NO853003L - LIPID-ENCLOSED FRACTIONS AND PROCEDURE FOR THEIR PREPARATION - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical area

The invention relates to rations used as mediators for livestock and animals in captivity and the like, - e.g. ruminants such as cattle, sheep, giraffes, animals of the deer family, camels and pigs; animals in zoos; horses; poultry; pets of the canine or feline family; fish; shrimp; birds, etc, - and more specifically, the invention relates to improved rations and methods for their production, which allow pre-particles and/or pellets with predetermined and adjustable percentages of stabilized "dry" lipids incorporated thereon to be distributed to such livestock and the like as a nutritional pre-supplement where the dry, stabilized lipid content of the thus treated forage can easily reach or even exceed 20% by weight of the pre-ingredient as such without risk of rancidity, pellet or particle agglomeration and/or damage to the whole of the the rations.

More specifically, the present invention relates to the application of adjustable amounts of lipids to a wide range of otherwise common and commercially available animal agents, e.g. grain, alfalfa and mixtures of mediators to encase the conventional pelleted dry precursor and/or the ingredients thereof in a lipid emulsion which is allowed to "solidify" to form dry, stabilized, edible, pelleted precursors, wherein either the pellets or the precursor particles which sometimes used for the formation of pellets have a protective, outer lipid shell which can constitute any desired and pre-selected proportion of the total weight of the total compound ration, e.g. in the range from a few percent of the total weight of the ration to up to 20%, 25% or more of the total weight of the ration. The conventional vehicle may, if desired, be preheated prior to application of the lipid emulsion to reduce its water of hydration level to a desired point below the equilibrium point, allowing the water content of the emulsion to equilibrate with the thus superheated vehicle to reduce and in some cases eliminate the need for any significant subsequent drying steps.

The background of the technique

As pointed out in more detail in the associated application

has long been aware of the value of fats, oils (other than essential oils) and grease (other than hydrocarbon and/or petroleum-based materials) hereinafter generically termed "lipids", as a nutritional supplement for practically the entire register of the animal world - comprehensive e.g.: ruminants such as cattle, sheep, giraffes, animals of the deer family, camels and pigs, animals in zoos, horses, poultry, pets of the dog or cat family, fish, shrimps, birds, etc. Unfortunately, however, the very nature of such lipids, which often exist in liquid form or which emit or sweat liquefied secretions of oil and/or grease, helped to reduce to a minimum, widespread distribution and/or use of these as a pre-supplement. Thus, the tendency of lipids to become rancid and destroyed when subjected to oxidants serves to impose severe limitations on the storage time of dry precursors that include such lipids. Furthermore, lipid materials, when mixed with grains and similar dry precursors, are not only susceptible to rancidity, but are also temperature sensitive, prone to clumping or otherwise agglomerating and dispersing non-uniformly throughout such common precursors, and consequently they give rise to serious problems in connection with packaging and handling.

Nevertheless, great efforts have been made in the past to incorporate lipids into and/or apply lipids to pelleted animal by-products, but prior to arriving at the present invention and the invention described and claimed in the above-mentioned co-pending application, such efforts have not achieved industrial success. Thus, not only have the lipid-treated pellets been exposed to rancidity and spoilage unless treated with anti-oxidants, which entails an accompanying increased expense and complicated process, but also the propensity of such products to sweat and emit lipid secretions has created an agglomeration and handling problem which has continued to haunt the industry. And further, although nutritional considerations will often dictate the inclusion of a lipid nutritional supplement in the rations of captive animals which may range from a few percent to approx. 20% or more lipids by weight, conventional pelleted food products are unable, structurally, to carry more than approx. 7 weight percent lipids at which point they lose their structural integrity and begin to crumble. Thus, with the exception of the lipid-carrying capabilities of animal rations as described and claimed in the present and the previously mentioned co-application, the feed industry has generally found that the lipid content of commercially available dry feed products must be limited to only a few percent lipids by weight, as dry pre-ingredients with higher percentages are prone to the formation of lipid secretions which: i) greatly impair the ability of the dry pre-product to flow freely; ii) promotes rapid rancidity and spoilage in the absence of antioxidants; and iii) causes pelleted precursors to disintegrate rapidly as the lipid content approaches and exceeds approx. 7% by weight lipids.

One approach to the problem that has been attempted thus far has involved the use of "spaghetti" extrusion equipment to form kibble-type animal rations

- rations which, as desired, include a lipid nutritional supplement. Attempts to add the lipids in significant amounts to the ingredients fed to the extrusion equipment have proved unsuccessful for a number of reasons. Thus, the heat generated in the extrusion process tends to liquefy the lipid which is therefore actually pressed from the "dry" precursors in the extrusion process itself. To the extent that some of the lipid is extruded together with the pre-ingredients to form a kibble, the lipid content in this tends to form a liquid lipid secretion, which is very undesirable - especially in cases where the pre-product is packed in bags and a number of bags are stacked on top of each other - i.e. just the weight of the precursor alone tends to push the lipids out of the kibbles that lie underneath. To eliminate the problem of extrusion of lipid from the precursor ingredients in the extrusion

In the process, attempts have been made to spray the lipid materials on the external surfaces of the kibble-type ration after extrusion. In both cases, however, the lipid component remains unbound and therefore tends to form a coating on the surface of the kibble with an oily or greasy surface film. Such films are not only prone to becoming rancid and spoiled which greatly limits the useful shelf life of the product; but in addition the lipid surface films cause the extruded kibbles to agglomerate, which interferes with their free-flowability at the point of use, and they also tend to impregnate the bags and/or other packaging materials used, making them unsightly to look at, damage their integrity and give rise to other undesirable handling and health conditions, including but not limited to the attraction of rodents, vermin and the like.

A number of efforts that have been made in the past to provide an effective industrially viable animal precursor with a nutritional supplement of lipid in the feed are described in the previously mentioned co-application, but each such effort has proved unsuccessful from a commercial standpoint, either because it has not proved cost-effective, the lipid content of the pre-product was too limited, and/or the lipid material was prone to sweating which caused product agglomeration, which greatly reduced handling properties and/or caused spoilage due to rancidity. However, such problems have been overcome by using the methods described in the associated application for the formation of dry, whole pre-pellets where the lipid material forms an integrated, generally homogeneous component of the pre-pellet ingredients both before and after pelleting. Nevertheless, the need has persisted for a simple cost-effective method of adding a lipid nutritional supplement over useful ranges in terms of weight percent lipid to existing dry pre-pellets and/or particles in such a way as to meet the different nutritional requirements of a wide range of animals kept in captivity, and, at the same time, in a manner which does not interfere with the free-flowing ability and/or ease of handling of such commercially available dry pellets and/or particles, and which does not expose such rations to spoilage.

