Abstract:
The invention relates to an additive, particularly for promoting food intake and the growth of animals such as piglets. Said additive is in the form of granules, each including: a core that includes at least one compound selected from taste modifiers, taste enhancers, and flavors; and a coating that includes at least two flavors. The invention also relates to a method for preparing such an additive.

Description:
[0001]    The invention relates to an additive intended, notably, for promoting food intake and growth in animals such as piglets. The invention also relates to a method of preparation of said additive. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Nowadays, farmers seek the optimum yield from their stock rearing, in particular maintaining or increasing consumption in order to maintain growth. Use of additives is indispensable for this. 
         [0003]    There are numerous flavor modifiers or enhancers on the market for increasing consumption, and research is constantly being conducted for finding additives with better and better performance, intended to stimulate the animal&#39;s appetite, so that it consumes the maximum amount of food, and therefore grows more quickly. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The main aim of the present invention is therefore to propose a novel feed additive that is intended to promote food intake and growth in animals. 
         [0005]    This new additive was obtained by the inventors, surprisingly, by the application of somatesthesia. This term denotes thermal, tactile, kinesthesic, proprioceptive and trigeminal (relating to the trigeminal nerve) chemical sensitivity. To activate this sensitivity, the inventors therefore developed novel technology combining at least two compounds among flavor modifiers, flavor enhancers and flavor ingredients, in order to obtain two successive sensations at the moment of dissolution of the product in saliva. Thus, the final effect obtained is an increase in palatability of the feeds consumed by the animal. 
         [0006]    Concretely, the feed additive according to the invention is in the form of granules, each of which comprises:
       a core comprising at least one compound selected from flavor modifiers, flavor enhancers and flavor ingredients and   a coating comprising at least two flavor ingredients.       
 
         [0009]    The feed additive according to the invention is not medicinal. It combines the benefits of flavor modifiers, flavor enhancers and flavor ingredients. 
         [0010]    In fact, once the additive is in the animal&#39;s mouth, the coating is dissolved by the animal&#39;s saliva, releasing the core, which amplifies the first sensation and produces two successive sensations at the moment of dissolution of the product in the saliva. 
         [0011]    The invention also relates to a method of preparation of a feed additive according to the invention that comprises the following stages:
       a first stage of obtaining cores in solid form each comprising at least one compound selected from flavor modifiers, flavor enhancers and flavor ingredients; and   a second stage of formation of coatings around the cores obtained previously, said coatings each comprising at least two flavor ingredients.       
 
         [0014]    Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will now be described in detail in the following account. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    a) Additive According to the Invention 
         [0016]    The feed additive according to the invention is in the form of granules, each of which comprises:
       a core comprising at least one compound selected from flavor modifiers, flavor enhancers and flavor ingredients; and   a coating comprising at least two flavor ingredients.       
 
         [0019]    The flavor modifiers are agents that supply at least one taste among the following: sweet, salt, sour, bitter, umami. 
         [0020]    As flavor modifier supplying a sweet taste, we may mention sugar, saccharin or a salt thereof, aspartame, acesulfame-K, cyclamates, stevioside and glucono-δ-lactone ((3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one). Of course, it is possible to use a combination of at least two of these compounds. Preferably, saccharin is used. 
         [0021]    As flavor modifier supplying a salt taste, we may mention ammonium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, or sodium chloride, and magnesium sulfate. 
         [0022]    As flavor modifier supplying a sour taste, we may mention acetic acid, adipic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, glucono-δ-lactone, lactic acid, maleic acid, phosphoric acid, food-grade pH regulators, tartaric acid. 
         [0023]    As flavor modifier supplying a bitter taste, we may mention caffeine, amygdalin, quinine, salicilin, theophylline, theobromine. 
         [0024]    As flavor modifier supplying an umami taste, we may mention monosodium glutamate, amino acids, peptides, proteins and ribotides. 
         [0025]    A flavor enhancer is a substance which, without having a pronounced flavor of its own, does not modify the flavor but increases the intensity of olfacto-gustatory perception. 
         [0026]    The flavor enhancer can be selected from glutamates, guanylates, inosinates, ribonucleotides, amino acids, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, kokumi, glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizinates, thaumatin and its derivatives. 
         [0027]    The flavor ingredients are food-grade flavor ingredients as defined, notably, by European Directive 88/388/EEC which classes food-grade flavor ingredients in 5 families: nature, nature-identical, artificial, from transformation and smoked. 
         [0028]    There are at least two works of reference listing flavor ingredients: “Perfume and Flavor Chemicals”, by Steffen Actander and “Fenaroli&#39;s Handbook of Flavor Ingredients”, by George A. Burdock. 
         [0029]    As flavor ingredient for the core or the coating, we may mention vanillin (3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde), ethyl vanillin (3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde), maltol, ethyl maltol, anethole, methyl salicylate, eucalyptus and menthol. 
         [0030]    The flavor ingredients are generally incorporated in a matrix constituted of a material usually employed as matrix, such as maltodextrin, native or modified starch, gum arabic, guar gum, a lecithin, alginic acid or derivatives thereof, agar, carob bean gum, xanthan gum, sorbitol or derivatives thereof, mannitol, glycerol, a pectin, an alginate, a carrageenan, cellulose or a derivative thereof, a saponin, a hydrogenated fat, a glyceride of fatty acid or derivatives thereof or a mixture of at least two of these compounds. 
         [0031]    Of course, it is possible to use a combination of these compounds, in any proportions. 
       Proportions 
       [0032]    In the feed additive according to the invention:
       the core preferably represents from 0.5 to 60%, preferably from 40 to 60% of the total weight of the additive;   the coating preferably represents from 99.5 to 40%, preferably from 60 to 40% of the total weight of the additive.       
 
