The present invention relates to an emulsifier in powder form for animal feeds. The present invention further relates to a process for preparing said animal feed.

It is known about the presence on the market of liquid emulsifiers used in the production of animal feeds. However, liquid emulsifiers have some limitations that do not always allow them to be used easily and satisfactorily.

In general, a liquid emulsifier can have such a solidification point that at given outer temperature, e.g. below 15° C., the emulsifier becomes solid and/or hardly usable in feed plants provided with multiple complex pipes and distribution and dosing valves. At such outer temperatures the emulsifier must be kept within heated tanks and/or supplied to the feed plants by means of heated pipes so as to prevent the emulsifier from freezing.

It can therefore be inferred that in some countries with cold climates or with particularly frigid winters during which the outer temperature is below 15° C. (pressure 1 atm), some emulsifiers cannot be easily used.

Moreover, the storage of an emulsifier in liquid form and the use/dosage thereof in plants have some limitations.

Field experts therefore need to have an emulsifier for animal feeds which can adequately respond to the limitations and drawbacks of emulsifiers as described above.

It would be desirable to have an emulsifier for animal feeds which, beyond being without the limitations and drawbacks described above, can also be easily handled and used in existing plants for the production of animal feeds in solid form, such as e.g. in pellet form, and which is also performing as far as the following aspects are concerned:

(i) amount of feed produced: in terms of increase of hourly output (ton of feed produced/hour) or, hourly output being the same, reduction of energy consumption (ampere/hour);

(ii) physical-chemical characteristics of feed produced: in terms of increase of pellet durability index (PDI), temperature and moisture of pellet produced and reduction of the amount of powder generated (average powder diameter and % produced);

(iii) efficiency of feed manufacturing plant: in terms of reduction of height wear of dies present in pelleting plants and reduction of the number of downtimes for maintenance which the plant must deal with.

After an intensive research and development activity, the Applicant has responded to the above mentioned needs by developing an emulsifier in powder form.

An object of the present invention is a solid composition in powder form having the characteristics as defined in the appended claim.

An object of the present invention is a process for preparing said solid composition in powder form having the characteristics as defined in the appended claim.

An object of the present invention is the use of said solid composition in powder form for preparing an animal feed having the characteristics as defined in the appended claim.

An object of the present invention is an animal feed comprising said solid composition in powder form having the characteristics as defined in the appended claim.

An object of the present invention is a solid mixture comprising said solid composition in powder form having the characteristics as defined in the appended claim.

An object of the present invention is a process for preparing said solid mixture in powder form having the characteristics as defined in the appended claim.

An object of the present invention is the use of said solid mixture in powder form for preparing an animal feed having the characteristics as defined in the appended claim.

An object of the present invention is an animal feed comprising said solid mixture in powder form having the characteristics as defined in the appended claim.

