PetFood PRO 2/2024

International Magazine May 2024 ISSN 2628-5851 

Technology & Marketing 2/24 

Only the best for our loved ones. 

Real Brewers’ yeast – Really effective. 

leibergmbh.de 

Ingredients: Improving Texture and Coloring, Sustainable Proteins, Weight Management 

Processing: Enhancing Food Safety, Rotary Mixing, Batching Systems, Pilot Plants 

Packaging: Weighing Technology, X-Ray Protection, Easy-Opening Snacks 

Marketing: Interzoo 2024, Showcase Japan, Future Pet Food Conference

Collaboration + Innovation: 

How Can Food Science and Technology 

Transform the Food System? 

Join your colleagues at the leading global science 

of food event focused on innovation, thought 

leadership, and intentional networking. 

Register at 

iftevent.org.

EDITORIAL 

Everything for your Pet 

Having a pet changes your perspective on 

life. At first glance this might mean limiting 

your activity, needing to be home to care 

for the fur baby. On the other hand it can 

broaden your horizons, taking walks in 

all weathers to new places, getting more 

exercise and fresh air. Which ever way you 

look at it, the rewards of companionship 

and new experiences are beneficial for 

both sides. 

As the largest and most important meeting 

place for pets and supplies this year, 

the Interzoo international exhibition in 

Nuremberg, Germany, is fast approaching. 

The Interzoo will again offer the most 

comprehensive product overview in all 

respective sectors in the ever expanding 

pet industry, including the introduction of 

new products and trends. 

Just recently the Interzoo organizer WZF 

(Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft Zoologischer 

Fachbetriebe GmbH) announced a new 

record, with the number of exhibitors 

exceeding the 2,000 mark. Due to the 

consistently high demand, the remaining 

exhibition space has now also been 

allocated. Well over 2,000 companies from 

about 70 countries will showcase their 

products and solutions in 14 exhibition 

halls that cover an overall exhibition space 

of more than 140,000 square metres. 

“The sold-out Interzoo halls that break 

records with regard to exhibitor numbers, 

exhibition space and internationality 

show the huge pulling power of Interzoo 

for the gradually growing international 

pet supplies industry,” says Gordon 

Bonnet, Managing Director of WZF 

and ZZF (German Pet Trade & Industry 

Association, the institutional sponsor 

of Interzoo). “For trade visitors, there is 

no better opportunity on the globe to 

experience first-hand the incredible array 

of new products and exciting companies, 

to build networks, and to gain inspiration!” 

There will be the usual strong international 

presence, including 15 national pavilions 

and a total overseas exhibitor contingent 

of 86% giving an unrivalled overview 

of the global market. “The stronger 

demand across all continents shows 

how important Interzoo is as a showcase 

for innovation and a gathering place for 

industry decision-makers from all around 

the world,” says Dr Rowena Arzt, Director 

Exhibitions at Interzoo organizer WZF. 

Ian D. Healey, Editor-in-Chief 

These record breaking figures underline 

the importance of Interzoo as the central 

point of the worldwide pet supplies 

industry and as a creative force for ideas 

and insights in the months ahead. As 

the number of domestic pets continues 

to grow, so the need to feed, house and 

entertain them also increases. Interzoo 

gives plenty of input – and a whole range 

of new choices and ideas to further expand 

the benefits of the special companionship 

and joint experiences with our existing 

and maybe new pets. 

Sincerely 

If you like it subscribe! 

Issue 2 2024 

3

CONTENTS 




leibergmbh.de 





Marketing: Interzoo 2024, Showcase Japan, Future Pet Food Conference 

Issue 2 May 2024 

Leiber YeaFi® products combine brewers’ yeast benefits with the functional 

properties of fibers. In practical use in dry kibbles and vegan or vegetarian 

applications a positive impact on coloring, smell and texturization were seen. 

Fiber content is important also from an economic point of view. Pet food products 

compete more and more often with food products for natural fiber sources which 

directly increases the price of the pure natural fiber ingredients. 

Our cover story starts on page 6 

Cover photo: Leiber GmbH 

Ingredients 

Processing 

6 New Functional Ingredients to Improve Texture and 

Natural Coloring 

12 Functional Ingredients as a Natural Support for Weight 

Management in Pets 

16 New Production of Flours and Fats from Dried Black Soldier 

Fly Larvae Starts in Galicia, Spain 

21 New Omega-3 Range to be Showcased at Petfood Forum 

2024 

22 Protein Choices to Lower Your Pet's 'Paw Print' 

23 Botanical Extracts: The Next Generation of Antioxidants 

25 Emsland Group at Interzoo 

30 Enhancing Pet Food Safety with Cutting-Edge Magnetic 

Separation Technologies 

32 HANDTMANN and MULTIVAC host the Future Pet Food 

Conference 2024 

34 Pilot Plant Innovation for Food and Petfood Industry 

36 Batching Systems in the Pet Food Industry: Precision and 

Efficiency 

38 Earth Animal is Top Dog in Product Quality 

Decreasing the impact on the environment is a hot topic, no 

less so than in the pet food industry, especially as the number 

of individual pets is still continuing to grow. This explains 

the growing market demand for trends like natural, organic, 

vegetarian or even vegan pet food. Ultimately, as the pet food 

industry, it is important for us to find sustainable alternatives 

to animal-derived ingredients for pet food. The full story is on 

page 22. 

Metallic impurities jeopardize the integrity of pet food, 

necessitating the rejection of affected batches. These 

contaminants can originate from various sources, including 

transportation vehicles used for product delivery. Internal 

contamination may occur during processing, grinding, or 

abrasion within the manufacturing plant. The application of 

magnetic separation equipment proves instrumental in reducing 

ferrous metal contamination issues. See page 30 for more. 

4 

Technology & Marketing

Departments 

3 Editorial 

52 Upcoming Events 

52 Impressum 

Automated ingredient handling 

Dosing, storing and transfer 

Events / Marketing 

26 Food Ingredients Goes Pet 

28 Japanese Pet Food Sector Moves Towards Premiumization 

Going Forward into 2024 

46 Interzoo 2024: The Petfood Industry Meets in Nuremberg 

49 Flexible Production Solutions at the Interzoo 2024 

50 Clean Machine Technology for Outstanding Pet Food 

Quality 

BULK MINORS FLOUR RECLAIM LIQUIDS CONTROLS COMPONENTS 

SITE SERVICES 

SILOS 

From 6 to 120 tons 

Flour, sugar, salt 

Pressure safety 

High Hygienic 

Packaging 

40 Weighing in Rough Environments: Capacitive Load Cells in 

Meat Processing 

42 Innovative Packaging with Easy-Opening Assistance for 

Sausage Snacks and Small Portions 

MINOR 

INGREDIENTS 

Bag dumping station 

ROTARY 

SIFTER 

From 1 to 20 tons 

Healthy snacking is a growing trend. Nutritionists confirm that 

consumers increasingly value high-quality snacks with natural 

ingredients. Producers are adapting their product portfolios 

and packaging to meet this demand. A new seal-clip machine 

is an excellent solution for the production of innovative snack 

packaging of sausage products and other small portions. This 

packaging solution can be made from PVDC-free materials, 

while still delivering maximum performance. More on page 42. 

Confidence 

Built in 

BIG BAG 

STATION 

Any kind of 

ingredient 


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5

COVER STORY 

New Functional Ingredients to 

Improve Texture and Natural 

Coloring 

by Maike Rakebrandt, Senior Product Management Companion Animals (Equine & Pet), Leiber GmbH (2024) 

Leiber YeaFi® products combine brewers’ 

yeast benefits with the functional 

properties of fibers o. a. from spent grain 

and sugar beet pulp. In practical use 

in dry kibbles and vegan or vegetarian 

applications a positive impact on coloring, 

smell and texturization were seen. Leiber 

YeaFi® were also used as dilutatant 

of spray dried hydrolyzed liver or as 

substitute for pure dried brewer´s yeast 

because it is less hygrosgopic. The fiber 

content in Leiber YeaFi® are important 

also from an economic point of view. Pet 

food products compete more and more 

often with food products for natural fiber 

sources which directly increases the price 

of the pure natural fiber ingredients. 

The snack category is the second most 

sold, right after dry food. The market share 

for semi-moist and baked snacks has 

been rapidly increasing. In oven-baked 

snacks the moisture level is reduced to 

10%. Semi-moist snacks are products that 

Table 1: Leiber YeaFi® nutrition and fiber profiles in % 

contain 14-30% moisture. Therefore, it 

is important to explore ingredients that 

have impact on the texture and quality, 

and such that are naturally contribute to 

prevent microbiological spoilage. 

Material and Methods 

Leiber YeaFi® is rich in dietary fiber and 

brings at the same time the brewers’ 

yeast with a high level of protein into the 

formulations. Using blended products at 

the 3-4% inclusion levels can contribute 

to the 1,2-1,6% of brewers’ yeast in the 

formulation while at the same time could 

replace use of fiber up to 2%. For this test 

we used different types of Leiber YeaFi®. 

Leiber YeaFi® BTR based on brewers‘ yeast, 

spent grain and beet pulp and Leiber 

YeaFi® AB-F with brewers’ yeast, apple 

pomace and beet pulp. Both contain a 

high soluble fiber fraction (Table 1). 

After a technical pre-test in the lab Leiber 

YeaFi® BTR and Leiber YeaFi® AB-F were 

tested in semi-moist functional snacks 

included at 5 and 10%. 

The semi-moist snacks were formulated 

with the following declaration: poultry 

meal, potato starch (pregeled), pea 

starch (pregeled), glycerin, pea fiber, 

preservatives. In test samples with 5% 

test product, pea fiber was completely 

exchanged. In the test samples with 

10% test product the pea fiber was fully 

replaced and 5% of pea starch was reduced. 

The nutritional analysis showed that when 

Leiber YeaFi® products were added to the 

formulations, crude fiber were decreased, 

but protein content and soluble fiber were 

increased in the snacks. 

The technical analyses of the test and 

control snacks were done in three periods, 

immediately, seven days and a month after 

the production. Following parameters 

were analysed: moisture, pH, aW, texture, 

firmness, energy, adhesiveness and 

stickiness. Texture analyses are important 

for both impacts on physical quality but 

also on sensory analyses like palatability. 

Additional to the semi-moist snack, vegan 

oven-baked snacks were produced in a 

two-step baking/drying, to imitate the 

commercial baking process. The moisture 

level was reduced to 10%. Reduction of 

moisture is important for shelf-life and 

prevention of microbial growth, also in 

baked snacks. Leiber YeaFi® BTR and Leiber 

YeaFi® AB-F were formulated by adding 

10% into the test recipes, which were based 

on potatoe flakes, oil and pea meal. Leiber 

YeaFi® products substituted 10% of the pea 

meal. Moisture, pH, aW, texture, baking loss 

and shrink percent were measured. 

The baking loss is the weight of the snacks 

before and after baking. The difference 

indicates the loss of evaporation. In 

addition, the weight change before 

6 


COVER STORY 

Photo 1: Leiber YeaFi® products increased the shininess and natural coloring in semi-moist snacks 

Photos: Leiber GmbH 

and after baking indicates the shrink 

percentage. 

Results 

In the semi-moist test Leiber YeaFi® BTR, 

followed from Leiber YeaFi® AB-F showed 

high water absorption properties and 

moisture holding capacity after cooking 

and retorting. This is due to the higher 

level of the soluble fibers. Increasing the 

concentration of the Leiber YeaFi® BTR 

and Leiber YeaFi® AB-F samples caused 

an increase in the viscosity/hot water 

absorption. 

Photo 2: Leiber YeaFi® products increased the shininess and natural coloring in oven-baked snacks 

Both test products performed as great 

texturizers improving the texture and 

shape and reducing the stickiness of 

the snacks and knives had a better cut. 

The 10% inclusion of Leiber YeaFi® BTR 

and Leiber YeaFi® AB-F decreased the 

use of energy (SME) and significantly 

improved capacity. All test ingredients 

improved the snacks’ appearance, 

coloring and shine. Leiber YeaFi® BTR 

and Leiber YeaFi® AB-F had the most 

positive impact on the snacks. Increased 

inclusion (10%) increased the impact. 

The shape was more distinctive. In 

addition, both products increased the 

shininess of the snack and gave more 

brown color (Photo 1). The variation 

in shape and natural coloring were 

significant. 

Also in the vegan oven–baked snacks 

the color change was significant 

when changing 10% of pea meal with 

the blended brewers’ yeast products 

(photo 2). 

Leiber YeaFi® BTR and YeaFi® AB-F had 

the tendency to reduce water activity 

(Figure 1). Inclusion of 10% significantly 

decreased water activity of the snacks 

Figure1: Water activity (aW), after a month storage in semi-moist snacks 

despite the added moisture during the 

extrusion. 

The water activity after LT (low temperature) 

in vegan, ovenbaked snacks was naturally 

high for all test samples (Figure 2). After 

the HT (high temperature) treatment, the 

test products reduced the water activity 

and moisture content more efficiently 

compared to the control biscuits. Due 


7

COVER STORY 

Figure 2: Water activity (aW), in vegan, ovenbaked 

snacks, with low temperature (LT) and high 

temperature (HT) baking. 

Figure 4: pH values for vegan, oven-baked snacks, with low 

temperature (LT) and high temperature (HT) baking. 

to the higher moisture reduction during 

baking the weight loss and shrinkage were 

higher for the Leiber products. 

Increasing the inclusion level of Leiber 

YeaFi® products decreased significantly 

the pH of the semi-moist snacks (Figure 3) 

during the whole test period. Decreasing 

pH in semi-moist snacks has a positive 

impact on the preservation of the product. 

In vegan oven-baked snacks the pH was 

analyzed for both high (HT) and low (LT) 

temperature treatments (Figure 4). The 

addition of 10% Leiber YeaFi® significantly 

decreased the pH of the biscuits also. This 

indicated again a preservation potential 

of the test products. 

Leiber YeaFi® products also had an impact 

on the textural properties of the semimoist 

snacks. The firmness of the snacks 

decreased with the reduction of the pea 

starch in the control kibbles. 

