and semi-moist pet food processing, thermal processing, QA & QC, pilot shop and product development. Over 15 years wide ranging expertise in kennel protocols and feeding studies. Contact Info Penn Street, Whittier, California Team@NuPAL.net Phone: PERSONAL CONTACT Andy: ACrawford@NuPAL.net Sharon: SMachlik@NuPAL.net Leo: LPinal@NuPAL.net On the Web:

2 NuPAL Tech Support Services Pet Food Evaluation Through Feeding Studies Animal feeding studies are used to substantiate product acceptability, performance and nutrition as well as the level of consumption and animal enjoyment. The studies involve offering the product to an ample number of animals over a period of several days. Our feeding trails are conducted under the supervision of experienced pet food industry staff as well as highly trained and certified technicians. Our animal population consists of various breeds, sizes and ages representing the typical dog and cat population. This gives us the capability of performing customized breed, size, and age studies resulting in statistically sound analysis and conclusions. Our animal enrichment program is geared to the size, breed, and age of the cats and dogs in order to enhance their quality of life. In addition to the industry standard studies for cats and dogs, we offer customized studies to meet the client s objectives. A cost effective strategy of feeding protocols can be developed to meet your Marketing, R&D and QC requirements. A strategic approach can be created to fit your specific needs using the following feeding studies: o Palatability Split Plate & Panel o Acceptability Monadic Feeding o Treat Evaluation Pet Response o Digestibility Nutrient Utilization o Stool Study Consumption & Quality Evaluation o Transition Product Change Effects o Urine ph Ingredient Impact on Acidity & Alkalinity o Skin & Coat Study Hair Quality o Safety Net Consistent Product Evaluation R&D Nutrition What's good for us is not necessarily good for our pets. Different species like cats and dogs require different quantities and sometimes different types of essential fats, proteins and carbs. While dogs are basically omnivores, cats are obligate carnivores and that alters their dietary requirements. You want to assure your customers that the right nutrient balance has been developed into your products. Working dogs perform better with a carefully balanced nutrient profile delivering the calories they need. On the other hand, housebound pets could quickly become overweight on the same diet. Even within the canine species there is the opportunity to offer breed specific products that address breed specific needs. Puppies, older dogs, large breed and miniature all require the same basic food ingredients but in different specific proportions. Diets with poorly balanced omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can trigger a debilitating inflammatory response and hair loss. A correct balance of these two types of fatty acid including enough linoleic acid can substantially improve skin and coat in both cats and dogs. Good nutrition requires a critical balance of the building blocks and caloric nutrients like fat, protein and carbs. In addition, there are essential nutrients such as some fatty acids, some amino acids, vitamins, minerals and micro nutrients which must be included in your products. Other beneficial nutrients that can add tremendous value to your products include for example, glucosamine & chondroitin sulphate to develop strong cartilage and ligaments for reduced joint pain. DHA and EPA can help stimulate nerve cell growth improving retinal function and brain activity. Various plant products can deliver "nutraceuticals", tomato pomace delivers antioxidants and dogs love it, prebiotics and probiotics enhance digestion and selected fiber improves stool quality.

Creativity and access to cutting edge science can produce interesting and appealing products that deliver novel nutritional benefits. Formulation Do you want to optimize and improve your formulas?

Texture and form define a product, beit extruded or baked kibble, the loaf in cans, semimoist treats or biscuits.

