Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
RUMEN BYPASS PRODUCT AND A METHOD OF MAKING THE
RUMEN BYPASS PRODUCT
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S): None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a rumen bypass product
and to a method of making the rumen bypass product. More specifically, the
present invention relates to a rumen bypass product that includes a lipid
component
and a proteinaceous component in non-covalent interaction with each other and
to a
method of preparing the rumen bypass product.
Mature ruminants, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and deer have a
complex three- or four-chambered stomach and characteristically regurgitate
and
rechew previously swallowed feed materials. Typically, mature ruminants
experience periods when high energy intake is critical for metabolic activity.
As an
example, dairy cattle generally have high energy requirements during about the
last
couple of months of pregnancy and during early lactation. During these
periods,
conventional cattle feeds, such as corn and alfalfa feeds, typically do not
provide
energy sufficient to support desired milk production rates coupled with
desired
butter fat concentrations in the produced milk. Therefore, reduced yields of
milk
and butter fat concentrations in produced milk, along with a loss in body
weight
generally occur, absent feeding and assimilation of an appropriate source of
energy
during these periods of high energy requirements.
To meet critical high energy demands for ruminants during these
periods, extra lipids have been added to the ruminant diet in an attempt to
beneficially supplement conventional cattle feed nutrition and enhance the
chances
of maintaining desired milk production rates coupled with desired butter fat
concentrations in the produced milk. Supplemental lipids have been chosen for
this
task since lipids are known to be an excellent and reasonably priced source of
energy. Proponents believe successful supplemental lipid feeding would support
,,
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
2
desired production rates of milk with a desired butter fat concentration while
minimizing body weight loss by pregnant and/or lactating ruminants, assuming
adequate consumption and subsequent digestion of lipids occurs.
Unfortunately, unprotected lipids or lipids that are freely and
immediately available for degradation in the stomach of a ruminant exert a
negative
effect on microorganism populations in the ruminant stomach if the lipids are
ingested at daily rates greater than about two weight percent of the ruminant
feed,
based on the total weight of the ruminant feed. It is believed the unprotected
lipids
may coat fibrous portions of the feed furnished as part of the ruminant diet.
This
lipid coating of fibrous material apparently prevents microbial attachment and
subsequent digestion by limiting microorganism access to the fibrous portions
of
the feed. Additionally, unprotected lipids may reduce the growth rate of, or
even
kill, certain microorganisms that digest fiber and thereby may lower fiber
digestibility in ruminants. Although decreased fiber digestion may be offset
by
greater fiber digestion elsewhere in the stomach of the ruminant, such delayed
or
relocated fiber digestion typically alters the blend of fatty acids ordinarily
produced
upon ruminant fiber digestion. Such an altered blend of fatty acids may be
less
suited to ruminant metabolism and may therefore hinder ruminant digestion,
rather
than solving the initial delayed or relocated fiber digestion problem.
Although lipids containing unsaturated fatty acids are believed to
offer a variety of benefits, such as increased levels of unsaturated fatty
acids in milk
fat of produced milk and in body fat of produced meat, lipids containing
unsaturated fatty acids, as compared to saturated fatty acids, are more
challenging
for ruminants to assimilate. The rumen typically contains microorganisms that
are
able to break down proteins and lipids, while also hydrogenating unsaturated
fatty
acids. Thus, a significant portion of unsaturated fatty acids present in
ruminant feed
is typically hydrogenated in the rumen and subsequently assimilated by the
ruminant as saturated fatty acids. Increasing the unsaturated fatty acid load
on the
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
3
rumen microorganisms beyond the capacity of the rumen microorganisms would be
expected to result in escape of excess unsaturated fatty acids downstream of
the
rumen to portions of the rumen stomach unable to adequately assimilate the
excess
unsaturated fatty acids.
Ingestion of high levels of unprotected lipids may also produce
severe gastric upset in ruminants. As an example, feeding ruminants large
quantities of unprotected lipids greater than about four weight percent of the
ruminant feed, based on the total weight of the ruminant feed, typically
creates
digestive disturbances since ruminants tend to reduce feed consumption to
match
lipid digestion rates in the rumen. As a result, ruminant consumption of total
feed
intake is generally reduced, which results in insufficient caloric intake. To
compensate for reduced ruminant feed consumption, animal body mass may be
metabolized and thereby further increase body weight losses. Additionally,
animal
body mass metabolism sometimes causes metabolic ketosis disorders that further
reduce milk yields and milk fat concentrations in produced milk.
To avoid this road block created by limitations on microbial
assimilation of lipids in the rumen and the described problems created by
lipid
coating of fiber, some people have attempted to devise a lipid system that is
capable
of bypassing the rumen while not coating fiber to be digested in the rumen.
One
previous attempt to create a lipids system that avoids lipid degradation in
the rumen
entails encapsulating the lipid material within denatured protein to form a
rumen
bypass composition. Encapsulation of lipid material within the denatured
proteinaceous material is thought to inhibit release of lipids in the rumen
following
consumption of the encapsulated mass by ruminants.
Such encapsulated rumen bypass products typically include lipids
derived from industrial tallow and oilseed byproduct sources while the
proteinaceous material may be derived from solutions of blood solids.
Denaturation
of the protein network is commonly accomplished by chemical means.
i,
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
4
Formaldehyde is one chemical used to denature protein derived from blood
solids
and form the network of denatured protein that encapsulates the lipid
material.
Unfortunately, chemical denaturation may create highly indigestible protein
such
that the chemically-denatured protein may actually inhibit release of the
encapsulated lipid material. Thus, the lipid material of the encapsulated
rumen
bypass product may be over protected and the value of the lipid material as a
feed
additive may consequently be greatly reduced, even though the encapsulated
rumen
bypass product reduces interference with rumen function.
Furthermore, most lipid encapsulation techniques involve several
complicated manufacturing steps that may include addition of strong bases or
acids.
Strong bases or acids rapidly produce a very strong gel of the proteinaceous
material that minimizes and inhibits dispersion of the lipid materials within
the
denatured protein. Inadequate dispersion of lipid material in such rumen
bypass
compositions results in poor encapsulation of the lipid material with a
consequent
reduction in rumen protection of lipids.
Additionally, commercially available lipid materials are generally
animal fats and/or oilseed byproducts that include mixtures of long chain
fatty acids
or glycerides, or a combination of fatty acids and glyceride mixtures.
Commercially
available lipid materials are typically darkened or highly colored and have an
unpleasant rancid odor caused by malodorous carbonyl compounds like ketones
and
aldehydes. As a result, commercially available lipid materials suffer from a
limited
shelf-life and often require addition of exorbitant amounts of anti-oxidants
that may
affect price, palatability and ruminant consumption of the resulting lipid
systems.
Thus, various rumen bypass products have been proposed and/or
practiced over the years. These rumen bypass products have enhanced the
overall
knowledge base with respect to delivering lipid materials for purposes of
minimizing critical energy shortages in ruminants. However, existing rumen
bypass
products, as well as, feeding techniques that employ these existing rumen
bypass
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
products, have not yet fully identified, addressed, or optimized options for
maintaining ruminant caloric needs during critical energy shortages, while
minimizing weight loss or even causing weight gain, increasing consumption of
lipid materials without deleteriously affecting the delicate balance of
microflora in
the digestive system of the ruminant, and /or minimizing detrimental
alteration of
lipid materials fed to ruminants for purposes of enhancing or at least
maintaining,
milk, milk fat, and/or meat production. Thus, dairy farmers and ranchers alike
are
still in need of an improved rumen bypass product that permits feeding of
lipid
material to ruminants and enhances, or at least maintains, production rates of
milk,
milk fat, and/or meat, minimizes weight loss or even increases weight gain,
and
maintains good ruminant health.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a rumen bypass composition
containing free fatty acid that non-covalently interacts with protein.
Furthermore,
the present invention includes a method of making the rumen bypass composition
by blending protein material and lipid material to form an intermediate
composition, and heating the intermediate composition to a temperature greater
than 50°C.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The Figure is a schematic of a process for forming a rumen bypass
product that incorporates a lipid component and a proteinaceous component in
accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention generally relates to a rumen bypass product
and to a method of making the rumen bypass product. More specifically, the
v
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
6
present invention relates to a rumen bypass product that includes a lipid
component
and a proteinaceous component that non-covalent interact with each other and
to a
method of preparing the rumen bypass product.
The present inventors have discovered that heating a mixture of ( 1 ) a
lipid material that contains free fatty acid molecules and (2) a proteinaceous
material that contains protein molecules forms a product in which the free
fatty acid
molecules and the protein molecules reversibly interact with each other via
non-
covalent interaction. More specifically, in this product, it is believed the
non-
covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein
molecules
exists as charge-charge interaction. Still more specifically, in this product,
it is
believed the charge-charge interaction between the free fatty acid molecules
and the
protein molecules exists as ionic interaction.
The non-covalent interaction at least substantially prevents release of
lipids from the product when the product is exposed to a pH in the range
typically
existing in the rumen of a ruminant, such as a pH ranging from as low as about
5.5
to as high as about 8. Thus, the non-covalent interaction allows the product
of the
present invention to serve as a rumen bypass product. As a result, at least
most, if
not all, of the lipid present in the rumen bypass product of the present
invention,
after being orally ingested by a ruminant, is able to pass through the rumen
of the
ruminant without deleterious alteration or degradation. Consequently, any
gastric
disturbances or digestive complications ordinarily caused by consumption of
lipids
at a rate greater than the lipid tolerance of the rumen may be avoided by
including
such excess lipid amounts as part of the rumen bypass product of the present
invention.
Beneficially, the rumen bypass product of the present invention may
be, and preferably is, formed in the absence of any pH modification, and
consequently without any addition of strong acids or strong bases. Indeed, the
method disclosed herein for forming the rumen bypass product of the present
i
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
7
invention preferably excludes any pH modification steps and preferably does
not
employ any pH modification agents. Additionally, the rumen bypass product of
the
present invention is formed in the absence of any added aldehydes, such as
formaldehyde. Furthermore, the rumen bypass product of the present invention
may
be, and preferably is, formed without chemically denaturing any proteinaceous
materials, including protein molecules, that are incorporated in the method of
the
present invention for forming the rumen bypass product.
As used herein, the term "ruminant" means an even-toed hoofed
animal that has a complex 3- or 4- chamber stomach, where the animal typically
rechews previously swallowed feed material. Some non-exhaustive examples of
ruminants include cattle, sheep, goats, oxen, musk ox, llamas, alpacas,
guanicos,
deer, bison, antelopes, camels, and giraffes.
The rumen bypass product of the present invention may be prepared
using a process 10, as best depicted in the Figure. In the process 10, a lipid
material
12 and a proteinaceous material 14 may be blended together in a mixing
apparatus
16. In addition to the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14, an
optional anti-oxidant component 18 and optional additives) 20 may also be
added
to the mixing apparatus 16. After homogeneously mixing the lipid material 12,
proteinaceous material 14, any included anti-oxidant component 18, and any
included optional additives) 20, an intermediate composition 22 may be
transferred
from the mixing apparatus 16 to a mixing apparatus 24.
In the mixing apparatus 24, the temperature of the intermediate
composition 22 is increased, while still mixing the intermediate composition
22, to
complex the lipid material 12 with the proteinaceous material 14. This
complexing
entails chemical reaction of free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material
12 with
protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 that is generally
characterized
herein as non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules of
the lipid
material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. The
non-
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
8
covalent interaction is reversible, initiates formation of a lipid/protein
matrix, and is
believed to arise from charge-charge interaction between negatively-charged
carboxyl groups of the free fatty acid molecules present in the lipid material
12 and
positively-charged amino groups present in protein molecules of the
proteinaceous
material 14.
A significant amount of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous
material 14 should be non-denatured protein molecules that exhibit good
protein
functionality. As used herein, the term "non-denatured protein molecules"
means
protein molecules that are native and have not been denatured. Native protein
molecules are typically soluble in aqueous solution. Proteins molecules that
have
been denatured are typically insoluble in solvents, such as water, in which
the
protein molecules, prior to denaturing, were originally soluble. Use of non-
denatured protein molecules as the protein molecules of the proteinaceous
material
14 supports enhanced non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid
molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the
proteinaceous
material 14. Preferably, the majority of the protein molecules of the
proteinaceous
material 14, more preferably substantially all of the protein molecules (such
as at
least about 75 weight percent of the protein molecules), and till more
preferably all,
or essentially all, of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14
are non-
denatured protein molecules.