This was expected as starch is one of the 

main factors to increase the hardness 

in the snacks. When used Leiber YeaFi® 

BTR and Leiber YeaFi® AB-F firmness 

increased with inclusion level (Figure 5). 

The inclusion level (5 or 10%) didn’t have 

Figure 3: pH values, analyses after a month storage 

period in semi-moist snacks 

Figure 5: Firmness values, analyses are taken over 

a month storage period 

8 


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9

COVER STORY 

significant effect on the firmness as did 

the source of the fibers. 

After technical tests, the semi-moist 

snacks were given to a dog home panel 

(n=10). Taste preference was organized 

in the form of first-choice testing for 

two days and then statistically grouped 

and analyzed (Figure 6). All Leiber YeaFi® 

snacks were tastier then the controls, and 

dogs were keen on consuming them. The 

highest preference was shown towards 

Leiber YeaFi® BTR. Also the vegan ovenbaked 

biscuits were tested with the 

dogs. All biscuits were accepted well. 

Here Leiber YeaFi® AB-F had the highest 

preference. 

Conclusion 

Leiber YeaFi® products are an interesting 

concept for application in semi-moist 

and vegan oven-baked snacks. They have 

a positive impact on production as they 

effiiciently reduce stickiness, and improve 

texture, appearance, pH, coloring, shiness 

and taste of the semimoist snacks. From 

an economic point of view the production 

capacity was significantly higher 

compared to the controls. The inclusion 

of Leiber YeaFi® products in vegan ovenbaked 

snacks also resulted in a significant 

change of the color and reduction of the 

pH. The baking process reduced moisture 

more compared to control. The reduction 

of pH and water activity in both snacks 

indicating that Leiber YeaFi® products give 

a sort of natural preservation effect and 

the baking time can be reduced therefore 

the energy consumption can be lower. 

Technology & Marketing 

For more information 

www.leibergmbh.de 

Figure 6: Heatmap presented as preference 

map for the semi-moist snacks, where more 

intensive red color shows higher preference 

compared to blue colors. 

10 


PALATANTS. 

SOLUTIONS. 

SERVICES. 

AFB is more than just palatants. We provide custom solutions to 

improve pet food palatability. Our services are tailored to the 

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STAND 6-321 

To learn how AFB brings value to pet food companies through 

research expertise, technical support and unparalleled 

customer service, visit afbinternational.com or 

contact your AFB account manager. 

© 2024 AFB International

INGREDIENTS 

Functional Ingredients as a Natural 

Support for Weight Management 

in Pets 

Photo: Beneo 

For many years, being overweight or obese 

was a human concern. These days however, 

more and more companion animals are 

struggling with this condition. Here Dr 

Maygane Ronsmans, Product Manager 

Animal Nutrition at BENEO, explores how 

functional ingredients can help as a natural 

support for weight management in pets 

and why the choice of carbohydrate and 

fiber matters when it comes to long-term 

health. 

Pets are increasingly overweight 

or obese 

Numbers of overweight and obese 

companion animals have steadily increased 

over the last few decades and now exceed 

50% in Western countries. i Recent statistics 

from the US have even classified 6 in 10 

dogs and cats as overweight or obese. ii 

As with humans, there are many serious 

health consequences for overweight or 

obese pets. These include cardiovascular 

and metabolic diseases (e.g., glucose 

intolerance, diabetes), or skeletal 

associated disorders, leading to a negative 

impact on the pet’s - and owner’s - quality 

of life. 

Pet owners are well aware of the dangers 

surrounding having overweight or obese 

companion animals, and many like to opt 

for a preventive approach when it comes 

to managing their pet’s weight. A recent 

global survey conducted by FMCG Gurus 

on behalf of BENEO showed that 3 in 4 

pet owners worldwide were concerned 

with their pet’s weight iii and around 4 

in 5 agreed that an on-pack claim about 

helping to control their pet’s weight 

naturally affects their purchase intention 

of a pet food product to some extent. iv 

There is therefore a market opportunity for 

functional ingredients that can help with 

weight and blood glucose management. 

Functional ingredients as part of 

the solution 

Like in humans, prevention of obesity is 

always better than cure, and a balanced 

diet should remain the ‘gold standard’. 

Nevertheless, when weight loss is 

required, a multi-pronged approach that 

combines exercise along with energyrestricted 

diets is often key. In the context 

of obesity, the choice of nutrients in pet 

food can also make a difference, and 

12 


INGREDIENTS 

including functional ingredients in a pet’s 

diet - such as slow-release carbohydrate 

isomaltulose and prebiotic chicory root 

fibers - can help with weight and blood 

glucose management. 

Carbohydrate choice matters 

Carbohydrates are an inherent part of our 

pets’ diet nowadays. Though, carbohydrates 

have not been created equal and they 

differ in composition, digestive properties 

and therefore glycaemic effects. A case in 

point is that high glycaemic carbohydrates, 

such as sucrose or cooked starches, are 

rapidly digested and absorbed in the first 

part of the small intestine, resulting in a 

fast and high blood glucose response. 

Low glycaemic carbohydrates on the other 

hand, are digested more slowly and lead 

to a lower blood glucose response. Having 

a slower blood glucose supply results in 

more balanced glycaemia, lower insulin 

peaks and overall better metabolic health. 

A 2012 study with dogs has further shown 

that low glycaemic diets can support 

weight loss. v 

For pet food producers looking for low 

glycaemic carbohydrates, isomaltulose 

can become a key part of their ingredient 

toolbox. Isomaltulose is a disaccharide of 

glucose and fructose derived from sugar 

beet that is characterised by a stronger 

glycosidic bond than that of standard 

sugar. Due to this specific linkage, it is 

more resistant to enzymatic hydrolysation 

in the intestine, therefore inducing lower 

glycaemic and insulin responses than 

regular sucrose as demonstrated in many 

species (e.g., humans, rodents and pigs). 

A scientific publication from 2023 about 

three studies from Corbee et al vi , has 

confirmed that isomaltulose is a suitable 

low glycaemic ingredient for use in dog 

food, triggering a lower blood glucose rise 

after consumption. The trials evaluated 

the digestion of isomaltulose as well as 

its glycaemic and insulinaemic effects 

in dogs, compared to other relevant 

carbohydrate sources. An in-vitro study of 

small intestinal tissue samples from three 

dogs showed that isomaltulose can be 

digested by canine intestinal enzymes, 

with a lower enzyme activity compared to 

high glycaemic carbohydrates, indicating a 

slower rate of hydrolysis. 

In addition, two in-vivo studies compared 

the effects of isomaltulose, sucrose and 

maltodextrin in dogs. The results showed 

that isomaltulose significantly lowered 

blood glucose and insulin responses, 

compared to maltodextrin or sucrose – 

even after continuous feeding. All in all, this 

property makes isomaltulose a particularly 

interesting solution with the potential 

to support metabolic health and weight 

management in dogs. 

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13

INGREDIENTS 

The power of chicory root fibers 

Other functional ingredients that enable 

vii, viii, ix, 

blood sugar management in dogs 

x , as well as weight management in pets 

xi, xii, xiii 

are BENEO’s natural chicory root 

fibers Orafti® Inulin and Oligofructose. 

These inulin-type fructans belong to the 

very few scientifically proven prebiotics , 

that support a pet’s intestinal health and 

are linked with nutritional benefits that 

go beyond the gut. For example, studies 

show that including Orafti® Inulin and 

Oligofructose in a pet’s diet can curb 

their appetite, improve satiety and hence 

xv, xvi, xvii 

decrease voluntary food intake. In 

doing so, chicory root fibers can help to 

maintain the healthy condition of a pet’s 

body. 

Additionally, since inulin-type fructans 

are non-digestible carbohydrates and 

dietary fibers, they do not trigger a rise 

in postprandial blood glucose or insulin 

concentrations. As a result, they support 

blood sugar management in dogs. What’s 

more, studies in dogs have shown that 

feeding them with chicory prebiotics can 

allow for a lower blood sugar response 

after a meal , and this benefit can extend 

to a subsequent meal taken hours later, 

even if that meal doesn’t include chicory 

root fibers; xx, xxi which is called the second 

meal effect. 

Quality production 

BENEO produces its functional 

carbohydrates, including isomaltulose, and 

chicory root fibers in state-of-the-art and 

food-certified processing plants, which 

enables the highest product quality to be 

continuously guaranteed. Also, the non- 

GMO sugar beets and chicory roots are 

sourced from farmers in close proximity to 

the production sites. Isomaltulose as well as 

Orafti® Inulin and Oligofructose are natural 

ingredients which are acknowledged as 

feed materials in the EU xxii . They are suitable 

for use in both dry and wet pet foods, or in 

snacks. 

With more and more companion animals 

struggling with being overweight or obese, 

it is no wonder that pet food producers are 

turning to functional ingredients, such 

as BENEO’s, to help owners resolve these 

issues. By choosing the right ones, it is 

now possible to support weight and blood 

sugar management in pets more naturally, 

whilst supporting their long-term health. 


BENEO source references for this article are 

available on request. 


www.beneo.com 

14 


INGREDIENTS 

New Production of Flours and 

Fats from Dried Black Soldier Fly 

Larvae Starts in Galicia, Spain 

The dried black soldier fly larvae used to produce the first batches come from the Bioflytech Group's other 

plant in Fuente Alamo, Murcia 

The company has recently obtained authorization for the production of flour, a milestone that marks a before 

and after in the production of this type of insect-derived products, where the Bioflytech group is a pioneer 

The products are aimed at animal feed, mainly pet food and the aquaculture sector 

Once the works have been completed and the necessary authorization has been obtained, the facilities in 

Galicia will produce 12,000 tonnes of larvae per year and will consolidate Bioflytech as one of the world leaders 

in the sector 

Bioflytech has started the production of 

flours and fats from dried black soldier fly 

larvae in its new facilities located in Palas 

de Rei, Galicia, north-western Spain. The 

company has started the activity after 

becoming the first Spanish company 

in this innovative sector to obtain the 

authorization to produce, transform and 

commercialize this type of product. 

The dried black soldier fly larvae, with 

which the rendering lines are being set 

up and the first batches of flours and 

fats produced, come from the company's 

other plant in Fuente Álamo, Murcia. 

These new facilities in Palas de Rei are 

now up and running after obtaining 

authorization for the production - by 

means of a drying process - of the 

products that make up the company's 

portfolio and which are mainly aimed at 

animal feed, especially pet food and for 

the aquaculture sector. 

Obtaining this authorization has been 

possible thanks to the hard work of the 

technicians involved in the project at all 

levels, from those who work at Bioflytech 

to those who are part of the national, 

regional and local administration. This has 

made it possible to achieve a milestone 

that marks a turning point in the 

production of protein meals from insects, 

where the Bioflytech group is a pioneer. 

After obtaining the necessary permits, it 

has been possible to start the production 

of flour and fat in the new facilities 

in Palas de Rei, which have state-ofthe-art 

technology to carry out the 

transformation of the dried larvae from 

Murcia. Thus, a rendering machine 

and a drying machine have come into 

operation, allowing the product to be 

transformed into flour, which is mainly 

used as a raw material for the production 

of pet food and aquaculture food. The fat 

is destined, on the one hand, for pig feed 

and, on the other, for the pharmaceutical 

and cosmetics industry, which uses it in 

the creation of soaps and moisturizing 

creams, among others. 

The facilities have also started up a second 

rendering machine of its own design and 

unique on the market, which will enable 

tailor-made flours to be manufactured 

with specific percentages of protein and 

fats according to the customer's demands, 

and which is set to revolutionize the 

production of protein flours from insects. 

These two rendering machines will be 

joined in the coming weeks by a third one 

that has already arrived in Palas de Rei and 

will be assembled in the next few days. 

In parallel to the start of the activity, work 

continues to complete the eight plants 

that make up the complex, which include 

the production plant, six larvae fattening 

plant and another for compost storage. 

16 


INGREDIENTS 

Instalaciones Palas de Rei 

Photos: sBioflytech 

Palas de Rei, Lugo 

Find your solution 

Barentz is a leading provider of ingredients and solutions for dry and 

wet pet food as well as for pet treat manufacturers. With a strong 

network of partners, combined with our expertise in a wide range of 

areas, we are looking forward to finding a better solution, together. 

Antioxidants 

Plant-based 

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Insect 

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Yeasts 

Binders 

Natural 

colors 

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The Netherlands Issue 2 2024 

T + 31 (0) 23 5673456 

E petfoodinfo@barentz.com 

I www.barentz.com 

Visit us at 

Interzoo; 

Booth 7-632 

17

INGREDIENTS 

About Bioflytech 

Moira Capital Partners 

acquired a majority stake in 

Bioflytech, established in 

2012 as a biotech company, 

in 2018. A year later, the 

Fuente Álamo facility in 

Murcia was opened. 

The support of the Xunta de 

Galicia and the City Council 

of Palas de Rei for the project 

determined Bioflytech's choice 

of this autonomous community to 

undertake its expansion, for which 

different locations in the north of Spain 

and even Portugal were considered. 

Bioflytech obtains four main products 

from the black soldier fly: dried larva, 

which is obtained after almost complete 

drying of the fresh larvae and has highly 

digestible protein and all the necessary 

components for the diet of poultry, 

fish and other animals; high protein 

meals; fats, which are obtained from the 

larvae without using chemical agents 

or solvents; and compost, obtained 

as a result of the biodigestion of the 

vegetable material produced during the 

fattening process. 

Bioflytech's dried larvae is a product 

especially designed as a feed diet for 

laying hens and broilers, while the 

protein meals are aimed at the petfood, 

aquaculture and poultry industries, 

and also to a lesser extent at animal 

feed for the fur industry. Fats are mainly 

used in animal feed, but also in the 

pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry. 

Compost is used as fertilizer. 

The surroundings are also being adapted, 

as the total plot is 140,000 square meters 

in size. 

Challenges for the company 

Once the necessary authorization has 

been obtained, the fresh larvae fattening 

process will also begin in Palas de Rei, 

which will allow for the production 

of a total of 12,000 tonnes per year. 

