ARTICLE 66 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2022 Different encapsulation techniques lead to varying levels of nutrient bioavailability Encapsulated nutrients are gaining popularity and provide consistent, reliable, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional feedstuffs. This trend has led to an influx of encapsulated product into the market. As with any new product category, some are better than others. To choose the right product and get the most for your money, just ask a few simple questions. Lipid encapsulation has proved to be a valuable tool for protecting nutrients from degradation during processing, storage and digestion and making them available for absorption by the animal. Over the last years, many new encapsulated nutrients have entered the market. These products, and the processes that create them, differ greatly in design, technology, and unfortunately, performance. High quality encapsulated nutrients can provide nutritionists with a great deal of flexibility to improve rations while reducing costs. However, all encapsulated products are not created equal. To make the most of the ingredient investment, nutritionists, veterinarians, and producers should recognize differences between the various encapsulation technologies. This will allow users to make informed decisions about which product(s) will be most cost effective in the ration. Lipid encapsulation is an effective rumen protection technology across a range of different nutrients. However, lipid encapsulation is a generic term and differences exist between products. These differences are due to: • The starting form and inclusion rate of the nutrient; • The coating system utilized; and • The manufacturing process used to produce the lipid encapsulate. There are two main types of lipid encapsulation technology: true encapsulation and matrix encapsulation. A matrix encapsulation suspends the active nutrient within a fatty acid matrix (Figure 1) while a true encapsulation contains a layered coating of fatty acids applied around the outside of the nutrient to form a protective barrier (Figures 1 and 2). An effective encapsulation must provide: 1. Durability, 2. Rumen protection, and 3. Intestinal digestibility. If any of these functions are compromised, then the product will fail to deliver the nutrient as intended. Stefano Vandoni, PhD Technical Service Manager Balchem ANH, EMEA
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