Patent ID: 8877232

Claim:
A method for improving the health status of a mammal comprising the step of orally administering to the mammal a newborn edible food or feed formulation comprising insulin encapsulated by a method comprising the steps of: (i) mixing the insulin with an encapsulating material, wherein said encapsulating material is food-grade or feed-grade materials, either alone or in combination, with a liquid, forming a liquid blend; (ii) drying the liquid blend forming a dry blend; (iii) coating the dry blend with at least one additional encapsulating layer; (iv) mixing the dry blend with at least one additional food-grade or feed-grade material; and (v) adding the dry blend to the mammalian newborn formulation, wherein the steps of admixing all of the ingredients and drying are conducted at a temperature below 50° C., such that the activity of the insulin is substantially maintained; thereby improving the health status of a mammal by at least one of: increasing the rate of weight gain of said mammals, improving development of said mammal, preventing diarrhea, and/or pneumonia, and increasing the life expectancy of said mammals after birth.