Pet food in the freezer

To make it in the international pet supplies market, a manufacturer needs to stay abreast of the latest technologies to convince retailers of the value of its products. The Chinese firm Tianjin Ranova Petfood thus relies exclusively on the modern freeze-drying technique in the production of its cat and dog food. The technology was originally developed to provide astronauts with food that could be used in space. In the 1960s it was then introduced into the human food industry in China. The process appeared for the first time in the pet food industry in the USA before being used for pet products in China in 2010. Tianjin Ranova Petfood is a pioneer in this field in China. The company is based in the port city of Tianjin on a site covering an area of 3.3 hectares with premises covering 10 000 m². 

Established in 2009, the company deploys the world's most advanced production equipment in vacuum freeze-drying and puffing. "Our production line is designed completely according to the standard of the food industry and its automation and production capacity are up to the domestic advanced level," says a spokeswoman for the company. The freeze-dried technique also includes vacuum freeze-drying. "It is one of the best food-processing techniques. Its principle is to achieve the purpose of arefaction, creating an environment vacuum at a temperature of 40 degrees below zero to impel water in the food to sublimate." This technology also retains the vitamin content and maximum protein, ensuring that the nutritional content, flavour and appearance of the food are maintained without the need for any additives.
Freeze-dried treats
Apart from freeze-dried dog and cat food, the company also produces freeze-dried treats at its plant. "Our freeze-dried treats are produced using the advanced freeze-drying technique, which can help to retain the full natural nutrition of the pet treats. It gives the treats a crisp taste, while the nutritional content of freeze-dried treats amounts to five times that of fresh meat", says the company. The treats have other advantages too, according to Ranova: they contain no additives or colourings and have a moisture content of less than 5 per cent. Packed in bags, the products thus have a shelf life of up to three years. All production processes are monitored in line with food industry standards. The company also stresses that production conforms to the stringent conditions of food production. "The products conform to the…