Subsequently, a new phase of expansion 

of the facility will be undertaken to 

produce 100,000 tonnes of fresh larvae 

per year. 

Meanwhile, at the Fuente Álamo facility in 

Murcia, not only will the activity continue, 

but an investment of 2.8 million euros is 

planned for the second half of the year to 

increase the production capacity of the 

hatchery that supplies larvae eggs to the 

facility in Galicia. At present, the Fuente 

Álamo facility produce 180 kilos of eggs 

Left: Dried black soldier fly larvae 

Right: Flour 

per month, which is already a milestone 

in the sector worldwide, given the 

complexity of guaranteeing stable and 

continuous production throughout the 

year. The objective with this expansion, for 

which all the permits have already been 

requested, is to reach 350 kilos of eggs per 

month, something unprecedented in the 

sector. 

This first Bioflytech plant in Fuente Álamo 

currently produces 4,000 tonnes of fresh 

larvae per year. 



www.bioflytech.com 

Photos: sBioflytech 

18 


I SUCCESSFULLY PRODUCE 

A WIDE VARIETY OF PET 

FOOD WITH HANDTMANN 

TECHNOLOGY. 

Visit us! 

Hall 5, stand 207 

Your partner for solutions with line and process expertise. 

You have ideas – we have just the right solution for them. From product preparation to filling 

and portioning technology and product handling – our process solutions to match your needs. 

Benefit from our many years of in-depth expertise, our process-reliable technology and our 

excellent service. Let us turn your ideas into solutions. 

Scan QR code and watch the video. 

Further information at: 

www.handtmann.com/petfood 

Follow us:

HANDTMANN LINE SOLUTIONS: 

FROM RAW MATERIAL THROUGH TO PACKAGING 

Perfectly coordinated technology from product preparation and portioning, forming or drying all the way 

through to packaging. Our process solutions are ideally suited for cold-extruded applications. Handtmann 

technology turns meat, plant-based or insect protein raw materials into bars and sticks of varying sizes 

and shapes. We stand for accurate-to-the-gram portioning and diverse process options ensuring precise 

product depositing onto conveyors or trays. 

PRODUCT PREPARATION 

Mixing: Handtmann Inotec IM mixer 

2-shaft mixer for the quick and homogeneous thorough mixing of 

viscous to highly viscous products. Handtmann Inotec mixers also 

provide the optimum shaft configuration for any mixing material. 

Emulsifying: Handtmann Inotec iT 

The modular 1- to 5-stage cutting system with optimum adjustment of 

the cutting position and thus minimised wear, reliably grinds products 

of any viscosity and temperature into homogeneous products of 

particle sizes less than two millimetres. 

ACCURATE-TO-THE-GRAM PORTIONING 

Filling and forming: VF 800 vacuum filler and FS 510 forming system 

Handtmann vacuum filling technology with subsequent fully 

automatic, multi-lane forming stands representative for long-term 

stable portioning accuracy, minimal wear, needs-based performance, 

application variety, hygiene and ergonomics at the highest level. 

DOWNSTREAM PRODUCT PROCESSING 

Product depositing, drying and packaging 

Handtmann technology is perfectly coordinated with downstream 

process steps and the machines from our numerous partners required 

for depositing, drying and packaging. Everything from a single source 

for a seamless production process from A to Z. 

Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG 

Hubertus-Liebrecht-Str. 10-12 | 88400 Biberach | Germany 

sales.machines@handtmann.de | +49 7351 45-0 

www.handtmann.com/petfood |

New Omega-3 Range to be 

Showcased at Petfood Forum 


INGREDIENTS 

Veramaris® Pets joins dsm-firmenich’s growing petfood portfolio – discover this and more at stand 1306, 

Petfood Forum, April 29 - May 1, 2024, Kansas City. 

dsm-firmenich, innovators in nutrition, 

health and beauty, will showcase its full 

range of ingredients at Petfood Forum 

2024 including the latest addition to the 

company’s portfolio, Veramaris® Pets – 

the world’s most powerful and complete 

omega-3 solution for cats and dogs. At 

stand 1306, attendees can also discover 

DHAgold alongside innovative taste 

ingredients and gut health-supporting 

nutrients, to help pet nutrition brands 

create food, treats and supplements that 

are good for pets, good for producers and 

good for the planet. 

Photo: shutterstock_2290425993_ret_AI 

Ensuring the world’s access to 

omega-3s, sustainably 

Veramaris® Pets algal oil is the latest addition 

to dsm-firmenich’s petfood portfolio. 

Containing 60% eicosapentaenoic acid 

(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – 

the highest of any solution on the market 

– it delivers more than double the potency 

of equivalent fish-oil while also providing 

enhanced taste and stability benefits. 

Around 930 billion fish are removed from 

the oceans each year, just to supply the 

pet food industry with fish oil and meal. 1 

Veramaris® Pets aims to change this as an 

infinitely consistent and scalable source 

of omega-3 that does not rely on fish 

stocks. With Veramaris® Pets joining dsmfirmenich’s 

growing petfood portfolio, 

producers will benefit from the company’s 

worldwide team of experts, global supply 

chain and access to a leading range of 

nutritional and taste products.2 

At Petfood Forum, dsm-firmenich will 

also showcase DHAgold, which offers 

petfood brands even more versatility 

in DHA fortification. This easy-to-use 

powder is made from fermented algae 

and is scientifically proven to support 

brain health in dogs. In one study, a group 

of 8- to 11-year-old dogs were fed food 

containing DHAgold for 6 months and 

displayed significantly improved memory 

and visual performance.3 

All bite, no bark 

Additionally, at Petfood Forum 2024 

dsm-firmenich will spotlight its flavorenhancing 

solutions for improving the 

taste in petfood applications with a 

Cheddar cheese flavor concentrate. Made 

using genuine Wisconsin Cheddar cheese 

and whey, this versatile spray-dried 

powder helps producers craft irresistible 

food for dogs. 

Petfood Forum 2024 attendees will also 

be able to learn more about Leva-Mos® 

– a convenient, spray-dried, prebiotic 

powder that supports healthy digestion, 

gastrointestinal health and immunity 

by stabilizing the gut microflora and 

strengthening intestinal barrier function 

in dogs. 

Discover your next petfood 

partner 

“It’s our ambition to create ingredients that 

are good for pets, good for producers and 

good for the planet,” says George B. Josef, 

Global Head Marketing & Nutritional Lipids 

for petfood at dsm-firmenich. “We have 

the same dedication to crafting delicious, 

nutritious and sustainable solutions as pet 

parents do to caring for their furry friends. 

And we combine this ethos with decades 

of science-based research and expertise, 

leading technology and substantial 

investment in innovation. The result is a 

range of high-quality, safe ingredients that 

pet parents want and their cats and dogs 

love. Stop by stand 1306 at Petfood Forum 

2024 to discover how we can help you 

balance taste, health, sustainability and 

cost to engage today’s pet parents, and 

fuel happy, healthy pets at every life stage.” 


1FAO, 2018 2Veramaris® will continue as a joint venture between dsm-firmenich and Evonik 

Nutrition & Care GmbH focused on the aqua feed market. 3The oil-rich alga Schizochytrium 

sp. as a dietary source of DHA improves shape discrimination learning associated with visual 

processing in a canine model of senescence. [K.B. Hadley, J. Bauer, N.W. Milgram, Clinical 

Research Department, DSM Nutritional Products, Columbia, MD 21045, USA] 


www.dsm.com/food-beverage/en_US/about-us/events/join-us-atpetfood-forum-2024.html 


21

INGREDIENTS 

Protein Choices to Lower Your 

Pet's 'Paw Print' 

Reducing your environmental impact by selecting more sustainable alternatives 

Photos: Barentz 

Decreasing the impact on the 

environment is a hot topic, no less so 

than in the pet food industry, especially 

as the number of pets is still growing. This 

explains the growing market demand for 

trends like natural, organic, vegetarian or 

even vegan pet food. Premiumization and 

humanization continue to drive the petfood 

category, an increasing demand for 

plant-based proteins could also be a result 

of more flexitarians as pet owners, as pet 

parents want their pets eating habits to 

be similar to their own. Ultimately, as the 

pet food industry, it is important for us to 

find sustainable alternatives to animalderived 

ingredients for pet food. 

Plant-based proteins 

There is a broad variety of plant-based 

proteins, which can be used to reduce 

meat proteins in pet diets, however it is key 

to keep an eye on the amino acids profile 

of plant-based proteins. From the plantbased 

proteins, soy protein has the most 

complete amino acid profile. Nevertheless, 

soya is not always so popular to use. This 

is because its acceptance varies from 

country to country; the possible reason 

behind this could be related to GMO and 

deforestation, even when there is also 

GMO free soy on the market, produced in 

Europe, without deforestation. Another 

aspect could be that soya can contain 

anti-nutritional factors. Soya concentrates 

and isolates can be used to avoid those 

problems. 

Pea protein is very popular, although it 

has very low values of methionine and 

cystine. To overcome this deficiency, it can 

be used together with rice, which is rich 

in methionine and cystine. Also potato 

protein is quite often used, because of its 

balanced amino acid profile. On the other 

hand, corn protein (corn gluten meal) is an 

incomplete protein, it is lacking in arginine 

and tryptophan. To overcome this, corn 

can be supplemented with other plantbased 

proteins to make the list of essential 

amino acids complete. 

In all cases of using plant-based proteins, 

keep an eye towards the levels of taurine 

and carnitine in the diet, even when these 

are considered as non-essential, both are 

really key for healthy dogs and cats. 

Functionality 

Beside the nutritional aspects, plantbased 

proteins can also be used for their 

great functional properties. Different 

types of soya concentrates or isolates 

have different levels of water binding, 

emulsifying and gelling properties. Those 

concentrates or isolates can be used to 

retain the water and fat during the entire 

technological process, with securing 

shelf life of the final product. Next to 

soya, also other functional proteins from 

pea, chickpea or faba beans can be used. 

Those are typically used for products such 

as paté, terrine, chunks and also for meat 

alternatives. 

Insects – fully circular 

Another alternative to animal-derived 

proteins are insects, which are a highly 

valuable nutritional protein source. 

Insects are also more sustainable for 

several reasons. Firstly, insects can turn 

low value feed materials and related byproducts 

into high value insect protein 

and oil. They are fed with by-products, 

not suitable for other livestock, which 

otherwise would have gone to lower 

value productions such as bio-refineries. 

Secondly, insect breeding is a zero-waste 

and circular process. There are three 

final products produced from insects: 

insect protein, insect oil and organic 

fertilizer. Insect protein and oil are used 

as natural and sustainable alternative 

ingredients in livestock feed and pet 

food. The frass, which is the manure and 

the leftovers from the insect breeding, is 

used as an organic fertilizer to grow new 

crops, of which again the lowest value 

by-products are used for feeding new 

batches of insects. This is a full circular 

model! However sustainability of insectbased 

ingredients can even go beyond 

circularity and upgrading of low value byproducts. 

Barentz has a range of plant-based and 

alternative proteins. Their technical team 

is ready to find together with pet food 

manufacturers the best solution, to lower 

the pet food ‘paw print’. 


www.barentz.com/ 

animalnutrition/pet-food 

22 


INGREDIENTS 

Botanical Extracts: The Next 

Generation of Antioxidants (Part 1) 

by Cristina Murcia 

Introduction 

Botanical extracts are natural ingredients 

that contain diverse polyphenol type 

molecules. Some are well known for their 

endogenous and exogenous antioxidant 

abilities. In the European Union's 

regulatory framework for feed and pet 

food, until recently, only mixed tocopherols 

were registered as antioxidants.1 However, 

in response to the EFSA's 2022 Scientific 

Opinion, the European Commission has 

now approved rosemary extract as feed 

additive for cats and dogs, in the category 

of antioxidants. 2 

This article will focus on the exogenous 

antioxidant capacity of rosemary and olive 

extracts and the main reaction mechanism 

of their active molecules with the highest 

antioxidant potential. 

Rosemary extract 

Rosemary extract contains different 

diterpene molecules with antioxidant 

activity, from these, the one with the 

highest antioxidant effect is carnosic 

acid. Other molecules such as carnosol, 

rosmanol or epirosmanol have also some 

antioxidant capacities but less significant 

than carnosic acid. The reason for that 

is that all the above are decomposition 

products of carnosic acid, as we will see 

while explaining the simplified chemical 

reaction mechanisms. 

Oxygen Scavenger Mechanism: 

To prevent oxidation rosemary extract, or 

specifically, carnosic acid can scavenge 

singlet oxygen, an excited form of oxygen, 

and free radicals. While doing this carnosic 

acid will oxidize itself to form a carnosic 

acid quinone that by action of temperature 

or other catalysts will be transformed into 

carnosol. The carnosol molecule will further 

follow this path and will oxidise itself to be 

transformed into epirosmanol or rosmanol, 

depending on the stereochemistry of the 

reaction. 3,4 See Figure 1. 

Hydrogen Transfer Mechanism: 

Carnosic acid can also neutralize free 

radicals by following a different mechanism, 

by donating hydrogen atoms to stabilize 

lipid molecules (in figure 2 represented as 

ROOH). This type of mechanism is called 

hydrogen transfer mechanism. Here 

carnosic acid can neutralize the free radical 

activity of two lipid radical molecules 

(ROO°) to form a carnosic acid quinone. Like 

in the previous mechanism the carnosic 

acid quinone can be transformed into 

carnosol to provide additional antioxidant 

activity. Or the mechanism can follow a 

different pathway and lipid radicals can be 

stabilized by forming an epoxy quinone. In 

summary, the key message here is that one 

molecule of carnosic acid can neutralize 

two lipid radical molecules. 3 

What we can learn from the chemistry 

explained here is that carnosic acid 

can generate a variety of secondary 

antioxidants. This unique cascade-type 

process is likely to amplify the antioxidative 

power of carnosic acid and hence of 

rosemary extract and to constitute an 

Cristina Murcia 

García, PhD 

Technical Service 

Manager, Kemin 

Nutrisurance EMEA 

Dr Cristina Murcia 

García gained her PhD in 

Chemistry with focus on redox 

reactions from the University 

of Bonn (Germany). Since then, she has specialized in 

managing oxidation in rendering and pet food products. 