3 Creativity and access to cutting edge science can produce interesting and appealing products that deliver novel nutritional benefits. Formulation Do you want to optimize and improve your formulas? This is the art and science of creating and developing the formula. The recipe that will deliver the nutritional value of your product and at the same time leverage maximum returns. Texture and form define a product, beit extruded or baked kibble, the loaf in cans, semimoist treats or biscuits. Specially designed flavors encourage consumption while textures promote acceptable mouth feel. Your customers will come back again and again when they see the improved appearance, activity and general wellbeing in their pets. This leads to the recommendation that can exponentially generate more sales. Through careful formulation, you can make sure that you have engineered good performance into your products. Selecting and combining the right ingredients to produce a cost effective product that delivers maximum nutrition, added value benefits, acceptable flavor and texture can be complex. We use cutting edge software to complement our formulation experience. Ingredient Sourcing & Development Are your ingredients delivering your label claims at the right cost? It is not at all uncommon to find that an increase in customer complaints can be traced right back to an out-of-spec ingredient. It is extremely important to monitor your ingredient supply - remember, caveat emptor. We can setup ingredient specifications and a monitoring system appropriate to your budget and needs. Your product safety starts with and depends on good ingredient screening. Are your ingredients delivering things you don't want in your products? Recent costly and dramatic issues with illegal GMO's getting into the US and Melamine contamination has shown how damaging these unwelcome constituents can be. It's a tough battle to protect against all extraneous contamination. But, "earto-the-ground" and a little due diligence goes a long way to protecting your stake. We can be there for you. Do you have a sufficient supply chain? Are you ready to improvise when one or more of your ingredients suddenly becomes scarce? We can help by developing ingredient sources and formula substitutes. Both local and Global supply chains are fickle and there is little you can do to change that. Even the multinational multi-billion dollar companies are not immune to these effects. Developing flexibility in your supply chain will help to protect you from the vagaries of supply and demand. Product Development New products are the life's blood of any Company competing in todays marketplace. Without this vital infusion it is almost impossible to stay on top of consumer interest. Competition is tough, no doubt about it. However, a "point of difference" can certainly give you an edge. We can review your competitor's claims and research current popular consumer concerns and then offer new product ideas based on this research. Working with you individually or with your marketing department, we can integrate these ideas into your product portfolio. We can provide the requisite support analysis with detailed explanations of the added value, physiological advantages and other language for marketing tools. OPERATIONS Manufacturing & Process Whether your process is continuous or batch, each step along the way should be optimized to reduce variability and hence cost. A common but often unnoticed manufacturing problem arises from erratic or variable processes. This usually means having to exceed target values of expensive constituents just so that, on average you can meet label claim. Water is probably one of your least costly and most forgotten ingredients. Are you giving away expensive ingredients in place of water? Low product moisture levels can also create palatability and texture issues. On the other hand, the problems caused by too much water are often self evident (mold, poor texture, oxidation,...). Do you have the right thermal profile for your product (time/temperature)? Incomplete starch gelatinization in the extruder can make a product that will cause very poor stool quality especially in dogs. Burn-on creates