As indicated above, prior to the advent of the invention described and claimed in the above-mentioned co-pending application, the above-mentioned problems continued to plague the industry despite extensive expenditure of time and money in an attempt to solve the problems and provide a system suitable for to extensive mass distribution of pre-supplements of the lipid type. Research aimed at trying to find solutions to the problems has been carried out and/or supported by a number of institutions including e.g. the Fats And Proteins Research Foundation, Inc., Des Plains, Illinois, as well as at numerous university-based research facilities, particularly in agriculture. For example, it has been known for years that lipids can be absorbed into a variety of edible absorbent host carriers or carrier matrices such as rice, puffed rice or wheat, wheat middlings, wheat bran, beet pulp, alfalfa meal, corncobs, bivalves, edible clays or soils, etc. See, e.g.: Robinson, US-PS 1,997,083 (oil-treated birdseed and other grain products); Clayton, US-PS 2,991,178 (oiled beans and seeds); Lewis, US-PS 3,257,209 (soybean oil meal); Pruckner et al, US-PS 3,340,065 (fat containing edible bleaching lime) and Hoffman, US-PS 3,620,755 (soy flour impregnated with edible oily materials and cooked in boiling water).

Unfortunately, the above stated experiments and the many similar experiments which are based on the impregnation of an edible

lig host carrier has not met with acceptance or widespread industrial use for a number of different reasons. For example, the host carrier itself makes the product suitable for use on a very limited species-specific basis. The problem of stability, rancidity, temperature sensitivity and spillage in handling caused by exudates is back. The carrier itself often comprises considerably more than 50% of the weight and the main part of the thus treated pre-product, which not only limits the amount of nutritional lipid values that can be fed to different types of animals, but also in

significantly increases the costs associated with distribution. The resulting impregnated supports often have moist or oily surface coatings and are generally not free-flowing. Furthermore, many such carriers, e.g. rice, simply too expensive to permit widespread use as animal feed.

Another way of approaching the problem has involved relatively expensive and very complicated processes for converting fat or similar lipids into powdered dry form. Typical of this trend are the systems described in Campbell, Jr. et al, US-PS 3,514,297, Grolitsch, US-PS 3,892,880 and Nappen, US-PS 4,232,052. However, such powdered lipid products are far too expensive for use as animal supplements.

In the mid-1970s, extensive research and trials led to the claimed "solution" described in Scott et al, US-PS 3,925,560 and Rawlings et al, US-PS 4,042,718. Thus, the applicants in these patents describe systems where lipids are encapsulated in a protective coating of protein/aldehyde complex to form concentrated highly fatty, dried, particle-shaped free-flowing mixtures. S^ørit"'-an-strenge The ices of Scott et al and Rawlings et al for the first and only time prior to arriving at the invention described and claimed in the previously mentioned co-application produced "dry pellets" or particles characterized by a high lipid content which were intended to be used in animal feed products, the systems have unfortunately not achieved any industrial approval because, if for no other reason, the aldehyde component was and is a known carcinogen and consequently the product could not and would not be approved for use as an animal feed supplement.

In US-PS 4,216;234, Rawlings et al describe a particulate composition formed by dispersing or emulsifying beads of nutritional lipids within an aqueous albumin-containing medium which is then formed into a gel and dried to form a mixture - an arrangement characterized by a relatively low percentage lipid content inside the particulate product.

In US-PS 4,217,370 Rawlings et al describe a method for producing lipid-containing mediators which comprises solubilizing particulate proteinaceous material, mixing in a lipid material to form an emulsion and bringing the emulsion into contact with an effective amount of pH regulator agent to reduce the pH to its isoelectric point, causing accumulation of the protein and simultaneous microencapsulation of the lipid. Once again, the fat content of the resulting product tends to be relatively low. Moreover, both directions are technically complicated from a production point of view, also outrageously expensive, they present serious potential bacterial problems and can indeed lead to products that have carcinogenic properties.

Many previously known patents can be found which generally relate to the formation of gel-like food products by the interaction of alginates with various metal salts and in particular with salts of calcium, such as calcium carbonate. Typical of these patents are Steiner, US-PS 2,441,729; Gibson, US-PS 2,918,375; US-PS 3,349,079 and Miller et al, US-PS 3,455,701. In general, these patents describe relatively slow gelation processes which generally require about 10 minutes for the calcium solution to cause the alginate to form a soft gel. A similar description can be found in an article written by T.R. Andrew and W.C. MacLeod, Application And Control Of The Algin-Calcium Reaction, FOOD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, August-September 1970, pages 99, 101, 102 and 104. In this paper the authors discuss the formation of various types of artificial food products using a sodium alginate solution which slowly can be gelled by dispersing in an aqueous calcium salt solution or which can be gelled instantly by dispersing into a 10% solution of calcium chloride. It is stated that a mixture of an alginate syrup with sugar, dyes, flavorings, etc. can be deposited in a calcium chloride bath "to form globules that look like pieces of fruit or vegetable" or "caviar"

(p. 104). However, none of the above relates to systems intended for or capable of pelleting lipids as such and/or binding lipids with a coagulant to make such lipids "dry", stable, and largely temperature insensitive.

some

In Peschardt, US-PS 2,403,547 the applicant proposes to form

a viscous solution comprising 100 parts by weight of water, 20 parts by weight of glucose and sodium alginate comprising 1-2 percent by weight of the final solution to which any optional coloring or flavoring agents may be added. For the production of spherical articles, the patentee proposes to extrude the above-mentioned base material as "separate lumps" from extrusion dies into an aqueous solution of calcium chloride which it is stated can vary from "as little as 1% or 3% or as much as 10 % or more calcium chloride in the setting bath " (column 2, 11. 44-46). Peschardt further suggests that shapes and forms other than spherical can be obtained by feeding the alginate base material into recesses in molds and then depositing the precast shapes of viscous base material into the setting bath. Peschardt says nothing about the use of lipid ingredients.

Although the use of algin-like coagulants to form dry stable, separated, solid pellets or particles containing high concentrations of lipids had not been contemplated prior to the invention described in the above-mentioned co-application, it has long been known that algins are suitable for use as a barrier layer in the formation of gel-like lipid emulsions that can be used as part of a complex, assembled, mixed ingredient system in a wide range of food analogues. Such systems are indicated in e.g. Hawley, US-PS 3,658,550 where an artificial adipose tissue is produced by reacting an aqueous solution of an alkali salt alginic acid and a retarding agent with a fat dispersion of an alkaline earth metal salt to form an alginate gel matrix with the liquid fat enclosed in small discrete droplets or blobs which is then slowly released by stretching the walls that enclose the small droplets during cooking to dip a simulated analogue meat product - i.e. the alginate/meat matrix comprises a beeswax-like structure containing the liquid fat enclosed in the interstices of the beeswax-like matrix.

Similarly, Feldbrugge et al., US-PS 3,919,435 discloses a meat analog formed from a vegetable protein gel precursor which has incorporated therein, animal adipose tissue and/or vegetable oil with a heat-stable polymeric carbohydrate gel. In this description as in Hawley set forth above, fat is used simply as an ingredient in an overall meat analogue system and there is no description or intention implied for the formation of integrated, separated, dry, solid lipid particles or pellets as such and/or lipid-enveloped particles or pellets as such. In reality, algin simply forms a barrier between protein and fat fractions in a meat analogue containing of the order of magnitude only 5-30 weight percent fat and/or vegetable oil.