She works as Technical Service Manager for Kemin 

Nutrisurance Europe where she provides solutions to 

improve raw materials and pet food safety and shelf-life. 

Besides, she develops tailor-made trials and protocols for 

customers and holds customer specific trainings on topics 

like oxidation, freshness, and food safety. 

effective defense mechanism.4 In sum, 

the main driver for the antioxidant activity 

of rosemary extract is carnosic acid. 

This means the higher the carnosic acid 

concentration in a rosemary extract, the 

better will be its antioxidant activity. The 

rest of the phenolic diterpenes will also have 

some antioxidant activity but lower than 

carnosic acid because, as we have seen, they 

are degradation products from the carnosic 

acid molecule. Besides, rosemary extracts 

contain also other antioxidants such as 

rosmarinic acid bringing more antioxidant 

power to the overall activity of this botanical 

extract. 

Olive extract 

Olive extract is another natural 

ingredient very well known for its health 

Figure 1. Proposed oxygen quenching mechanism of rosemary extract. 

Figure 2. Proposed hydrogen transfer mechanism of rosemary extract. 


23 

Photos: Kemin

INGREDIENTS 

Figure 3. Chemical structure of oleuropein 

Photos: Kemin 

Figure 4. Proposed radical scavenging mechanism of hydroxytyrosol. 

benefits and widely used for centuries in 

the countries of the Mediterranean area. 

Apart from its health or endogenous 

antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, 

recent research has shown the potential 

benefit of using olive extract as an 

exogenous antioxidant to prevent 

oxidation of fats, oils and fat containing 

matrices. 

Since olives are a raw material extensively 

used in human nutrition, the question 

arose if it could be economically suitable 

as an ingredient for the feed and pet 

food industries. Not all parts of the olive 

tree are used at the moment for human 

consumption. Among others, there are 

the leaves and there is the waste of the 

olive fruit after production of olive oil. 

Both co-products are rich in polyphenols 

with potential antioxidant activity. 

In olive materials we can find two 

interesting molecules for our antioxidant 

purpose: oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. 

These two catechols have shown 

endogenous and exogenous free radical 

scavenging activity.⁵ 

Although we can find both active 

ingredients in olive leaf and fruit, olive 

leaves are rich in oleuropein while olive 

fruits main ingredient is hydroxytyrosol. 

Oleuropein has shown an important 

antimicrobial effect as well as some 

endogenous antioxidant activity.⁶ 

Nowadays there are a number of 

supplements in the market for human 

but also for petfood claiming immune 

system boost thanks to the properties 

of oleuropein (just type on your web 

browser pet food supplement with 

oleuropein and you will find several 

companies offering such products). 

Unfortunately, as technological additive 

to control oxidation of fats and oils, 

oleuropein as such has shown a poor 

antioxidant activity in comparison 

with hydroxytyrosol and other known 

antioxidants.⁷ 

On the contrary, hydroxytyrosol has been 

demonstrated to be an ideal candidate to 

be considered as exogenous antioxidant 

to prevent the oxidation of feed and pet 

food relevant matrices.⁸,⁹ A few studies 

have proposed the mode of action of 

hydroxytyrosol, mainly by using radical 

scavenging reaction mechanism in 

which the hydroxytyrosol molecule can 

neutralized lipid radicals (ROO°). See 

figure 4. 

Kemin internal results have shown that 

the antioxidant activity of olive fruit 

extract can be enhanced by combination 

with known natural antioxidant 

molecules and that contrary to rosemary 

extract and carnosic acid, higher 

amounts of hydroxytyrosol in an olive 

extract do not necessarily mean better 

antioxidant activity.10 

Several studies have shown that olive 

fruit extract containing hydroxytyrosol 

but not only shows antioxidant 

activity comparable to that of pure 

hydroxytyrosol, perhaps due to the 

presence of active derivatives of 

hydroxytyrosol and other phenolic 

compounds which promote synergistic 

effects in the extract that are not 

available when using the pure molecule. 

Further research is needed to elucidate 

the mode of action of the antioxidants 

present in the olive extract. 

1https://ec.europa.eu/food/food-feed-portal/ 

screen/feed-additives/search accessed on 

11th November 2023 

2https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_ 

impl/2024/1068/oj - Commission 

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1068 of 

12 April 2024. 

3T. Masuda, Y. Inaba, Y. Takeda, J. Agric. Food 

Chem, 2001,49,5560-5565;; S. L. Richheimer, 

M. W. Bernart, G. A. King, M. C. Kent, D. T. Bailey, 

J. Am. Oil. Chem. Soc. 1996, 73, 507-514; 

4 M. Loussouarn, L. Krieger-Liszkay, A. Bily, 

S. Birtić, M. Havaux, Plant Physiol. 2017 

Nov;175(3):1381-1394 

⁵ M. Fiorini, V. Crognaletti, O. Sabry, P. Fattori, 

Processes 2021, 9, 433. 

⁶ D. Borjan, M. Leitgeb, Molecules 2020, 25, 

5946 

⁷ M.H. Gordon, F. Paiva-Martins, M. Almeida, J. 

Agric. Food Chem., 2001, 49, 2480-2485 

⁸A.Y. V. Theah, T. O. Akanbi, Antioxidants 2023, 

12, 929 

⁹ L. Martínez-Zamora, R. Peñalver, G. Ros, G. 

Nieto, Foods. 2021 Oct 28;10(11):2611 

10 Kemin R&D internal results 



www.kemin.com 

24 


Emsland Group at Interzoo 

INGREDIENTS 

Interzoo 2024 

May 7-10 

Nuremberg 

Hall 4 Booth 4-420 

The Emsland Group will be exhibiting for 

the first time at the Interzoo in Nuremberg 

from May 7 to 10. The Emsland Group is an 

international company that manufactures 

innovative products based on plant-based 

raw materials for the pet food processing 

industry, among others. 

The plant-based ingredients of the 

Emsland Group are made from peas 

and potatoes. In line with their guiding 

principle — “using nature to create” 

— the company has developed the 

innovative Empet® products for domestic 

and commercial animal nutrition. The 

components of potatoes and peas are 

ideal to support the market trends. These 

materials offer the possibility to produce 

non-GMO, natural and gluten- and grainfree 

products. The portfolio of the Emsland 

Group for animal nutrition consists of 

proteins, fibers, potato flakes and starches. 

Pet food should contain various amino 

acids. Although pets are capable 

of producing the majority of these 

themselves, there are 10 (essential) 

amino acids which they cannot generate. 

Peas and potatoes are excellent sources 

of easily digestible vegetable proteins 

and therefore our Empet® protein 

ingredients supplement the daily diet. 

These ingredients are rich in essential 

amino acids such as lysine, methionine, 

cysteine, valine, and arginine. Empet® pea 

and potato proteins offer many appealing 

qualities such as a low ash content as 

well as a lack of GMOs, allergens, grains 

and gluten. In terms of sustainability, 

these plant-based proteins are also more 

sustainable than their animal-based 

counterparts. 

Fibers can play a very important role in a 

pet’s diet. Insoluble fibers are responsible 

for creating a feeling of fullness without 

adding any calories. A higher fiber content 

in everyday animal feed increases the 

quantity of feed without increasing its 

energy content, meaning that the animal 

feels full without overeating. Especially 

for overweight animals, this can make it 

easier to implement a weight loss diet; it 

can also improve the feeling of fullness for 

animals that are constantly hungry, aiding 

in the prevention of obesity. The Emsland 

Group’s Empet® E 5 ingredients play what 

could be called a “mechanical” role in 

the digestive tract. Fibers have proven 

effective in relieving the symptoms of 

various diarrheal diseases. Fibers even 

can be helpful for diseases of the liver and 

kidneys. They lower the pH value in the gut 

and thus reduce the amount of ammonia 

released, which in turn provides relief 

to the metabolism through the positive 

effect of fibers’ strong ability to absorb 

water on diarrheal diseases. 

Potato flakes produced from fresh 

potatoes are applicable in a wide range 

of wet and dry pet food products, for 

example in products made by an extrusion 

process. In animal nutrition, potato flakes 

are used as a cold water functional binder, 

dough improver or for optimizing process 

viscosity for extrusion. 

Meet the Emsland Group at the Interzoo 

at booth 4-420 and discover their plantbased 

ingredients made from potatoes 

and peas. 



www.emsland-group.de/en 

Photos: Emsland Group 


25

MARKETING 

Food Ingredients Goes Pet 

The Fi Europe exhibition has been running for many years and is a important fixed point in the annual calendar. The world's leading 

suppliers attend and meet with the biggest food manufacturers. The focus has been on innovation and ingredients for food and 

beverages for human consumption and has both followed and created the trends in recent years. Until now. Ian Healey talked to 

Yannick Verry, Brand Manager of the international Food Ingredients Exhibitions organizer Informa Markets about a surprising new 

initiative for 2024. 

Simultaneously, a growing number of our visitors are seeking 

solutions around pet food manufacturing, whether it is all-inone 

contract manufacturing or specific needs, such as a novel 

ingredient or new equipment that safeguards nutritional value 

during processing. We’re talking about more than 15% of our 

visitors who come to the show for pet nutrition, which is amazing 

if you think we’ve never promoted the event specifically to the 

pet food manufacturing community. It’s a best kept secret until 

today, for those who’ve been attending the show in the past few 

years. 

But this is not surprising because consumers are more demanding 

than ever, making continuous innovation in this dynamic market 

a necessity. And Fi Europe is at the forefront of F&B innovation - 

it’s the place to see and feel the products that we will enjoy on 

our plates tomorrow. That’s why the show takes place every year 

unlike most of the events in our industry, and it allows pet food 

makers to get ahead of their competition. 

Photo: FI Global 

chnology & Marketing 

chnology & Marketing 

Yannick Verry, Brand Manager, Food Ingredients Europe & 

Americas 


Hi Yannick, please introduce yourself and 

Informa Markets to our readers. 

Hello Ian. I am the Event Director for Food ingredients Europe, 

organized by Informa Markets. Fi Europe was launched in 1986 

and is the world’s largest event for ingredients and innovation 

in the food and beverage industry. Fi Europe is an annual show 

and alternates between Paris and Frankfurt, where 1500+ 

suppliers of food ingredients and manufacturing solutions 

present their latest products and innovative solutions to 

manufacturers of finished F&B and pet food products. 


Why is a food ingredient event now interested 

in reaching pet food suppliers? 

Prior to my role at Informa Markets, I worked for 12 years in Asia 

on one of the largest exhibitions for pet supplies and developed 

a strong interest in the sector. After joining Fi Europe last year, 

I identified that suppliers of pet food solutions already had a 

huge presence at the event: about one third of our exhibitors 

are proactively promoting their pet food innovations at the 

show. With around 450 companies fitting this profile, this 

makes Fi Europe the largest annual gathering of suppliers for 

the pet food industry in Europe. 

How do you see the pet food market developing 

in the next 5 to 10 years? How does this compare 

to food for humans? 

According to research from Mordor Intelligence, the global pet 

food market is growing at 8.54% CAGR over the period 2024- 

2029, faster than F&B – growing at roughly 6% annually over the 

same period. 

On the one hand, the premiumization of pet food products 

alongside the humanization of our furry friends drives the 

market value up. And on the other hand, budget constraints 

among consumers add to the challenge of manufacturing good 

products at reasonable prices. If you add sustainability objectives 

or the competition over usage of resources (fatty acids in pet 

food vs biofuels for instance), brands will need to rely on the 

most innovative suppliers to stay relevant and grow in the next 

10 years. 

What is the plan to offer a pet food zone and how 

would this look? 

The Petfood Suppliers Hub will be located at the heart of Fi 

Europe near some of our largest exhibitors, offering maximum 

exposure to pet food innovations. The area will gather suppliers 

of equipment, technology, contract manufacturing and services 

alongside the large contingent of ingredients manufacturers and 

premix solutions already available at Fi Europe. 

It will be a platform for suppliers to share and exchange insights 

into the latest market trends and science-backed innovations, 

meet the world’s largest pet food manufacturers seeking to stay 

ahead of the curve, and newcomers with fresh ideas and different 

business models. 

26 


y & Marketing 

Will existing exhibitors have to have two stands? 

Exhibitors with an existing stand can enhance the exposure of 

their pet food offering at preferential rates through easy-to-setup 

“petfood pods” or pre-fitted kickstart packages, while leading the 

conversation on innovation and increasing traffic to their main 

stand. 

Only the best for 

our loved ones. 

On the other end, new exhibitors and particularly those 

offering processing technology, production equipment and 

contract manufacturing solutions will benefit from a large 

base of highly qualified visitors, with our core audience being 

decision makers in procurement & purchasing, engineering & 

technical management, R&D, plant management and product 

development. 

y & Marketing 

y & Marketing 

How will this pet food vision benefit from other Fi 

shows? 

Fi is a global series of exhibitions: from North to South America, 

from South-East Asia to China, Japan and Korea, from Europe to 

Africa, we have built a global community of tastemakers. This 

unparalleled network is an absolute treat for exhibitors at Fi 

Europe, the largest and most international of our shows, where 

80% of the audience is international. 

Is Informa planning an exclusive show for pet 

food, or pet supplies in the future? 

Given the overlap in challenges and opportunities between F&B 

and pet food, we believe that a single event can effectively serve 

both industries. But our aim is to provide the best platform that 

meets the industry’s ever evolving needs and particularities. 

We’re always listening to our community, so anything is possible. 

Stay tuned and see you at Fi Europe 2024 in 

Frankfurt - November 19-21! 


www.figlobal.com 

Real brewers‘ yeast – 

really effective. 

Leiber YeaFi ® 

brewers‘ yeast products 

CeFi ® pro 

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SHOWCASE 

Japanese Pet Food Sector Moves 

Towards Premiumization Going 

Forward into 2024 

by Eugene Gerden 

The Japanese pet food sector is steadily 

growing these days thanks to the ever 

growing demand for high-quality 

products and tighthening competition, 

despite the general reduction of the 

number of pets in local households. 

