Stable liquid animal feed ingredients

Abstract

The present specification relates to a stable liquid ingredient composition for liquid animal feed, which is stable at 0 to about 40°C and also forms a stable dispersion in water. The composition comprises oleyl lactylate and its salt (OL), and another lactylate selected from lauroyl lactylate and its salt (LL), or a mixture (LL / ML-blend) of lauroyl lactylate and myristoyl lactylate and / or their salts. In the stable liquid ingredient composition, the weight ratio of the lactylate selected from LL or LL / ML blend to OL ranges from 1 / 99 to 60 / 40. The stable liquid ingredient composition may optionally include a diluent. The stable liquid ingredient composition provides a substitute for solid feed ingredients or additives and can be used as an ingredient in animal liquid feeds such as drinking water. The use of a stable liquid ingredient composition can reduce the use of antibiotics and help maintain the good health of animals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a stable liquid ingredient composition for animal feed, comprising a combination of oleyl lactylate and / or its salt (hereinafter referred to as OL) and another lactylate, wherein the other lactylate is selected from lauroyl lactylate and / or its salt (hereinafter referred to as LL or C12 lactylate), or a mixture of lauroyl lactylate and myristoyl lactylate (ML or C14 lactylate) and / or their salts (hereinafter referred to as LL / ML blend); to the use of the stable liquid ingredient composition as a component of a stock solution, the use of the stable liquid ingredient composition and the stock solution in liquid animal feed such as drinking water, and a method for preventing or reducing bacterial infection in animals by feeding the animals with antimicrobial liquid feed. Background Art

[0002] Lactoyllactates and mixtures of lactoyllactates are known to be suitable as antimicrobial agents for animal health by preventing and / or reducing infections caused by unwanted microorganisms in animals. Therefore, it is attractive to use lactoyllactates and mixtures of lactoyllactates as ingredients in animal feeds. The use of lactoyllactates and mixtures of lactoyllactates as ingredients in animal feeds has been described.

[0003] WO 2009 / 092787 relates to preventing or treating animal intestinal infections caused by gram-positive bacteria by using antimicrobial compounds selected from certain defined lactoyl lactylates, glycolic acid esters (glycolylates), lactoyl lactylates or glycolic acid esters. Lactoyl lactylates are preferably lauroyl lactylates, myristoyl lactylates, their salts and their mixtures. Lactoyl lactylates can be used as a solid or liquid component of a conventional animal feed composition or in their drinking water to be administered to animals. US 2015 / 0057345 relates to a method for improving feeding efficiency in poultry farming, wherein a chemical is provided directly to poultry after hatching, and the chemical is preferably lauroyl lactylates, myristoyl lactylates, their salts and their mixtures. Chemicals can be used as a solid or liquid component of a conventional (solid) feed composition or as a liquid feed such as drinking water to be administered to animals.

[0004] WO 2013 / 007558 describes a free-flowing lactyl lactate powder on a carrier, which can be applied to animals as a component of a conventional solid animal feed composition. Preferred lactyl lactates are lauroyl lactyl lactate, myristoyl lactyl lactate, their salts and their mixtures. It has been found that these lactyl lactate compositions are very effective for maintaining healthy intestinal flora, and therefore improve animal performance, such as improving feed conversion ratio (FCR) and improving body weight (BW). Known fatty acid lactyl lactates, particularly C10-C16 lactyl lactates (lactyl lactates with fatty acids having 10 to 16 carbon atoms) have difficult-to-handle properties at ambient temperature. The melting range of C10-C16 lactyl lactates is within the range of ambient temperature or room temperature. This means that during storage, the consistency of C10-C16 lactyl lactates may change from solid to liquid, and have an intermediate state for a pasty composition. Commercial C10-C16 lactyl lactylates have a wide melting point and due to different conditions during storage and transportation this may result in an inhomogeneous mixing of the various components which is difficult to further process into an animal feed composition. This problem is conveniently solved by providing the lactyl lactylates as a solid ingredient, for example by attaching the lactyl lactylates to a carrier to obtain a solid powder, as described in WO 2009 / 092787 and US 2015 / 0057345; or by incorporating the lactyl lactylates into a porous carrier to obtain a free-flowing powder, as described in WO 2013 / 007558. A commercially available mixture of lauroyl lactyl lactylates and myristoyl lactyl lactylates is (available from Corbion Purac), a supplemental animal mineral feed comprising a blend of sodium lauroyl lactylate and sodium myristoyl lactylate (LL / ML blend) on a diatomaceous earth carrier. It is in powder form and added to animal feed. When consumed by animals, it has antimicrobial properties and helps maintain healthy intestinal flora.