         [0035]    With regard to the core, it preferably comprises:
       from 5 to 100%, in particular 10 to 100%, by weight, of at least one compound selected from flavor modifiers, flavor enhancers and flavor ingredients as defined previously; and   the complement to 100% of a matrix as defined previously.       
 
         [0038]    And among the compounds of the core other than the matrix if present, there can be:
       from 0 to 100%, preferably 50 to 100 wt. %, of one or more flavor modifier(s);   from 0 to 50%, preferably 0 to 20 wt. o, of one or more flavor enhancer(s);   from 0 to 100%, preferably 50 to 100 wt. %, of one or more flavor ingredient(s);   the sum of the percentages of these compounds of the core other than the matrix being equal to 100%.       
 
         [0043]    With regard to the coating, it preferably comprises:
       from 5 to 100%, in particular from 10 to 100 wt. %, of at least two flavor ingredients as defined previously; and   the complement to 100% of a matrix as defined previously.       
 
         [0046]    An emulsifier can optionally be added to the matrix of the core or of the coating. In this case, its percentage is included in the percentage of the matrix. 
         [0047]    The feed additive according to the invention can be used directly in animal feeding at an average dose of 70 to 500 g/t. 
         [0048]    b) Method According to the Invention 
         [0049]    1st Stage 
         [0050]    The first stage of manufacture of the feed additive according to the invention consists of obtaining particles, each comprising, optionally incorporated in a matrix, the compound or compounds selected from flavor modifiers, flavor enhancers and flavor ingredients. 
         [0051]    For this, it is possible to use any method enabling a powder to be obtained. 
         [0052]    For example, it is possible to prepare a solution, generally aqueous, containing the compound or compounds, the optional matrix and optionally a conventional emulsifier. Next, the solution is sprayed to form a powder constituted of the compound or compounds and of the optional matrix as well as any optional emulsifier. 
         [0053]    Preferably, the technique used is granulation by fluidized-bed spraying. The advantage of this technique is that it offers the possibility of developing relatively spherical and homogeneous microparticles permitting the application, in a second stage, of a coating of good quality. 
         [0054]    2nd Stage 
         [0055]    The second stage consists of coating the microparticles (cores) obtained at the end of the first stage. 
         [0056]    The coating is made from the flavor ingredients and, if necessary, a matrix as described previously. 
         [0057]    The whole is generally dissolved or made into an emulsion in water (optionally by means of a conventional emulsifier or any compound possessing emulsifying power) and then sprayed onto the microparticles, which preferably have been suspended beforehand in a fluidized bed. The final product thus obtained is in the form of coated granules whose core/coating distribution is uniform and whose proportion should therefore be constant in the feed. 
       Example 
     Formulation 
       [0058]    A formulation was prepared using a core constituted of saccharin and a coating constituted of a mixture of two flavor ingredients, anethole and methyl salicylate. 
         [0059]    The coating was constituted of the mixture of flavor ingredients incorporated in a matrix based on a mixture of maltodextrin and modified starch. 
       1. Raw Materials 
       [0060]    Anethole (1-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl)benzene) (Ernesto, Ventos, Barcelona, Spain) was used as aromatic molecule with sweet taste and as active principle (non-medicinal) in combination with methyl salicylate (methyl ortho-hydroxybenzoate) (Ernesto, Ventos, Barcelona, Spain) used as aromatic molecule supplying a fresh note and nonmedicinal active principle.
 