Similar to most of EU markets, the 

Japanese pet food market has faced 

with a sharp growth of inflation in recent 

years, caused by ongoing geopolitical 

instability, high prices for energy sources 

and the Ukranian war. 

The growth of energy prices especially 

hit Japan, since the country’s own energy 

production is insufficient, which forces 

it to meet most of its energy needs by 

imports. Since 2022 the cost of such 

supplies has significantly increased, which 

put a serious pressure on the majority 

of segments of industrial production, 

including pet food. 

The economic problems has led to the 

fact that the cost of ownership of pets in 

Japan has significantly increased, which 

forced many of local households to 

substantially cut spending on their pets 

Nestle Purina Japan range 

and to save on purchase of new ones. In 

addition, the growth of production costs 

have created serious problems for many 

of leading local players. 

In fact, the Japanese market has been 

traditionally within the sphere of interests 

of major global players, many of which 

has traditionally increased their presence 

in the local market in recent years. 

An example is Nestlé Purina PetCare, 

which currently remains one of the 

leading local players, planning a further 

expansion in the Japanese market. 

As Kensuke Otani, Business Executive 

Officer, Nestlé Purina PetCare, Nestlé Japan 

Limited told in an exclusive interview the 

Japanese market remains one of the most 

prirority for the company, while more 

active growth is limited by generally high 

rates of inflation in Japan, which have been 

observed in recent years. At the same time, 

according to him, most of local players pay 

big attention for more active launch of 

innovative products to the market, which 

could provide them additional competitive 

advantages over local rivals. 

Kensuke Utani, Business Executive Officer 

Nestle Purina Petcare Nestle Jap...imited 

Kensuke Otani comments: 

"The whole category was more focused 

on coping with the inflation in last 2 years, 

however going into 2024 we see much 

more innovations being introduced to 

market signaling refocus on category 

growth". 

As Otani has also added while the number 

of pets in Japan is steadily decreasing due 

to the cost and other issues, the market 

still has big potential for a further growth. 

Kensuke Otani continues: 

"Despite continuous decline on pet 

population, pet food market in Japan 

has been growing in value capturing 

the humanization trend and through 

premiumization. We believe this trend will 

continue for next years". 

In the meantime, in addition to Nestle 

Purina Petcare another global major Mars 

has also puts big hopes for the further 

expansion of its Japanese business this 

year, giving a prirority to the premium 

segment of the market. 

In recent years the company has extended 

its Japanese pet food portfolio, planning 

its further expansion in 2024-2025. 

As Yuho Nakamura, an exclusive 

spokesman of the company told in an 

exclusive interview the company has 

extended line for Kalkan Pouch/No 

28 


SHOWCASE 

Photo: AdobeStock_160540603 

colorants or coloring agents and added 3 

products (1 for kitten, 2 for senior cats) in 

February of the current year. 

The company puts big hopes on more 

active promotion of its products among 

Japanese customers this year, paying 

a particular focus to natural, organic 

products, such as Nutro, a natural pet 

food, and Greenies, which provides health 

value through treats. 

As Nakamura believes the current trends 

will continue to be observed in the market 

throughout the entire 2024. 

Yuho Nakamura continues: 

"Similar to recent market trends, we 

assume that the number of dogs will 

decline and that small and ultra-small 

dogs will become the norm, resulting in 

lower volume, but that demand for highvalue-added 

pet food will remain strong 

as pets become a part of the family". 

According to experts of the Japanese Pet 

Food Association, the Japanese pet food 

market is characterized by high level of 

maturity and generally low growth rates, 

being varied in the range of 2-4% in value 

terms. 

common pets in Japan - kept is either 

flat or on the decline, while most of 

local pet food companies are focusing 

on developing high-priced products 

with enhanced functionality and quality. 

Meanwhile, the average lifespan of pets 

was 14.62 years for dogs and 15.79 years 

for cats. 

In response to the aging of pets, the 

demand for pet food is growing with the 

increase of production high value-added 

products for seniors, such as those for 13 

years and older and those for 15 years 

and older. At the same time, the market 

for therapeutic foods and supplements 

with nutritional balance is also expanding. 

Some manufacturers have started selling 

treats for cats that are gender-specific. 

In the snack category, sales of products 

based on the concept of dental care are 

alsdo increasing. 

According to producers and experts of the 

Japanese Pet Food Association, currently 

best-selling pet foods are shifting to 

higher price ranges, while more and 

more local manufacturers are focusing 

Mars Pet Nutrition range in Japan 

on developing products with increased 

added value. At the same time the number 

of health-conscious owners who are 

concerned about their pets' health, and 

pets' preference for gourmet food is also 

growing. It is expected that the segment of 

premium foods with high prices and high 

profit margins will remain one of the major 

drivers for growth for the entire Japanese 

pet food market in the future. Finally, the 

segment of super premium foods that 

emphasize further differentiation such as 

additive-free and non-allergenic foods will 

be further growing at higher rates, that 

the average growth rates of the market. 

In general, according to experts of the 

Association, the demand for pet food in 

Japan will continue to grow, as many of 

local companies launched new products 

with health-conscious features such as 

low-salt content. The list of major local 

players includes Unicharm, Mars Japan 

Limited, Nestlé Japan, and Nippon Hills 

Colgate. Unicharm, the biggest national 

pet food producer, is famous for its 

brands such as "Gin no Spoon" and "Ainu 

Genki", which are very popular among 

the Japanese customers being currently 

among the most renowned brands. 


The Author 

Eugene Gerden is a freelance writer specializing in 

pet food and animal feed. 


https://petfood.or.jp/English/ 

message/index.html 

https://www.jppma.or.jp/english/ 

In general, the overall value of the market 

is estimated at about 400 billion yen. In 

recent years there have been clear trends 

of the decline of sales of dog food, with a 

simultaneous growth of cat food. 

According to the Pet Food Association, 

the estimated number of dogs kept 

in Japanese households in 2023 was 

approximately 6,844 million, while 

estimated number of cats owned was 

approximately 9,069,000. 

As experts of the Association told the 

number of dogs and cats – the most 


29

PROCESSING 

Enhancing Pet Food Safety with 

Cutting-Edge Magnetic Separation 

Technologies 

by Chris Ramsdell, Eriez Product Manager – Separation 

Photos: Eriez 

RF cartridge 

DIH 2-007 

Grate In Housing-109 

Pet owners worldwide consider their furry 

companions integral members of the 

family, emphasizing the importance of 

ensuring the safety and quality of pet food. 

In alignment with the rigorous standards 

applied to human food production, leading 

pet food manufacturers globally turn to 

Eriez magnetic separation equipment to 

guarantee their products are free from 

metal contamination, a potential hazard to 

pets. 

Metallic impurities jeopardize the integrity 

of pet food, necessitating the rejection of 

affected batches. These contaminants can 

originate from various sources, including 

transportation vehicles used for product 

delivery, such as tanker trucks or railcars. 

Additionally, internal contamination 

may occur during material processing, 

grinding, or general abrasion within 

the manufacturing plant. Fortunately, 

the application of magnetic separation 

equipment proves instrumental in 

mitigating or eliminating ferrous metal 

contamination issues. 

Cutting-edge magnetic separators, 

available in diverse designs, effectively 

remove ferrous materials such as nails, rust, 

scale, hardware, and other contaminants 

from both dry and liquid pet food products. 

This article delves into the application 

of magnetic separation equipment in 

pet food facilities, highlighting its role in 

producing a safer, higher-quality pet food 

product. 

Liquid Line Magnetic Separators 

For low-viscosity ingredients that flow 

freely, Eriez recommends Model B-Traps. 

These separators utilize a set of cantilevered 

rare earth tube magnets inserted into 

a cast stainless steel sump body. As the 

product weaves through the magnetic 

tubes, ferrous contaminants attach to the 

tubes. The powerful rare earth magnetic 

circuit holds onto these materials until the 

unit is cleaned. 

For high-viscosity products like meat 

emulsions and final wet food products, 

the Eriez Model U-Trap is the preferred 

magnetic separator. The high-strength 

rare earth plate magnet is mounted to the 

bottom of a cast housing where it does 

not impede product flow. The U-Shape 

housing construction forces the product 

to come in close contact with the plate 

magnet which attracts and holds any 

ferrous contaminants until an operator 

cleans it off. 

Simmons Pet Food has five pet food 

production facilities in North America 

that produce more than 3,500 unique 

SKUs. At their wet pet food facility in 

Mississauga, Ontario, Simmons installed 

several U-Traps to serve as a quality check 

for final wet food products. These units are 

installed downstream of a mixing tank and 

emulsifier, immediately upstream of their 

metal detectors. (See "Protecting Pets with 

Magnetic Separation Technologies" - White 

Paper FA-57 Eriez Model U Magnetic Traps 

Eriez Model B Magnetic Traps on 4" lines.) 

With this equipment arrangement, metal 

detectors focus on identifying any nonmagnetic 

metals that may be present in 

the product. The U-Traps remove ferrous 

metal contaminants upstream of the metal 

detectors, reducing the amount of product 

rejected by the metal detectors. According 

to Maintenance Manager Kenn Jones, these 

traps reliably recover ferrous fines 2-3 mm 

in size and have helped Simmons increase 

total product yield while maintaining high 

quality standards. 

Dry Bulk Ingredients 

For dry ingredient applications with higher 

throughput requirements, Eriez suggests 

incorporating magnetic drums-inhousing 

to remove ferrous contaminants. 

Drum magnets are commonly installed 

to process pet food ingredients like 

corn, grains, chicken/turkey meals, dry 

vegetables and beet pulp. These units 

are typically placed near the beginning 

30 



of the process where most of these bulk 

ingredients are unloaded from rail cars and 

trucks before further processing. Magnetic 

drums can also be installed at the end of 

the process to provide a quality check on 

dry bulk kibble. 

Drum magnets are self-cleaning magnet 

assemblies that continuously remove 

ferrous contaminants from a product flow. 

The magnet assembly is enclosed within a 

stainless-steel drum and fixed in position. 

The drum shell rotates around the magnet, 

conveying the material through the 

magnetic field. The clean (non-magnetic) 

material cascades off the drum face on 

its normal trajectory while the magnetic 

material is drawn around the drum and 

discharged at the bottom. Magnetic drums 

designed with ceramic magnet circuits are 

ideal for removing relatively large ferrous 

objects from a dry product flow, while 

rare earth magnetic circuits are utilized 

to remove very fine or weakly magnetic 

contamination. 

For lower throughput applications, 

Eriez recommends magnetic grates-inhousing. 

These units, usually installed 

in vertical chutes, can be supplied with 

one or multiple rows of magnetic grates 

with staggered permanent magnetic 

tubes to capture ferrous contaminants. 

Dry ingredients entering the housing are 

forced to weave through the staggered 

magnetic tubes, effectively removing 

everything from hardware to metal 

shavings. Eriez Rare Earth Magnetic Grates- 

In-Housing can remove contaminants 

as small as fine ferrous dust and scale. 

They are suitable for processing fine, freeflowing 

ingredients such as milled grains 

and pet food powders. 

The simplest versions incorporate a singlelayer 

magnetic grid and are used inside a 

hopper so that raw materials must pass 

through the grates as material feeds from 

the hopper. Multiple row units improve 

separation effectiveness. Grate-housing 

designs may include a standard grate 

that can be removed from the housing for 

manual cleaning. An easy-to-clean grate 

design enables push/pull operation to strip 

accumulated tramp metal from the grates 

without physically handling the magnet. 

Eriez also offers an Automatic Easy-To- 

Clean model which uses a set of pneumatic 

cylinders to automatically discharge tramp 

metal from the magnetic grates with the 

push of a button or timer control. 

About Eriez® 

Established in 1942, Eriez is a global 

leader in separation technologies. Our 

commitment to innovation has positioned 

us as a driving market force in several key 

technology areas, including magnetic 

separation, flotation, metal detection 

and material handling equipment. The 

company’s 900+ employees are dedicated 

Pneumatic Line Magnetic 

Separators 

Many dry ingredients are brought into 

processing facilities from trucks or railcars 

via air conveyance. This is where the Eriez 

Model RF (Radial Field) Cartridge comes 

in. When a truck or train car pulls into the 

material unloading area and pneumatic 

lines are used to transfer the incoming 

material into the plant, Eriez RF Cartridges 

are often installed on the other side of 

building/wall to safeguard against metal 

entering the plant. 

As material enters 

the RF Cartridge 

inlet, it contacts 

a fixed nose 

cone, forcing the 

material to the 

outside walls of 

the housing. The 

material then 

cascades around 

a cylindrical magnetic 

element 

and ferrous contaminants 

attract 

and attach to the 

magnet’s collection 

points. 

For cleaning, an 

operator can 

easily remove a 

magnetic element 

and wipe it off 

with a gloved 

hand or rag. This 

unit is designed 

for installation in 

3" - 6" lines (25psi 

Positive Pressure / 

-10psi Vacuum). 


B Trap Water Jacketed 


www.eriez.com 

PERFECT FOR 

PETFOOD 

The cutters, grinders and 

mixer grinders from K+G Wetter: 

Efficient technology for 

the production of petfood. 

More hygiene, more shelf life, 

more quality. 

to providing trusted technical solutions to 

the mining, food, recycling, packaging, 

aggregate and other processing industries. 

Headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, 

Eriez designs, manufactures, and markets 

on six continents through 12 wholly 

owned international subsidiaries and an 

extensive sales representative network. 

I NTERZO O 


H A L L 4 A , 

B O OT H 4 1 2 


www.kgwetter.de 

31


HANDTMANN and MULTIVAC host 

the Future Pet Food Conference 


Photos: Handtmann 

Pet food is a fast-growing market, 

developing rapidly and subject to 

significant change. New products 

and forms of presentation are being 

continuously pushed onto the market. 

The response of HANDTMANN and 

MULTIVAC to this development is a twoday 

European Future Pet Food Conference. 

As strategic partners in the area of fully 

automated and economical line solutions 

from a single source, the two companies 

offer medium-scale and industrial pet 

food producers from across Europe an 

industry hub with a perfect mix of knowhow, 

technology and networking. 