[0005] A disadvantage of these solid lactyl lactate feed ingredients is that they are relatively inflexible, since for each feed product a specific type of carrier or porous carrier may be required, e.g. one type of carrier for one animal and another type of carrier for another animal. Furthermore, the presence of any non-digestible (inorganic) carrier or porous carrier means that the addition of lactyl lactate to the feed product may be accompanied by the addition of ingredients which do not themselves contribute to the nutritional properties of the feed, e.g. this is the case when diatomaceous earth is used as a porous carrier. Another disadvantage of solid lactyl lactate feed ingredients is that they are not suitable for combination with liquid animal feeds such as drinking water, due to the uneven dispersion and precipitation of the solid lactyl lactate ingredients.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need to incorporate lactyl lactylates, particularly C12 and C14 lactyl lactylates, directly into feed without the addition of unwanted ingredients, which is very flexible and can be applied to different types of feed at different concentrations as required, without the transportation and storage problems associated with C10-C16 lactyl lactylates. In particular, C12 and C14 lactyl lactylates are difficult to handle due to their physical properties and cannot be directly applied in liquid feed compositions.

[0007] The present invention provides for incorporation of lactyl lactylate directly into feed. It has been found that a stable liquid animal feed ingredient composition comprising lauroyl lactylate (LL), a mixture of lauroyl lactylate and myristoyl lactylate (LL / ML blend) or their salts can be obtained by stabilizing the liquid animal feed ingredient composition with oleyl lactylate (OL) and its salts.

[0008] It is known to provide lactyllactate in liquid form to feed. WO 2015 / 063014 relates to a method for manufacturing a feed product, comprising the following steps: providing a lactyllactate product at a first location, wherein the lactyllactate product comprises at least 30 wt.% of C10-C16-fatty acid lactyllactate in liquid form; transferring the lactyllactate product in liquid form to a transport unit; transporting the lactyllactate product in the transport unit to a second location, wherein the lactyllactate product is in a solid, liquid or intermediate state during transportation; if the lactyllactate product solidifies or partially solidifies, converting the lactyllactate product to liquid form in the transport unit; removing the lactyllactate product in liquid form from the transport unit at a second location; and contacting the lactyllactate product in liquid form with the feed product. The method was found to be particularly suitable for lauroyl lactyllactate, myristoyl lactyllactate and mixtures of lauroyl lactyllactate and myristoyl lactyllactate, which are difficult to handle at ambient temperature. One disadvantage of this method is that an elevated temperature of at least 60°C or higher is required to render the lactyllactate in a liquid homogeneous state. Such heating is required to prevent phase separation resulting in an inhomogeneous mixture. Another disadvantage of this method is that the feed product to be combined with the heated liquid lactyllactate composition must be a solid feed product.

[0009] It is also known that adding a diluent may help reduce viscosity and put lauroyl and myristoyl lactyl lactylates in a better state of handling. However, it was found that this still does not produce a stable liquid lactyl lactyl ester ingredient composition. It was further found that when this liquid lactyl lactyl ester ingredient is directly added to a liquid feed composition or by first preparing a stock solution comprising a liquid lactyl lactyl ester ingredient and then adding it to a liquid feed composition, the liquid feed composition and the stock solution itself also become unstable because the lactyl lactyl ester liquid ingredient partially solidifies and / or partially settles. This is especially the case at a lower external temperature below ambient temperature, wherein at this external temperature, the liquid ingredient composition, stock solution or liquid feed is stored and / or fed to the animal. In the example of drinking water as a liquid feed composition, drinking water also shows a visible precipitation or poor non-uniform dispersion in the form of flakes or undesirable partial phase separation.

[0010] Therefore, there is a need for a liquid ingredient composition of lauroyl lactylate and its mixture with myristoyl lactylate that is stable and does not show phase changes at ambient temperature or lower temperatures, more particularly at lower external temperatures. There is also a need for a liquid ingredient composition of lauroyl lactylate and its mixture with myristoyl lactylate that allows the preparation of a stock solution containing a liquid antimicrobial ingredient, whereby the stock solution is stable and does not show phase changes at ambient temperature.