The lipid material 12 may, and preferably does, contain a significant
amount of glyceride-containing lipids, such as mono-glycerides, di-glycerides,
tri-
glycerides, or mixtures of mono-glycerides, di-glycerides and/or tri-
glycerides. The
lipid material 12 may also contain free glycerol or even a significant amount
of free
glycerol. The present inventors surprisingly discovered that use of lipid
material 12
with a significant content of glyceride-containing lipids and even a
significant
glycerol content does not significantly interfere with achieving beneficial
properties
in the rumen bypass product of the present invention. Lipid material that
contains a
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
9
significant amount of glyceride-containing lipids and/or a significant amount
of free
glycerol is generally less expensive than lipid materials that contain only
insignificant amounts or less of glyceride-containing lipids and/or glycerol.
Therefore, including lipid material 12 that contains a significant amount of
glyceride-containing lipids and/or glycerol reduces the cost of practicing the
present
invention, while not significantly interfere with achieving beneficial
properties in
the rumen bypass product of the present invention. Furthermore, the lipid
material
12 (and components of the lipid material 12) may generally have any Iodine
Value.
However, the lipid material 12 preferably has an Iodine Value greater than
about 20
and more preferably has an Iodine Value of about 40, or more, since many of
the
suitable, less expensive, lipid components of the lipid material 12 have
Iodine
Values of about 40, or more.
The non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules
and the protein molecules is accompanied by coagulation of the protein
molecules
that completes formation of the lipid/protein matrix. Such coagulation is
evidenced
by thickening of the intermediate composition 22 that yields a moist cake 28.
Preferably, development of the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty
acid
molecules and the protein molecules is substantially complete prior to any
significant coagulation of the protein molecules of the matrix. It is thought
that
excessive coagulation of the protein molecules of the matrix prior to
substantially
complete non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty acid
molecules and the protein molecules may impede progress of non-covalent
interaction development between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein
molecules. The non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules
and
the protein molecules coupled with coagulation of the protein molecules of the
matrix accomplishes physical entrapment of lipid molecules other than free
fatty
acid molecules (hereinafter "non-free fatty acid molecules°) within the
lipid/protein.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
10
The moist cake 28 is preferably transferred directly from the mixing
apparatus 24 to a drying apparatus 30, such as an air swept tubular dryer 32.
However, the moist cake 28 may optionally be transferred from the mixing
apparatus 24 to a holding apparatus (not shown) for additional holding time
before
being transferred to the drying apparatus 30; the optional additional holding
time
allows time for additional alignment of non-covalently interacting free fatty
acid
and protein molecules prior to the heat application in the drying apparatus
30. Care
is preferably taken to avoid disturbing the lipid/protein matrix of the cake
28 during
transfer of the cake 28 to the drying apparatus 30. Rough handling of the cake
28 or
inadvertent additional mixing of the cake 28 may disrupt the organization and
alignment of fatty acid molecules and protein molecules in the lipid/protein
matrix
of the cake 28.
Heat application in the drying apparatus 30 drives off water from the
lipid/protein matrix of the moist cake 28 and acts to fix the alignment of non-
covalently interacting free fatty acid and protein molecules in the
lipid/protein
matrix. Upon moisture removal in the drying apparatus 30, the moist cake 28 is
transformed into a rumen bypass product 34 that may have a granular form.
As yet another alternative, the intermediate composition 22 may
permissibly be heated in the mixing apparatus 16 to form the cake 28 that is
then
preferably transferred directly to the drying apparatus 30. The heating that
may
permissibly occur in the mixing apparatus 16 is the same, or essentially the
same, as
the heating that may permissibly occur in the mixing apparatus 24. This last
alternative simplifies operations and reduces expenses by optionally
dispensing
with the mixing apparatus 24.
The mixing apparatus 16 that accepts the lipid material 12 and the
proteinaceous material 14 may be any conventional apparatus that is capable of
homogeneously mixing liquids that may possibly include a relatively low
concentration of dispersed or dissolved solids. Specifically, the mixing
apparatus
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
11
16 should be capable of uniformly and homogeneously blending the lipid
material
12, the proteinaceous material 14, any included anti-oxidant component 18, and
any
included additives) 20. Consequently, the mixing apparatus 16 may be any batch
mixing apparatus, such as (1) a tank or other vessel equipped with a mixer,
like a
paddle-type mixer, or (2) a ribbon mixer that is configured for batch mixing.
Indeed, the mixing apparatus 16 may even be a relatively small vessel that is
equipped with a hand-held mixer of some type. On the other hand, the mixing
apparatus 16 may be a continuous mixer, such as a ribbon mixer that is
configured
for continuous mixing.
The mixing apparatus 16 is preferably jacketed to allow use of a heat
transfer medium that will maintain the mixture of the lipid material 12,
proteinaceous material 14, any included anti-oxidant component 18, and any
included additives) 20 at a desired temperature. Also, the mixing apparatus 16
should be capable of optionally increasing or decreasing the mixture of the
lipid
material 12, proteinaceous material 14, any included anti-oxidant component
18,
and any included additives) 20 to a desired temperature. Prior to placement in
the
mixing apparatus 16, the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14
are
preferably pre-heated, such as in a tube-in-shell type heat exchanger (not
shown), to
facilitate homogeneous mixing in the mixing apparatus 16.
The lipid material 12 is preferably pre-heated to a temperature
adequate to maintain the lipid material 12 in liquid form, but preferably cool
enough to prevent any premature coagulation of the proteinaceous material 14
prior
to adequate complexing of the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material
12 with
the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. The proteinaceous
material
14 is preferably pre-heated to a temperature adequate to minimize, and
preferably
prevent, the temperature of the proteinaceous material 14 from causing
crystallization of the lipid material 12 upon initial mixing of the lipid
material 12
and the proteinaceous material 14, but preferably cool enough to prevent any
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
12
premature coagulation of the proteinaceous material 14 prior to adequate
complexing of the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 with the
protein
molecules of the proteinaceous material 14.
The particular pre-heat temperatures selected for the lipid material
12 and the proteinaceous material 14 will depend on the particular lipid
components) serving as the lipid material 12, the particular proteinaceous
components) serving as the proteinaceous material 14, and the relative ratio
of the
lipid material 12 to the proteinaceous material 14. Generally, the pre-heat
temperature selected for the lipid material 12 may be expected to range from
about
65 °F to about 100°F, and the pre-heat temperature selected for
the proteinaceous
material 14 may be expected to range from about 80°F to about
120°F.
The lipid material 12 may be added to the proteinaceous material 14
in the mixing apparatus 16 or the proteinaceous material 14 may be added to
the
lipid material 12 in the mixing apparatus 16. While the order of adding the
lipid
material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14 to the mixing apparatus 16 is
not
critical to the present invention, so long as the lipid material 12 and the
proteinaceous material 14 are homogeneously blended in the mixing apparatus 16
in
the course of forming the intermediate composition 22.
The temperature of the intermediate composition 22 in the mixing
apparatus 16 may generally range from about 75 °F to about 120
°F during the initial
mixing of the lipid material 12 and the proteinaceous material 14. Preferably,
the
temperature of the intermediate composition 22 in the mixing apparatus 16
ranges
from about the melting point of the lipid material 12 to about ten degrees
Fahrenheit
above the melting point of the lipid material 12. Typically, the temperature
of the
intermediate composition 22 in the mixing apparatus 16 will range from about
105 °F to about 120 °F during mixing of the lipid material 12
and the proteinaceous
material 14. Mixing times in the mixing apparatus 16 on the order of about
five to
ten minutes, such as about seven minutes, are typically required to
homogeneously
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
13
blend the mixture of the lipid material 12, proteinaceous material 14, anti-
oxidant
component 18, and optional additives) 20.
The intermediate composition 22 may be transferred from the
mixing apparatus 16 to a mixing apparatus 24. As another alternative, it is
again
noted that the intermediate composition 22 may optionally be heated in the
mixing
apparatus 16 to form the moist cake 28 that is then preferably transferred
directly to
the drying apparatus 30. The heating that may permissibly occur in the mixing
apparatus 16 occurs at the same, or essentially the same, conditions as the
heating
that may instead occur in the mixing apparatus 24.
One non-exhaustive example of the mixing apparatus 24 is a
coagulating mixer 26. The coagulating mixer 26 may be, for example, a Model
488
paddle/ribbon mixer of about one hundred cubic feet capacity coupled with a
Model
488 live bottom feeder of about one hundred cubic feet capacity that are each
available from Scott Equipment Co. of New Prague, Minnesota.
The intermediate composition 22 is both mixed and heated in the
mixing apparatus 24. The mixing apparatus 24 may be jacketed to support
heating
of the intermediate composition 22. Preferably, however, dry steam is injected
directly into the mixing apparatus 24, such as the coagulating mixer 26, while
the
intermediate composition 22 is being mixed. The steam that may be injected in
the
mixing apparatus 24 is preferably superheated to minimize water addition and
may
have any appropriate pressure, such as a pressure of about 10 psig (pounds per
square inch gauge) to about 40 psig.
The heating (such as steam injection) and mixing continues in the
mixing apparatus 24 until the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty
acid
molecules of the lipid material 12 with the protein molecules of the
proteinaceous
material 14 is substantially complete, more preferably predominantly complete,
and
still more preferably fully complete. The heating and mixing allows reversible
chemical (i.e. non-covalent) interaction development between the free fatty
acid
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
14
molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the
proteinaceous
material 14. When non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid
molecules of
the lipid material 12 with the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material
14 is
complete or substantially complete, coagulation of the proteinaceous material
14
may proceed, and the intermediate composition 22 will develop an increasingly
shiny appearance as coagulation of the proteinaceous material increases.
Generally, the temperature in the mixing apparatus 24 is preferably
greater than 50°C (122°F) to initiate meaningful non-covalent
interaction
development between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and
the
protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. After starting at the
initial
temperature of greater than 50 ° C ( 122 ° F), the temperature
of the intermediate
composition 22 is preferably increased gradually, while constantly mixing the
intermediate composition 22, until reaction (non-covalent interaction) of the
free
fatty acid molecules with the protein molecules is substantially complete.
Substantial completion of the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty
acid
molecules and the protein molecules should occur prior to initiation of any
more
than a minor, and preferably prior to initiation of any more than a de minimis
amount of proteinaceous material 14 coagulation. Again, a good indication that
more than a minor amount of proteinaceous material 14 coagulation is occurring
is
when the intermediate composition 22 begins to develop an increasingly shiny
appearance. Substantial completion of the non-covalent interaction development
between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules will typically
occur
by the time the temperature of the intermediate composition 22 approaches
about
60°C (140°F), and may occur somewhat prior to reaching about
60°C (140°F), and
will typically occur during a heating period of about three to about ten
minutes.
After development of non-covalent interaction between the free fatty
acid molecules and the protein molecules is substantially complete, the
temperature
of the intermediate composition 22 is further increased to support protein
molecule
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
15
coagulation, entrapment of the non-free fatty acids within the lipid/protein
matrix,
and formation of the moist cake 28. The final temperature in the mixing
apparatus
24 where adequate coagulation of the protein molecules, adequate entrapment of
the
non-free fatty acids within the lipid/protein matrix, and completion of the
moist
cake 28 occurs will typically be at least about 60°C (140°F), or
more, such as a
temperature in the range of about 60 ° C ( 140 °F) to about 93
° C (200 °F). Again, the
intermediate composition 22 will develop an increasingly shiny appearance as
coagulation of the proteinaceous material 14 proceeds. The total heating
period
from the time when heating of the intermediate composition 22 begins to the
time
when the moist cake 28 is complete will typically range from about five to
about
thirty minutes.
As noted, the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid
molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the
proteinaceous
material 14 is believed to entail charge-charge interaction between the free
fatty
acid molecules and the protein molecules. The mixing imparted by the mixing
apparatus 24 keeps the non-free fatty acid molecules homogeneously mixed with
the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and with the protein
molecules
of the proteinaceous material 14. As a result, upon coagulation of the
proteinaceous
material 14, the non-free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 become
physically entrapped within the lipid/protein matrix of the cake 28.