Industry experts and key players will 

present the latest developments and 

best practice solutions from product 

preparation to processing and packaging 

in the customer and technology centre 

at the HANDTMANN headquarters 

in Biberach, Upper Swabia. In live 

demonstration, experts will provide in- 

depth insights into the economic 

production and packaging options for 

the top-innovative product categories 

of dry pet food and snack products, 

wet and cooked pet food as well as 

a variety of sausages and sausage 

products. Pioneering innovations such 

as digital solutions and trends with 

market potentials, for example pet food 

containing insect protein, will be another 

focus of this industry gathering. 

Registration for the conference is now 

open. 



www.handtmann.com/petfood 

32 


Download our brochure


Pilot Plant Innovation for Food 

and Petfood Industry 

Photos: Revtech Process Systems creates industrial solutions for thermal processing and pasteurization 

Revtech’s innovation for 2024: a major 

investment has been made in an 

industrial pilot unit for the food industry, 

propelling innovation and quality. 

Revtech, at the forefront of innovation 

in the food industry, proudly announces 

its major investment in 2024 with the 

complete modernization of its pilot 

plant. 

This project marks a significant turning 

point for the company, strengthening its 

commitment to quality and technological 

excellence. The pilot, equipped with 

100% electric technologies, provides real 

heat treatment processing conditions 

for a variety of products, redefining 

transformation standards with increased 

efficiency, reduced heat 

losses, and shorter heating times. At 

Revtech, innovation meets customer 

satisfaction: every step of the process, 

from the technological hall to custom 

design, demonstrates the ongoing 

commitment to excellence to address 

tomorrow's challenges. 

In 2023, Revtech undertook a major 

investment: the complete modernization 

of the pilot workshop, 

accompanied by the installation of 

an industrial-scale food pilot unit. 

The latter operates continuously 

and provides industrial conditions 

for a wide range of products and 

applications. This project represents a 

significant milestone for the company, 

reinforcing Revtech's commitment to 

the quality of services offered to its 

existing and future customers. The pilot 

is equipped with a feeding hopper, a 

Revtech heating tower, a steam boiler, a 

hot air generator, and a vibrofluidized 

bed cooler. 

The technical features of the heating 

tower significantly modify conventional 

transformation methods, with more 

efficient heating, reduced heat 

losses, lower temperatures used, 

and shorter heating times. Revtech's 

technology is 100% electric, avoiding 

the use of natural gas, positioning 

the company on a current challenge: 

sustainable development. A special 

attention is offered to each customer 

with active participation in trials in 

the pilot workshop, reproducing 

the real conditions of their product 

transformation, for seeds, cereals, pulses, 

herbs, spices and many more. These 

trials, whether related to pasteurization, 

roasting, or the modification of 

34 



functional or organoleptic properties, 

along with the time spent exchanging 

ideas, contribute to establishing a close 

relationship with customers. 

The trials conducted allows defining 

optimal transformation parameters 

with customers: heating temperatures, 

residence times, product flow rates, gas 

injection, and many others. Samples 

obtained during these trials undergo 

thorough analysis, either internally 

at Revtech or with external service 

providers. These data are then used by 

the technical department to design 

custom-made machines meeting the 

specific needs of each customer. 

This project was supported by BPI France 

with financing through a relaunch loan 

from Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes FEDER 

REACT EU and an Innovation - Research 

& Development loan from BPI France. At 

Revtech, the commitment to innovation 

and customer satisfaction guides 

every step of the process, from design 

to realization. This project marks a 

significant advancement in the constant 

pursuit of technological excellence for 

the agri-food industry. 

About REV TECH 

Founded in 1997, Revtech benefits from unparalleled experience in 

creating industrial solutions for thermal processing and pasteurization 

of dry ingredients, powdery, and gaseous products. Based on various 

patented innovations, Revtech offers its customers a unique approach to 

accompany them in the accomplishment of their different projects. Thus, 

from conception to manufacturing, our team of experts implements 

a range of personalized services for the maximum return on your 

technological investments. 


www.revtech-process-systems.fr 


Revtech offers a unique approach to accomplishing different projects 

Photos: revtech process system 


35


Batching Systems in the Pet Food 

Industry: Precision and Efficiency 

The world of pet food production requires 

maximum precision in the dosing and 

packaging of ingredients. Charging 

systems play a decisive role in this. 

Batching systems are indispensable in 

the pet food industry. These industrial 

systems enable ingredients to be dosed, 

transferred and weighed in precisely 

defined quantities. But their importance 

goes beyond mere dosing. 

They are used to mix and, if necessary, 

package ingredients in precisely measured 

quantities. This not only ensures 

compliance with recipes, but also the 

quality and consistency of the end 

products. 

Pet food production often requires a wide 

range of ingredients, including meat, 

grains, vitamins and minerals. Batching 

systems ensure that these ingredients are 

mixed in the right quantities and ratios to 

meet the nutritional requirements of pets. 

The core functions of batching 

systems 

Batching systems are versatile and provide 

a number of basic functions: 

1. Accurate dosing: the main task of a 

batching system is to accurately dose 

ingredients according to specified recipes 

or formulas. This is crucial to ensure the 

quality and consistency of the pet food 

products produced. 

2. Safe decanting: after dispensing, 

materials are safely transferred into containers 

or packaging. This ensures not 

only hygiene, but also the prevention of 

waste. 

3. Weighing: the integrated weighing 

systems ensure that the correct amount 

of materials enters the packaging. 

This is essential to ensure compliance 

with quality standards and regulatory 

requirements. 

Additional functions for 

efficiency and flexibility 

Modern batching systems also offer a 

wide range of additional functions that 

further optimize the production process: 

1. Process control and monitoring: the 

plants are equipped with advanced control 

systems that can monitor and control 

the production process in real time. This 

ensures continuous quality assurance. 

2. Recipe software: The integration of 

recipe software allows different mixes 

and batches to be adjusted quickly and 

precisely, depending on the requirements 

of the pet food product. 

3. Adaptability: modern charging systems 

are able to adapt to different container 

sizes. This increases flexibility and 

efficiency in production. 

4. Easy cleaning: hygiene is critical in the 

pet food industry. Charging systems are 

designed to be easy to clean to avoid 

contamination. 

Conclusion 

Batching systems are indispensable 

tools in the pet food industry, enabling 

precise dosing, safe transfer and accurate 

weighing of ingredients. With additional 

features for process control, adaptability 

and easy cleaning, they contribute 

to efficiency and quality assurance in 

production. In an industry that focuses 

on the health and well-being of pets, 

batching systems are an essential part of 

the production chain. 

These multiple features and benefits of a 

batching system from Mohn were seen at 

Anuga FoodTec in Cologne, Germany, last 

month. 



www.mohn-gmbh.com 

Photo: Mohn 

36 


BAKE 

DRY & COOK & BAKE SOLUTIONS 

HEALTHIER TREATS 

H A P P 

I E R 

P E T S 

· New All-in-One technology: 

Dehydrating, cooking and baking 

by forced convection 

· Acceleration of Innovation: 

Allows to develop new foods 

and treats for pets 

· Great Versatility: 

Possibility to dry & cook & bake 

any type of product and format 

· Process Optimization: 

Continuous system, with superior 

performance and lower energy consumption 

· Full Connectivity 4.0: 

Full control of the process 

www.metalquimia.com


Earth Animal is Top Dog in 

Product Quality 

Safeline - Earth Animal HMI 

Earth Animal is elevating standards in 

the pet food industry. For the past 42 

years, the company has pursued the 

highest product quality when processing 

and packaging its all-natural chews, 

treats, dog food and more. In addition 

to using the best ingredients from 

reputable suppliers, Earth Animal relies 

on world-class inspection equipment 

including a Mettler-Toledo Safeline X33 

x-ray inspection system, installed at their 

“Riverstone” facility in Westminster, MD. 

“We completed a big, facility-wide 

renovation and updated our lines with 

the latest technology. It was our sales 

rep, Dick DeNenno at Reliant Packaging 

Machinery, who encouraged us to go 

with x-ray inspection. X-ray systems 

identify and remove stones, shells, glass, 

rubber and other foreign bodies, in 

addition to detecting metal,” said Kelly 

Raiser, General Manager and co-owner 

of Earth Animal’s Riverstone facility. 

“Our pet foods are made with real, fresh 

ingredients, which means that natural 

foreign materials like pebbles are not 

uncommon. With our X33, we can be 

sure no foreign bodies make their way 

into the final product – we’re protecting 

our customers and their pets, as well as 

our brand.” 

“Our new X33 x-ray system helped us 

see that our primary vulnerability comes 

from incoming raw ingredients, not from 

any issues inside our plant. Knowing this, 

we went to our ingredient suppliers and 

asked them to put in more safeguards on 

their side,” said Nick Stalder, Production 

Manager at Riverstone. “Now we can 

hold our suppliers accountable if it 

looks like foreign material came in with 

their raw product. Honestly, our X33 has 

already paid for itself with that process 

improvement alone.” 

Earth Animal’s Riverstone facility produces 

their Dr Bob Goldstein’s Wisdom® 

brand of dog food, which is packaged 

About METTLER TOLEDO 

METTLER TOLEDO is a global precision 

instruments and trusted solutions 

provider, across a large range of 

industries. With a focus on driving 

efficiency and innovation, the 

company aims to deliver value to its 

customers through solutions that help 

to boost productivity, combat rising 

manufacturers’ costs and embrace 

digitalisation. 

The METTLER TOLEDO Product Inspection 

division designs and manufactures both 

standard and customized inspection 

solutions, prioritising product safety, 

brand protection and quality assurance 

for food, pharmaceutical and chemical 

brands. Its solutions help to empower 

businesses to optimize operations, reduce 

costs and embrace digital transformation 

while meeting regulatory compliance. 

With a focus on safety and precision, 

the innovative solutions from METTLER 

TOLEDO help to deliver measurable 

results, enabling manufacturers to 

maintain the highest standards of 

product integrity and consumer trust. 

By partnering with METTLER TOLEDO, 

manufacturers will have the opportunity 

to navigate the challenges of the 

modern business landscape and achieve 

sustainable growth. 

With cutting-edge foreign body detection 

solutions, METTLER TOLEDO provides 

advanced holistic technologies that 

automate critical processes and help to 

mitigate recall risks. Metal detection and 

x-ray inspection technologies detect and 

reject contaminated product, plus support 

product quality and brand protection. 

Precision checkweighing technologies 

help manufacturers identify costly overfills 

and/or avoid potentially brand 

damaging under-fills, thus assisting to 

improve production line efficiency. Vision 

inspection solutions further enhance the 

METTLER TOLEDO offering by detecting 

label defects, reducing the risk of rework 

and product recalls. To facilitate real-time 

monitoring and digitalize food safety 

compliance on a global scale, METTLER 

TOLEDO provides the proprietary and 

innovative data management software, 

ProdX. 

The range of METTLER TOLEDO product 

inspection solutions are more than just 

technological innovations – they're 

strategic assets that support business 

success by helping to enhance productivity, 

reduce costs and embrace digitalization. As 

a trusted partner, the company is focused 

to delivering value and driving industry 

excellence for its clients worldwide. 

METTLER TOLEDO actively supports 

sustainability goals by providing solutions 

that help customers minimize food 

waste, reduce energy consumption and 

optimize resource utilization throughout 

their operations, contributing to a more 

sustainable future for the industry. 

38 



in four-sided, gusseted stand-up bags 

weighing 1, 3 and 10 lbs and made 

from a sustainable, biobase material 

formulated with sugar cane. This facility 

also produces pet treats in conventional 

stand-up pouches weighing between 4 

and 7 oz. A movable conveying system 

allows either of Riverstone’s two primary 

packaging lines to feed into one inline 

Mettler-Toledo X33 x-ray system at 

a rate of 18 to 20 bags per minute. 

Packages that don’t pass inspection are 

automatically removed from the line 

with a pneumatic reject device, also from 

the Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection. 

“Think of our dog food like a trail mix. It’s 

made up of dried meats, fruits, veggies 

and other ingredients, which all have 

different densities and moistures. That 

variability would be challenging for most 

x-ray systems but not the X33. It’s able to 

adjust for all those tiny differences,” said 

Claire Farrell, Quality Assurance – Quality 

Control Manager at Riverstone. “You can 

actually see each of the ingredients on 

the screen as the X33 inspects them. Its 

accuracy and sensitivity are impressive.” 

The Mettler-Toledo X33 x-ray system 

uses a 20-watt generator that consumes 

one-fifth of the power as their previousgeneration 

SmartChek and AdvanChek 

models, while achieving the same outstanding 

detection sensitivity. “We love 

that this system is so energy efficient,” 

said Raiser. “Sustainability is a huge 

part of every decision we make here 

at Earth Animal. It’s important that our 

x-ray system fits into our environmental 

pledge.” 

“Sanitation is another one of our top 

priorities. We always look for systems 

that are engineered for easy cleaning 

and maintenance,” said Carl Hammond, 

Facility Engineer at Riverstone. “Since 

our X33 is inspecting packaged product, 

it needs only a dry clean and then a 

sanitizer on the conveyor. The design 

improves equipment hygiene and 

reduces downtime, which supports our 

overall operating efficiency.” 

“Overall, this is an extremely reliable piece 

of equipment. We’ve had 100 percent 

uptime with our X33 to date and haven’t 

had a single test standard rejected – it 

works perfectly,” said Raiser. “The biggest 

thing for us as a company is knowing 

that our final product is up to our high 

food safety and quality requirements. 

Given our experiences with the Mettler- 

Toledo X33, I never want to run another 

Safeline - Earth Animal X-ray 

packaging line without this technology. 

The level of confidence and security it 

provides us is invaluable.” 



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Photos: Mettler Toledo 

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39

PACKAGING 

Weighing in Rough Environments: 

Capacitive Load Cells in Meat 

Processing 

Photos: EilerCal 

A Case Study on Eilersen 

Capacitive Load Cells 

In the highly competitive and industrially 

demanding meat processing industry, 

reliability and cost efficiency are crucial 

factors for operational success, whether 

competing locally or globally. 

