Aqua-feed Trial

A trial was conducted by a commercial fish feed producer who exports aqua-feed all over the world.

Due to transport challenges associated with shipping product to tropical regions the company reduces their feed moisture to below 6% to reduce the risk of microbial growth occurring.

Treatments

Control: No SmartMoisture with moisture level reduced to 5.7% Treatment 1: 0.5g/kg SmartMoisture with moisture level reduced to 8.5% Treatment 2: 0.5g/kg SmartMoisture with moisture level reduced to 9.7%

SmartMoisture was added in the mixer with all the usual liquid additions. Water activity was measured for all three treatments.

Results

Water activity was stabilised and even at a 4% moisture increase over the control, SmartMoisture achieved water activity below 0.55. The humectant properties of SmartMoisture stabilised the water activity when the aqua-feed was left at a higher moisture content. The propionic and formic acid, as part of the glycerol esters, were absorbed into the feed particles ensuring a stable product that is protected against microbial growth.

This gave this customer confidence to ship feed at higher moisture content, thereby increasing yield and profitability.

Advantages for the feed mill

1. Yield increase
2. Energy saving
3. Improved steam absorption
4. Save feed protected by low water activity and stable organic acids