L-AMINO ACID-CONTAINING FEEDSTUFF ADDITIVE
Granulated animal feed additives having high bulk density were obtained by adding a surface-active substance to a fermentation broth containing amino acid before spray-drying, wherein low residual moisture levels were achieved at high spray rates and low granulator temperatures.
1 - 15 . (canceled)
16 . A method for preparing a feed additive, comprising:
a) obtaining a fermentation broth containing an L-amino acid, wherein said fermentation broth has a water content of 35 to 75% by weight and a content of surface-active substance of 0.025 to 20% by weight;
b) drying the fermentation froth obtained in step a) in order to convert it into a particulate composition.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said method includes the steps of:
a) adjusting the fermentation broth containing an L-amino acid to a water content of 35 to 75% by weight;
b) adding a surface-active substance to the fermentation broth;
c) adjusting the particle size.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the water content in the fermentation broth is adjusted to a value of 35 to 50% by weight before drying.
19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the surface-active substance is selected from the group consisting of: corn steep liquor; lipids; antifoaming agents; surfactants; and mixtures thereof.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the surface-active substance is an antifoaming agent selected from the group consisting of: polysiloxanes; mono- and polyglycols; phospholipids; and fatty acid glycerides.
21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the surface-active component is present in the fermentation broth before drying in an amount of 0.025 to 20% by weight.
22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein drying is conducted by spray-drying.
23 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the L-amino acid is L-lysine, L-methionine, L-threonine, L-valine or L-tryptophan.
24 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the amino acid is L-lysine and wherein, in a method step after obtaining the fermentation broth and before the start of the drying, ammonium sulphate and/or sulphuric acid is added to the fermentation broth in order to establish a sulphate/L-amino acid ratio of 0.85 to 1.2.
25 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
a) the surface-active component is present in the fermentation broth before drying in an amount of 0.3 to 10% by weight;
b) drying is conducted by spray granulation using a fluidized bed reactor;
c) the L-amino acid is L-lysine.
26 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the fermentation broth used in the drying comprises:
a) a biomass content of 2 to 12% by weight;
b) an L-amino acid content, (as amino acid base) of 12 to 48% by weight;
c) a solids content (including biomass) of 25 to 70% by weight;
d) a surface-active substance content of 0.025 to 20% by weight;
e) a sulphate to L-amino acid ratio of 0.8 to 1.2% by weight;
f) a pH of 3.5 to 7.0.
27 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the fermentation broth used in the drying comprises:
a) a biomass content of 4 to 8% by weight;
b) an L-lysine content, (as amino acid base) of 12 to 48% by weight;
c) a solids content (including biomass) of 35 to 60% by weight;
d) a surface-active substance content of 0.3 to 10% by weight;
e) a sulphate to L-lysine ratio of 0.8 to 1.2% by weight;
f) a pH of 4.0 to 5.0.
28 . A granular feed additive, comprising:
a) an L-amino acid content of at least 20% by weight;
b) a mean particle diameter of 60 to 2500 μm;
c) a biomass content of at least 3% by weight;
d) a surface-active substance content of 0.04 to 35% by weight.
29 . The granular feed additive of claim 28 , further comprising:
e) a water content (residual moisture) of at most 3.5% by weight;
f) a layer of edible oil coating the particle.
30 . The granular feed additive of claim 29 , comprising:
a) an L-lysine content of 25 to 60% by weight;
b) a mean particle diameter of 60 to 1500 μm;
c) a biomass content of at least 5% by weight;
d) a surface-active substance content of 0.5 to 15% by weight.
31 . The granular feed additive of claim 28 , wherein the L-amino acid is present at least in part as a sulphate salt and the molar ratio of sulphate to L-amino acid is at least 0.5.
32 . The granular feed additive of claim 31 , wherein the L-amino acid is L-Lysine and the molar ratio of sulphate to L-amino acid is 0.8 to 1.2.
33 . The granular feed additive of claim 28 , wherein at least 75% by weight of particles in said granular feed additive have a particle diameter of >63 μm to <2500 μm.
34 . The granular feed additive of claim 33 , wherein at least 75% by weight of the particles have a particle diameter of >63 μm to <2000 μm and the proportion of the particles having a particle diameter of <63 μm is 20% by weight or less.
35 . The granular feed additive of claim 28 , comprising less than 20% by volume of cavities.