[0011] The present invention provides such a stable liquid ingredient composition, which comprises a lactyl lactylate selected from lauroyl lactylate (LL) or a mixture of lauroyl lactylate and myristoyl lactylate (LL / ML) or their salts, and further comprises oleyl lactylate (OL) or its salt, wherein the stable liquid lactylate ingredient composition is suitable for application as an ingredient in animal feed.

[0012] A stable liquid ingredient composition comprising oleyl lactylate (OL) and its salts, and additional lactylate selected from lauroyl lactylate (LL), and a mixture of lauroyl lactylate and myristoyl lactylate or their salts (LL / ML) allows in particular the use of these lactylates in liquid animal feed compositions, such as drinking water, milk and milk replacer, etc. It has been found that the administration of the liquid lactylate composition of the present invention is more flexible and easier than the administration of solid lactylate compositions, for example by using a syringe (for dedicated application to one or a few selected animals) or by using drinking water (to reach multiple animals at the same time), and the loss of product can be better controlled. In situations where the health of the animal is affected, the liquid lactylate ingredient composition provides a way to effectively feed antimicrobial compounds through drinking water, which is easier than through solid compositions, because most animals will continue to drink water but refuse or reduce food intake when they are sick.

[0013] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 : Change in acid value of LL / ML blend: OL:MPG=30:35:35 (by weight) with storage time at 20°C and 40°C.

[0015] Figure 2 : Changes in pH value of LL / ML blend: OL:MPG=30:35:35 (by weight) with storage time at 30°C and 40°C.

[0016] Detailed description

[0017] The present description relates to a stable liquid ingredient composition comprising a lactylate selected from lauroyl lactylate and / or its salt (hereinafter LL or C12 lactylate), or a mixture of lauroyl lactylate and myristoyl lactylate and / or its salt (hereinafter LL / ML-blend, wherein ML refers to myristoyl lactylate or C14 lactylate and / or its salt), which composition is stabilized by the presence of oleyl lactylate and / or its salt (OL). Oleyl lactylate is also known as oleoyl lactylate, and the two terms are used interchangeably.

[0018] Suitable salts are sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, ammonium (NH 4 ), iron salts (Fe(II)) or copper salts Cu(II). For the application of the stable liquid ingredient composition in aqueous liquid animal feeds such as but not limited to drinking water, the best results are obtained with sodium and potassium salts.

[0019] Stable means that the liquid ingredient composition remains liquid and homogeneous for at least 3 weeks, preferably at least 3.5 to 4 weeks, or 21, 25, 26 or 28 days at a temperature range of 0°C, preferably about 0.5°C or 1°C, up to and including 40°C. During this period and within this temperature range, the composition does not form a gel, is not susceptible to visible phase separation and does not precipitate. No phase separation is observed to the naked eye means that no distinct phases are observed (so that only one phase appears visually), nor are droplets of one phase observed to appear on the surface of the other phase, similar to oil droplets on an aqueous surface. Ambient temperature is defined as a temperature in the range of 20° to 25°C.

[0020] When the stable liquid ingredient composition is diluted in water to form a stock solution, the resulting stock solution preferably also forms a stable dispersion or emulsion. In the context of a stable dispersion or emulsion, the term stable means that it does not gel, does not solidify, does not readily undergo visible phase separation, and does not precipitate when placed in a temperature range of 0°C, preferably about 0.5 or 1°C, up to and including 20-25°C, and in some formulations even up to and including 40°C for at least 1 week, preferably at least 2 or 3 weeks or 7, 14, 18 or 21 days. A stable stock solution will facilitate easier and more efficient handling and administration to animals.

[0021] When the liquid ingredient composition of the present invention comprises lauroyl lactylate or its salt as the selected lactylate, the composition thus comprises a combination of LL and OL, and the two lactylate components are present in the liquid ingredient composition in a LL / OL ratio of about 1 / 99 to 60 / 40 by weight. The lower limit of the range of the LL / OL ratio (LL content relative to OL content) is about 1 / 99 by weight, preferably about 10 / 90, 20 / 80, 25 / 75, more preferably about 30 / 70, 35 / 65, 40 / 60, 45 / 55, and even more preferably 50 / 50. The upper limit of the range of the LL / OL ratio is 60 / 40 by weight (LL content relative to OL content), more preferably about 55 / 45, and most preferably about 50 / 50. Various upper and lower limits of the above range of the LL / OL ratio can be combined, for example, the LL / OL ratio can be in the range of about 30 / 70 to about 55 / 45, or about 45 / 55 to about 55 / 45.