Consequently,
the fat molecules of the lipid material 12 (both the free fatty acid molecules
and the
non-free fatty acid molecules) are immobilized by virtue of the lipid/protein
matrix
that continues to exist in the rumen-bypass product 34 until the rumen-bypass
product 34 encounters conditions that disrupt the chemical interaction (i.e.
non-
covalent interaction, such as charge-charge interaction) between the free
fatty acid
molecules and the protein molecules.
The moist cake 28 is preferably transferred directly from the mixing
apparatus 24 to the drying apparatus 30, such as the air swept tubular dryer
32, that
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
16
uses a turbulent current of hot air to rapidly and efficiently remove moisture
from
the moist cake 28 and yield the rumen bypass product 34 of the present
invention.
The drying apparatus 30 should be effective to remove moisture from the moist
cake 28, which may have a significant moisture content of even as high as
about 50
weight percent or more, based on the total weight of the moist cake 28, to
yield the
rumen bypass product 34 with a moisture content of less than about 5 weight
percent, and preferably about 3 weight percent, based on the total weight of
the
rumen bypass product 34. Besides the air swept tubular dryer 32, any other
conventional drying apparatus, such as a vibrating bed dryer or even an
extruder,
that is capable of drying the moist cake 28 to yield the rumen bypass product
34
with the specified moisture content may be employed as the drying apparatus
30.
One suitable example of the air swept tubular dryer 32 is the Model 2010 AST
dryer that may be obtained from Scott Equipment Company of New Prague,
Minnesota.
Any hot air that is incorporated in the course of drying the moist
cake 28 preferably enters the air swept tubular dryer 32 at a temperature of
about
550°F or less, such as in a range of about 300°F to about
550°F, to minimize any
opportunities for burning or blackening any components in the rumen bypass
product 34, such as brown grease, that are susceptible to burning. The heat
applied
to the moist cake 28 in the drying apparatus 30, such as the air swept tubular
dryer
32, heat denatures the protein molecules of the moist cake 28 that were
originally
present in the proteinaceous material 14. Heat denaturation of these protein
molecules renders the protein portion of the rumen bypass product 34
substantially,
and preferably fully, rumen inert, such that passage of the rumen bypass
product 34
through the rumen causes little, and preferably no, deleterious structural
alteration
of the protein portion of the rumen bypass product 34.
The drying apparatus 30 is preferably capable of transforming the
cake-like moist cake 28 into a granular form of the rumen bypass product 34,
since
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
17
granular forms of the rumen bypass product 34 are readily transformable into
several other forms of the rumen bypass product 34, as desired, that may
readily be
incorporated into animal feeds. The drying apparatus 30 may accomplish this
granularization using any conventional particle formation approach, such as
incorporation of turbulent airflow within the drying apparatus 30 or via
mechanical
vibratory or agitative action that is imparted as the moist cake 28 is rapidly
dried.
The drying apparatus 30 is preferably capable of forming granules of
the rumen bypass product 34 with a mean cross-sectional measurement in the
range
of about 175 microns to about 250 microns, since granules of the rumen bypass
product 34 within this size range are thought to be particularly resistant to
attack in
the rumen of ruminants. More preferably, the granules of the rumen bypass
product
34 have a mean cross-sectional measurement in the range of about 210 microns
to
about 225 microns. Still more preferably, the granules of the rumen bypass
product
34 have a mean cross-sectional measurement of about 217 microns.
The rumen bypass product 34, such as granules or particles of the
rumen bypass product 34, exists as a substantially homogenous, and preferably
as a
homogeneous mixture, of protein molecules derived from the proteinaceous
material 14 and lipid molecules derived from the lipid material 12. The lipid
molecules exist as the free fatty acid molecules and the non-free fatty acid
molecules in the rumen bypass product 34. Free fatty acid molecules and
protein
molecules non-covalently interact with each other in the rumen bypass product
34
as the lipid/protein matrix. The heat-denatured (i.e. coagulated) form of the
protein
molecules in the rumen bypass product 34 supports physical entrapment of non-
free
fatty acid molecules within the lipid/protein matrix of the rumen bypass
product 34.
Due to the homogeneous, or substantially homogenous mixture of
protein molecules and lipid molecules in the rumen bypass product 34, free
fatty
acids, non-free fatty acids, and protein molecules are distributed throughout
each
granule or particle of the rumen bypass product 34 and there is no
concentrated core
. CA 02475739 2004-10-22
1g
of the rumen bypass product 34 that is solely free fatty acids, non-free fatty
acids, or
protein molecules. Furthermore, the outer surface of any particular granule or
particle of the rumen bypass product 34 includes exposed free fatty acid
molecules
and exposed protein molecules that non-covalently interact with each other and
often extend inwardly toward interior portions of the particular granule or
particle
of the rumen bypass product 34. Additionally, the outer surface of any
particular
granule or particle of the rumen bypass product 34 will typically include
exposed
non-free fatty acid molecules that often extend inwardly toward interior
portions of
the particular granule or particle of the rumen bypass product 34, though the
exposed non-free fatty acid molecules are physically entrapped within the
lipid/protein matrix of the rumen bypass product 34. Thus, rather than
including a
continuous lipid coating or protein coating, outer exposed surfaces of each
granule
or particle of the rumen bypass product 34 will included a discontinuous,
though
substantially uniform, pattern of exposed free fatty acid molecules, exposed
non-
free fatty acid molecules, and exposed protein molecules.
After discharge from the drying apparatus 30, the rumen bypass
product 34 may be treated with an optional anti-oxidant 36. The optional anti-
oxidant may be a single anti-oxidant or may be a combination of two or more
different anti-oxidants. The anti-oxidant 36 is preferably capable of assuring
the
rumen bypass product 34 is stable against oxidation for a period of at least
six
months at a temperature of about 100°F. The anti-oxidant 36 preferably
also
minimizes, and more preferably eliminates, color changes in the rumen bypass
product 34 by enhancing the stability of the rumen bypass product 34.
Furthermore,
the anti-oxidant 36, in combination with the low moisture content of the rumen
bypass product 34, preferably minimizes most, and more preferably all,
clumping of
the rumen bypass product 34 to maintain the free flowing characteristics of
the
rumen bypass product 34.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
19
The rumen bypass product 34 may be provided as-is as a fat/protein
component or supplement to ruminants and other animals for immediate
consumption. Alternatively, the rumen bypass product 34 may be stored for
future
use, due to the good oxidative stability of the product 34, or may be further
processed. For example, the rumen bypass product may be combined with other
feed components in an animal feed that is formed into any shape, such as logs,
nuggets, pellets, or flakes, of any desired size using any conventional feed
formation equipment. Some examples of conventional animal feed formation
equipment include extrusion equipment and pressing and flaking equipment.
The lipid material 12 may consist of a single lipid component or a
combination of two or more different lipid components. Alternatively, the
lipid
material 12 may be supplied in various prepared mixtures of two or more lipid
components that are subsequently combined to form the lipid material 12. As
noted
above, the lipid material 12 may, and preferably does, contain a significant
amount
of glyceride-containing lipids, such as mono-glycerides, di-glycerides, tri-
glycerides, or mixtures of mono-glycerides, di-glycerides and/or tri-
glycerides and
may even contain free glycerol. Furthermore, the lipid material 12 (and
components
of the lipid material 12) may generally have any Iodine Value, but preferably
has an
Iodine Value greater than about 20, and more preferably has an Iodine Value of
about 40, or more.
Some non-exhaustive examples of suitable lipid components that
may be included as part of the lipid material 12 include animal fat, such as
lard,
beef tallow, butter, chicken fat, milk fat, sheep fat, yellow grease, brown
grease,
and/or deer fat; vegetable fat, such as soybean oil, safflower oil, oil of
evening
primrose, marine oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, rice oil, coconut
oil, and/or
castor oil; any mono-, di- and/or tri-glycerides and/or any free fatty acid,
such as
linolenic, gamma linolenic, vernolic, elaidic, vaccenic, linoleic, conjugated
linoleic,
alpha-linolenic, caproic, caprylic, capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic,
stearic,
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
pentadecanoic, pentadecenoic, heptadecanoic, eicosanoic, heineicosanoic,
docosanoic, myristoleic, eicosanoic, docosanoic, arachidonic, behenic,
lignoceric,
cerotic, palmitoleic, oleic, petroselinic, ricinoleic, vernolic, sterculic,
gadoleic,
cetoleic, erucic, nervanic, ximenic, lumequie, tariric, isonic, hydrocarpic,
chaulmoogric, margaric, garlic, hiragonic, elcoostearic, licanic, parinaric,
strearidonic, arachidic, shibic, and/or any other monoenoic, dienoic,
trienoic,
tetraenoic, pentaenoic, or hexanoic fatty acid; any unsaturated fatty acid
having two,
three, four, five, six or more double and/or triple bonds; any saturated fatty
acid; or
any of these in any combination, provided the highest melting lipid component
of
the lipid material 12 is preferably fully melted at a temperature of about
110°F, or
less, more preferably is fully melted at a temperature of about 105°F,
or less, and
still more preferably is fully melted at a temperature of about 100°F,
or less.
Some non-exhaustive examples of the lipid material 12 (or of lipid
components of the lipid material 12) include choice white grease, yellow
grease,
and brown grease that are each available (1) from Feed Energy Company of Des
Moines, Iowa, (2) from North Central Companies of Minnetonka, Minnesota, (3)
from Liberty Commodities Corporation of Minnetonka, Minnesota, and (4) from
National By-Products, Inc. of Des Moines, Iowa. Choice white grease, yellow
grease, and brown grease may be derived from a number of different sources as
diverse as meat packing plants and commercial cooking operations. Choice white
grease, yellow grease, and brown grease may generally be either solid or
liquid in
form and are primarily composed of fats, oils, and greases of vegetable or
animal
origin. The greases (i.e. choice white, yellow, and brown) are typically
graded by
color (i.e. white, yellow, or brown) and free fatty acid content.
Choice white grease typically has a free fatty acid content of about 4
weight percent, or less, based on the total weight of fat in the choice white
grease.
Yellow grease typically has a free fatty acid content greater than about 4
weight
percent, based on the total weight of fat in the yellow grease. Brown grease
= CA 02475739 2004-10-22
21
typically has a free fatty acid content in the range of about 35 weight
percent to
about 70 weight percent, or higher, based on the total weight of fat in the
brown
grease, though some literature references cite brown greases with free fatty
acid
contents below this typical range, such as on the order of about 20 weigh
percent or
so, based on the total weight of fat in the brown grease.
Choice white and yellow greases may be obtained from meat
packing plants and, when obtained from such sources, commonly contain only hog
fat. Brown grease, when obtained from meat packing plants, includes fat caught
in
catch basins within the meat packing plants and therefore includes other
animal
fats, such as beef fat and mutton fat, in addition to hog fat. When obtained
from
meat packing plants, choice white grease and yellow grease will generally
exclude
added water, whereas brown grease will typically include added water.
Choice white grease, yellow grease, and brown grease may also be
obtained from cooking operations and may include animal and/or vegetable fats.
Choice white grease and yellow grease from cooking operations is generally
obtained from cooking vessels, such as pots, pans, grills, and deep fryers,
and
typically exclude added water. Brown grease from cooking operations is
typically
obtained from grease traps and is generated from cleaning of cooking equipment
and utensils used in the food preparation and serving. Consequently, brown
grease
from cooking operations typically includes added water.
Besides choice white grease, yellow grease, and brown grease,
another non-exhaustive example of the lipid material 12 (or of lipid
components of
the lipid material 12) is the AV4000 product, a vegetable fat product
containing
about 94 weight percent free fatty acids based on the total fat content of the
AV4000 product, that is also available from Feed Energy Company of Des Moines,
Iowa. As yet another example, the lipid material 12 may include or consist of
conjugated linoleic acid (also referred to herein as CLA) that typically
consists of
about 99.8 weight percent free fatty acid, based on the total fat weight in
the CLA.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
22
The lipid material 12 preferably consists predominantly or entirely of brown
grease,
yellow grease, or a mixture of brown grease and yellow grease, since brown and
yellow grease are relatively inexpensive and perform very well in the
intermediate
composition 22, in the moist cake 28, and in the rumen bypass product 34.
