Abstract Textural and instrumental color quantitative data of consumables is often kept confidential by manufacturers, making it limited and difficult to find. These data are also important for product development and further sensory analysis to understand preferences and acceptability of purchasers. Between January 2019 and September 2020, 7,200 pet food products were launched worldwide. With a wide variety of pet treat brands and product types on the market, differentiation is necessary from a consumer purchase experience and physical characteristic preference perspective. The objective was to collect quantitative data on textural characteristics and instrumental color of whole-muscle jerky treats from 4 commercially available brands. Four whole muscle jerky treat brands were purchased for analyses: brand 1, brand 2, brand 3, and brand 4. Textural analyses included a three-point bend test for hardness (g), the maximum force required to break the sample; flexibility (mm), the displacement of the sample until it fractures; and stiffness (g per mm), resistance to bending; and the Warner-Bratzler test assessed firmness (g), the maximum force needed to shear the sample; and toughness (g per second), the peak positive area under the curve. Instrumental color was measured using a HunterLab MiniScan EZ spectrophotometer in terms CIE color space, L*, representing lightness on a range from black to white; a*, denoting redness ranging from green to red; and b*, representing yellowness ranging from blue to yellow. Data were analyzed as a 1-way ANOVA using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS ver. 9.4, and least square means were separated using the PDIFF option. Brand 2 was significantly harder (P < 0.0001), and stiffer (P < 0.0001) than the rest of the brands, and Brand 4 was the most flexible (P = 0.0006). Brand 4 treats were the darkest, and brands 1 and 3 were among the brightest (P < 0.0001), although brand 3 was still similar to brand 2. Brand 3 expressed the greatest redness values and brand 4 the least (P < 0.0001). Brands 1, 2, and 3 were similar in yellowness and were all more yellow than brand 4 (P < 0.0001). When manufacturing pet treats, the goal is to achieve an appropriate texture, not soft enough to compromise its durability and integrity during manufacturing, packing, transportation, and retail, but soft enough to appeal to pet owners and dogs alike. These data will aid product developers by providing quantitative information that will eventually lead to corollary consumer sensory panel analysis to determine pet owner preferences and acceptability.
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