[0022] When a mixture of LL and ML and / or their salts is used in combination with OL, the (LL / ML-blend) / OL ratio varies in a range similar to the above-described LL / OL ratio. The (LL / ML-blend) / OL ratio is preferably from 30 / 70 to 55 / 45, more preferably from about 45 / 55 to 55 / 45 (by weight). The ratio of LL and ML in the LL / ML-blend itself (LL / ML) can vary from 50 / 50 to 99 / 1 (by weight). Preferably, the mixture of LL and ML comprises 50-95 wt.% LL and 50-5 wt.% ML, in particular 50-90 wt.%, more in particular 60-80 wt.%, preferably 65-75 wt.% LL and 50-10 wt.%, preferably 40-20 wt.% and more preferably 35-25 wt.% ML, based on the total amount of LL and ML. In particular, the mixture of LL and ML comprises 65-75 wt.% of LL and 35-25 wt.% of ML based on the total amount of LL and ML. The mixture may also comprise sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, ammonium (NH 4 ), iron salts (Fe(II)) or copper salts Cu(II).

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the liquid ingredient composition comprises 40-90wt.% OL and 10-60wt.% of a lactyl lactate selected from LL or LL / ML blends, wherein the weight percentage is based on the total weight of the lactyl lactate. OL may be present in the liquid ingredient composition at a higher concentration than the lactyl lactate selected from LL or LL / ML blends. Most preferably, OL and the lactyl lactate selected from LL or LL / ML blends are present in equal concentrations. OL may also be present in a slightly lower concentration than the lactyl lactate selected from LL or LL / ML blends, but is preferably present in the liquid ingredient composition at a concentration of not less than about 65%, 70%, 75%, 80% to 85%, 90% to 95% of the concentration of the lactyl lactate selected from LL or LL / ML blends.

[0024] Optionally, a diluent is added to the composition, preferably in an amount of 1-70 wt.%, preferably 10-60 wt.%, more preferably 20-50 wt.%, of the total weight of the composition, in order to reduce the viscosity of the liquid ingredient composition. However, not all diluents are suitable. It has been found that the addition of monopropylene glycol (i.e. 1,2-propylene glycol), sunflower oil or tricaprylin can reduce the viscosity of the liquid composition without affecting its stability. The addition of one of these diluents and / or a combination thereof improves the handling and dosage of the composition at room temperature and at lower temperatures of about 0, 1 to 5 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the liquid ingredient composition according to the present invention may further comprise a diluent, preferably a diluent selected from monopropylene glycol (i.e. 1,2-propylene glycol), sunflower oil, tricaprylin or a mixture of two or more of these diluents. It is particularly preferred that the liquid ingredient composition according to the present invention comprises monopropylene glycol as a diluent.

[0025] It has been observed that in the presence of any diluent, OL can be present in a concentration higher than or equal to the lactyllactate selected from LL or LL / ML-blend in the liquid ingredient composition.

[0026] Most preferably monopropylene glycol (abbreviated as MPG) is used as diluent. In a preferred embodiment, the liquid ingredient composition according to the present invention comprises 10 to 40 wt.%, preferably 30 or 35 to 40 wt.% of LL / ML-blend (or LL), 20 to 80 wt.%, preferably 20 to 70 wt.%, more preferably 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 65 or 70 wt.% of OL, and 10, 20 or 30 to 40, 50 to 60 wt.% of MPG, wherein the weight percentages are based on the total amount of selected lactyllactate, OL and MPG. Preferably, based on the total amount of selected lactyllactate, OL and MPG, the composition comprises about 25-35 wt.% of lactyllactate selected from LL or LL / ML-blend (most preferably blend), 25-35 wt.% of OL and 30-50 wt.% of MPG. Most preferred are compositions comprising 30 / 30 / 40, 35 / 35 / 30 or 30 / 35 / 35 (lactoyl lactylate selected from LL or LL / ML blends) / OL / MPG. In another embodiment, the total weight percentage of lactoyl lactylate in the composition, i.e. the total weight percentage of OL and the lactoyl lactylate selected from LL or LL / ML blends, is equal to or higher than the weight percentage of MPG in the composition. Preferably, the total weight percentage of OL and the further lactoyl lactylate selected from LL or LL / ML blends in the composition is higher than the weight percentage of diluent in the composition.