As used herein, the term "fatty acid" means any organic acid made
up of at least one molecule that contains at least one carboxyl group (oxygen,
carbon, and hydrogen), where the carboxyl group is attached at the end of a
hydrocarbon chain of the organic acid, and where the hydrocarbon chain
contains at
least one carbon atom (in addition to the carbon of the carbonyl group). It is
to be
understood the carboxyl group of different fatty acids may be neutral or
negatively
charged when included as part of the lipid material 12. Furthermore, as used
herein,
the term "free fatty acid" means any fatty acid that includes a negatively
charged
carboxyl group.
The lipid material 12 may generally contain from about 5 weight
percent to about 100 weight percent free fatty acids, based on the total
weight of the
lipid material 12. As a general observation, the weight percent of free fatty
acid in
the lipid material 12 will typically need to increase as the weight percent of
total fat
in the intermediate composition 22 increases. This increase in the weight
ratio of
free fatty acid to total fat is typically necessary to insure the non-covalent
interaction of free fatty acid molecules and protein molecules in the
intermediate
composition 22 developed sufficiently to support maximum physically entrapment
of non-free fatty acid upon coagulation of the protein molecules and minimize
the
opportunity for non-free fatty acid escape from the rumen bypass product 34 as
the
rumen bypass product 34 passes through the rumen. Thus, the weight ratio of
free
fatty acid in the lipid material 12 to total fat in the intermediate
composition 22 may
be varied to enhance the amount of non-free fatty acid physically entrapped
within
the lipid/protein matrix of the rumen bypass product 34.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
23
For example, when the concentration of total fat in the intermediate
composition 22 is 20 weight percent, the concentration of free fatty acid in
the lipid
material 12 is preferably at least about 20 weight percent. As another
example,
when the concentration of total fat in the intermediate composite 22 is 40
weight
percent, the concentration of free fatty acid in the lipid material 12 is
preferably at
least about 40 weight percent. As yet another example, when the concentration
of
total fat in the intermediate composition 22 is 50 weight percent, the
concentration
of free fatty acid in the lipid material 12 is preferably at least about 50
weight
percent. Though the concentration of total fat is stated in terms of the
intermediate
composition 22 above, the source of the all, or essentially all, of the total
fat of the
intermediate composition 22 will typically be the lipid material 12
The proteinaceous material 14 may be supplied as one or more
individual protein components. Alternatively, the proteinaceous material 14
may be
supplied in various prepared mixtures of two or more protein components that
are
subsequently combined to form the proteinaceous material 14. The proteinaceous
material 14 included as part of the rumen bypass product 34 may be genetically
engineered; may be derived from any animal source(s), any plant source(s), or
any
combination of any animal sources) and any plant source(s); or may be any
combination of genetically engineered proteins) and any proteins) derived from
any animal sources) and/or any plant source(s).
As noted above, a significant amount of the protein molecules of the
proteinaceous material 14 should be non-denatured protein molecules that
exhibit
good protein functionality. Use of non-denatured protein molecules as the
protein
molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 supports enhanced non-covalent
interaction between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and
the
protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14. Preferably, the majority
of the
protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14, more preferably
substantially all
of the protein molecules (such as at least about 75 weight percent of the
protein
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
24
molecules), and till more preferably all, or essentially all, of the protein
molecules
of the proteinaceous material 14 are non-denatured protein molecules.
Some non-exhaustive examples of suitable animal-derived
proteinaceous components that may be incorporated in the proteinaceous
material
14 include dairy materials such as whey, whey protein, whey protein
concentrate,
de-lactosed whey, casein, and dried milk protein; marine materials, such as
fish
meal, fish solubles, fish protein solids, and fish protein meal; animal
fluids, such as
whole animal blood, defibrinated animal blood, blood meal, blood solids,
components of blood like collagen, and subfractions of blood, such as red
blood
cells, plasma, white blood cells, albumin; microbial biomass, such as single
cell
protein; cell cream; liquid or powdered egg; and any of these in any
combination.
Some non-exhaustive examples of suitable plant-derived
proteinaceous components) that may be incorporated in the proteinaceous
material
14 include any protein flours) and/or any protein-enriched flours) derived
from
any grains) and/or any oilseeds) such as soybeans, rapeseed, cottonseed,
sunflower, safflower, wheat, and peanuts; protein flours derived from
vegetables,
such as potatoes; dehydrated alfalfa; wheat proteins; soy proteins; and any of
these
in any combination. Additionally, blends of amino acids isolated from any
source,
such as an animal source and/or a plant source, may be incorporated into the
proteinaceous material 14 to achieve a protein profile in the rumen bypass
product
34 effective to meet the nutritional and health requirements of ruminants.
The proteinaceous material 14, as indicated above, should be fluid
upon placement in the mixing apparatus 16. The proteinaceous material 14, in
r
addition to proteinaceous components, may therefore optionally also include
any
solvent, such as water, that does not substantially interfere with formation
of the
intermediate composition 22, the moist cake 28, and the rumen bypass product
34,
and does not mask the functionality of either the fatty acids of the lipid
material 12
or the proteins of the proteinaceous material 14.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
25
Preferably, an animal blood component is included as part of, and
more preferably all of, the proteinaceous material 14 when practicing the
present
invention. Animal blood is typically collected in large quantities during
killing
operations in meat packing plants, slaughter houses and the like. Animal blood
obtained directly from the animal generally contains from about 28 weight
percent
blood solids to about 30 weight percent blood solids, based on the total
weight of
the animal blood. On the other hand, animal blood obtained directly from the
slaughter house has often been diluted with wash water and therefore typically
contains only about 16 weight percent to about 20 weight percent blood solids,
based on the total weight of the animal blood, in addition to containing
plasma.
Furthermore, about 16 weight percent of the slaughterhouse animal blood, or
about
90 weight percent of the blood solids in the slaughterhouse animal blood, is
typically crude protein.
As used herein, the term "blood solids" refers to any solid material
present in animal blood, no matter the source and handling of the animal
blood.
Consequently, the term "blood solids," as used herein, in addition to
encompassing
any red blood cells, heme, hemoglobin, blood proteins, salt and other
minerals, and
cellular constituents present in blood obtained directly from the animal, is
to be
understood as also encompassing any contaminants, such as traces of tissue and
ash
typically present in animal blood obtained during killing operations.
Animal blood usable in accordance with the present invention may
be obtained from any ruminant, such as cattle, sheep, and goats; from any
monogastric animal, such as swine (pigs and hogs) and horses; any poultry,
such as
chickens and turkeys; and any of these in any combination. Preferably, the
animal
blood component included in the proteinaceous material 14 contains non-
denatured
blood protein. As used herein, the term "non-denatured blood protein" means
blood
proteins that are native and have not been denatured. Native blood proteins
are
typically soluble in aqueous solution. Blood proteins that have been denatured
are
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
26
typically insoluble in solvents, such as water, in which the blood proteins,
prior to
denaturing, were originally soluble.
Also, the animal blood component included as part, and more
preferably all, of the proteinaceous material 14 preferably includes one or
more red
blood cell component(s). As used herein, the term "red blood cell component"
means a portion of the blood solids from animal blood that contains
erythrocyte,
heme, hemoglobin, or any of these in any combination.
The proteinaceous material 14 preferably contains, and more
preferably includes only, a concentrated red blood cell component that
contains at
least about 18 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the
concentrated red blood cell component, where the protein content of the
concentrated red blood cell component is predominantly, and more preferably
only,
native and non-denatured protein. More preferably, the proteinaceous material
14
contains, and most preferably includes only, a concentrated red blood cell
component that contains at least about 24 weight percent blood solids, based
on the
total weight of the concentrated red blood cell component, where the protein
content of the concentrated red blood cell component is predominantly, and
more
preferably only native and non-denatured protein. Still more preferably, the
proteinaceous material 14 contains, and most preferably includes only, a
concentrated red blood cell component that contains more than about 30 weight
percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the concentrated red blood
cell
component, where the protein content of the concentrated red blood cell
component
is predominantly, and more preferably only native and non-denatured protein.
As used herein, the term "concentrated red blood cell component"
means the blood component remaining after animal blood is processed to remove
at
least a majority of the plasma originally present in the animal blood and at
least a
majority of any water added prior to collection of the animal blood. While
blood
obtained directly from animals typically contains about 28 to about 30 weight
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
27
percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the animal blood, animal
blood
obtained from slaughter house operations has often been diluted with wash
water
and therefore typically contains only about 16 weight percent to about 20
weight
percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the animal blood. To obtain
the
concentrated red blood cell component, animal blood, no matter whether
obtained
directly from the animal or from slaughter house operations, may be
centrifuged to
remove plasma and other diluents and concentrate the blood solids, including
the
red blood cells.
When processing animal blood obtained directly from animals
through blood component separation equipment, such as a centrifuge or similar
equipment, the animal blood will typically be split into a plasma component
that
constitutes approximately 52 weight percent of the animal blood, based on the
total
weight of the animal blood, and a red blood cell component that constitutes
approximately 48 weight percent of the animal, based on the total weight of
the
animal blood. The blood solids content of the red blood cell component thus
obtained will typically range from about 37.5 weight percent to about 38.5
weight
percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the red blood cell
component. On
the other hand, the blood solids content of the plasma component will
typically only
be about 16 weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the
plasma
component.
Surprisingly, the present inventors have discovered that use of the
concentrated red blood cell component that contains more than about 30 weight
percent blood solids as the proteinaceous material 14 allows development of
non-
covalent interaction between the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid
material 12
and the proteins of the proteinaceous material 14 to readily occur without any
pH
modification, and consequently without any addition of strong acids or strong
bases.
Previous attempts to prepare rumen bypass products that include protein, such
as
blood protein, typically included addition of strong acids or strong bases
that
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
28
chemically denatured the incorporated protein. Thus, use of the concentrated
red
blood cell component with a solids content of at more than about 30 weight
percent,
based on the total weight of the red blood cell component, avoids the
complication
of adding strong acids or bases.
Additionally, when the proteinaceous material 14 is the preferred,
concentrated red blood cell component that includes more than about 30 weight
percent blood solids, the desired reversible chemical (non-covalent)
interaction of
the free fatty acid molecules of the lipid material 12 and the protein of the
proteinaceous material 14 readily occurs at higher temperatures, such as at
temperatures greater than 50°C (122°F). While not being bound by
theory, it is
believed temperatures greater than 50°C (122°F) are required to
initiate
development of a meaningful amount of non-covalent interaction (such as charge-
charge interaction) between free fatty acid molecules and protein molecules
when
using the preferred, concentrated red blood cell component that preferably
contains
more than about 30 weight percent blood solids. These temperatures greater
than
50°C (122°F) are believed to be required since a substantial
amount of plasma is
removed from animal blood, especially animal blood obtained from
slaughterhouse
operations, to make the concentrated red blood cell component with a blood
solids
content of more than about 30 weight percent. Indeed, red blood cell
components
with a blood solids content greater than about 25 weight percent blood solids
that
are derived from animal blood obtained from slaughterhouse operations are
generally characterized as being essentially free of plasma.
The ratio of the total fat of the lipid material 12 to the total protein of
the proteinaceous material 14, on a dry weight basis, may generally range from
about 70:30 to about 30:70. However to enhance development of non-covalent
interaction between free fatty acids and protein and take advantage of
enhanced
non-free fatty acid holding capacity of the resulting cake 28 of free fatty
acid and
protein, the ratio of the total fat of the lipid material 12 to the total
protein of the
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
29
proteinaceous material 14, on a dry weight basis, preferably ranges from about
70:30 to about 50:50.
As one example, if the concentrated red blood cell component
containing about 30 weight percent blood solids and the lipid material 12
containing about 94 weight percent fat are used to prepare the rumen bypass
product 34 that contains a final fat content of about 60 weight percent and
less than
about 5 weight percent moisture, about 1.94 parts by weight of the red blood
cell
component to about one part by weight of the lipid material 12 will be added
to
form the intermediate composition 22 in preparation for later forming the
rumen
bypass product 34 that will have a final fat content of about 60 weight
percent.
