24 March 2022 – Globally between 1-3% of animal feed is lost due to moisture loss and evaporation during the storage and milling process. Friction during grinding in feed manufacturing processes generates heat which leads to moisture loss. This is a significant challenge as moisture loss accounts for millions of tonnes of animal feed lost annually.
Steam, added water, and the use of hydrating solutions are commonly used by feed mills today to reduce moisture loss during feed production. However, feed mill efficiencies in this area can still be improved.
Devenish has developed a new moisture control product called SmartMoisture, which contains glycerol esterified propionic acid, buffered organic acids and surfactants. Devenish claims it allows producers to achieve consistent formulation moisture and reduce losses. The product is mixed with clean water before being sprayed onto the feed in the mixer.
To get a better understanding of the moisture management challenge and the competitive edge Devenish sees for SmartMoisture, we spoke to Janus Fouche, Regional Manager SSA at Devenish:
[Feedinfo] Mr. Fouche, how can managing moisture support safe, high-quality animal feed?
[Janus Fouche] Water or moisture, whether natural or added into feed, is an important feed ingredient. It is part of the nutritional specification and should be met as intended by the nutritionist to create a balanced feed.
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Sufficient moisture in mash feeds improves steam uptake in the conditioner which leads to better particle adhesion, heat transfer, starch gelatinisation and, ultimately, better pellet quality. It is, however, important to ensure moisture is bound to feed particles and not free to create an environment where microbes can flourish. Globally, between 1-3% of animal feed is lost through moisture loss and evaporation during storage and milling, which equates to between 12-36 million tonnes of physical feed lost each year. Therefore, optimising moisture content in feed is key to ensuring safe, consistent, high quality animal feed. [Feedinfo] Due to the complexity of the feed ingredients in the processing process, the way the water exists in the raw materials is also extremely complicated. Why is this? |
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Janus Fouche[Janus Fouche] Grain will lose or gain moisture depending on the environment it finds itself in. This is known as equilibrium moisture content (EMC). EMC, as well as processing, has an impact on the moisture levels of raw materials used by feed mills during storage and feed production. When raw material arrives at the mill it is tested, and the analysis is used by nutritionists to formulate diets. However, by the time the grain is used, the moisture content has changed, meaning variables exist between the diet which the formulation has been designed to achieve and that which has actually been manufactured.
[Feedinfo] What is your understanding of current feed milling practices in terms of moisture management? Surely, this is an aspect of production that is already carefully monitored.
[Janus Fouche] There are three ways feed millers manage moisture:
1. Do nothing.
2. Add water to the feed: This is also adding risk to feed. Grains don’t simply absorb water, they become hydrophobic due to a tightening of cell walls as internal moisture is depleted an imbalance of water either side of the cell wall hinders osmosis. This leads to surface tension issues and water cannot initially penetrate the cell wall. This practice inevitably will increase water activity creating an environment for microbial organisms to flourish. The water is easily driven off in the milling process and the benefit is lost.
3. Add a moisture management product: For the last 40 years, moisture management has relied on using surfactants and organic acids buffered to salts (ammonia propionate). The surfactant had the role of breaking water tension and allowing water droplets to spread across the feed to get more contact with feed particles, while the propionic acid inhibits moulds and yeast. Although this is a great concept, nothing much is done for the absorption itself of the water droplets.
There has been little innovation in this area in years. SmartMoisture is the first chemical innovation in decades in this space.
[Feedinfo] What impact does SmartMoisture have on improving moisture content and milling efficiencies?
[Janus Fouche] Instead of ammonia propionate and surfactants, SmartMoisture uses new patented glycerol esters of propionic acid and surfactants. Glycerol esters of propionic acid are very stable, keeping the volatile propionic acid in the feed for longer. But they are also a very powerful humectant that can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight of water. The surfactant and the glycerol esters work in synergy and act fast in moisture absorption. The surfactant breaking the tension of water allowing water particles to spread and the humectant reacting with the propionic acid and water then dragging it into the nearest absorbable substance namely feed.
Glycerol is used in the cosmetic industry to ensure ointments are absorbed on to human skin, in essence, this is what SmartMoisture does. SmartMoisture prepares feed for further absorption of moisture in the conditioning process allowing for better particle adhesion. We have found improvements in steam retention efficiencies, improvements in throughput and an increase in energy savings where SmartMoisture is used. The retention of moisture is assured, and we consistently see the full retention throughout the feed milling process. SmartMoisture also reduces the effect of EMC after production as well guarding the feed against moisture migration.
[Feedinfo] Can you talk about the history of the product’s development and the relationship with Perstorp?
[Janus Fouche] At Devenish, we take a partnership approach to working with our customers and strive to understand and solve the issues that they face. One of our key customers was experiencing massive shrinkages. The planned formulation moisture was much lower than the actual moisture. This was connected to conditioning inefficiencies and poor pellet quality. We have a long-standing relationship with Perstorp, a company that shares our ethos of innovation and research and development. We approached them to help us find a solution to our customer’s problem. We found a unique solution in glycerol esterified propionic acid at Perstorp. It made complete sense to try the combination of surfactants and the glycerol esters. The solution worked, and we have since tested SmartMoisture in all types of feeds, in various climatic conditions around the world. It has performed above expectations, in all regions and we are very pleased with the results.
[Feedinfo] What are the next steps for the exclusive technology and distribution agreement between Devenish and Perstorp, as well as product roll-out?
[Janus Fouche] We are pleased to have agreed an exclusive distribution agreement with Perstorp and are currently rolling out this patented technology across the globe. This is a very important product for us, and will deliver significant benefits, both environmental and financial, to our customers. As a company that is focused on R&D, we are already working with our customers and Perstorp to develop further innovations.
Published in association with Devenish