4 palatability problems and inconsistent appearance, serious liabilities can result from incorrect heat penetration in cans and kibble driers can easily remove too much moisture. A smooth running process does not appear naturally. We can review your process, take some measurements, make adjustments, identify critical control points and optimize the production for cost effective efficiency. Packaging Are you looking for a new packaging concept? After all, the package does sell the product. This is what your customer sees in the store at the point of purchase. Does your product story have impact and stand out on the shelf? Have you highlighted your "point of difference"? Does your package properly protect and contain your product? Are the right barrier layers in place and will the product shelf life be preserved? Are the seals adequate and is it easy for your customer to use and reuse? Is the right information on the bag, can, pouch or box and is it in the right place (See Label)? We can arrange packaging QA to make sure that your package is performing properly. We can help you to position your package in the current market and we can make sure that you have the right information available to your customers. QC/QA Procedures & Analysis Quality Assurance can be seen as a management function while Quality Control is the proactive control of the actual processing of the pet food. QA is a relatively new addition to the food industry and is generally directed at managing quality systems throughout the entire business. QA encompasses QC at the base level of quality systems and then goes on to include GMP, Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP), Risk Analysis programs, ISO certification and finally TQM. Having good QC and QA programs in place can substantially improve your chances of getting into the larger pet food chains, supermarkets and even importers. Are you checking your process? Does it produce product that falls within acceptable guidelines? How do you know? Are your sanitation and/or CIP systems performing adequately? We can setup quality programs with ongoing and post production statistical analysis to show you just where you stand. Microbiology There is no getting around it, Salmonella outbreaks at pet food facilities represent a "clear and present danger". Cleanliness and GMP can certainly reduce the risk but, how do you know you are safe! We can setup a regular sampling plan within your budget, take swabs and provide you with timely summary reports of findings including instant alerts for any problems. Water activity or biologically available water can cause yeasts and molds to flourish. This is especially true in dry and semi-moist products where the perception is that there is not enough water to cause a problem. - It doesn't take much! Regular monitoring and QC is important here, we can help. There are molds that can produce dangerous mycotoxins which do not go away when you kill the mold. Some well known examples are Vomitoxin and Aflatoxin which have had devastating effects on the pet food industry. On the other hand, while not necessarily dangerous many molds will destroy the product in appearance, palatability and texture. We can setup a microbiological screening plan for your production, to meet your budget and provide a comfortable protection from the "unseen world". Product Evaluation Who better to taste and test your product than your customers pets or their buddies. We do detailed animal feeding studies to measure consumption and response to pet foods, treats, biscuits,... Nothing sells product better than recommendation. An enthusiastic response from your customer's pet will buy you no end of valuable recommendation. You may want to claim that your product passes AAFCO feeding protocols for a pet's particular life stage. These are valuable Nationally and Internationally recognized standards for nutritionally complete diets. We can provide these tests at recognized approved kennels. Do you want to compare your product to your competition in a head-to-head feeding trial. We can pit

5 your product against appropriate competitors and provide sophisticated palatability test reports. We offer a range of digestibility tests from simple stool quality studies through more complex studies indicating individual nutrient absorption. Good digestibility is the mark of a superior product and ranks high in customer acceptance factors. Label Requirements & Review The product label is the information on your product package that you present to the consumer. Needless to say there are regulations governing what you can say, what you must say and how you say it. Some States have adopted AAFCO pet food labeling regulations but about half have their own State regulations which can be problematic. We can review your Product Claims, your Ingredients, your Guaranteed Analysis, your Statement of Nutritional Adequacy, your Feeding Directions and a host of other items and get you ready for sale in all US States and Canada. Compliance & Regulatory Are your products in compliance with prevailing State and Federal law, do you meet AAFCO minimums and maximums? Think about it, if you drift out of compliance, do you really want your competitors finding out before you do! Everyone "benchmarks" to size up their competitive advantage and in doing so they will be looking at your products, it is only just good business practice. You need to stay ahead of the game. We can set up a sampling plan whose control limits are compliant with AAFCO, State and Federal regulations. The plan will provide statistical reporting to assess risk and if required, initiate corrective action. If your process control is good, perhaps all you need is a simplified compliance overview. We can determine your need and provide this budget-friendly option.