Similarly, if a concentrated liquid red blood cell component containing about
28
weight percent blood solids and the lipid material 12 based on brown grease
containing about 94 weight percent fat are used to prepare the rumen bypass
product 24 containing about 50 weight percent fat, about 2.88 parts by weight
of the
liquid red blood cell component to about one part by weight of the lipid
material 12
that is based on brown grease will be added to form the intermediate
composition
22 in preparation for later forming the rumen bypass product 34 that will have
a
final fat content of about 50 weight percent.
Any optional anti-oxidant component 18 included in the
intermediate composition 22 should be compatible with, and should not
deleteriously interfere with, homogeneous mixing of the lipid material 12 and
the
proteinaceous material 14 and should be compatible with, and should not
deleteriously interfere with, the non-covalent interaction between the free
fatty acid
molecules and the protein molecules in the course of preparing the moist cake
28.
Additionally, any anti-oxidant component 18 that is used should have a vapor
pressure low enough to prevent evaporation or loss of the anti-oxidant
component
18 upon heating to form the intermediate composition 22, the moist cake 28,
and
the rumen bypass product 34.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
30
Some suitable, non-exhaustive examples of the anti-oxidant
component 18 include chelating agents, such as ethylene diamine tetraacetic
acid
(EDTA) and metals salts of EDTA, that tie up metals and thereby inhibit
participation of the metals in oxidation reactions. Some non-exhaustive
examples
of suitable metal salts of EDTA include ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid
calcium
disodium chelate, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt, ethylene
diamine
tetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid trisodium
salt,
and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid dipotassium salt dehydrate. EDTA and
salts
thereof are also believed to have an anticoagulant function, at least with
respect to
animal blood components included as part or all of the proteinaceous material
14.
Other non-exhaustive examples of the anti-oxidant component 18
include any individual feed-grade anti-oxidant or mixture of different feed-
grade
anti-oxidants. Some additional non-exhaustive examples of suitable feed-grade
anti-oxidants beyond EDTA and metals salts of EDTA include sodium sorbate,
potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, propionic acid, alpha-hydroxybutyric acid,
and
the like; ethoxyquin, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxy
toluene
(BHT), naturally occurring tocopherols, phosphoric acid, citric acid,
phosphate
salts, citrate salts, nitrate salts, nitrite salts, tertiarybutylhydroquinone,
propyl
gallate; and any combination of any of these.
As an example, the RENDOX° AEQ anti-oxidant product that is
available from Kemin Industries, Inc. of Des Moines, Iowa may be employed as
the
anti-oxidant component 18 or as part of the anti-oxidant component 18. The
RENDOX° AEQ anti-oxidant product, when employed at a concentration
of about
5,500 parts per million (weight basis, based on the total weight of the
intermediate
composition 22) has been found to help stabilize the rumen bypass product 34
against oxidation for a period of at least six months at a storage temperature
of
about 100°F.
,- CA 02475739 2004-10-22
31
As noted above, EDTA and salts thereof are believed to have an
anticoagulant function. Besides or in addition to EDTA and salts thereof,
other
substances that function as an anticoagulant may permissibly be, and
preferably are,
included in the intermediate composition 22 to enhance beneficial aspects of
the
present invention. One beneficial aspect of including a substance with an
anticoagulant function arises when the proteinaceous material 14 contains the
animal blood component. As noted, the animal blood component included in the
proteinaceous material 14 preferably contains non-denatured protein. The non-
denatured form of the protein in the animal blood component is believed to
facilitate the charge-charge interaction between negatively-charged carboxyl
groups
of the free fatty acid molecules present in the lipid material 12 and
positively-
charged amino groups present in protein molecules of the animal blood
component
by assuring the amino groups are accessible for charge-charge interaction with
the
negatively-charged carboxyl groups of the free fatty acid. Animal blood that
is
collected from slaughterhouse operations is subject to natural bio-degradation
that
may cause the blood proteins to denature. Therefore, the animal blood
component
included in the proteinaceous material 14 preferably is treated with an
anticoagulant
to inhibit biodegradation (and denaturization) of blood proteins prior to
processing
of the proteinaceous material 14 to form the intermediate composition 22.
One measure of the amount of anticoagulant present in the animal
blood component that is included in the proteinaceous material 14 is the ash
concentration of the animal blood component. Addition of the anticoagulant
adds
to the ash content of the animal blood component. The ash content of the
animal
blood component, whether derived from animal blood collected directly from the
animal or from blood collected from slaughterhouse operations, is typically
negligible or even undetectable. Therefore, the vast majority of the ash
content of
the animal blood component may be considered as contributed by any
anticoagulant
content of the animal blood component.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
32
The amount of anticoagulant included in the animal blood
component should be sufficient to increase the ash concentration of the animal
blood component to at least about one weight percent, based on the total
weight of
the animal blood component. Preferably, the amount of anticoagulant included
in
the animal blood component is sufficient to increase the ash concentration of
the
animal blood component to at least about 1.5 weight percent, based on the
total
weight of the animal blood component. More preferably, the amount of
anticoagulant included in the animal blood component is sufficient to increase
the
ash concentration of the animal blood component to at least about 2.0 weight
percent, based on the total weight of the animal blood component. Still more
preferably, the amount of anticoagulant included in the animal blood component
is
sufficient to increase the ash concentration of the animal blood component to
at
least about 2.5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the animal blood
component to enhance inhibition of blood protein degradation (denaturization)
and
help give the complexed lipid/protein product (i.e. the cake 28) produced in
accordance with the present invention a firmer, less fluid form. A suitable
test
method for determining the ash content of the animal blood component may be
found below in the PROPERTYDETERMINATIONAND CHARACTERIZATION
TECHNIQUES section of this document.
Another beneficial aspect of including a substance with an
anticoagulant function concerns the inter-relationship of 1) the non-covalent
interaction development between the free fatty acids of the lipid material 12
and the
protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 and (2) the coagulation of
the
protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 in accordance with the
present
invention. The anticoagulant function of the substance is believed to help
delay
coagulation of the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14, and
therefore
allow enhanced non-covalent interaction development between the free fatty
acids
of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous
material 14
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
33
prior to the onset of more than minor coagulation of the protein molecules of
the
proteinaceous material 14. Thus, the concentration of anticoagulant included
in the
proteinaceous material 14 (and thus in the intermediate composition 22) may be
varied to enhance the amount of non-covalent interaction development between
the
free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules at a select time versus
the
amount of protein coagulation at the select time.
This enhanced non-covalent interaction development between the
free fatty acids of the lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the
proteinaceous material 14 prior to the onset of more than minor coagulation of
the
protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 is believed to support
enhanced
chemical (non-covalent) interaction development between the free fatty acids
of the
lipid material 12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14
along
with enhanced physical entrapment of non-free fatty acids of the lipid
material 12
within the cake 28 upon protein coagulation. This enhanced chemical (non-
covalent) interaction development between the free fatty acids of the lipid
material
12 and the protein molecules of the proteinaceous material 14 along with
enhanced
physical entrapment of non-free fatty acids of the lipid material 12 within
the cake
28 is believed to render the complexed lipid/protein product (i.e. the cake
28)
produced in accordance with the present invention firmer and less fluid, as
compared to the complexed lipid/protein product (i.e. the cake 28) produced
when
the substance with the anticoagulant function is excluded from the
proteinaceous
material 14 and from the intermediate composition 22.
When the intermediate composition 22 includes EDTA, or salts of
EDTA, as part of the anti-oxidant component 18, the concentration of the EDTA,
or
salts thereof, is generally less than about 10,000 parts by weight per million
parts by
weight of the intermediate composition 22. Preferably, the anti-oxidant
component
18 is included in the mixing vessel 16 at a concentration of about 5000 parts
by
weight per million parts by weight of the intermediate composition, though
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
34
concentrations of the anti-oxidant component 18 outside of this range are
permissible.
Any optional additive 20 may be included along with the lipid
material 12, the proteinaceous material 14, and any added anti-oxidant
component
18, so long as the particular optional additive 20 is compatible with, and
will not
deleteriously interfere with, homogeneous mixing of the lipid material 12 and
the
proteinaceous material 14 or with the non-covalent interaction development
between the free fatty acid molecules and the protein molecules in the course
of
preparing the moist cake 28. Additionally, any optional additive 20 that is
used
should have a vapor pressure low enough to prevent evaporation or loss of the
optional additive 20 upon heating to form the intermediate composition 22, the
moist cake 28, and the rumen bypass product 34. The concentration of each
optional additive 20, as a percentage of the total weight of mixture of the
lipid
material 12, the proteinaceous material 14, any added anti-oxidant component
18,
and the optional additives) 20, may generally range from about 0.1 weight
percent
to about 1 weight percent.
Some non-exhaustive examples of the optional additive 20 include
vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide,
inositol,
choline chloride, calcium pantothenate, biotin, folic acid, ascorbic acid,
vitamin B~2,
p-aminobenzoic acid, vitamin A acetate, vitamin K, vitamin D, vitamin E, and
the
like; minerals, such as cobalt, copper, manganese, iron, zinc, tin, nickel,
chromium,
molybdenum, iodine, chlorine, silicon, vanadium, selenium, calcium, magnesium,
sodium and potassium; sugars and complex carbohydrates, including both water-
soluble and water-insoluble monosaccharides, disaccharides, and
polysaccharides;
suspension stabilizing agents, such as nonionic surfactants, hydrocolloids,
cellulose
ethers, gum arabic, carob bean gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, tragacanth gum,
ammonium alginates, sodium alginates, potassium alginates, calcium alginates,
glycol alginates, potato agar, alkyl cellulose, hydroxy alkylcellulose, and
carboxy
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
alkylcellulose; flavoring additives, such as anethole, benzaldehyde, bergamot
oil,
acetoin, carvol, cinnamaldehyde, citral, ethylvanillin, vanillin, thymol,
methyl
salicylate, coumarin, anise, cinnamon, ginger, clove, lemon oil, 1-undecanol,
5-
dodecalactone, eugenol, geraniol, geranyl acetate, guaiacol, limonene,
linalool,
piperonal, 2-acetyl-5-methylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-3-methoxypyrazine, 5-
methylquinoxaline, 2-methyl-6-propylpyrazine, 2-methylbenzofuran, 2,2'-
dithienylmethane, benzyl hexyl carbinol, furfuryl phenyl ether, difurfuryl
ether,
benzofuran-2-aldehyde, benzothiophene-2-aldehyde, 1-butylpyrrole-2-aldehyde,
methyl decyl ketone, dipropyl ketone, ethyl benzyl ketone, 2,6-diacetyl
pyridine,
heptane-3,4-dione, methyl thiophene-2-carboxylate, 2-hydroxyacetophenone, 4-
ethyl-2-methoxyphenol, 2-oxobutan-1-ol; and any combination of any of these.
Any individual feed-grade anti-oxidant 36, or mixture of different
feed-grade anti-oxidants 36, may optionally be applied to the rumen bypass
product
34 to further enhance properties of the rumen bypass product 34. Some
suitable,
non-exhaustive examples of the anti-oxidant 36 include sodium sorbate,
potassium
sorbate, sodium benzoate, propionic acid, alpha-hydroxybutyric acid, and the
like;
ethoxyquin, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT),
naturally occurring tocopherols, phosphoric acid, citric acid, phosphate
salts, citrate
salts, nitrate salts, nitrite salts, tertiarybutylhydroquinone, propyl
gallate; and any
combination of any of these.
As an example, about 5500 parts per million (weight basis, based on
the total weight of the rumen bypass product 34) of the RENDOX~ AEQ anti-
oxidant product may be added to the rumen bypass product 34 after the rumen
bypass product 34 exits the drying apparatus 30. The RENDOX~ AEQ anti-oxidant
has been found to help stabilize the rumen bypass product 34 against oxidation
for a
period of at least six months at a storage temperature of about 100°F.
RENDOX°
AEQ anti-oxidant also helps stabilize the color of the rumen bypass product 34
by
maintaining the as-produced reddish brown color of the rumen bypass product 34
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
36
and preventing a change of the as-produced reddish brown color of the rumen
bypass product 34 to a less desirable mottled, lighter brown color.