Oestergaard A/S, a leading global meat 

rendering solutions market player, relies 

on Eilersen digital capacitive load cells for 

precise and reliable weight measurement 

— a critical measurement in meat 

rendering solutions and particularly 

relevant for the pet food industry. 

40 


PACKAGING 

Challenging environments 

drive a need for reliable 

weighing solutions 

In some industries, the working 

environment can be exceptionally 

demanding, and the meat rendering 

industry is a prime example of this. Anders 

Juul, who has been a part of this industry 

for more than two decades, has witnessed 

firsthand how the technology used in 

different load cells can impact day-to-day 

operations. 

Operating in meat production facilities 

can be challenging, with the pervasive 

presence of ammonia fumes and animal 

fats on most surfaces. These conditions 

create a particularly harsh environment 

for any load cell system and cause load 

cell cables to disintegrate after a few years. 

This scenario poses a significant challenge 

for weighing solutions, emphasizing the 

need for accurate and robust equipment 

to endure these tough conditions. 

Typically, a meat rendering machine 

from Oestergaard A/S is installed on four 

compression load cells and must operate 

under the following conditions: 

• A total working weight of up to 200 tons 

• Internal working temperatures ranging 

from 40°C to 180°C 

• Horizontal expansion of the machine, of 

up to 20 mm 

• Welding on machines during installation 

often occurs 

The Eilersen capacitive load cells have 

proven remarkably reliable over the years, 

with several beneficial features compared 

to traditional strain gauge load cells. 

For machines using Eilersen digital load 

cells, it is possible to monitor the load 

distribution on each load cell which is 

beneficial to ensure correct installation. 

The individual Eilersen digital load cells 

even send an error code if maintenance 

should be required for fast and easy 

trouble-shooting. But apart from features, 

it is the durability of Eilersen load cells that 

seems to impress customers experienced 

in weighing technology. Even though 

it is not recommended, employees at 

Oestergaard A/S often need to weld on 

or close to machines installed on load 

cells. Anders Juul, Project Manager at 

Oestergaard A/S explains: 

“Often, welding is required during 

the installation process, which often 

damages a strain gauge load cell, causing 

expensive delays as we need to order 

express delivery of replacement load cells 

to customer sites. However, we have not 

experienced damaging the Eilersen load 

cells since we started using them many 

years ago, even when welding on the 

machines.” 

Eilersen load cells installed a decade or 

more ago — some even 30 years back 

— have been operating with the same 

accuracy and reliability as when they 

were new, despite being exposed to high 

horizontal loads and frequent overloads. 

Reducing downtime using 

digital capacitive load cells 

The possibility of replacing load cell cable 

on Eilersen load cells without needing 

to change or recalibrate the weighing 

system makes them optimal for harsh 

meat rendering environments, where 

load cell cables often have a lifespan of 

only four to six years. These features, along 

with their consistent performance over 

time, not only showcase the exceptional 

longevity of Eilersen load cells but 

also their dependability, especially in 

challenging environments like the meat 

rendering industry. Anders Juul highlights 

the advantages of being able to replace 

load cell cables on-site without the need 

for recalibration of the system. He shares 

his experience with Eilersen capacitive 

load cells, saying: 

“We encounter no issues when using 

Eilersen load cells. Eilersen provides a 

reliable weighing system that’s not only a 

breeze for us to work with but also instills 

confidence in our customers who rely on 

the load cells in day-to-day operations. 

From planning to installation, the process 

is always smooth sailing. If something 

goes wrong after commissioning, and we 

need to replace a load cell cable, we can 

easily do so without replacing the entire 

load cell.” 

Expertise as a Service 

In the meat rendering industry, everything 

must go according to plan — always. But 

sometimes, unforeseen issues arise, and 

quick action and support is necessary. 

Anders is confident that there won’t ever 

be such an incident when using Eilersen. 

However, when Oestergaard A/S needs 

any assistance, expertise and first-class 

support is always available as a service. 

“If we ever need help, we just pick up 

the phone and call Eilersen. I’m only one 

phone call away from talking to someone 

who understands the situation and can 

help solve any issue. Having access to 

such expertise is critical for my role and 

our clients.” 

Eilersen Capacitive Load Cells 

While strain gauge load cells measure 

the change of resistance and strain of the 

load cell body, the capacitive technology 

instead measures the change of distance 

between the load cell body and an 

internal ceramic sensor. This patented 

contactless measurement principle makes 

the capacitive weighing technology able 

to tolerate extremely high overloads, 

side loads, torsional forces, and welding 

voltages. 

The capacitive load cells were invented 

at Eilersen and have been thoroughly 

tested and proven over 50 years. Eilersen 

load cells are known for being robust, 

accurate, and reliable. They are used 

in various industrial applications and 

industries ranging from offshore, logistics 

to the biopharma industry. The load cells 

are produced in stainless steel, are laser 

welded, and are an obvious choice for 

industries due to their hygienic design 

(IP68), digital output, and high overload 

tolerance. 

About Eilersen Electric A/S 

Since its foundation in 1969, Eilersen 

Electric A/S has been dedicated to 

developing, manufacturing, and 

supplying high-quality, robust load 

cells based on capacitive technology for 

measuring force and weight. Eilersen 

products are developed, manufactured, 

and individually calibrated in Denmark 

at the Eilersen ISO 9001:2015 certified 

manufacturing facilities. 

Eilersen – Made in Denmark, 

Trusted Worldwide 

At Eilersen we continuously invest in 

quality, product development, and 

unmatched customer support. This is why 

Eilersen is known worldwide and delivers 

to leading companies and customers in 

90+ countries. 



www.EilerCal.com 


41

PACKAGING 

Innovative Packaging with Easy- 

Opening Assistance for Sausage 

Snacks and Small Portions 

The TSCA 120 seal-clip machine from Poly-clip System is a highly efficient solution for snack packaging of 

sausage snacks or small portions. What makes it stand out? The specially developed film solution is used 

to create a PVDC-free packaging system with convenient tear assistance. This results in modern, attractive, 

and practical snack packaging that completely dispenses with components which could be harmful to the 

environment and consumer health. 

Healthy snacking is a growing trend. 

Nutritionists confirm that consumers 

increasingly value high-quality snacks 

with natural ingredients. Food producers 

are adapting their product portfolios to 

meet this demand. This includes suitable 

packaging that offers consumers a 

high level of convenience. The seal-clip 

machine TSCA 120 from Poly-clip System 

is an excellent solution for the production 

of innovative snack packaging of sausage 

products and other small portions. A 

major advantage of this packaging 

solution is that unlike conventional 

sausage-snack packaging, the clip 

packaging (clip-pak®) can be made from 

PVDC-free materials, while still delivering 

maximum performance. 

"Excellence in Clipping" with 

the seal-clip machine TSCA 120 

The seal-clip machine TSCA 120 reliably 

seals a flat film into a fillable tube and 

then closes the filled packaging with 

bacteria-tight R-ID clips. Using an 

innovative film solution, the machine 

produces highly cost-effective packaging 

with tear assistance, suitable, 

for example, for sausage snacks. It 

processes up to 3,300 meters of flat film 

in one go, achieving up to 4 hours of 

runtime without the need for operator 

intervention. During this process, clip 

and film consumption are automatically 

monitored. All parameters are stored in 

the recipe management system, thus 

ensuring maximum process reliability. 

In addition, this robust machine is 

characterized by exceptional reliability: 

it features consumption-oriented centralized 

lubrication which reduces 

wear and tear. This leads to reduced 

maintenance interventions and less 

downtime, ultimately extending the 

machine's lifespan. 

Easy-Opening Solution: PVDCfree 

sausage casing for snack 

packaging with tear assistance 

The powerful seal-clip machine TSCA 

120 used in conjunction with the 

corresponding film produces modern 

snack packaging with an innovative 

Easy-Opening Solution. Heat-sealable 

composite films, consisting of a PE 

(Polyethylene) outer layer and a PA 

(Polyamide) inner layer, are utilized. 

The opening mechanism is based on 

defined lateral incisions in the flat film, 

prepared during the production of the 

film. Additionally, the predefined opening 

is coated with an anti-sealant to create a 

tear tab during further processing. The 

seal-clip machine TSCA 120 processes 

the flat film into a tube, which is sealed 

longitudinally by heat sealing. During 

this process, the integrated tab, due to 

the anti-sealant, does not bond with 

the underlying film, thus preparing the 

opening aid. After filling, the tube is 

securely sealed in the integrated clip unit 

using bacteria-tight R-ID clips in a doubleclip 

process. To consume the snack, the 

packaging can later be conveniently 

pulled open across the seal seam by using 

the tear tab. 

"With this innovative packaging for the 

continuously growing snack segment, 

we offer our customers an attractive 

and eye-catching solution that meets all 

requirements for modern convenience 

42 


PACKAGING 

RIGHT HERE. 

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43





Fax-Inquiry 

+49 (0) 911 2018 - 100 

or E-mail: food@harnisch.com 

leibergmbh.de 




Marketing: Interzoo 2024, Showcase Japan, Future Pet Food Conference 

Our service: If you like to have more information on articles 

and/or advertisements please fax this form. 

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PACKAGING 

Photos: PolyClip 

packaging while eliminating the need for 

materials based on PVDC, the effects of 

which on health and the environment are 

controversial," says Björn Arndt, Head of 

Viscopac / Head of Business Development 

at Poly-clip System. 



www.polyclip.com 

Well packaged 

with 

» Packaging for pet supplies 

» custom formats 

» fast delivery times 

» small print runs possible 

» 100% Made in Germany 

www.labelprint24.com 

info@labelprint24.com 


45

SHOWCASE 

Interzoo 2024: The Petfood 

Industry Meets in Nuremberg 

The upcoming Interzoo (7-10 May) gives business professionals a unique opportunity to refresh and expand their network, 

discover the latest trends in petfood and experience the most comprehensive product range of the global pet supplies 

industry. 

Nuremberg will be the meeting point of 

petfood professionals from all over the 

world when the Petfood Forum Europe and 

Interzoo 2024 bring together companies 

and innovators from the entire supply 

chain of petfood technology. Decisionmakers 

and business professionals 

will have the chance to expand their 

knowledge by the help of market insights 

and in-depth discussion at Petfood Forum 

Europe on 6 May and Interzoo 2024, as 

well as benefit from the world’s leading 

trade fair of the pet supplies industry, to 

maintain and establish business relations 

to global partners. “Petfood Forum Europe 

one day prior to Interzoo provides an 

additional forum for the important topic 

of pet food ingredients, packaging and 

processing technologies,” says Dr Rowena 

Arzt, Director Exhibitions at Interzoo 

organizer WZF. “It is therefore the perfect 

prelude to an exceptional Interzoo 2024.” 

The so far biggest Interzoo of all times 

has confirmed more than 2,100 exhibitors 

from 69 countries; more than 40,000 trade 

fair visitors are expected. 

Highlights of Petfood Forum 

Europe 2024 

Petfood Forum Europe 2024 registration 

numbers are strong with professionals 

from 25 countries already signed up. 

Companies including Affinity Petcare, 

Bewital Petfood, Cargill, Edgar & Cooper, 

Felleskjøpet Agri, Halla Pet Food, Hill’s 

Pet Nutrition, Nippon Pet Food, Nordic 

Pet Care, Normandise Pet Food, Nulo, 

Premier Nutrition, Prins Petfoods, RONDO 

FOOD, Simmons Pet Food, Wellness Pet 

Company, and many others will be in 

attendance. 

David Molenberghs, co-founder and 

chief innovation officer at Smoofl, will 

provide the opening presentation on the 

importance of pivoting when developing 

pet food and treats. He shares the principles 

and applications of a creative design 

approach that transcends traditional 

product development, showcasing how 

this approach can produce not just highquality 

pet products but also a more 

profound brand resonance. 

Other topics will include the latest 

research on insect proteins, the importance 

of probiotics, postbiotics and 

microbial proteins for pets, mineral 

availability in plant-based dog food, the 

impact of climate change on the supply 

chain, new production processes using 

thermal energy and measures to develop 

wholesome pet food taking into account 

the different requirements of different pet 

species. 

“Our continued partnership with Interzoo 

provides conference participants 

unparalleled access to detailed technical 

information about the latest manufacturing 

technologies available for 

petfood and treat professionals across 

the European continent,” said Steve Akins, 

Executive Vice President, Global Petfood 

and Events, with WATT Global Media. 

“Then following Petfood Forum Europe, 

conference participants also have the 

unique ability to engage with all of their 

pet care supply chain partners and clients 

at Interzoo, fostering vital connections on 

a much broader scale.” 

Petfood and petfood 

technology at Interzoo 2024 

About 200 exhibitors from more than 

30 countries exhibit at Interzoo 2024 

products from the product segment 

“petfood technology” – almost ten 

percent of the overall exhibitor number. 

Compared to Interzoo 2022 this means 

the number of “petfood technology” 

exhibitors have increased by 46 percent 

and compared to 2018 the number 

has even doubled. Within the segment, 

the subcategories of “raw materials/ 

ingredients” and “processing technology” 

continue to be most dominant with 

83 and 34 companies respectively. The 

countries with most companies registered 

in the “petfood technology” segment 

Photos: Interzoo 

46 


SHOWCASE 

7 – 10 May 2024 | Nuremberg, Germany 

38th International Trade Fair for Pet Supplies 

SEE WHAT’S NEW 

AT INTERZOO! 

Find out about the latest trends 

and developments in your industry. 

Discover a wide range of innovative 

products and services for pets. 

Experience on-site what makes 

the world‘s leading event Interzoo so unique. 

The world market is present 

here – for your success! 

GET YOUR TICKET NOW! 

INTERZOO.COM 

Follow us! 

Organizer 

Honorary sponsor 

Organization on behalf 

of the organizer 

Issue Admission 2 2024granted to authorized trade visitors only. 

47

SHOWCASE 

are: Germany, China, France and the 

Netherlands. 