[0027] The present invention also relates to the use of the composition according to the invention as a component of liquid animal feed, more specifically as a liquid feed for poultry (preferably broilers, laying hens and turkeys), pigs (preferably piglets, sows, fattening pigs), rabbits, ruminants (preferably dairy cows, calves, beef cattle, goats and sheep) and companion animals (preferably dogs, cats, horses). Liquid feed refers to any liquid that can be fed to animals directly or through a drinking system, such as milk, milk replacer, paste or ordinary drinking water. The final concentration of the liquid ingredient composition in the liquid animal feed (preferably drinking water) can be 0.01 to 1.0 wt.%, preferably 0.01 to 0.5, 0.6 or 0.7 wt.%, more preferably 0.03 or 0.05 wt.% to 0.15, 0.20 or 0.25 wt.%, most preferably 0.05 to 0.1 wt.%.

[0028] The liquid ingredient composition itself can also be fed directly to the animal using, for example, a spoon or syringe, and can even be administered by injection and / or intravenous feeding.

[0029] The liquid ingredient composition may also be applied to the surface of the solid animal feed product.

[0030] The liquid ingredient composition can also be used to prepare a stock solution that is stable at ambient temperature and does not show phase changes. The resulting stock solution preferably forms a stable dispersion or emulsion. In the context of a stable dispersion or emulsion, the term stable means that it does not gel, solidify, is not susceptible to visible phase separation and does not precipitate when placed in a temperature range of 0°C, preferably about 0.5 or 1°C up to and including 20-25°C and in some formulations even up to and including 40°C for at least 1 week, preferably at least 2 or 3 weeks, more preferably at least 7, 14, 18 or 21 days. A stable stock solution will facilitate easier and more efficient handling and administration to animals. Therefore, in another embodiment, the present invention provides a stock solution comprising about 0.4 to 12 wt.% of a stable liquid ingredient composition according to the present invention in water, based on the total weight of the stock solution. The stock solution can be stored by farmers and can be obtained by so-called The dosage system or other dosage systems known to those skilled in the art are easy / direct to use. If necessary, the stock solution can be further diluted to the desired viscosity and concentration and administered. The typical viscosity of the system ranges from 200 cP to 800 cP, preferably between 500-700 cP, measured at room temperature using a Brookfield DV-I prime LVDV-IP viscometer. The final concentration of the liquid component composition according to the present invention in the stock solution according to the present invention may be 0.4 to 12 wt.%, preferably 0.4 to 10 wt.%, more preferably 0.5 to 7.5 wt.%, and most preferably 0.5 to 5.0 wt.%, based on the total weight of the stock solution. When the liquid component composition comprises a diluent, in particular when MPG is used as a diluent, a highly stable stock solution can be obtained.

[0031] Liquid ingredient compositions can be used as ingredients in animal liquid feeds, such as ingredients in drinking water, to provide alternatives to solid feed ingredients or additives. It has been found that liquid ingredient compositions are very effective against Gram-positive bacteria such as Streptococcus suis, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium sporogenes, and Clostridium tyrobutyricum, and their use as ingredients in animal feeds, particularly liquid animal feeds, provides a suitable alternative to antibiotics, thereby reducing the use of antibiotics. Typically, sick animals, especially those with intestinal bacterial infections, stop eating but continue to drink water. An advantage of stable liquid ingredient compositions and their use in liquid animal feeds is that the compositions can be applied to animals through drinking water even when the animals are sick. Therefore, stable liquid ingredient compositions and their use in liquid animal feeds allow farmers to more flexibly apply lactyl lactates and lactyl lactate mixtures of the present invention as ingredients in animal feeds to keep animals in good health. Therefore, the present invention also relates to a method for preventing or reducing bacterial infections in animals by feeding said animals a liquid animal feed according to the present invention.