Alternatively, as
indicated above, the RENDOX~ AEQ anti-oxidant product may be employed as the
anti-oxidant component 18, or as part of the anti-oxidant component 18, of the
intermediate composition 22.
As noted herein, the non-covalent interaction between the free fatty
acid molecules and the protein molecules of the rumen bypass product 34 (and
of
the cake 28) is highly resistant to breakage at the more typical rumen pH
range of
about 5.8 to about 6.2, and are only slightly less resistant to breakage at
less typical
rumen pHs ranging from about 5.5 to less than about 5.8 and from greater than
about 6.2 to about 8Ø Consequently, the non-covalently interacting free
fatty acid
molecules and protein molecules within the rumen bypass product 34 (and within
the cake 28) and the non-free fatty acids that are physically entrapped within
the
lipid/protein matrix are ruminally-protected. As used herein, the term
"ruminally-
protected" means protected from structural alternation during passage through
the
rumen.
Preferably, the rumen bypass product 34 (and the cake 28), when
orally fed to a ruminant, are ruminally-protected to a degree sufficient to
allow at
least about 75 weight percent of the free fatty acid molecules, at least about
75
weight percent of the protein molecules, and/or at least about 75 weight
percent the
non-free fatty acids contained in the rumen bypass product 34 (and in the cake
28)
to enter the rumen and exit the rumen (i.e. pass through the rumen) without
structural alteration. Still more preferably, the rumen bypass product 34 (and
the
cake 28), when orally fed to a ruminant, are ruminally-protected to a degree
sufficient to allow at least about 90 weight percent of the free fatty acid
molecules,
at least about 90 weight percent of the protein molecules, and/or at least
about 90
weight percent the non-free fatty acids contained in the rumen bypass product
34
(and in the cake 28) to enter the rumen and exit the rumen (i.e. pass through
the
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
37
rumen) without structural alteration. Most preferably, the rumen bypass
product 34
(and the cake 28), when orally fed to a ruminant, are ruminally-protected to a
degree sufficient to allow all of the free fatty acid molecules, all of the
protein
molecules, andlor all of the non-free fatty acids contained in the rumen
bypass
product 34 (and in the cake 28) to enter the rumen and exit the rumen (i.e.
pass
through the rumen) without structural alteration.
For purposes of gauging the degree to which the free fatty acid
molecules, the protein molecules, and the non-free fatty acids of a particular
sample
of the rumen bypass product 34 (or of the cake 28) are ruminally protected, a
technique that is a standard method of the dairy industry may be employed.
This
technique is an in situ method wherein a sample of the rumen bypass product 34
(or
of the cake 28) containing the free fatty acid molecules, the protein
molecules, and
the non-free fatty acids of interest is suspended in a polyester fiber bag in
the rumen
of a ruminant. The polyester fiber bag is periodically retrieved from the
rumen of
the ruminant and tested to determine the change, if any, in the quantity of
the free
fatty acid molecules, the protein molecules, and the non-free fatty acids in
question
over time, taking into account any loss of particles of the rumen bypass
product 34
(or of the cake 28) through the pores of the polyester fiber bag. The
polyester fiber
of one suitable polyester fiber bag is made of a condensation polymer that is
distributed under the trademark DACRON and that is obtained from ethylene
glycol
and terephthalic acid.
Suitable test methods for determining the weight of free fatty acid
molecules, protein molecules, and non-free fatty acids present in the DACRON
polyester fiber bag at any particular time may be found below in the PROPERTY
DETERMINATION AND CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES section of this
document. When using this technique, the DACRON polyester fiber bag should
have a pore size that permits passage of bacteria from the rumen and into the
DACRON polyester fiber bag, while not allowing particles of the rumen bypass
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
38
product 34 larger than the bacteria to escape from the bag and into the rumen.
The
particles of the rumen bypass product 34 being tested are preferably
formulated to
assure the physical form of the particles of the rumen bypass product 34 is
larger
than the pore size of the DACRON polyester fiber bag to minimize any loss of
particles of the rumen bypass product 34 through the pores of the DACRON
polyester fiber bag. If this step is not taken, the technique will need to
include a
factor to account for loss of particles of the rumen bypass product 34 through
the
pores of the DACRON polyester fiber bag, as opposed to degradation of
particles of
the rumen bypass product 34 by bacteria within the DACRON polyester fiber bag.
The rumen bypass product 34 of the present invention yields a
number of surprising and desirable benefits. First, the non-covalent
interaction (i.e.
charge-charge interaction) that is achieved between the free fatty acid
molecules
and protein molecules initiates creation of the lipid/protein matrix that
physical
entraps non-free fatty acid molecules. The pH in the rumen of a ruminant, such
as a
cow, typically ranges from about 5.8 to about 6.2, but may range from as low
as
about 5.5 to as high as about 8.0, depending on such factors as the health and
diet of
the ruminant. The non-covalent interaction between the free fatty acid
molecules
and the protein molecules of the rumen bypass product 34 is highly resistant
to
disruption at the more typical rumen pH range of about 5.8 to about 6.2, and
is only
slightly less resistant to disruption at less typical rumen pHs ranging from
about 5.5
to less than about 5.8 and from greater than about 6.2 to about 8Ø
Consequently, the matrix of free fatty acid molecules and protein
molecules, including the physically entrapped non-free fatty acid molecules,
is
highly protected from action by rumen microbes during passage of the network
of
the rumen bypass product 34 through the rumen that is within the typical rumen
pH
range of about 5.8 to about 6.2. Furthermore, the matrix of free fatty acid
molecules and protein molecules, including the physically entrapped non-free
fatty
acid molecules, is only slightly less protected from action by rumen microbes
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
39
during passage of the network of the rumen bypass product 34 through the rumen
that is at less typical rumen pHs ranging from about 5.5 to less than about
5.8 and
from greater than about 6.2 to about 8Ø Furthermore, the denatured state of
the
non-covalently interacting protein molecules within the lipid/protein matrix
of the
rumen bypass product 34 further helps protect the protein molecules of the
rumen
bypass product from attack by rumen microbes during passage of the network of
the
rumen bypass product 34 through the rumen.
Thus, the rumen bypass product 34 of the present invention provides
a consistent and reliable approach for passing lipids of all types and
proteins
through the rumen to other portions of the ruminant stomach downstream of the
rumen where the typical post-rumen pH is sufficiently low to disrupt the non-
covalent network of the rumen bypass product 34 and liberate the free fatty
acid
molecules and protein molecules and physically entrapped non-free fatty acid
molecules that may then be digested and assimilated in portions of the
ruminant
stomach downstream of the rumen. Consequently, the rumen bypass product 34
provides a consistent, reliable, and straightforward approach to providing
supplemental fatty acid (both saturated and unsaturated) and protein nutrition
to
ruminants that would otherwise be fully, or at least substantially, incapable
of
reaching portions of the ruminant stomach downstream of the rumen or would
potentially cause detrimental nutritional imbalances in the ruminant.
Additional benefits of the rumen bypass product 34 exist. For
example, the rumen bypass product 34 is stable against oxidation and release
of
lipid and protein components and does not undergo changes to the color, taste,
smell or texture even after storage at elevated temperatures, such as about
100°F,
for longer storage periods of about six months, or longer. As one example, the
oxidative stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is evidenced by the stable
color
of the rumen bypass product 34 that does not visibly change, even after
storage of
the rumen bypass product 34 at 100°F for about one month. Still
further, the
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
oxidative stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is evidenced by the stable
color
of the rumen bypass product 34 that does not visibly change, even after
storage of
the rumen bypass product 34 at 100°F for about three months. Even
further, the
oxidative stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is evidenced by the stable
color
of the rumen bypass product 34 that does not visibly change, even after
storage of
the rumen bypass product 34 at 100°F for about six months.
As explained below, the color of the rumen bypass product 34 may
be characterized in terms of L* (lightness/darkness), a*(redness/greenness),
and b*
(yellowness/blueness) values in the CIELAB colorspace. Also as explained
below,
color differences between two samples of a particular stream or between
samples of
different streams may be determined using the following equation:
OE*ab = f(OL*)z + (0a*)2 + (fib*)2 ~o.s
The numerical value for DE*ab indicates the size of the color difference
between the
two samples. When OE*ab is about 5 or less, the difference in color between
the
two samples being compared is typically unable to be visually recognized by
people
with good eyesight. Preferably, the DE*ab that is determined between (1) a
first
sample of the rumen bypass product 34 that is characterized for color shortly
(a few
minutes) after manufacture and (2) a second sample of the rumen bypass product
34
that is characterized for color after storage of the second sample in a
controlled
environment at 100°F for about six months is about 5 or less, which
indicates that
no, or essentially no, visually perceptible color change occurred following
storage
of the rumen bypass product 34, despite storage at 100°F for about six
months. In
this stability demonstration, the first sample of the rumen bypass product 34
and the
second sample of the rumen bypass product 34 should be identical, except for
the
fact the second sample of the rumen bypass product 34 is stored at
100°F for about
six months following manufacture.
As another example, the stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is
also evidenced by the fact that an aqueous suspension of the rumen bypass
product
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
41
34 releases little, if any, lipid, even after storage of the rumen bypass
product 34 at
100°F for about six months. Using the Fat Separation Determination
procedure
provided below, an aqueous suspension of the rumen bypass product 34 (after
storage of the product 34 in a controlled environment at 100°F for
about six
months) in water (prepared in a 0.5:1 weight ratio) preferably exhibits about
five
volume percent fat separation or less, more preferably about three volume
percent
fat separation or less, and still more preferably about one volume percent fat
separation or less after a resting period of about 60 minutes, when tested at
a
temperature of about 80°F using water with a pH ranging from about 6 to
about 8.
Likewise, using the Fat Separation Determination procedure provided below, an
aqueous suspension of the rumen bypass product 34 after storage of the product
34
in a controlled environment at 100°F for about six months) in water
(prepared in a
0.5:1 weight ratio) preferably exhibits about five volume percent fat
separation or
less, more preferably about three volume percent fat separation or less, and
still
more preferably about one volume fat separation percent or less, after a
resting
period of about 60 minutes, when tested at a temperature of about 100°F
using
water with a pH ranging from about 6 to about 8.
As another approach, the stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is
additionally evidenced by the observation that a 100 gram sample of the rumen
bypass product 34 that is placed on a four layer thick stack of paper towels
preferably releases no visible lipids ( i.e. no lipid grease-out) onto the
paper towel
stack after storage of the rumen bypass product 34 on, and in contact with,
the paper
towel stack at 80°F for about one month, more preferably for about
three months,
and still more preferably for about six months. The stability of the rumen
bypass
product 34 is further evidenced by the fact that a 100 gram sample of the
rumen
bypass product 34 placed on a four layer thick stack of paper towels
preferably
releases no visible lipids ( i.e. no lipid grease-out) onto the paper towel
stack after
storage of the rumen bypass product 34 on, and in contact with, the paper
towel
. CA 02475739 2004-10-22
42
stack at 100°F for about one month, more preferably for about three
months, and
still more preferably for about six months.
The stability of the rumen bypass product 34 is also evidenced by the
observation that a granular sample of the rumen bypass product 34 preferably
remains
free flowing and without clumps after storage of the rumen bypass product 34
at
100°F for about one month, more preferably for about three months, and
still more
preferably for about six months. Additional, the rumen bypass product 34
offers
excellent operational flexibilities. For example, the rumen bypass product 34
may be
combined with other animal feed components to form a nutritionally-complete
ruminant feed that may be formed into any shape, such as logs, nuggets,
pellets, or
flakes, of any desired size using any conventional feed formation equipment.
PROPERTY DETERMINATION AND CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES
Various analytical techniques and calculation techniques are
employed herein. An explanation of these techniques and calculations follows.
All
determinations are on a wet basis, without drying the sample, unless otherwise
specified below.
Total Solids Determination
The actual weight of total solids (dry matter weight) of a particular sample
may be determined by analyzing the sample in accordance with Method #925.23
(33.2.09) of Official Methods of Analysis, Association of Official Analytical
Chemists (AOAC) ( 16th Ed.,1995). The weight percent total solids, wet basis,
in the
sample may the then be calculated by dividing the actual weight of total
solids by the
actual weight of the sample. The concentration of moisture in the sample may
be
calculated by subtracting the weight of the dried sample from the weight of
the
original sample to determine the weight of moisture in the original sample.
