Fish, Shrimp & Pet Feed Pellets

Fish, shrimp and pet feed pellets

Evonik solutions for extruding pellets with high fat content

  • Extrusion aid
  • Stabilizer

Some animal species, for example trout and salmon bred in aquaculture farms, need feed pellets with a high amount of fat and proteins. However, processing pellets with a high fat content is a significant challenge. Adding oil in the extrusion process softens the raw material and results in instable pellets. Evonik’s special silica pave the way for the cost-efficient and sustainable production of mechanically stable feed pellets with a high fat content.

Adding around just one percent of these extrusion aids to feed formulations enables manufacturers to add a total oil content of up to approx. 37% directly during extrusion. This allows the subsequent oil coating step to be shortened. Silica interacts with the pellet structure, promoting starch gelatinization and crosslinking with proteins, resulting in a more mechanically stable extruded pellet structure capable of higher oil absorption.

High pellet stability is relevant for the entire value chain – from production to feeding: Silica reduces the amount of fat leakage in pellets stored at higher temperatures. Moreover, the pellets are also more resistant to abrasion during transport and when passing through the feed system, in turn reducing dust, dirt and the total feed loss.

Silica for sustainable feed pellet production

Synthetic amorphous silica is a naturally derived mineral ingredient that enters the geological cycle of minerals once released into the environment. As such, it is not harmful to aquatic environments or wastewater plants. Silica is a safe and well-proven ingredient and processing aid for livestock feed, contributing toward an efficient and sustainable pellet extrusion process. Adding fat during the extrusion process saves energy, while high pellet stability reduces feed loss during processing, transport, storage and feeding. Adequate water stability in fish feed pellets ensures clean, hygienic water for aquaculture.

Evonik and Brabender – For a more sustainable aquaculture feeding:

Brand-new application of Evonik silica as extrusion and pellet stabilizing aid, enabling the production of high-fat and mechanically stable aquatic feed pellets without post-processing coating step.

SIPERNAT®

AEROSIL®