Other similar disclosures are found in: Kofsky et al, US-PS 3,862,336 which describes an animal food product comprising a dried proteinaceous food substance, an aqueous matrix containing a water-soluble colloidal binding and gelling agent and a water-soluble, low molecular weight solid, liquid or mixtures thereof which may contain relatively low concentrations of fat; and Baugher, US-PS 4,098,913 which contemplates the formation of regularly shaped gelled fat particles prepared by mixing triglyceride fat or oil and a gelling agent which is then heated and cooled under agitation to form gelled particles which can be incorporated into meat analogues.

Other patents of general interest include: Strums et al, US-PS 3,991,224 (a whipped food product and method of making the same); Goryaev et al, US-PS 4,007,248 (a dried fat emulsion concentrate); Schroeder et al, US-PS 4,027,043 (an animal supplement in range block form and stated to contain fat); GB-PS 586,157 (method for producing simulated fruit and the like from alginates); FR-PS 874,977 (an alginate-based gel emulsion for the formation of spreadable food analogues) and FR-PS 2,087,852 (an alginate-based fruit peel analogue and an encapsulated oil-in-water emulsion - i.e. a liquid emulsion inside an outer capsule formed by algin - suitable when it cracks for dipping meat). Additional other patents of various interest which deal with alginate-based compositions and methods for the preparation of food products and the like, but which do not require any significant, if any, lipid content include: US-PS 2,809,893 - Poarch et al; 2,965,498 - Hartwig et al; 2,973,274 - Langmaack; 3,060,032 - Glicksman; 3,362,831 - Szezesniak; and 3,650,766 - Smadar.

In general, it is found that despite the efforts

by a large number of researchers over a long period of time as shown by the above-mentioned publications and patents, no economic system for dispensing a lipid as such has been developed before the advent of the present invention and the invention described and claimed in the above-mentioned associated application or particles with a high lipid concentration in whole, dry, solid, highly concentrated and stable form to points where it is to be used where the lipid can be mixed uniformly and in any desired amount with virtually any type of animal precursor or where it can be incorporated into other ordinary pelleted rations containing grain or the like or where it can be fed to the animals themselves all together, so that it meets the nutritional requirements of the particular animals in question.

With the exception of the statements of the encapsulated protein/lipid/aldehyde in Scott et al, US-PS 3,925,560 and Rawlings et al, US-PS 4,042,718 none of which are suitable or approved for use as a pre-supplement for animals due to that the aldehydes used therein are known carcinogens, in fact none of the previously known attempts have particularly suited the need to develop a highly concentrated, whole, solid, dry lipid and/or lipid-encased pellet or particle as such which makes it possible to deliver the lipids to a point where they are to be used in a stable, dry form on a cost-effective basis. Thus, despite all the previous attempts, the state of the art as it existed at the time the above-mentioned co-application was filed is perhaps best described according to the DIRECTOR'S DIGEST, a publication published by J. D. Schroeder, Technical Director of the Fats And Proteins Research Foundation , Inc.

("FPRF") in Des Plaines, Illinois, September 1982 issue, No. 152, which states: "...Until now there has been no breakthrough in the development of an inexpensive, dry fat product. We have followed up that work Dr. Boehme did for the identification of suitable carriers and has obtained cost figures that will be useful when considering a product or products to be manufactured, The number of suitable carriers for fats is quite limited as the absorption properties are not the same as for water-based materials such as molasses Something that makes the situation more complicated is that some products may be suitable for certain markets, while they are unsuitable for other markets.

The potential fat carriers that we have worked with and are familiar with can be classified as either nutritional or non-nutritive. They are listed below with regard to fat-bearing capacity, price and markets where they can be used.

The preceding FPRF publication further points to many

of the disadvantages with regard to transport costs, low fat content, excessively high costs for carriers with higher fat content and species-specific applications for their use. Thus, the state of the art as of November 1983 for the provision of lipid nutritional supplements for animals despite all efforts and expenditure in terms of time and money during the past twenty years or more based on the impregnation of a host carrier which had or did not have nutritional value, and which in significantly contributed to the size, weight and delivery costs of the feed. And at the same time the problems persisted in the form of rancidity and handling

difficulty.

Face to face with the above-mentioned long-standing problems and the unsuccessful efforts of the researchers to solve them, the inventor/applicant has developed improved lipid pelleting methods, apparatus and products as described and claimed in the above-mentioned co-application, more specifically and as it is described, solid lipid pellets containing 65-95% or higher lipid concentrations suitable for use in or as animal supplements and/or rations were obtained where: A mixture containing at least water and an edible algin-like coagulant formed in a mixing chamber, a liquefied lipid is added to form a gel-like lipid/coagulant/water emulsion and the emulsion is deposited in separate quantities in a metal ion bath which causes the emulsion to "solidify" into a lipid pellet which is whole and solid throughout its structure. Lipid pellets can be packaged for delivery to places where they are to be used and/or mixed with other precursors to form nutritious animal rations. Small amounts of ammonia and/or bentonite can be added to the aqueous mixture to increase the lipid-absorbing ability. Various examples .of. systems are described in the associated application for the formation of such solid, whole lipid pellets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention differs from that described in the above-mentioned co-pending application in that the gel-like lipid/coagulant/water emulsion rather than "set"

in the form of whole, generally homogenous lipid pellets either before or after mixing with the ingredients comprising the dry animal feed are used to coat the outer surface of commonly commercially available, "dry" animal carriers and/or prepellets and thus form a "dry", stable, bound lipid/coagulant film or coating that encapsulates or encloses the dry ration for animals, where part of the lipid can migrate into the structure of the dry ingredients and/or pellets and where the amount of lipid added to the dry ration can vary from a few percent lipids by weight to virtually any desired weight percent, usually extensive

weight percentages that go up to 20-25 weight percent lipids or more. In one of its preferred forms, the invention comprises heating the usual commercially available dry animal rations to reduce the hydrate water level to below the water equilibrium level - which is generally in the range of 10-13% hydrate water - before applying the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion . As a result of this arrangement, as the emulsion "sets", the water content of it and the water content of the dry animal feed tend to equilibrate, making the product "self-drying". The moisture level of the overheated, dry animal feed and the percentage of water by weight in the emulsion can in some cases be chosen so that the overall moisture content of the composite product

will adjust to equilibrium in the area of 10-13% water calculated by weight - i.e. approximately normal hydrate water level for the composite product. In these cases, no further drying is necessary or desirable. In other cases where the moisture content of the finished composite pellets exceeds 13%, the pellets must be subjected to further drying if desired.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention in one of its most important embodiments to overcome all the disadvantages accompanying previously known attempts and to provide methods for applying lipids in desirable, predetermined and/or controllable amounts to the surface of common, commercially available" dry" animal by-products to enclose and/or encapsulate such by-products in an outer coating of lipid/coagulant/water emulsion which can then be caused to "solidify" to form composite lipid/forage pellets or particles having either : a) an internal structure largely defined by the precursor ingredients of the original pelleted food product and an external "dry", stable, bound lipid/coagulant shell, some of the lipid within the emulsion being free to migrate into the pores of the dry precursor and b) a structure where the particles of the agent are encapsulated or enclosed within the lipid/coagulant film prior to pelleting, solidifies, and then optionally pellets es, while the composite lipid/f6r rations are: i) largely "dry" (except for hydrate water); ii) the lipid component is bound together with the coagulant and is thus stabilized, which prevents rancidity and/or spoilage and promotes a relatively long storage time;

and iii) free from the tendency to form lipid exudates which tend to cause agglomeration of the pellets, thus promoting packaging, handling and dispensing properties.