Then, the
concentration of moisture in the original sample is determined by dividing the
weight
of moisture in the original sample by the weight of the original sample.
~
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
43
Total (Crude) Protein Determination
To determine the percent of total protein (crude protein), wet basis,
in a sample, the actual weight of total protein is determined in accordance
with
Method #991.20 (33.2.11) of Official Methods of Analysis, Association of
Official
Analytical Chemists (AOAC) ( 16th Ed.,1995). The value determined by the above
method yields "total Kjeldahl nitrogen," which is equivalent to "total
protein" since
the above method incorporates a factor that accounts for the average amount of
nitrogen in protein. Since any and all total Kjeldahl nitrogen determinations
presented herein are based on the above method, the terms "total Kjeldahl
nitrogen"
and "total protein" are used interchangeably herein. Furthermore, those
skilled in
the art will recognize that the term "total Kjeldahl nitrogen" is generally
used in the
art to mean "total protein" with the understanding that the factor has been
applied.
The weight percent total protein, wet basis, is calculated by dividing the
actual
weight of total protein by the actual weight of the sample.
Total Fat Determination
To determine the weight percent total fat, wet basis, in a sample, the
actual weight of fat in the sample is determined in accordance with Method
#974.09
(33.7.18) of Official Methods of Analysis, Association of Official Analytical
Chemists (AOAC) ( 16th Ed., 1995). The weight percent total fat, wet basis, is
then
calculated by dividing the actual weight of total fat in the sample by the
actual
weight of the sample.
Free Fatty Acid Determination
The free fatty acid (FFA) concentration in a particular sample may be
determined using AOCS (American Oil Chemists' Society) Method Ca Sa-40 (
1997).
AOCS Method Ca Sa-40 ( 1997) identifies the free fatty acids existing in
sample and
is applicable to all crude and refined vegetable oils, marine oils and animal
fats. A
copy of AOCS Method Ca Sa-40 (1997) may be obtained from the American Oil
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
44
Chemists' Society; P.O. Box 3489; Champaign, IL 61826-3489. The concentration
of
fatty acids other than free fatty acids (i.e. non-free fatty acids) may be
determined by
subtracting the free fatty acid concentration of the sample determined in
accordance
with this procedure from the total fat concentration determined in accordance
with the
Total Fat Determination procedure provided above.
Reflectance Spectra
The color of any stream present in the process 10 of the present
invention, such as the color of the rumen bypass product 34, may be
characterized in
terms of L* (lightness/darkness), a*(redness/greenness), and b*
(yellowness/blueness)
values in the CIELAB colorspace. Increasing L* values (L* moves toward +100)
correlate to increasing lightness (increasing "whiteness"); increasing a*
values (a*
moves toward +60 and thereby becomes either more positive or less negative)
correlate to increasing redness; and increasing b* values (b* moves toward +60
and
thereby becomes either more positive or less negative) correlate to increasing
yellowness. Correspondingly, decreasing L* values (L* moves toward 0)
correlate to
decreasing lightness (increasing "blackness"); decreasing a* values (a* moves
toward
-60 and thereby becomes either less positive or more negative) correlate to
increasing
greenness (decreasing "redness"); and decreasing b* values (b* moves toward -
60 and
thereby becomes either less positive or more negative) correlate to increasing
blueness
(decreasing "yellowness").
Color differences between two samples of a particular stream or
between samples of different streams may be determined using the following
equation:
0E*ab = f(OL*)2 + (Da*)2 + (0b*)2 ~~.s,
The numerical value found by calculating OE*ab indicates the size of the color
difference between the two samples, but does not characterize how the colors
of the
two samples are different. When DE*ab is about 5 or less, the differences in
color
between the two samples being compared are typically unable to be visually
recognized by people with good eyesight.
,' ,' CA 02475739 2004-10-22
Unless otherwise indicated, all reflectance spectra recited herein
were determined in accordance with or are based upon the following procedure
that
relies on a commercially available reflectometer, the Hunter LabScan II
Colorimeter, that is available from Hunter Associates Laboratory, Inc
("Hunter") of
Reston, Virginia. A white calibration standard, part number 11-010850, and a
black
calibration standard, part number 11-005030, each available from Hunter, are
used
to calibrate the Hunter LabScan II Colorimeter. Spectral data obtained by the
Hunter LabScan II Colorimeter are converted by the Colorimeter into various
spectral values, including the CIELAB colorspace variables: L* (lightness),
a*(redness/greenness), and b* (yellowness/blueness).
Before the reflectance spectra are evaluated for a particular sample,
the Hunter LabScan II Colorimeter is calibrated to the appropriate calibration
standards supplied by Hunter. First, the Colorimeter takes a reading after
being
placed against the white calibration standard (part number 11-010850) supplied
by
Hunter. Then, the Colorimeter takes another reading after being placed against
the
black calibration standard (part number 11-005030) supplied by Hunter. The
Colorimeter software then evaluates the two readings and makes any necessary
calibration adjustments before reflectance spectra of samples are measured.
The reflectance spectrum of a particular dried sample (containing less
than 5% moisture, by weight) is evaluated by placing a powder cup (filled
about 1 to 2
centimeters high with the sample) on the Hunter LabScan II Colorimeter
measurement window. A suitable powder cup may be obtained from Agtron
Instruments, a division of Magnuson Engineers, Inc., of San Jose, California.
The
Colorimeter is programed to characterize spectral data in terms of L*, a*, and
b*.
Determination of the L*, a*, and b* values for a particular dried sample
entails five
separate measurements of spectral data. Thus, the L*, a* and b* values for
each dried
sample are based on an average of five separate spectral measurements.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
46
Fat Separation Determination
To determine the volume percent of fat separation upon placement of
a particular sample of the rumen bypass product 34 in water of a select pH at
a
select temperature for a select period of time, the following procedure may be
used.
First, 100 grams of the rumen bypass product 34 (preferably in granular form
and
containing less than 5% moisture, by weight), 0.05 gram of sudan red dye, and
200
grams of water at the select pH are weighed, combined in a tall, slim
graduated
beaker of sufficient volume, and whisked together for about 30 seconds. Sudan
red
dye is a lipid soluble dye that stains lipids red and thereby serves as a
visual aid to
gauge the amount, if any, of fat separation. The graduated beaker may be
placed in a
bucket of water that is at about the select temperature to help maintain the
select
temperature of the testing medium during this determination.
Then, after a predetermined time interval, such as about 15 minutes
or longer, has passed, the amount of any separated fat is documented by
measuring
the height of the red-dyed portion of the graduated cylinder contents. The red-
dyed
portion, if any, constitutes separated fat, since the sudan red dye is lipid-
soluble.
Dividing the height of the red-dyed portion of the graduated cylinder contents
by
the total height of the fluid in the graduated cylinder is an accurate
representation of
the volume fraction of separated fat in the total volume of the fat separation
determination sample because (1) the sudan red-dye is lipid-soluble and
therefore
stains only fat, if any, that separates as a distinct phase from the rumen
bypass
product and (2) the internal diameter of the graduated cylinder is constant
from the
top to the bottom of the graduated cylinder. The volume percent of fat
separation
from the rumen bypass product 34 is calculated by dividing the height of the
red-
dyed portion of the graduated cylinder contents by the total height of the
fluid in the
graduated cylinder and multiplying this result by 100.
. ~ CA 02475739 2004-10-22
47
Ash Determination
The actual weight of total ash (dry matter weight) of a particular
sample may be determined by analyzing the sample in accordance with Method
#920.39 of Official Methods of Analysis, Association of Official Analytical
Chemists (AOAC) ( 15th Ed., 1994). This method entails incinerating the sample
at
600°C for four hours.
pH Deternadnation
Unless otherwise indicated, all pH determinations recited or
specified herein are based upon use of the Model No. 059-43-00 Digital
Benchtop
pH/mV Meter that is available from Cole-Parmer Instrument Co. of Vernon Hills,
Illinois using the procedure set forth in the instructions accompanying the
Model
No. 059-43-00 Digital Benchtop pH/mV Meter. All pH values recited herein were
determined at or are based upon a sample temperature of about 25 °C.
EXAMPLES
The present invention is more particularly described in the following
examples which are intended as illustrations only since numerous modifications
and
variations within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those
skilled
in the art.
EXAMPLE 1
This example demonstrates the technique of preparing a rumen
bypass product in accordance with the present invention. In this example,
conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was employed as the lipid material 12, and an
aqueous solution of red blood cells was employed as the proteinaceous material
14.
The CLA contained about 99.8 weight percent free fatty acid, based on the
total
weight of the CLA. The aqueous solution of red blood cells was prepared from
,' CA 02475739 2004-10-22
48
whole animal blood by centrifuging the whole animal blood to remove plasma and
other diluents and thereby concentrate the blood solids, including the red
blood
cells, in the aqueous solution of red blood cells. After being collected from
the
animal and prior to being centrifuged, the whole animal blood was treated with
a
conventional anticoagulant to inhibit biodegradation of the whole animal blood
and
denaturation of the red blood cells contained in the whole animal blood. The
aqueous solution of red blood cells contained about 30 weight percent blood
solids,
based on the total weight of the aqueous solution.
Initially, about 318 grams of the CLA were added to about 455
grams of the aqueous solution of red blood cells to form a lipid/blood protein
mixture. The lipid/blood protein mixture was vigorously mixed and, at the same
time, gradually heated to a temperature of about 190°F to allow non-
covalent
interaction development between the CLA and the red blood cells, followed by
coagulation of the red blood cells. The lipid/blood protein mixture was held
at the
temperature of about 190°F for about five to about ten minutes to
complete
formation of a complexed red blood cell-fat product. The complexed red blood
cell-fat product was transferred to a turbulent air dryer operating at a
temperature of
about 221 °F and was dried for about two hours to form a powdered rumen
bypass
product in accordance with the present invention.
The powdered rumen bypass product was flowable, did not clump,
and had a dark, red color. The powdered rumen bypass product contained about
65.6 weight percent total fat, based on the total weight of the powdered rumen
bypass product. The powdered rumen bypass product was characterized as stable,
since a 100 gram sample of the powdered rumen bypass product, when placed on a
four layer thick stack of paper towels, released no visible lipids ( i.e. no
lipid
grease-out) onto the paper towel stack after storage of the rumen bypass
product 34
on, and in contact with, the paper towel stack at 80°F for about one
month.
,' ,.~ CA 02475739 2004-10-22
49
EXAMPLE 2
This example further demonstrates the technique of preparing a
rumen bypass product in accordance with the present invention. In this
example,
the rumen bypass product, after drying, contained about 50 weight percent
total fat
and about 45 weight percent total protein, based on the total weight of the
rumen
bypass product. In this example, brown grease obtained from Feed Energy
Company of Des Moines, Iowa, was employed as the lipid material 12, and an
aqueous solution of red blood cells was employed as the proteinaceous material
14.
The brown grease contained about 94.5 weight percent fat, based on the total
weight of the brown grease. About 50 weight percent of the fat content of the
brown grease was in the form of free fatty acids.
The aqueous solution of red blood cells was prepared from whole
animal blood by centrifuging the whole animal blood to remove plasma and other
diluents and thereby concentrate the blood solids, including the red blood
cells, in
the aqueous solution of red blood cells. After being collected from the animal
and
prior to being centrifuged, the whole animal blood was treated with a
conventional
anticoagulant to inhibit biodegradation of the whole animal blood and
denaturation
of the red blood cells contained in the whole animal blood. The aqueous
solution of
red blood cells contained about 27.07 weight percent blood solids, based on
the
total weight of the aqueous solution.
About 454 grams of the brown grease was warmed to about 80°F.
About 8.75 grams of powdered disodium EDTA (a metal salt of EDTA) was mixed
into the warm brown grease. The powdered disodium EDTA was observed to go
into solution with the warm brown grease very well. About 1310 grams of the
aqueous solution of red blood cells were warmed to about 80°F and were
then
added to the brown grease/disodium EDTA mixture to form a lipid/blood protein
mixture. The warm lipid/blood protein mixture, at a temperature of about
78°F,
was then vigorously agitated for about five minutes.