Maltodextrin Granadex 20 (Avebe veendam, the Netherlands) and modified starch (Hicap 100, National Starch, Germany) are used as excipients (matrix) for fluidized-air-bed granulation.
 
         [0061]    Finally, saccharin (Atlantic Chimical, China) is used as sweetener for the particle core. 
       2. Preparation of the Microparticles 
     2.1 Preparation of Formulation F1 
       [0062]    In a first stage, the saccharin is dissolved and then it is granulated by spraying in a fluidized-air-bed of the Procell 5 type (Glatt GmbH, Weimar, Germany) according to the conditions described in Table 2. The particle size to be obtained is fixed between 25 and 500 μm. 
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                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Composition of the saccharin solution 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Amount 
                 Solid 
               
               
                 Compound 
                 (g) 
                 (%) 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Saccharin 
                 400 
                 100.00 
               
               
                 Water 
                 600 
                   
               
               
                 Total 
                 1000 
                 100.00 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
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                 TABLE 2 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Parameters of granulation of formulation 
               
               
                 F1 in a fluidized-air-bed of the Procell  
               
               
                 5 type (Glatt GmbH, Weimar, Germany) 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                   
                 Bottom  
               
               
                   
                 Parameters 
                 spraying 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Air flow rate m 3 /h 
                 100-140 
               
               
                   
                 Product temperature (° C.) 
                 27-36 
               
               
                   
                 Nozzle (mm) 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 Air pressure for 
                 2.5 
               
               
                   
                 spraying (bar) 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Spraying rate 
                 15 
               
               
                   
                 (g/min) 
                   
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       2.2. Preparation of Formulation F2 
       [0063]    Coating of the composition F1 is carried out in a fluidized-air-bed of the Procell 5 type using, as coating, an emulsion (Table 3) based on aromatic molecules.
 
In a 1st stage, the maltodextrin and modified starch are dissolved in water. The solution of anethole and methyl salicylate is then added slowly, stirring vigorously (using an Ultraturax or a homogenizer under pressure). The emulsion thus obtained is then used as coating solution in a fluidized-air-bed with the operating conditions described in Table 4. Coating is carried out up to 65.6% (w/w) of the final product, i.e. until formulation F2 is obtained (Table 5).
 
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                 TABLE 3 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Composition of the coating formulation 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Compound 
                 Solution (%) 
                 Solid (%) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Maltodextrin 
                 13.74 
                 34.34 
               
               
                   
                 Hicap 100 
                 13.74 
                 34.34 
               
               
                   
                 Propylene glycol 
                 2.00 
                 5.00 
               
               
                   
                 Anethole 
                 10.00 
                 25.00 
               
               
                   
                 Methyl salicylate 
                 0.53 
                 1.32 
               
               
                   
                 Water 
                 60.00 
                 0.0 
               
               
                   
                 Total 
                   
                 100.00 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
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                 TABLE 4 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Parameters for coating (65.6%, w/w)  
               
               
                 of formulation F2 in a  
               
               
                 fluidized-air-bed of the Procell 5 
               
               
                 type (Glatt GmbH, Weimar, Germany) 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                   
                 Bottom  
               
               
                   
                 Parameters 
                 spraying 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Air flow rate m 3 /h 
                 120-300 
               
               
                   
                 Product temperature (° C.) 
                 50-65 
               
               
                   
                 Nozzle (mm) 
                 1.2 
               
               
                   
                 Nozzle temperature (° C.) 
                 70 
               
               
                   
                 Air pressure for 
                 2.5 
               
               
                   
                 spraying (bar) 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Product temperature (° C.) 
                 48-50 
               
               
                   
                 Spraying rate 
                 56-86 
               
               
                   
                 (g/min) 
                   
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
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                 TABLE 5 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Composition of formulation F2 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                   
                 Percentage  
               
               
                   
                 Compound 
                 by weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Formulation F1 
                 34.4 
               
               
                   
                 Maltodextrin 
                 22.5 
               
               
                   
                 Hicap 100 
                 22.5 
               
               
                   
                 Propylene Glycol 
                 3.3 
               
               
                   
                 Anethole 
                 16.4 
               
               
                   
                 Methyl salicylate 
                 0.9 
               
               
                   
                 Total 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       c) Uses 
       [0064]    Tests on animals showed that this two-flavored feed additive according to the invention increases consumption and growth in piglets.