Method for producing D-pantothenic acid and/or a salt thereof via purification by cation exchange as additive for animal food

1. A process for preparing D-pantothenic acid and/or salts thereof which comprises

a) fermenting at least one bacterium from the Bacillaceae family which produces D-pantothenic acid and in which the biosynthesis of pantothenic acid (pan) and/or isoleucine/valine (ilv) is deregulated and which forms at least 2 g/L of salts of D-pantothenic acid by fermentation in a culture medium, wherein no free β-alanine and/or β-alanine salt is fed to the culture medium,

b) passing the D-pantothenate-containing fermentation solution through a cation exchanger, free D-pantothenic acid being formed from the salts of D-pantothenic acid, wherein the content of monovalent cations is reduced,

c) adding a calcium base or salt and/or magnesium base or salt to set the free D-pantothenic acid-containing solution to a pH of 3-10, a solution or suspension being obtained which contains calcium and/or magnesium pantothenate and

d) subjecting the calcium pantothenate- and/or magnesium pantothenate-containing solution to drying and/or formulation.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bacterium is of the genus Bacillus.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in step a) a content of D-pantothenic acid and/or salts thereof of at least 10 g/l of culture medium is formed.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in step b), the content of monovalent cations is reduced to a concentration of ≦1 g/kg of solution.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in step c), the pH of the solution is set to 5-10.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in step c), the pH of the solution is set to 6-8.

7. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, for neutralization, calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, calcium oxide, magnesium hydroxide and basic magnesium carbonate is added in the form of a solid and/or as aqueous suspension to the solution in step c).

8. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an aqueous suspension comprising 2-55% by weight of calcium hydroxide is added to the solution in step c).

9. The A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an aqueous suspension comprising 2-65% by weight of calcium carbonate is added to the solution in step c).

10. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an aqueous suspension comprising 20-60% by weight of magnesium hydroxide is added to the solution in step c).

11. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an aqueous suspension comprising 2-25% by weight of basic magnesium carbonate is added to the solution in step c).

12. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an inorganic and/or organic calcium salt and/or magnesium salt is added in step c) to the solution containing free D-pantothenic acid.

13. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in step c), the calcium salt and/or magnesium salt is a corresponding halide.

14. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in step c), the calcium salt and/or magnesium salt is CaCl 2 and/or MgCl 2 .

15. The process as claimed in claim 12 , wherein, in step c), the calcium salt and/or magnesium salt is calcium and/or magnesium formate, acetate, propionate, glycinate and/or lactate.

16. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a suspension which contains calcium pantothenate and/or magnesium pantothenate is obtained in step c), and a suspension which contains calcium pantothenate and/or magnesium pantothenate is employed in step d).