Company At A Glance
Business Type
Pet Food Manufacturer
SR&ED Category
Experimental Development
Team Size
9
Scope
Dehydration, Shelf Stability, Protein Processing
Province
Alberta
The Challenge
The company was developing new dehydrated pet food products using protein inputs that behaved differently from their existing recipes. Some products dried unevenly, retained too much moisture, or developed mold and spoilage issues after packaging. Standard dehydration settings did not produce consistent results because the fat content, density, and moisture behaviour of the new proteins varied significantly between batches.
The team had to determine whether the products could be processed safely and consistently without over-drying, damaging texture, or creating unacceptable waste.
What We Documented
01
Uncertainty
Uncertainty
The uncertainty was whether the new protein blends could be dehydrated to a stable final product while maintaining acceptable texture, moisture levels, and shelf life. The outcome was not predictable because the ingredients reacted differently during drying than the company’s existing products.
02
Iterations
Iterations
The company tested different trimming methods, forming approaches, drying temperatures, dehydration times, batch sizes, and product thicknesses. Some changes improved drying efficiency but negatively affected texture. Other changes improved appearance but did not fully address moisture retention or shelf stability.
03
Knowledge Gained
Knowledge Gained
The company gained practical knowledge about how fat content, product thickness, trimming, airflow, and dehydration time affected the stability of new protein-based pet food products.
Results
Why This Qualified
- Required experimentation beyond standard dehydration settings
- New protein inputs behaved unpredictably during drying
- Moisture retention and fat content affected shelf stability
- Multiple production trials were needed to reduce spoilage and waste
- New knowledge was gained about processing and stabilizing protein-based pet food products