[0032] The liquid ingredient composition can also be used as a cleaning preparation for calves' mouths and / or as a "nipple dip" for mothers when calves are fed by their mothers. The liquid ingredient composition of the present invention can be prepared by a physical blending process, which comprises blending a lactyllactate selected from LL or LL / ML-blends in the molten state with OL and optionally a diluent of the present invention under high temperature and inert conditions (method 1), or by a so-called one-pot synthesis process, in which all the corresponding fatty acids corresponding to the lactyllactates of the final liquid ingredient composition are mixed together in a reactor, followed by addition of lactic acid and subsequent reaction with lactic acid and a base under high temperature and inert conditions to obtain an LL / OL or (LL / ML-blend) / OL lactyllactate mixture in situ (method 2). After the reaction is complete, a portion of the reaction product is optionally mixed with a diluent of the present invention. Commercially available LL / ML blends are, for example 138cex Corbion. OL is also commercially available, for example as the product ex Corbion. In a preferred embodiment, the lactyl lactylate of the liquid ingredient composition is prepared by a one-pot synthesis.

[0033] Method 1 is included in melting the lactyl lactate selected from LL or LL / ML-blend in an oven at a temperature of 70 to less than 100 degrees Celsius, more preferably about 85 to 90 or to 95 degrees Celsius before use. The preheated lactyl lactate selected from LL or LL / ML-blend is added to a preheated reaction vessel and maintained at 70 to 80 or to 90 degrees Celsius under continuous stirring, preferably under an inert atmosphere produced by nitrogen protection or other conditions. Subsequently, OL is added to the reactor in a desired weight ratio. The mixture can optionally be diluted by adding a diluent of the present invention, preferably MPG. The mixture containing or not containing a diluent is then stirred at a temperature of about 70 to 80 or 90 degrees Celsius for 30 to 60 minutes, and then cooled to room temperature to form a stable liquid ingredient composition according to the present invention.

[0034] Method 2 comprises that solid fatty acid (completely without agglomeration) selected from the mixture of lauric acid or lauric acid and myristic acid is loaded in reaction vessel, and these fatty acid and oleic acid are mixed with required weight ratio under the inert gas condition such as by purging with nitrogen stream in reaction vessel.The temperature is raised to about 60 to 70 degrees Celsius to melt the fatty acid while slowly stirring.Subsequently, under gentle stirring, lactic acid (LA) is slowly added in reaction mixture.After adding lactic acid completely, under gentle stirring, progressively add the alkali based on potassium or sodium, while ensuring that the temperature of reaction mixture does not exceed 90 ℃.Preferably, the alkali comprises sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.

[0035] When the addition of alkali is completed, the temperature of the reaction mixture is gradually increased to about 160 to 170 or 180 degrees Celsius. Subsequently, the pressure in the reaction vessel is gradually reduced to about 40 to 50 to 60 mbar by using a vacuum pump, and the temperature is further increased to about 180 to 190 degrees Celsius. After reaching the required acid value, the vacuum is released, for example, by purging with a nitrogen stream, and the container is cooled to about 90 to 100 degrees Celsius. As an optional subsequent step, a diluent according to the present invention can be added to the reaction mixture of the same reaction vessel. Alternatively, mixing with a diluent can be carried out in a separate reaction vessel. The final blend is then allowed to cool to room temperature to form a stable liquid component composition according to the present invention.

[0036] The present invention is illustrated by the following examples. These examples are for illustrative purposes only. Example

[0037] Example 1: Selecting a suitable stabilizer

[0038] Various components were tested for their suitability for stabilizing LL / ML blends containing about 70 wt.% lauroyl lactylate and its sodium salt (LL) and 30 wt.% myristoyl lactylate and its sodium salt (ML). The resulting liquid ingredient composition should be stable between about 0 and 40° C. In some cases, diluents were added because some potential stabilizers would cause viscosity problems that would hamper the handling of the resulting liquid ingredient composition.

[0039] During 4 weeks of storage, the stability of the liquid component composition comprising LL / ML blend, stabilizer and optional diluent was determined at different temperatures (i.e., about 1, 20, 40°C). The stability was monitored by visual inspection. The results are shown in Table 1. "Yes or y" means that the composition remained uniformly stable during storage for 4 weeks at the temperature. "No or n" means that phase separation, precipitation or gelation was visually observed during storage for 4 weeks at the temperature. A horizontal dash "-" means that the corresponding composition is no longer stable and is therefore excluded from the stability test. The tilde "~" indicates that visual observation does not give a completely clear result (i.e., stable or unstable).

