Adição De Água Na Extrusão Sobre as Características Físico-Químicas E Digestibilidade Da Dieta Em Cães

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the effect of adding increasing water levels in conditioner on kibble's physicochemical characteristics and diet digestibility in dogs. Five adult dogs were used, who consumed diets containing: 1072, 1182, 1293, 1444, and 1565 kg of water/ hour added in conditioner. The design was a Latin Square (5 x 5) and the data were subjected to analysis of regression and correlation. The inclusion of up to 1565 kg of water/ hour in conditioner presented negative correlations (P <0.05) with hardness and density and positive with the water activity, moisture, porosity, and degree of starch gelatinization of kibbles. However, the digestibility and the metabolizable energy of the diets did not are affected by the amount of water added in the conditioner (P> 0.05). Furthermore, the intermediate addition of 1293 kg of water / hour in conditioner resulted in kibbles with larger pores, and increased up to 1565 kg of water / hour result in smaller pores providing lower density and hardness and an increase in starch gelatinization. However, it does not affect the diet digestibility in dogs.