GB970363A - Improvements in vitamin preparations and process for producing them - Google Patents

Abstract

A vitamin-containing additive for feeding stuffs, particularly for poultry, consists of or comprises particles of zein throughout which one or more of the following vitamin-active substances is or are distributed in soluble or dispersed form: Vitamin A, b -carotin, Vitamin D2 or D3 or their esters, Vitamin K, menadione and its bisulphite compounds, and 2-methyl, 1,4-naphtho-hydroquinone e.g. in the form of the salts of its phosphoric acid and sulphuric acid esters and the like synthetic K-vitamin-active substances. The additive preferably includes: (i) substances capable of modifying the properties of the zein such as carbohydrates e.g. glucose or maltose, higher glycols or free fatty acids or esters of these, esters of phthalic acid or similar acids, compounds of high molecular weight containing hydrophilic groups as polyethylene glycol, higher fatty acid esters of sorbitol, especially the monoester, and fatty acids containing 7 to 9 carbon atoms in the carbon chain and (ii) antioxidants such as p-aminophenol, butylhydroxytoluene or 6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydro-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline. In preparations containing menadione or menadione bisulphite, aninorganic acid such as sulphuric, hydrochloric or phosphoric acid is included to reduce the loss in K-Vitamin activity during storage. A chelating agent such as the sodium salt of ethylene diaminetetra-acetic acid also may be included. In the production of the vitamin-containing additive there is produced a homogeneous solution or a dispersion of one or more of the vitamin-active substances in a solution of zein, the solution or dispersion is dried and the dried product obtained, if it has not already before or during the drying been formed and crushed into separate particles containing the vitamin-active substance enclosed in a zein-containing mass, is formed and crushed into such particles. The zein may be dissolved in ethanol, propanol or butanol in the presence or absence of various nonsolvents such as water, ketones and chlorinated hydrocarbons. According to an example, 30 grams of a commercial Vitamin A concentrate having a Vitamin A content of one million International Units per gram and 1 milligram of 2,6-ditertiary-butyl p-cresol per gram were mixed with a solution of 300 grams of zein and 30 grams of diethyl phthalate in a mixture of 180 grams ethanol and 60 grams water at 60 DEG C. The emulsion formed by vigorous stirring was poured out in 1mm. thick layers on trays and dried at 40 DEG C. in a current of air. The dried product was ground in a hammer mill to an average size of between 30 and 60 mesh. This product was mixed with such a quantity of wheat bran, containing 17% moisture, that the mixture contained 1000 I.U. Vitamin A per gram; this mixture was then compressed with chicken-feed ingredients into pellets with a diameter of about 5-6mm. containing 10 I.U. Vitamin A per gram; the chicken feed ingredients included in specified proportions: wheat flour, wheat bran, oats, oats polishing flour, ground barley, alfalfa flour, linseed meal, meat and bone meal, herring meal, buttermilk powder, whey powder, dried yeast, calcium carbonate and sodium chloride. In a further example the emulsion was spray dried and then admixed with lactose. According to certain other examples there were employed (a) Vitamin A acetate dissolved in soya oil and mixed with 6-ethoxy-1,2-di-hydro-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline, (b) menadione sodium bisulphite and (c) a mixture of Vitamin D3 and menadione sodium bisulphite.ALSO:A vitamin composition consists of or comprises particles of zein throughout which one or more of the following vitamin-active substances is or are distributed in soluble or dispersed form: Vitamin A, b -carotin, Vitamin D2 or D3 or their esters, Vitamin K, menadione and its bisulphite compounds, and 2-methyl-1,4-naphtho-hydroquinone, eig. in the form of the salts of its phosphoric acid and sulphuric acid esters and the like synthetic K-vitamin-active substances. The composition preferably includes substances capable of modifying the properties of the zein such as carbohydrates, e.g. glucose or maltose, higher glycols or free fatty acids or esters of these, esters of phthalic acid or similar acids, compounds of high molecular weight containing hydrophilic groups such as polyethylene glycol, higher fatty acid esters of sorbitol, especially the monoester, and fatty acids containing 7 to 9 carbon atoms in the carbon chain and antioxidants. In preparations containing menadione or menadione bisulphite, an inorganic acid such as sulphuric, hydrochloric or phosphoric acid is included to reduce the loss in K-vitamin activity during storage. A chelating agent such as the sodium salt of ethylene diaminetetra-acetic acid also may be included. In the production of the composition there is produced a homogeneous solution or a dispersion of one or more of the vitamin-active substances in a solution of zein, the solution or dispersion is dried and the dried product obtained, if it has not already before or during the drying been formed and crushed into separate particles containing the vitamin-active substance enclosed in a zein-containing mass, is formed and crushed into such particles. The zein may be dissolved in ethanol, propanol or butanol in the presence or absence of various non-solvents such as water, ketones and chlorinated hydrocarbons.