[0040] Percentages are based on weight and temperatures are in degrees Celsius (° C.) RT stands for room temperature, which is approximately 20° C.

[0041] A composition comprising for example "30% LL / ML-blend+70% sunflower oil" means that the liquid ingredient composition comprises 30 wt.% LL / ML-blend and 70 wt.% sunflower oil, based on the total weight of the combination.

[0042] LLA, ex Hydrior AG is a commercial product for personal care applications, which consists of a 30 wt.% aqueous solution of LL. MPG is monopropylene glycol (1,2-propanediol). Lactic acid FCC80 is an 80% aqueous solution of lactic acid, Lactic acid HS100 is 100% lactic acid, Sodium lactate 60% is a 60% aqueous solution of sodium lactate, PEG 400 (average Mn = 400 g / mole) is polyethylene glycol.

[0043] Table 1: Thermal stability of LL / ML blends in various stabilizers and diluents during 4 weeks storage at different temperatures

[0044]

[0045]

[0046]

[0047] Table 1 shows that many components are not suitable as stabilizers for LL / ML-blends. Surprisingly, when oleyl lactylate and its salts (OL) are used, stable LL / ML blends are obtained at the temperatures of interest, ranging from about 0.5 to 1 degrees Celsius up to about 40 degrees Celsius (inclusive), and for at least 4 weeks.

[0048] Example 2: Viscosity of the composition

[0049] As described above, the viscosity of the liquid ingredient composition of the present invention can be reduced by adding a diluent such as monopropylene glycol (MPG: 1,2-propylene glycol). Table 2 shows the effect of different ratios of OL and MPG on the viscosity.

[0050] Viscosity was measured using a Brookfield DV-I prime LVDV-IP viscometer.

[0051] Table 2: Viscosities of liquid ingredient compositions measured on a Brookfield DV-I prime LVDV-IP at room temperature

[0052]

[0053] Example 3: Various LL / ML-blend:OL:MPG compositions

[0054] The LL / ML-blend used in the previous examples was added to various OL / MPG compositions to evaluate thermal stability. The samples were monitored at about 1°C and 40°C for 3 months. The thermal stability was evaluated visually.

[0055] The results are summarized in Table 3.

[0056] Table 3: Thermal stability of various LL / ML-blend:OL:MPG component compositions after three months:

[0057] No = Composition is stable for less than 2 weeks at 1°C

[0058] The results of this study showed that the mixture consisting of LL / ML-blend and MPG alone was not thermally stable at 1 °C. The addition of OL helped to improve the thermal stability at 1 °C.

[0059] The results also show that the ratio of LL / ML-blend:OL should preferably be close to or equal to 1:1 to maintain good thermal stability at low temperatures.

[0060] Example 4: Stability Measurement by pH and Acidity Monitoring

[0061] The stability of the liquid ingredient composition consisting of 30:35:35 (wt. %) LL / ML-blend: OL: MPG was measured by monitoring the acid value while keeping the composition at 20°C and 40°C for 4 weeks (see Tables 1 and 3). Figure 1 In addition, the pH values ​​of the liquid ingredient composition at 30°C and 40°C were measured over a period of 3 weeks. Figure 2 The results demonstrate that the liquid ingredient composition remained stable (assessed by visual inspection) with no significant increase in pH or acid value over a period of at least 3 weeks.

[0062] Example 5: Thermal stability of stock solution

[0063] The stable liquid composition can be The metering system is applied to drinking water. The system requires a stock solution (ie a concentrated solution in water) to achieve the exact dosage level. In this example, the stability of a 5 wt.% stock solution of LL / ML-blend: OL:MPG = 30:30:40 (by weight) was tested in tap water.

[0064] Stock solutions (5 wt.% of liquid ingredient composition in tap water) were prepared from some of the heat stable LL / ML based liquid ingredient compositions as described in Example 1. Most of the ingredient compositions in Table 1 that did not show stability at lower temperatures of 1 or 20 degrees Celsius were not further tested in the stock solutions. The results of the thermal stability tests of some of the remaining stock solutions are shown in Table 4. The meanings of the letters, numbers and symbols are the same as described in Table 1 Example 1.