6 Evaluating Pet Food Preference Palatability A palatability trial is a measure of an animal s choice for a particular food to meet its nutritional need. It is important because an animal must eat the product in order to obtain the necessary nutrition and there is nothing less nutritious than a food an animal will not eat. Animals who participate in palatability studies show us, through food intake, which ingredients, flavors, physical characteristics, storage conditions and/or packaging quality they prefer. All cats and dogs in palatability studies are periodically validated to insure that they have not lost their discriminatory ability. The taste buds and olfactory system of animals are very sensitive allowing them to detect the quality of a product. An animal may reject a food or limit consumption if it detects low quality or rancid ingredients. Flavor is the combination of the taste and smell of a food. In a dog, the most plentiful taste buds are those that respond to sweetness while cats show no response to sweetness in their food. Dogs and cats rely on their sense of smell to a much greater extent than humans. The smell of food is an important sensory component of any meal and is necessary in order to tempt an animal s appetite. The finished product characteristics: size, shape and density, all play an important role in determining the palatability of a product. The size of the food must be appropriate for the size of the animal. Mouth feel is very important which is why foods come in a broad variety of shapes and sizes. The product may not only undergo immediate quality testing, it may also be subject to storage testing for different periods of time. Storage testing determines whether a product s palatability changes over time. Packaging quality also plays an important role in palatability. Animals are very sensitive to the effects of packaging on their food. Acceptability Acceptability is a monadic test to determine how much of a diet a cat or dog will eat to meet its nutritional need. In addition to palatability this test gives an indication of how readily the cat or dog eats the food. This influences the owner s perception of acceptability. Treat Evaluation While Treats do provide some nutritional value, they are not intended to be a meal and should not be evaluated as such. Treats are used as training rewards, behavior rewards and perhaps most importantly as a vector in the very special owner pet interaction. A pet s positive and enthusiastic response is a measure of a successful treat and the treat is judged by the owner s perception of this response Evaluating Product Performance Digestibility This study is performed to determine the basic nutrient requirements for an AAFCO digestibility test. Using moisture, protein, fat, and ash the caloric digestibility and metabolizable energy of a food can be assessed. Why is digestibility so important? Digestibility determines how a cat or dog actually utilizes diet nutrients. For example, a diet may state that it contains 20% protein, but if the digestibility is low, the cat or dog is metabolizing far less protein. Formula, nutrient balance, ingredient quality and processing are all factors which influence digestibility and can only be determinate by conducting digestibility studies. Stool Study The purpose of the study is to determine stool quality, stool volume, and dry matter digestibility of the test diet. The trial consists of two phases, a five day Acclimation Phase during which the digestive tract becomes acclimated to the test diet followed by a five day Collection Phase in which the stools are evaluated.

7 Stool volume and consistency are product characteristics which are important for the owner s perception of the product. Transition Study A Product Transition trial can be used to evaluate an animal s sensitivity to a product change. Examples: Determine the impact of a dog or cat being switched from an adult food to a senior or weight management food. Evaluate new suppliers since the same ingredient from two different suppliers may not produce similar product characteristics. Evaluate a new ingredient or adjust the quantity of an ingredient in an established product. Traditionally products are evaluated for preference with little importance placed on nutritional and digestive effects. Product characteristics such as stool quality, stool odor, and stool frequency are important for evaluating animal health as well as the owner s perception of product quality. Stool Odor The purpose of the study is to quantitatively evaluate the odor of stools produced by a specific product. Ingredient quality, type, and quantity directly impact stool odor. Evaluating QC/QA Issue Safety Net A Safety Net program is designed to provide an added measure of QC/QA protection. It gives a general sense of overall comfort that daily production meets established quality and production standards as indicated by the animals themselves. The analytical or QC lab may not catch a production or ingredient discrepancy but animals often pick up these things and show us in their response to the food. Daily production is evaluated by animals in a proprietary scaled down cost effective feeding test. The feeding characteristics are then summarized and presented for daily review. In addition, daily results are tracked in a control chart style to detect out-of-spec situations. Among all the QC and QA measures taken to provide a high quality product it is nice to know that the product feeds well before shipping. The Safety Net process has similarities to a product cutting with the exception that animals rather than humans are performing the daily product reviews The study consists of two phases: An acclimation period followed by a stool evaluation period. In addition to odor other physical parameters are measured such as stool moisture, color and weight. Urine ph The purpose of the study is to determine the effects of a test diet upon urine ph when fed to cats or dogs. An animal s food especially a cat s food must produce a lower urine ph to help prevent urinary tract problems. A high protein diet may produce acidic urine while a diet containing high levels of vegetables may produce alkaline urine. Skin and Coat Study An owner s perception of the health of a cat or dog is generally judged by the quality of the hair coat and gloss. Diets containing sufficient levels of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids are know to improve hair coat quality and gloss which can be measured during a skin and coat study.

BASICS OF NUTRITION PROTEIN

BASICS OF NUTRITION PROTEIN Protein, the type of protein, where it comes from (plant vs. protein) and its ability to be digested is very important. Proteins are comprised of approximately 20 different