Another and more detailed purpose of the invention is

to provide a process of the above nature wherein the "dry" animal feedstocks can optionally be preheated either before or after pelleting to reduce their moisture content to a level below the normal hydrate level, allowing the super-dried particles or pellets formed to equilibrate with the moisture content of the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion to make the composite lipid/f6r rations largely "self-drying". In this regard, it is an object of the invention to provide a lipid encapsulation process for dry animal feed pellets which also takes advantage of the heat generated in the pellets during a normal pelleting process to assist in drying the resulting product.

Yet one of the important purposes of the invention is to provide lipid-encased animal rations in particulate and/or pelleted form which are largely temperature insensitive and where the bound lipid/coagulant ingredients will not release liquid lipid when subjected to pressure and/or high temperatures as usually encountered during storage and/or transport.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

These and other purposes and advantages of the present invention will become clearer upon review of the following detailed description and reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a highly diagrammatic, partial block-and-line process diagram which here shows an example of a system for encapsulating "dry", pelleted animal by-products in a lipid/coagulant/water emulsion which then "solidifies" to form a largely "dry", composite lipid/fr6r pellet with an internal structure defined by the ingredients of dry prepellets and an outer coating of bound lipid/coagulant that is substantially "dry", free of an oily surface and characterized by its lack of tendency to excrete lipids, agglomerate and/or become rancid and spoiled.

Although the invention can be subjected to various modifications and alternative forms, particular embodiments are shown by way of example in the drawing and will now be described in detail. However, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms described, but that the invention, on the contrary, covers all modifications, equivalents and alternatives that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as expressed in the associated claims .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The environment of the invention

Before embarking on a description of the features of the present invention, it may be useful to define what is meant by some of the expressions used here and in the associated claims. Thus: The term "formula", "pre-product" and/or "ration" are used interchangeably herein to denote any edible material that has nutritional value when fed to animals in captivity, including: E.g. ruminants such as cattle, sheep, giraffes, animals of the deer family, camels and pigs; animals in zoos, horses, poultry, pets of the dog or cat family, fish, shrimps, birds, etc., and which can e.g. include such materials as grain, alfalfa, corn and soybean meal, cottonseed meal, minerals, vitamins and the like and/or mixtures thereof;

The terms "pellets", "pelleted" and/or "pelleting" are not intended to indicate any item of particular size and/or shape, but rather are used in their broadest sense to indicate items of various sizes and/or shapes

- e.g. pill-like, rod-like, wafer-like, ball-shaped, capsule-shaped, regularly shaped, irregularly shaped, etc. in which the nutritional precursor ingredients have been compressed into separate, whole shapes generally by the application of pressure that generates internal heat using any and completely common and well-known extrusion type-out-

steering wheel, pellet mill or similar;

The term "lipid" is used in its broadest sense for

to include fat, oil (other than essential oils) and grease (other than hydrocarbon and/or petroleum based materials);

The term "algin-like coagulant" is intended to include extracts of seaweed, e.g. algin and/or "firm" including not only low-viscosity algins - e.g. an algin with a viscosity of the order of approx. one hundred (100) centipoise ("cp") - but also high-viscosity algins with viscosities up to the order of one thousand (1000) cp or more as well as other materials with coagulating properties that can form a gel-like emulsion when mixed with water and lipids, f .ex. extracts of abel musk or aloe vera, pectins, chitosan,

a coagulant derived from the shells of shellfish, such as prawns, crabs etc. or formed on fungal spores etc. 1).Thus each of the preceding materials can be dissolved in a liquid and when dissolved in this way calcium (or other suitable metal ion) becomes active in the same way as algin, which allows cross-linking of calcium (or other metal ion) and algin (or other coagulant) in general so that it makes the coagulant - which had previously been water-soluble - water-insoluble;

The term "coagulant" is intended to include metal compounds containing edible metals which, when dissolved in water, give off metal ions which are available for cross-linking with an algin-like coagulant in general so that it makes the coagulant water-insoluble - and may include various calcium compounds such as calcium chloride, cal -sium hydroxide, calcium lactate, calcium phosphate, calcium citrate, etc. as well as compounds of other edible metals such as iron, aluminum (which must be used at discretion depending on the animal species to be fed as, for example, certain birds are sensitive to the aluminum content in their diet) or copper (which again must be used judiciously as many animals are sensitive to high concentrations of copper) and in the case of fish bait, borax which has been found to be particularly beneficial because, although boron ions will react mutually to "solidify" it algin-like coagulant, the coagulant remains water-soluble and consequently the lipid/coagulant in or on the bait product will act as a self-release agent (time-release agent), which allows the bait to slowly dissolve as it is pulled through the water so that it gradually releases food particles and lipids that serve to attract the fish; and

the terms "envelopment" and/or "encapsulate" are used interchangeably herein and are intended to denote a lipid/pelleted or lipid/part non-formed, dry precursor system, wherein the pelleted or particulate dry precursor is preferably, but not necessarily, uniformly coated over at least a substantial portion of its external surface with a lipid/coagulant/water emulsion, although some portions of the emulsion are free to migrate internally into the dry prepellet or other particulate dry precursor ingredient.

Turning now to the drawing and recalling the meanings the above-mentioned expressions as used here are intended to have, there is in fig. 1 shows an example of a lipid encapsulation system for pelleted, dry generally shown in very simplified schematic form at 10 which includes features according to the invention. As shown here, "dry" pre-ingredients (not shown) are delivered either directly to a conventional pellet mill 11 as indicated by the feeding sequence shown by the solid line, indicated at 12 or optionally via the feeding sequence via the dashed line indicated at 14, through an oven or other suitable and common heat source 15 and from there to the equipment for pellet forming. As the following description progresses, those skilled in the art will understand that the term "dry" as used herein means a precursor ingredient which itself has a normal hydrate water level in the range of 10-13 weight percent moisture. The pellet mill 11 is, as indicated above, completely ordinary and forms no part of the present invention as the special equipment used to form the compressed dry pellets can vary within wide limits from any commonly commercially available pellet mill to extrusion equipment (including extruders of the spaghetti type or similar), moulds, etc.

Furthermore, as the following description progresses, those skilled in the art will understand that the lipid-encapsulating method according to the invention will find advantageous application in the processing of preformed and prepackaged animal feed pellets formed at a completely different location and in a completely independent operation. Nevertheless, it has been found in those cases where the pellets. enveloped with lipids as part of or in connection with the pelleting process such that pellet mills 11 and/or extrusion equipment have been found to be particularly acceptable as they generally form compressed, relatively dense pre-pellets by the application of pressure, a technique which in itself generates heat in the pellet-forming process, and as detailed below, one can take advantage of this inherently generated heat to promote uniformity of the lipid coatings and help dry the coated pellets. In the system 10 according to the example shown in fig. 1, the pellet mill 11 serves to discharge separated, compressed pre-pellets, generally shown at 16, which are shown here being discharged by gravity to the surface of a conventional conveyor belt 18.

