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Abstract
The article is devoted to a comprehensive theoretical and scientific-practical analysis of the current state of the supplementary pet food industry, in particular to the scientific substantiation of the development and production of functional treats for ornamental and songbirds and small mammals (ornamental rodents and lagomorphs). The relevance of the study is driven by a global paradigm shift in feeding within the pet food segment — the transition from simply satisfying energy needs to clinical-preventive nutrition and ecological enrichment of the pets' environment under cage-housing conditions.
The paper proposes and describes in detail a three-dimensional classification matrix that systematizes the assortment of treats according to their biological-species and metabolic orientation, their morphostructural characteristics, and their direct functional purpose.
An analysis was performed of the physico-chemical transformations of biopolymers in the raw mixture, in particular the destruction and gelatinization of starch and the denaturation of proteins under the influence of intense hydrothermal and thermomechanical factors. The kinetics of the basic technological flows were studied, namely high-temperature short-time extrusion, convection baking using non-sugar hydrocolloid binders, and vacuum freeze drying. Attention is paid to the chemistry of the non-enzymatic browning reaction (the Maillard reaction) and its role in forming the natural attractiveness of the finished product for animals. The mechanism for preserving the native structure and biologically active substances in the process of lyophilization of raw materials is characterized.
A systematic comparative analysis of the recipe composition and engineering solutions of leading transnational brands and domestic manufacturers was carried out. A global trend has been identified toward the complete abandonment of free sugars and molasses in favor of phytobinders and innovative synbiotic and nutraceutical complexes aimed at supporting the microbiome and the health of integumentary tissues. Based on the experience studied, key competitiveness factors of domestic enterprises have been identified, related to the use of fresh local raw materials. Promising innovative growth points for the Ukrainian pet food sector have been determined, consisting in the need to master capital-intensive technologies of co-extrusion and industrial lyophilization of monocomponents.
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