,' .' CA 02475739 2004-10-22
After agitation, the warm lipid/blood protein mixture was placed in a
water bath and the temperature of the warm lipid/blood protein mixture was
slowly
raised to about 170°F to allow non-covalent interaction development
between the
free fatty acids of the brown grease and the proteinaceous red blood cells,
followed
by coagulation of the proteinaceous red blood cells. It was observed that the
lipid/blood protein mixture was substantially coagulated, as evidenced by an
increasingly shiny appearance, by the time the temperature of the lipid/blood
protein mixture reached about 150°F. Complete coagulation of the
lipid/blood
protein mixture and transformation into a complexed red blood cell-fat product
occurred by the time the temperature of the lipid/blood protein mixture
reached
about 160°F. There was no indication of any fat release from the
lipid/blood
protein mixture as the lipid/blood protein mixture was warmed, coagulation
proceeded, and the complexed red blood cell-fat product was formed.
After reaching a temperature of about 170°F, the complexed red
blood cell-fat product was removed from the water bath and placed in a wire
mesh
cylinder for drying. Drying of the complexed red blood cell-fat product
transformed the complexed red blood cell-fat product into reddish brown rumen
bypass powder with a very fine texture. There was no indication of any fat
release
from the complexed red blood cell-fat product as the complexed red blood cell-
fat
product was dried and the reddish brown rumen bypass powder was formed.
Analytical testing of the complexed red blood cell-fat product
revealed the complexed red blood cell-fat product had a moisture content of
about
49.96 weight percent, based on the total weight of the complexed red blood
cell-fat
product, prior to drying in the wire mesh cylinder. Analytical testing of the
reddish
brown rumen bypass powder revealed that the reddish brown rumen bypass powder
contained about 2.66 weight percent moisture, based on the total weight of the
reddish brown rumen bypass powder. Furthermore, the reddish brown rumen
bypass powder contained about 48.53 weight percent total fat, about 2.16
weight
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
51
percent ash, and about 45.11 weight percent total (crude) protein, based on
the total
weight of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder.
EXAMPLE 3
This example further demonstrates the technique of preparing a
rumen bypass product in accordance with the present invention. In this
example,
the rumen bypass product, after drying, contained about 55 weight percent
total fat
and about 48 weight percent total protein, based on the total weight of the
rumen
bypass product. In this example, the same brown grease used in Example 2 and
obtained from Feed Energy Company of Des Moines, Iowa, was employed as the
lipid material 12, and the aqueous solution of red blood cells prepared as
described
in Example 2 was employed as the proteinaceous material 14. The brown grease
contained about 94.5 weight percent fat, based on the total weight of the
brown
grease. About 50 weight percent of the fat content of the brown grease was in
the
form of free fatty acids. The aqueous solution of red blood cells contained
about 28
weight percent blood solids, based on the total weight of the aqueous
solution.
About 116 pounds of the brown grease was warmed 105 °F-
120°F in
a kettle. About 334 pounds of the aqueous solution of red blood cells were
warmed
to about 65 °F to prevent premature crystallization of the brown grease
upon
addition of the aqueous solution of red blood cells to the warm brown grease.
The
warm aqueous solution of red blood cells was then added to the warm brown
grease
to form about 450 pounds of a lipid/blood protein mixture. The warm
lipid/blood
protein mixture was transferred to a ribbon mixer using a mixer feeder and
mixed
for about five minutes at a temperature of about 75°F to 80°F.
The ribbon mixer
was a Model 488 paddle/ribbon mixer of about one hundred cubic feet capacity
that
was coupled with a Model 488 live bottom feeder of about one hundred cubic
feet
capacity. Both the Model 488 paddle/ribbon mixer and the Model 488 live bottom
feeder are available from Scott Equipment Co. of New Prague, Minnesota.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
52
About 2.25 pounds of powdered disodium EDTA (a metal salt of
EDTA) were combined with the 450 pounds of the uniformly mixed, warm
lipid/blood protein mixture. Thus, the concentration of the powdered disodium
EDTA in the warm lipid/blood protein mixture was about 5000 parts (by weight)
per million parts (ppm) (weight basis), based on the total weight of the warm
lipid/blood protein mixture. Also, about 52.6 grams of the RendoX AEQ
antioxidant product available from Kemin Industries, Inc of Des Moines, Iowa
were
combined with the warm lipid/blood protein mixture. Thus, the concentration of
the Rendox° AEQ antioxidant product in the warm lipid/blood protein
mixture was
about 1000 parts (by weight) per million parts (ppm) (weight basis), based on
the
total weight of the warm lipid/blood protein mixture. The mixture of the EDTA
metal salt, the Rendox° AEQ antioxidant product, and the warm
lipid/blood protein
mixture (hereinafter the "warm lipid/blood protein/additive mixture") was
homogeneously blended for about five minutes and was then transferred back
into
the Model 488 paddle/ribbon mixer using the Model 488 live bottom feeder.
Super heated steam was passed through a jacketed portion of the
paddle/ribbon mixer to gradually increase the temperature of the warm
lipid/blood
protein/additive mixture to about 130°F during mixing. The mixing was
allowed to
continue for about eight minutes to allow non-covalent interaction development
between the free fatty acids of the brown grease and the red blood cells and
support
subsequent initiation of coagulation of the proteinaceous red blood cells.
Once
coagulation of the of the proteinaceous red blood cells was initiated, the
temperature
of the warm lipid/blood protein/additive mixture in the paddle/ribbon mixer
was
increased to about 165 °F by passing additional superheated steam
through the
jacketed portion of the paddle/ribbon mixer. The warm lipid/blood
protein/additive
mixture was mixed for an additional seventeen minutes at this temperature of
about
165 °F in the paddle/ribbon mixer to complete transformation of the
warm lipid/blood
protein/additive mixture into a complexed red blood cell-fat product.
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
53
The complexed red blood cell-fat product was then transferred into
an air swept tubular dryer operated with an inlet air temperature of about 450
°F and
an outlet air temperature of about 210°F. The air swept tubular dryer
used in this
example was a Model 2010 AST dryer that may be obtained from Scott Equipment
Company of New Prague, Minnesota. The average temperature of the complexed
red blood cell-fat product during drying was about 148°F. The complexed
red
blood cell-fat product was introduced into the air swept tubular dryer at a
rate of
about ten pounds of the complexed red blood cell-fat product per minute. The
dryer
transformed the moist, complexed red blood cell-fat product into reddish brown
rumen bypass powder with a very fine texture. After mixing, the anti-oxidant
treated, reddish brown rumen bypass powder was placed into plastic
(polypropylene) lined bags. Care was taken to minimize incorporation of air
during
bagging of the rumen bypass powder.
Analytical testing of the complexed red blood cell-fat product
revealed the complexed red blood cell-fat product had a moisture content of
about
55.8 weight percent, based on the total weight of the complexed red blood cell-
fat
product, prior to drying in the air swept tubular dryer. Analytical testing of
the
reddish brown rumen bypass powder revealed that the reddish brown rumen bypass
powder contained about 2.7 wight percent to about 2.8 weight percent moisture,
based on the total weight of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder.
Furthermore,
the reddish brown rumen bypass powder contained about 54.71 weight percent
total
fat and about 47.24 weight percent total (crude) protein, based on the total
weight of
the reddish brown rumen bypass powder. About 46.85 weight percent of the total
fat content of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder was determined to be free
fatty acid, based on the total weight of total fat in the reddish brown rumen
bypass
powder. Thus, about 85.6 percent of the total fat present in the reddish brown
rumen bypass powder was existed as free fatty acid.
' ~ CA 02475739 2004-10-22
54
EXAMPLE 4
This example further demonstrates the technique of preparing a
rumen bypass product in accordance with the present invention. The component
and processing details of this example are the same as those presented in
Example
3, with the following exceptions. First, in this example, 123 pounds of the
brown
grease were employed, and about 354 pounds of the aqueous solution of red
blood
cells were employed. Next, in this example, after formation of the lipid/blood
protein mixture in the paddle/ribbon mixer, none of the powdered disodium EDTA
was added to the lipid/blood protein mixture, in contrast to the addition of
the
powdered disodium EDTA to the lipid/blood protein mixture that occurred in
Example 3. Instead, in this example, the combination of the Rendox°
AEQ
antioxidant product and the warm lipid/blood protein mixture lipid/blood
protein
mixture (as opposed to the combination of the EDTA metal salt, the
Rendox° AEQ
antioxidant product, and the warm lipid/blood protein mixture in Example 3)
was
heated (using super heated steam) and mixed in the paddle/ribbon mixer.
Furthermore, in this example, the lipid/blood protein/additive
mixture was heated to about 134°F (as opposed to about 130°F in
Example 3) and
mixing continued for about five and a half minutes (as opposed to about eight
minutes in Example 3). Then, after raising the temperature of the lipid/blood
protein/additive mixture to about 127 °F (as opposed to about 165
°F in Example 3),
the lipid/blood protein/additive mixture was mixed for an additional thirteen
minutes (as opposed to about seventeen minutes in Example 3) at this elevated
temperature in the paddle/ribbon mixer to complete transformation of the
lipid/blood protein/additive mixture into the complexed red blood cell-fat
product.
Furthermore, in this example, the inlet air temperature of the air swept
tubular dryer
was about 470°F (as opposed to about 450°F in Example 3) and the
outlet air
temperature from the air swept tubular dryer was about 215 °F (as
opposed to about
210°F in Example 3).
~
' ~ CA 02475739 2004-10-22
Analytical testing of the complexed red blood cell-fat product
revealed the complexed red blood cell-fat product had a moisture content of
about
55.2 weight percent, based on the total weight of the complexed red blood cell-
fat
product, prior to drying in the air swept tubular dryer. Analytical testing of
the
reddish brown rumen bypass powder revealed that the reddish brown rumen bypass
powder contained about 1.5 weight percent to about 2.9 weight percent
moisture,
based on the total weight of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder.
Furthermore,
the reddish brown rumen bypass powder contained about 54.50 weight percent
total
fat and about 46.86 weight percent total (crude) protein, based on the total
weight of
the reddish brown rumen bypass powder. About 47.63 weight percent of the total
fat content of the reddish brown rumen bypass powder was determined to be free
fatty acid, based on the total weight of total fat in the reddish brown rumen
bypass
powder. Thus, about 87.4 percent of the total fat present in the reddish brown
rumen bypass powder was existed as free fatty acid.
One important observation is that the complexed red blood cell-fat
product produced in accordance with this example was observed to have a
runnier,
more fluid consistency, as compared to the complexed red blood cell-fat
product
produced in accordance with Example 3. This difference is believed due to the
addition of the powdered disodium EDTA to the lipid/blood protein mixture that
occurred in Example 3, which did not occur in this example. The powdered
disodium EDTA is thought to exhibit an anticoagulant function. This
anticoagulant
function of the powdered disodium EDTA is believed to help delay coagulation
of
the proteinaceous red blood cells, and therefore allow enhanced non-covalent
interaction development between the free fatty acids of the brown grease and
the
red blood cells prior to the onset of more than minor coagulation of the
proteinaceous red blood cells.
This enhanced non-covalent interaction development between the
free fatty acids of the brown grease and the red blood cells prior to the
onset of any
~
CA 02475739 2004-10-22
56
more than minor coagulation of the proteinaceous red blood cells is believed
to
support enhanced chemical (non-covalent) interaction between the free fatty
acids
of the brown grease. The enhanced chemical (non-covalent) interaction between
the free fatty acids of the brown grease coupled with coagulation of the
proteinaceous red blood cells is believed to support subsequent enhanced
physical
entrapment of non-free fatty acids within the lipid/protein matrix. This
enhanced
chemical (non-covalent) interaction between the free fatty acids of the brown
grease
and the red blood cells along with the enhanced physical entrapment of non-
free
fatty acids within the lipid/protein matrix is believed to render the
complexed red
blood cell-fat product produced in accordance with Example 3 firmer and less
fluid,
as compared to the complexed red blood cell-fat product produced in accordance
with this Example.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to
preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes
may
be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