In the form shown as an example according to the invention in fig.

1 and according to the important features of the present invention, the individual, separate prepellets 16 are coated externally with any suitable and desirable lipid/coagulant/water emulsion. Although such a coating can be used in a number of different ways - e.g. in a batch process by dipping the pellets 16 in a lipid/coagulant/water emulsion which is contained in a suitable dipping tank (not shown) - one envisages in the illustrative form of the invention shown here the use of a spray application system, in general indicated at 19, where the emulsion is formed and maintained in a suitable mixing chamber 20 and dosed amounts thereof are withdrawn by means of a pump 21

and sprayed onto the falling pellets 16 by means of one or more spray nozzles 22. If desired, the spray nozzles 2 can be oriented to be counter-acting as shown and/or they can be rotated around or moved in relation to the falling pellets to maximize the uniformity of the application of the emulsion on the outer surfaces of the descending pellets.

In order to promote uniform application of the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion to the pellets 16 and to promote drying of these, while preventing agglomeration of the thus coated pellets, the belt conveyor 18 can typically take the form of an ordinary vibrating belt conveyor which serves to ensure that the pellets deposited thereon are in constant motion. In the same way, ordinary vibrating conveyor belts other than belt-type conveyor belts can also be used. Furthermore, such continuous pellet movement can be further promoted by providing air agitation where cold or ambient air is continuously blown up through the upper conveyor belt run 18' by means of a perforated air distribution chamber or agitator, here shown at 24. Thus, the arrangement is such that the moving pellets 16 are exposed to and coated by the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion dispensed from the spray nozzle 22, while the heat inherently generated in the pellets 16 during the compression process in the pellet mill, extruder or similar equipment together with the continuously flowing air currents dispensed through the mass of vibrating pellets at the air agitator 24, serves to promote uniform surface coating of the pellets.

In one embodiment of the invention, precautions are taken to "solidify" the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion film that forms on the pellets 16 to stabilize the lipid, and obtain separate lipid-enveloped or -encapsulated pellets characterized by a "dry", non- oily, externally bound lipid/coagulant shell free from the tendency to sweat or emit lipid secretions. For this purpose, an aqueous metal ion solution - e.g. a solution of calcium chloride (CaC^) maintained in a tank 25, withdrawn therefrom by any suitable pump 26 and sprayed onto the continuously moving vibrating emulsion-coated pellets 16 by means of one or more suitable spray heads or nozzles 28. Thus the arrangement is such that interaction between the vibrating conveyor 18 and air agitator 24 serves to keep the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion coated pellets 16 in constant motion as they move through the metal ion spray application station indicated by nozzles 28 which ensures that the pellets are uniformly coated with the aqueous solidifying solution which serves to release metal ions that react with the coagulant in the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion to "solidify" the lipid into a relatively firm, "dry", shell-like structure that encloses and/or encapsulates the separated dry pre-pellets 16. That is, the metal ion/coagulant reaction serves to cross-link the metal (e.g. calcium in a calcium chloride solution sning) and the coagulant (e.g. algin), which leaves the coagulant - which had previously been water-soluble - water-insoluble (except when borax is used to form water-soluble lipid-encased bait products where the bound lipid/coagulant remains water-soluble) which binds the lipid and the coagulant to stabilize the lipid in a large dry state free from tendency to sweat, soak or otherwise exude lipids in the form of liquid secretions.

Those skilled in the art will realize that the speed of the above-mentioned cross-linking reaction between metal ions and coagulant will depend to a large extent on the concentration of metal ions in the aqueous solution which is maintained inside tank 25. Experience has shown that when using e.g. calcium chloride, an aqueous calcium chloride solution containing as little as 0.1 wt% calcium is generally sufficient to "solidify" the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion within a few minutes or even seconds while stronger solutions - e.g. 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% or more - serves to "solidify" the emulsion practically instantly.

At this point in the process, although the lipid/coagulant components are bound together, the pellets 16 generally exhibit a moist external appearance, mainly as a result of the excess water content within the aqueous calcium chloride (CaC 2 ) or other metal ion solution. Accordingly, in carrying out the invention, the separated lipid-encased pellets 16 are preferably carried on the vibration conveyor 18 which keeps them in constant motion in relation to each other and are carried over or through a further drying station which may be in the form of an oven (not shown) or as it is here shown, the pellets can be passed in heat-changing conditions with a hot air dryer 29 which serves to direct a series of streams of hot air through the moving layer of pellets. Upon completion of the drying cycle, the pellets 16 can be discharged to suitable storage silos or

similar (not shown) or alternatively they can be transferred to yet another conveyor 30 for transport to suitable automatic semi-automatic and/or manual stations for packing or filling into bags (not shown). In the example of the invention shown in fig. 1 and described above, the pellets 16 are sprayed with lipid/coagulant/water emulsion, being released under gravity from the pellet mill 11 towards the conveyor 18, but those skilled in the art will understand that the invention is not limited to this arrangement shown as an example. Thus, the pellets 16 can alternatively and/or additionally be sprayed with the emulsion after deposition on the conveyor 18. And in certain types of ordinary pellet mills it is possible to spray the pellets after they have been formed, but before they are discharged from the mill.

In its broadest form, the invention permits spraying or other coating of the dry pre-ingredients as such before pelleting. Thus, it is within the scope of the invention: i) to spray or otherwise coat the dry agent particles that are fed to the pellet mill 11 via the feed route 12 (or the feed route 14 after passage through the heater 15) with the emulsion, preferably with agitation of the agent particles; ii) spraying or otherwise coating the emulsion-coated agent particles with an aqueous stiffening agent such as a calcium chloride solution; and iii) and then introduce the thus lipid-encased precursor particles into the pellet mill 11 (or other suitable pellet-forming equipment) to press the particles together into a relatively dense pelletized form where the particles of precursor material inside the pellets are lipid-encased in contrast to the system shown in the example in fig. 1 where the pellets 16 are lipid-encased. And of course in those cases where the invention is used to lipid-enclose the agent particles as such, the lipid-enclosed particles can be filled into bags and distributed without pelleting, as the lipid is in a dry, stable, temperature-insensitive form bound to the coagulant and can therefore be handled with ease without the risk of agglomeration and without risk of rancidity.

