Interpretive Summary: Sensory attributes, dog preference ranking, and oxidation rate evaluation of sorghum-based baked treats supplemented with soluble animal proteins 

By: Krystina A Lema Almeida, Kadri Koppel, Charles G Aldrich

Treats are commonly given to dogs to create a better relationship with the owner. Most treats on the market are baked and wheat based as this grain has gluten that provides good texture attributes and facilitates production. Other grains such are sorghum are widely produced in the United States. However, baking treats with alternative grains is challenging as they lack the same functional proteins. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of soluble animal proteins in whole sorghum rotary-molded dog treats on dog preference, sensory attributes, and oxidation markers, such as hexanal. Two whole sorghum flours [white (WWS) and red (WRS)], four protein sources [none (NC), spray-dried plasma (SDP), egg protein (EP), and gelatin (GL)], and a positive control with wheat (WWF-GTN) were evaluated. The dogs did not detect differences between WWF-GTN, WWS, or WRS treats when evaluated together. However, the EP treatments, because of their hard texture, led to some consumption difficulties. The panelists reported a high variation in the appearance and texture across treatments. Additionally, the predominant flavor and aftertaste identified were “grainy.” The hexanal values were not noticeable, except for the EP treatments that had higher concentrations across the duration of the evaluation.