In wet pet food production, the structure, shape, and texture of the chunks are critically important. They influence the consumer’s perception of the product and determine how appealing and convenient the food is for the pet to consume.

Steiner implements this stage of the technological process in partnership with SELO — a leading manufacturer of equipment for producing wet pet food in gravy and jelly.

Forming pieces: how it works

After preparing the meat emulsion or mince, the product must be shaped into chunks — either in a regular form (cubes) or a natural form (nuggets). This takes place on a processing line consisting of the following stages:

✅ Extruder or spreader

• Extruder forms long cylindrical ‘ropes’ which are then cut into standard pieces.
  
• Spreader forms the mass into irregular lumps that resemble their natural appearance.
  

✅ Steam tunnel

• Performs gentle steam treatment to stabilize the structure and prepare the product for the next stages.
  

✅ Cooling conveyors

• The temperature decreases gradually, without deforming the pieces. Different types of conveyors are used for different formats.
  

✅ Portioner

• Ensures precise cutting and portioning, maintaining the specified size and weight.
  

✅ Sauce or jelly preparation unit

• Forms a matrix that is mixed with the chunks before packaging: transparent jelly or sauce ensures product stability and visual appeal in the final pack.
  

📊 Why is this necessary?

🔧 For manufacturers:

• Quality control and consistency in every package
  
• Flexibility: adaptability to different formats and markets
  
• Hygiene: compliance with EHEDG, CE, GMP, CIP cleaning standards
  

🛒 For retailers and buyers:

• Visually appealing pieces without deformations
  
• Stable texture, natural appearance
  
• No unevenness or excess fluid
  

🛠 For any production — from pilot to high-volume

SELO and Steiner solutions are adaptable to different production scales:

• Pilot or local lines with minimal launch volume
  
• Average volumes with scalability
  
• High-performance industrial lines, ready for long shifts without stoppages
  

We select equipment according to:
✔️ recipe type
✔️ packaging format
✔️ required performance

🧠 What do you get with Steiner?

• Comprehensive solution — from technology selection to commissioning
  
• Integration of SELO equipment into your production line
  
• Local service support in Ukraine and Europe
  

🔎 Frequently asked questions from our customers:

• How are wet food chunks for cats and dogs made?
  
• What equipment is needed to produce feed in sauce or jelly?
  
• How to avoid deformation of pieces in the pouch?
  
• How to implement different shapes of pieces on a single line?
  

🔧 Do you have similar questions? We work with such tasks every day.
Our engineers will help you find the optimal solution — taking into account your product, packaging and productivity.

📩 Are you planning to launch or modernise a wet feed line?
Contact us — we will advise you →

🔗 Learn more about SELO equipment →

🔜 In the next article: packaging wet food — how to choose between a pouch, tray, and can.