One of the most important advantages of the present invention is based on the authenticity and flexibility of the method, which is mainly free from the need for expensive capital equipment. Thus, to start up a continuous process plant, relatively little additional equipment is required other than a few spray nozzles for the application stations for the emulsion and calcium chloride together with some means for agitating the enclosed agent particles and/or pellets to promote uniformity of lipid application and prevent agglomeration of the encapsulated particles or pellets prior to "solidification" of the lipid/coagulant coating. The encapsulated particles or pellets from the system can be carefully regulated to provide animal rations that meet virtually any nutritional lipid requirement for equipment and the like from a few weight percent lipids to 20 weight percent or more. For example, in a continuous encapsulation process where "X" kg of "dry" particles or pellets are to be lipid encased per unit of time to form rations with 10% by weight of lipids, the system shown in the example of fig. 1 is set so that the lipid content of the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion in tank 20 and the spray system for lipid application

19 is adjusted so that 0.1X kg of lipid is applied to the particles or pellets per unit time. On the other hand, if the particles or pellets were to include 15% by weight of lipids, such a result would only require that one or more of the operating speed of the belt conveyor 18, the lipid content of the emulsion and/or the amount of lipid sprayed per time unit is adjusted so that 0.15X kg of lipid is applied to X kg of dry precursor particles or pellets per unit of time. Then the lipid-encased particles or pellets produced can be sorted and packaged for distribution to customers according to the amount of lipid included

in the ready-pelleted or particulate ration.

And further, those skilled in the art will understand that it is within the scope of the invention to adjust the process parameters so that little or in some cases no additional energy is needed to effectively dry the lipid-encased particles or pellets to a level of only 10 to 13% moisture - i.e. to a level largely in equilibrium with the water of hydration level for the dry medium. For example, if the manufacturer wishes to form separated, dry pre-particles or pellets with 10% by weight lipids from mixed grain and alfalfa or a similar nutritious mediator and assuming that the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion contains approximately 66% by weight lipid, 33% water and 1% coagulant, it will simply be necessary to heat the dry precursor ingredients in a heater 15, either before, during or after pelleting in order to reduce the level of the water of hydrate below its normal equilibrium point to approx. 8% and then add 15% emulsion by weight to 85% "dry" pre-ingredients by weight. Thus:

85% dry ingredients with 8% moisture content

+ 15% emulsion with 33% moisture content

100%; and

the resulting rations will comprise approximately 10% by weight lipids, 78% by weight dry matter and 12% total moisture. That is, the moisture content of 8% of the dry ingredients when the 33% moisture content of the emulsion is added will tend to settle at equilibrium to form lipid-encased rations with a total moisture of approx. 12%.

Similarly, if one wishes to produce a lipid-encased particle or pellet with 15% lipids by weight, the same dry ingredients can be preheated to reduce the water of hydration level to 6% and the emulsion applied as follows:

77.5% dry ingredients with 6% moisture content

+ 22.5% emulsion with 33% moisture content

100%; and

the resulting ration will contain approximately: 15.1 weight percent lipids, 72.9 weight percent dry matter and 12 weight percent moisture.

As previously stated, different types of coagulants can be used, of which the best known to those skilled in the art is algin. It has been found that virtually any algin regardless of viscosity and/or purity will work well, but if one wishes to use a spray application system for the lipid emulsion such as that shown at 19 in FIG. 1, includes products that have proven particularly excellent: Kelco Gel LV and Kelgin LV refined light viscosity - e.g. about. 100 cp - algins commercially available from Kelco Division, Merck&Co., Inc., Chicago, IL; Scotone, a refined algin of light viscosity commercially available from Scotia Marine Product, Ltd., Princeton, N.J.; and Protatek BF120, an unrefined algin of light to medium viscosity commonly designated as "hold fast" commercially available from Multi-Kem Corp., Ridgefield, NJ.

Desired mixing ratios for the ingredients in the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion have been found to lie within the following general ranges:

If necessary, a suitable emulsifier - e.g. ammonium hydroxide (NH 2 O) available from a variety of sources such as VWR Scientific, Seattle, WA - is added to the mixture in any desired amount up to approx. 5 weight percent counted on

the overall mixture to contribute to the formation and maintenance of the desired emulsion.

When it comes to hardener - f. eg... the calcium chloride solution (CaC^) maintained in tank 25 - such hardener may comprise an aqueous solution containing practically any concentration of calcium chloride from 0.1% to 2% calcium chloride to 25 to 30% by weight or more calcium chloride, the remainder comprising water. However, in cases where it is undesirable to spray or bathe the lipid-encased particles or pellets with a solution containing up to 98-99% excess water, it has been found to be acceptable to prepare highly concentrated aqueous solutions of calcium chloride - e.g. 50% by weight calcium chloride or more

- solutions (or other suitable metal compounds in a solution capable of releasing metal ions of an edible metal) where just enough water is added to the calcium chloride to liberate the calcium ions and then dilute such highly concentrated solutions by adding a liquid drying agent such as propylene glycol to form a "hardening" bath comprising e.g. 98-99% propylene glycol and 2-1% highly concentrated aqueous calcium

chloride solution. Such an arrangement is also advantageous as it not only reduces to a minimum the excess water added to the system, but also in cases where the lipid-encased pellets have a total moisture content that exceeds the normal hydrate water level - e.g. 10-13% - stays in the concentrated aqueous calcium chloride/propylene glycol bath to remove excess moisture in the pellets that are formed due to that propylene glycol constitutes a drying agent. In this type of system, the propylene glycol can be recycled, heated to remove excess moisture extracted from the lipid-encased pellets, reconditioned by the addition of a highly concentrated, aqueous calcium chloride solution, and recycled through the pellet or particle-lipid encapsulation system to bind the lipid and coagulant ingredients used on subsequent batches of pellets.

EXAMPLE 1

To carry out the present invention on a laboratory basis to form separate dry lipid-encapsulated pelleted animal rations, a supply of "Complete Hog Finishing Ration" of the type commercially available from Western Farmers Brand Feed, supplied by Cenex Ag., Inc. , Seattle, WA, heated for approx. 20 minutes at 93°C in a preheating oven until a slight color change indicating caramelization of the surface of the pellets was observed. Based on measuring the weight of the pelleted Hog Finishing Ration before and after heating and knowing that the unheated ration contained approx. 10-12% moisture by weight, it was determined that the heating process served to reduce the moisture content of the pelleted ration to a range of 6-8%. For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that the above-mentioned "Complete Hog Finishing Ration" contains a guaranteed analysis of minimum

13% protein, minimum 2% fat and minimum 7.5% fiber and contains the following ingredients: Grain products, plant protein products, processed grain by-products, fodder products, animal protein products, roughage products, sugar cane molasses feed, lignin sulphonate, salt, magnesium oxide, manganese oxide, cobalt carbonate, copper sulfate, iron sulfate, zinc oxide, potassium iodide, calcium carbonate, vitamin A acetate, deactivated animal sterol (source of vitamin B-3), di-alpha-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), supplement of

vitamin B-12, riboflavin supplement, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, choline chloride, menadlon sodium bisulfite complex, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, sodium selenite (selenium), d-biotin and folic acid.

A lipid/coagulant/water emulsion was prepared as follows: 240 g of 4% acid fat product designated as "yellow grease" was melted and kept at a temperature of 52°C; 2.2 g of an algin Kelgin LV (low viscosity) was mixed separately in a mixer with 120 g of hot tap water until completely dissolved and the liquefied "yellow grease" was added to the algin/water mixture to make a total of 362.2 g lipid/algin/water emulsion which, after thorough mixing, was fed into a vibrator-driven spray gun.