For petfood professionals interested 

in topics that shape the future of the 

industry, the Fresh Ideas Stage in Hall 3 is 

the place to be. A lot of the presentation 

slots registered so far have been allocated 

to the "Petfood" topic, thus promising 

exciting presentations on all four days of 

the trade fair. In the lounge area of the 

Fresh Ideas Stage and at the neighboring 

community stands of the "International 

Start-up Area" and the "Young Innovators" 

pavilion, you can make contact with pet 

food innovators and observe current 

developments in the industry at first 

hand. A highlight of the stage programme 

will be the Fresh Ideas Contest on Friday 

at 11:30 am. 

Information about the organizer 

WZF GmbH – Pet Industry Services 

organizes Interzoo in Nuremberg in 

partnership with the German Pet Trade & 

Industry Association ZZF as the founder 

and honorary sponsor. WZF is the owner 

and organizer of the world’s largest 

international trade fair for the pet industry. 

With far more than 2,000 confirmed 

exhibitors and in expectation of trade 

visitors from more than 120 countries, 

Interzoo is the undisputed world’s leading 

international fair for pet supplies. Since 

1988, WZF has engaged NürnbergMesse 

GmbH to operate the trade fair. 

Since the summer of 2020, Interzoo 

Academy has been offering specialist 

presentations on topics of interest to the 

pet supplies sector. WZF is a hundred 

percent subsidiary of ZZF. With its business 

fields trade fairs and events, media work 

and public relations, education and the 

issuing agency for identification markings 

for protected species WZF makes an 

important contribution to the economic 

and communicative development of the 

pet industry. 



www.interzoo.com 

www.wzf-online.com 

The Academy Sessions: A brief overview 

Tuesday - 07.05.2024 

Sustainability Session - 13:00 - 15:00 

How sustainable is the pet supplies industry and what can manufacturers and retailers do to become more sustainable? In the Interzoo 

Sustainability Session, trends and developments relating to the topic of sustainability in the pet supplies industry will be analysed and 

illustrated with best practice examples. 

Wednesday - 08.05.2024 

Country Session Europe - 11:00 - 12:30 

The pet industry in Europe has many facets. In this short conference, you will learn more about the special features of the region as a 

whole and the individual European submarkets. 

Country Session Brazil - 14:00 - 15:30 

What distinguishes the Brazilian pet market from other markets? What trends and developments can be observed? The Interzoo 

Country Session Brazil will scrutinize one of South Americas biggest markets. 

Thursday - 09.05.2024 

Country Session South East Asia - 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. 

In this country session, we will provide information on the characteristics of the market(s) in Southeast Asia, present the latest 

developments within the growing national markets and highlight opportunities for companies in the pet industry. 

Social Media Session - 12:00 - 13:30 

"10 tips to boost your business in Europe" 

This session will focus on why social networks should not be missing from the marketing strategy of companies in the pet industry and 

what needs to be considered in order to reach the desired target group in German-speaking countries. 

Country Session USA - 14:00 - 15:30 

There are an estimated 400 million pets in the United States. We shed light on this largest and most diverse market in the world in the 

English-language Country Session USA. 

48 


Flexible Production Solutions 

at the Interzoo 2024 

SHOWCASE 


May 7-10 

Nuremberg 

Hall 5 Booth 207 

Handtmann will be presenting modular 

production systems for the production 

of a diversified range of pet food 

products on a stand area of around 120 

square meters in Hall 5 Stand 207 at 

Interzoo in Nuremberg from 7th to 10th 

May. Solutions will cover process steps 

from product preparation all the way 

through to the packaging of formed 

treats and snack products or dosed 

products, such as wet food, BARF and 

cooked products in trays, cans, cups or 

thermoformed packaging. 

chopping/grinding technology and 

excellent results. 

Visitors can also expect the multilane 

FS 510 forming system with a VF 

800 vacuum filler for the production 

of pet food sticks directly onto racks. 

Flexible forming of cubes, bars, pellets, 

heart shapes and more is possible for 

the most diverse meat, fish and even 

insect protein products. Production 

can be onto up to 24 lanes at the 

same time. The flow divider ensures 

The cutting valve is available in 1-, 2-, 

3-, 4-lane or 2x2-lane version with 

flexible distance between lanes. It is 

moveable, adjustable in height and 

can be flexibly placed above the table, 

conveyor or thermo-forming machine. 

It has been given a safety-compliant 

design without protective cover so that 

no additional costs are incurred for 

safety precautions. 

The IG5-iT tying machine will be 

exhibited for sausage products in 

natural, collagen and artificial casing. 

Sausages in a calibre range of 28 mm 

to 80 mm are reliably tied at a high 

output with individually adjustable 

spacing and accurate weights, with or 

without loops. Separating the products 

immediately after the tying process 

is possible as an option to ensure 

safe sealing of the products while 

eliminating the use of metal clips. 


Photos: Handtmann 

In product preparation, Handtmann 

will be exhibiting the I225-iT to 

demonstrate ultra-fine grinding and 

emulsification technology for mediumscale 

and industrial-scale productions. 

This technology ensures consistently 

homogeneous product quality for 

a wide variety of products, such as 

chunks in gravy, snack sticks, wet food 

and more. The 1- to 5-stage cutting 

system chops products of any viscosity 

and temperature with great reliability. 

It offers optimum adaptation to the 

respective product with optimisation 

of the degree of fineness while 

simultaneously increasing productivity. 

The combination of original Handtmann 

cutting sets and variable process 

speed makes for perfectly coordinated 

a consistent product flow and thus 

extremely accurate final weights of 

each stick. Product separation happens 

directly at the outlet, either with wire 

or blade, uninterrupted and linear to 

the product speed directly onto racks. 

The 2-lane SV 424 cutting valve 

with DS 552 depositing system and 

vacuum filler will be another exhibit to 

demonstrate simultaneous serial cutting 

and dosing of fresh meat directly into a 

thermo-forming machine. This solution 

can be used for the direct vertical 

dosing of chunky products into moulds, 

trays or thermo-forming machines 

without pre-batching. Portion sizes 

from 200 grams with a cutting and 

outlet diameter of 60 mm are possible. 


www.handtmann.de/en/petfood 


49

SHOWCASE 

Clean Machine Technology for 

Outstanding Pet Food Quality 

K+G Wetter with First Ever Appearance at Interzoo in Nuremberg 


May 7-10 

Nuremberg 

Photos: K+G Wetter 

At the heart of VetConcept’s wet feed production 

are two AW 280s from K+G Wetter. The industrial 

automatic grinders with a cutting set diameter of 

280 mm process frozen meat and raw materials 

containing bones – perfect for pet food. 

Grinders, mixer grinders and cutters with 

the right twist for pet food: For the first 

time, K+G Wetter will have its own stand 

at Interzoo in Nuremberg to show what 

sophisticated food processing machines 

can do for pet food production - in terms 

of quality and hygiene, versatility and 

efficiency. 

In Hall 4A, Stand 412, the meat processing 

machine manufacturer from Hesse will be 

presenting a selection of medium-sized 

machines: "This will give customers from 

the pet food sector an idea of the features 

we offer in machines of all sizes," says Volker 

Schlosser, Sales Manager International at 

K+G Wetter. "We are always open to our 

customers' requirements, consider all the 

important issues in meat processing and 

use them to develop ingenious grinder 

and cutter technology." 

Accordingly, with these machines 

everything runs smoothly in the growing 

global animal feed market - more and 

more producers are relying on grinders 

and bowl cutters from K+G Wetter, both 

smaller producers and large industrial 

customers. 

VetConcept: two K+G Wetter 

grinders for special animal feed 

One of these satisfied customers is 

VetConcept. The German specialty food 

manufacturer produces dietetic food 

for dogs and cats with certain health 

problems, or also tailored to age, activity 

and breed. 

Master butcher Arthur Schäfer, as plant 

manager, had two automatic grinders 

from K+G Wetter at the top of his wish list 

when planning the new wet food plant. 

"At my training company we enjoyed 

super cooperation, so it didn’t occur to 

me to choose any other option other 

than K+G Wetter as the manufacturer. 

The grinders are good, they work really 

well," says Arthur Schäfer about the two 

AW 280 industrial grinders. "For our many 

products and the high tonnage per hour, 

it was crucial that we can do everything 

from frozen meat to fresh produce with 

these machines." 

Raw materials containing bones? No 

problem for the industrial grinders either: 

"Bones are a natural source of calcium 

for our feed varieties. It's the same as 

the animal would eat in nature," reports 

Arthur Schäfer. "The grinder used must 

have the necessary power and robustness 

to crush the extremely hard material." 

Hygiene issues neatly resolved 

K+G Wetter has also cleanly solved 

all hygiene issues. The challenge at 

VetConcept: "As we produce special 

food, we have to have very clear batch 

separation. For example, we produce 

monoprotein varieties such as horse, 

kangaroo or goat. When changing 

batches, everything on the machine has 

to be super clean to protect sensitive and 

allergic animals from unwanted proteins," 

explains plant manager Schäfer. "So we 

also have to clean the machines quickly 

and easily between batches. This works 

very well with 

the grinders 

from K+G Wetter." 

Hall 4A Booth 412 

A special feature of the K+G Wetter 

grinders is the cleaning chamber, which 

eliminates a typical hygiene risk with 

grinders: The grinding process generates 

very high pressure. Liquid product 

components or even small product 

particles can be pressed through the 

seals into the machine interior against 

the cutting set and form deposits there. 

These particles are collected in the 

cleaning chamber and, are rinsed out and 

do not provide a breeding ground for 

germs. "We have converted the cleaning 

chamber so that the connections fit with 

our CIP system, foam goes in there, warm 

water, that works," says Arthur Schäfer 

about the customization for VetConcept 

at the K+G Wetter grinders. The additional 

time required for cleaning is negligible, 

with maximum hygiene effect. 

Technology for thousands of 

tons 

Industrial machines such as the automatic 

grinders from K+G Wetter are a major 

investment in which sustainability plays a 

major role; after all, they are designed to 

function for many years and process tens 

of thousands of tons of raw materials. 

"The animal feed market is growing 

enormously, between 15 and 25 percent 

per year. As a producer, you have to 

keep up with this, of course," says Arthur 

Schäfer. To ensure that the machines also 

keep up with this pace in the long term, 

K+G Wetter relies on a proven, robust 

design and the right twist on clever 

technology for hygiene and handling. 



www.kgwetter.com 

50 


MonoFlex 

Recyclable monomaterial range 

MEET US AT 

INTERZOO 

HALL 6 / 6-254 

Learn more coveris.com/sustainability

LAST PAGE 

Upcoming Events 

May 7-10, 2024 


Nuremberg, Germany 

www.interzoo.com 

September 6-8, 2024 

IIPE 2024 

BSD City, Jakarta, Indonesia 

www.iipe.merebo.com 

September 24-26, 2024 

PPMA 

Birmingham, UK 

www.ppmashow.co.uk 

November 13-14, 2024 

12th Food Extrusion Seminar 

Stuttgart, Germany 

www.coperion.com 

May 3-8, 2025 

IFFA Frankfurt 

Frankfurt, Germany 

www.iffa.messefrankfurt.com 

May 5-7, 2025 

Zoomark 

Bologna, Italy 

www.zoomark.it 

October 5-6, 2024 

India International Pet Trade Fair 

Bombay, India 

www.iiptf.com 

June 3-5, 2025 

VICTAM 

Utrecht, The Netherlands 

www.victaminternational.com 

International Magazine September 2024 ISSN 2628-5851 


Preview September 2024 

Vegetables, Proteins, Minerals 

Sorting, Extrusion, Testing 

Pouches, Sacks, Logistics, Shelf-life, 

Regulations, Organic Pet Food 

… and lots more! 

Ingredients: Fiber Ingredients, Yeast, Omega-3, Colors, Rice 

Processing: Specialized Extrusion, Spray Drying, Heat Exchange 

Packaging: New Design with Recyclable Packaging, Clean Label 

Marketing: Interzoo Update, The Vet's Corner 

Photo: www.SarahBfotos.de 

Impressum 

ISSN 2628-5851 


Publishing Company: 

Dr. Harnisch Publications 

Eschenstraße 25 

90441 Nuremberg, Germany 

Tel: +49-(0)-911-2018-0 

Fax: +49-(0)-911-2018-100 

E-mail: food@harnisch.com 

Internet: www.petfoodpro-mag.com 

www.harnisch.com 

Editor-in-Chief: Ian Healey 

Tel: +49-(0)-911-2018-215 

E-mail: ihealey@harnisch.com 

Publisher: Benno Keller 

International Communications: 

Benjamin Costemend, Gabriele Fahlbusch, 

Steve Max, Britta Steinberg 

Editorial Team: 

Editorial Team: 

Pamela Almenara Cabrera, Sabine Straka, 

Axinja Peine , Sabine Straka, Britta Göpfert, Bruno Bozic 

Sabrina Maasberg 

Digital: Britta Steinberg 

Digital: Britta Steinberg 

Graphic Designer: Sabine Krauss 

Graphic Designer: Pamela Almenara Cabrera, Sabine Krauss 

Technical Manager: Armin König 

Technical Manager: Armin König 

Advertising: Sabrina Maasberg 

Advertising: Sabrina Maasberg 

Tel: +49-(0)-911-2018-245 

Tel: +49-(0)-911-2018-245 

E-mail: maasberg@harnisch.com 

E-mail: maasberg@harnisch.com 

Subscriptions: Marta Bletek-Gonzalez 

Subscriptions: Marta Bletek-Gonzalez 

Subscription Information: 

Subscription Information: 

Qualified Readers, executives in the food industry, are put on the 

Qualified Readers, executives in the food industry, are put on the 

mailing list free of charge. Regular delivery by subscription only. 

mailing list free of charge. Regular delivery by subscription only. 

Annual subscription 2020 (4 issues) – € 44 (Domestic)/€ 52 

Annual subscription 2022 (4 issues) – € 44 (Domestic)/€ 52 

(Abroad) 

(Abroad) 

Printed by: 

Printed by: 

Printed by Schleunungdruck GmbH, Marktheidenfeld, Germany 

Printed by Schleunungdruck GmbH , Marktheidenfeld, Germany 

Copyright © 2024 

by Dr. Harnisch Verlag, Nuremberg, Germany 

Adobe # 89509934 

52 


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PetFood PRO 2/2024

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