The preheated pelleted Hog Finishing Ration with a moisture content in the range of 6-8% was then removed from the oven and 1000g of the superheated pelleted ration was placed in a shallow stainless steel tray. The pellets were then alternately sprayed until their exposed surfaces were wet, then stirred, sprayed and stirred repeatedly until the entire 362.2g emulsion had been applied to the 1000g portion of pellets. At this point, the pellets were sprayed with a 10% aqueous calcium chloride solution with continuous agitation until the pellets had a relatively uniform, wet appearance. After application of the calcium chloride solution, the pellets were continuously stirred while cooling with air, ambient air being blown across the surface of these until the pellets lost their wet appearance.

The previous laboratory experiment led to a batch of lipid-encased pellets with a total weight of 1362.2 g - i.e. 1000 g of superheated pelleted rations with a moisture content of 6-8% and 362.2 g of fat/algin/water emulsion with a moisture content of 33.1308%. Thus, the finished lipid-encased pellets comprised: fat = 240 g : 1362.2 g = 17.6%;

dry material = (920 g pellets with 8% moisture or 940 g pellets with 6% moisture + 2.2 g algin) : 1362.2 g =

67.7 - 69.2%; and water = (80 g (8% hydrate water that remains in the pellets after preheating) or 60 g with 6% moisture +

120 g) : 1362.2 g = 14.7 - 13.2%. The pellets were then subjected to further drying in air using an artificial supply of ambient air for a period of 2 hours at which point the weight of the lipid-encased pellets was 1312 g indicating the removal of approx. 50.2 g of water. Such pellets were stable comprising approx. 18.3 weight percent fat between 70.3 and 71.8 weight percent dry for and algin and between 9.9 and 11.4 weight percent moisture - e.g. a total moisture content generally within the normal or equilibrium range of water of hydrate for such products.

The resulting lipid-enveloped pellets produced had a normal appearance, were characterized by their integrity, and showed little or no breakage. The pellets were dry to the touch, had no oily or greasy surface film, were free flowing and not prone to agglomeration. The pellets together with other lipid-encased pellets produced

similarly using a range of different lipids -

e.g. lard and a number of different oils, restaurant grease (used restaurant oils and fats) - were stored in bags and have not shown any visible change in appearance, no unpleasant smell, no rancidity, no tendency to secrete lipids or oils and no spoilage of any kind, although some of the pellets have been stored for more than 2 1/2 years - this despite the fact that some of the lipid-encased pellets have been exposed to temperature extremes from 0°C to in one case storage for 1 month at temperatures in the range 49-54°C.

Claims (57)

1. Method for the production of an animal ration comprising a nutritional pre-supplement lipid where the lipid makes up to 20 percent by weight, or more, calculated on the total weight of the ration, comprising the following steps: a) formation of a lipid/coagulant/water emulsion containing an algin-like coagulant comprising 35-75 weight percent lipid; b) applying the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion formed in step (a) to the exterior surfaces of a plurality of discrete formulation particles to expose substantially all of the exterior particle surfaces to the emulsion; and c) solidifying the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion to bind the lipid and coagulant components thereof into a stable, substantially dry, edible, bound lipid/coagulant coating enclosing the ration particles and wherein the lipid comprises up to 20% by weight, or more, calculated on the total weight of the source particles. 2. Method for producing an animal ration comprising a nutritional pre-supplement lipid where the lipid constitutes up to 20 weight percent, or more, of the total weight of the ration, comprising the following steps: a) dissolving an algin-like coagulant in water; b) adding a sufficient amount of liquefied lipid to the coagulant/water mixture to form a lipid/coagulant/water emulsion containing an algin-like coagulant comprising 35-75 weight percent lipid; c) applying the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion formed in step (b) to the exterior surfaces of a plurality of discrete formulation particles to expose substantially all of the exterior particle surfaces to the emulsion; and d) solidifying the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion to bind the lipid and coagulant components thereof into a stable, substantially dry, edible, bound lipid/coagulant coating enclosing the ration particles and wherein the lipid comprises up to 20% by weight, or more , calculated on the total weight of the source particles. 3. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises the further step of pelleting the lipid-encased precursor particles. 4. Process for the production of a pelleted animal ration comprising a nutritional pre-supplement lipid where the lipid constitutes up to 20 percent by weight, or more, calculated on the total weight of the ration, comprising the following steps: a) formation of a lipid/coagulant/water emulsion containing a algin-like coagulant comprising 35-75 weight percent lipid; b) applying the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion formed in step (a) to the exterior surfaces of a plurality of spaced ration pellets to expose substantially all of the exterior pellet surfaces to the emulsion; and c) solidifying the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion to bind the lipid and coagulant components thereof into a stable, substantially dry, edible, bound lipid/coagulant coating enclosing the ration pellets and wherein the lipid comprises up to 20% by weight, or more, calculated on the total weight of the root pellets. 5. Method for the production of a pelleted animal ration comprising a nutritional pre-supplement lipid to the diet where the lipid makes up up to 20 weight percent, or more, of the total weight of the ration, comprising the following steps: a) formation of a lipid/coagulant/water emulsion containing an algin-like coagulant comprising 35-75 weight percent lipid; b) forming dry nutritious feed ingredients into compact discrete dry feed pellets in pelletizing equipment capable of compressing the dry feed ingredients by application of pressure; c) applying the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion formed in step (a) to the outer surfaces of the compact separated dry prepellets formed in step (b) to expose substantially all of the outer pellet surfaces to the emulsion; and d) solidifying the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion to bind the lipid and coagulant components thereof into a stable, substantially dry, edible, bound lipid/coagulant coating enclosing the ration pellets and wherein the lipid comprises up to 20% by weight, or more, calculated on the total weight of the root pellets. 6. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 1, 2, 4 or 5, characterized in that the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion is made to solidify by using a solidifying agent comprising an aqueous metal ion solution to cross-link the metal ions released in the solution to the coagulant, which makes the latter water-insoluble and binds the lipid and the insoluble coagulant in a dry, stable form. 7. Method for producing an animal ration as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that the solidifying agent comprises an aqueous solution containing a calcium ion-releasing compound. 8. Process for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the pre-pellets are suitable for use as fish bait, and the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion is made to solidify using an aqueous solution containing borax to cross-link the boron ions released in solution to the coagulant, binding the lipid and coagulant into a dry, stable, water-soluble form to allow release over time of precursor particles and lipids as the rations are drawn through an aqueous environment containing fish. 9. Process for the production of an animal ration as stated in claim 1, 2, 4 or 5, characterized in that the ingredients of the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion are present in the following percentages by weight: 10. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 1, 2, 4 or 5, characterized in that an emulsifier is added to the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion. 11. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 10, characterized in that the emulsifier comprises ammonium hydroxide. 12. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 1, 2, 4 or 5, characterized in that the coagulant comprises an algin-like coagulant selected from the group: a) seaweed extract; b) extract of abel musk; c) extract of aloe vera; and d) chitosan. 13. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 12, characterized in that the coagulant comprises algin. 14. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 1, 2, 4 or 5, characterized in that the coagulant comprises a low-viscous coagulant with a viscosity of approximately 100 cP and the emulsion is applied to the ration by spraying. 15. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 1, 2, 4 or 5, characterized in that the dry ingredients are heated before applying the emulsion and the heated ingredients serve to evaporate moisture in the emulsion to make the lipid-encased ration self-drying. 16. Process for the production of an animal ration as stated in claim 1, 2, 4 or 5, characterized in that the dry ingredients are preheated to reduce the level of water of hydration thereof to below the equilibrium level, by an amount that is sufficient for the moisture content of the emulsion, which applied to the precursor ingredients, and of the superheated ingredients, tends to equilibrate at or near the equilibrium level of the water of hydration for the lipid-encapsulated ration. 17. Method for the production of an animal ration as stated in claim 5, characterized in that the lipid/coagulant/water emulsion is applied to the pellets immediately after pellet formation, as the heat that is itself formed in the pellets during the compression process in the pelletizing equipment is available for evaporation of moisture from the emulsion to help dry the pellets. 18. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 6, characterized in that the aqueous solution includes a metal source in the range of 0.1-30% by weight calculated on the weight of the solution. 19. Method for producing an animal ration as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that the aqueous solution comprises a highly concentrated solution with only sufficient water to release metal ions; and, the highly concentrated aqueous solution is added to a liquid desiccant to form a solidifying solution comprising 98-99% liquid desiccant and 2.-1% concentrated aqueous solution. 20. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 19, characterized in that the liquid desiccant comprises propylene glycol. 21. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 6, characterized in that the emulsion is sprayed onto the exposed surfaces of the dry ingredients. 22. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 6, characterized in that the dry ingredients are in motion during application of the emulsion. 23. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 6, characterized in that the dry ingredients are agitated during the application of the emulsion. 24. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 21, characterized in that the dry ingredients are in motion during application of the emulsion. 25. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 21, characterized in that the dry ingredients are agitated during application of the emulsion. 26. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 6, characterized in that the aqueous solution is sprayed onto the exposed surfaces of the emulsion-coated ingredients. 27. Method for the production of an animal ration as stated in claim 26, characterized in that the emulsion-coated pre-ingredients are agitated during application of the aqueous solution. 28. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 27, characterized in that the dry ingredients are in motion during the application of the emulsion. 29. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 27, characterized in that the dry ingredients are agitated during application of the emulsion. 30. Method for the production of an animal ration as stated in claim 1, characterized in that the pre-ingredients are passed in sequence through an emulsion application station where the emulsion is applied, a solidification station where an aqueous solution containing a source of edible metal ions is applied, and a drying station where the total moisture content of the lipid-encased rations is reduced to a preselected level. 31. Method for the production of an animal ration as stated in claim 30, characterized in that the pre-selected level is approximately equal to the hydrate water equilibrium level for the lipid-encased ration. 32. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 4, characterized in that the pellets are passed in sequence through an emulsion application station where the emulsion is applied, a solidification station where an aqueous solution containing a source of edible metal ions is applied, and a drying station where the total moisture content of the lipid-encased pellets is reduced to a preselected level. 33. Method for producing an animal ration as set forth in claim 32, characterized in that the previously selected level is approximately equal to the hydrate water equilibrium level for the lipid-encased pellets. 34. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 5, characterized in that the pellets are placed on a moving conveyor belt and are led from the area where the emulsion is applied in sequence through: i) a solidification station where an aqueous solution containing a source of edible metal ions is applied the emulsion coated pellets; and ii) a drying station where the overall moisture content of the lipid-encased pellets is reduced to a predetermined value. level. 35. Method for the production of an animal ration as set forth in claim 34, characterized in that the selected level on the forage d is approximately equal to the hydrate water equilibrium level for the lipid-encased pellets. 36. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 34, characterized in that the conveyor belt is a vibrating conveyor belt for maintaining the lipid pellets in continuous motion. 37. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 4, 5, 34, 35 or 36, characterized in that air is blown through the layer of lipid-encased pellets to help keep such pellets in motion and dry the pellets. 38. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 34, 35 or 36, characterized in that the emulsion is sprayed onto the pellets. 39. Method for the production of an animal ration as stated in claim 34, 35 or 36, characterized in that the aqueous hardening solution is sprayed onto the lipid-encased pellets. 40. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 4, 5, 34, 35 or 36, characterized in that hot air is blown through the layer of lipid-encased pellets as they are passed through the drying station. 41. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 1, characterized in that the emulsion is sprayed onto the precursor particles. 42. Method for producing an animal ration as stated in claim 41, characterized in that the aqueous solidification solution is sprayed onto the lipid-enclosed particles. 43. Method for producing an animal ration as specified in claim 1, 41 or 42, characterized in that hot air is blown through the layer of lipid-enclosed particles as they are passed through the drying station. 44. Process for the production of an animal ration as stated in claim 1, 2, 4 or 5, characterized in that the lipid-encased rations include lipids, dry nutritious ingredients and total moisture in the following areas: a) a lipid content of up to 20% lipids by weight , or more; b) dry nutritious pre-ingredients in a range of 60-80 percent by weight; and c) total moisture in the range 10-13 percent by weight. 45. Animal forage produced by the method stated in claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. 46. Animal feces produced by the method specified in claim 6. 47. Animal feces produced by the method specified in claim 8. 48. Animal feces produced by the method specified in claim 9. 49. Animal feces produced by the method specified in claim 15. 50. Animal feces produced by the method specified in claim 16. 51. Animal feces produced by the method specified in claim 43. 52. Animal forage produced by the method specified in claim 44. 53. Animal feed for animals including ruminants such as cattle, sheep, giraffes, animals of the deer family, camels and pigs; animals in zoos; horses; poultry; pets of the canine or feline family; fish; shrimp; birds and the like, comprising in combination: a) nutritious dry pre-ingredients in the form of separated, edible pre-particles; and b) a dry, stable, bound lipid/coagulant coating applied to said particles and at least partially enveloping said particles; wherein said lipid/coagulant coating: i) contains sufficient lipid material for the lipid to constitute up to 20 percent by weight, or more, calculated on the total weight of the ration; and ii) is characterized by its ability to maintain said lipid in bound relationship with said coagulant for long periods over a wide range of temperatures without being prone to liquefying lipids, and in a state free from the tendency to to go rancid. 54. Animal feed as stated in claim 53, characterized in that the said separated, edible pre-particles comprise compressed pre-pellets. 55. Animal feed as stated in claim 53, characterized in that the said separated, edible pre-particles are pressed together into separate pellets. 56. Ration as stated in claim 53, 54 or 55, with a total moisture content in the range of 10-13%. 57. Ration as specified in claim 53, 54 or 55, characterized in that the ingredients in the ration include: a) a lipid material in a dry, stable bound form that constitutes up to 20 percent by weight, or more, calculated on the weight of the total ration; b) moisture in the range 10-13% of the weight of the total ration; c) bound coagulant in the range 0.25-7.0% of the weight of the total ration; and d) the rest of the said ration comprises dry nutritious pre-ingredients.