[0065] Table 4: Thermal stability of various stock solutions based on LL / ML blends according to the invention (5 wt. % in tap water)

[0066]

[0067] *Week 2: No visual observations were performed

[0068] Table 4 shows that not all stable liquid ingredient compositions of Table 1 are thermally stable at temperatures between about 0.5 and 1 degrees Celsius and about 20 degrees Celsius, or even up to 40 degrees Celsius, when diluted to a 5 wt. % stock solution. Only in the case where the liquid ingredient composition comprises LL or LL / ML-blend and OL as stabilizer and a diluent selected from MPG, the required thermal stability is exhibited when dispersed in water to form a 5 wt. % stock solution.

[0069] Example 6: Preparation of a liquid ingredient composition according to the present invention

[0070] This example shows how to prepare a stable liquid ingredient composition according to the invention consisting of a LL / ML blend and an OL.

[0071] There are two options:

[0072] 1) Physical blending

[0073] LL / ML-blend (70 / 30 wt.% LL / ML) ( 138c ex Corbion) was first melted in an oven at 90°C.

[0074] 30 wt.% (based on the total weight of the composition) of this preheated LL / ML-blend is added to a preheated reaction vessel and maintained at 80°C under constant stirring (preferably under a nitrogen blanket). Subsequently 30 wt.% OL (based on the total weight of the composition) is added ( ex Corbion). The reaction mixture was diluted by adding 40 wt.% MPG (based on the total weight of the composition). The resulting blend was stirred at a temperature of 80°C for 45-60 minutes. Subsequently, the blend was poured into a can, further cooled to room temperature, and stored at room temperature.

[0075] 2) One-pot synthesis

[0076] The fatty acids (completely free of lumps) lauric acid, myristic acid and oleic acid are charged in the desired weight ratio in a reaction vessel purged with a nitrogen stream. The temperature is raised to 60-70°C to melt the fatty acids while slowly stirring. Subsequently, lactic acid (LA) is slowly added to the reaction mixture under gentle stirring. After the lactic acid is completely added, sodium hydroxide (NaOH, 50% aqueous solution) is gradually added under gentle stirring, while ensuring that the temperature of the reaction mixture does not exceed 90°C.

[0077] When the NaOH solution is added, the temperature of the reaction mixture is gradually increased to 150°C. When the temperature of the reaction mixture reaches 150°C, the amount of distillate is weighed and the receiving flask is emptied. The temperature of the reaction mixture is then slowly increased to 170°C. Subsequently, the pressure in the reaction vessel is gradually reduced to about 50mbar using a vacuum pump, and the temperature is further increased to about 190°C. After reaching the desired acid value, the vacuum is released by purging with a nitrogen stream, and the container is cooled to 100°C. The reaction is complete (i.e., reaching the desired acid value) after 4 hours. Analysis shows that a lactyl lactate composition is obtained. A final stable liquid component composition is obtained by adding 40wt.% of a diluent (i.e., MPG) to a reaction vessel containing 60wt.% of a preheated lactyl lactate mixture obtained by the above-mentioned one-pot synthesis method. After mixing for 45-60 minutes, the final mixture is transferred to a tank and further cooled to room temperature.

[0078] Example 7: Activity of the composition according to the invention against various Clostridia and Streptococci strains

[0079] Two experiments were performed. In the first experiment, only the LL / ML-blend was tested against several strains of Clostridia. In the second experiment, the (LL / ML-blend):OL composition, the (LL / ML-blend):OL:MPG composition and MPG alone were tested against Clostridium perfringens and several strains of Streptococcus suis. Stock solutions containing 0.1% (w / v) of the test sample were prepared and tested for activity against the following strains: Clostridium perfringens ATCC 13124, Clostridium perfringens NCCB 87108, Clostridium perfringens NCTC 11144, Clostridium sporogenes NCTC 12935, Clostridium sporogenes NCTC 8594, Clostridium sporogenes NCTC 532, Clostridium sporogenes NCTC 13020, Clostridium tyrobutyricum AR 439, Streptococcus suis DSM 28762, and Streptococcus suis DSM 9682.

[0080] To this end, all Clostridia cultures were grown overnight at 37°C in screw-cap tubes (100 x 16 mm) containing 9 ml of Oxoid without shaking. Streptococcus strains were grown overnight at 30°C in screw-cap tubes (100 x 16 mm) containing 9 ml of Oxoids without shaking.

[0081] The stock solution was heated and 5 M NaOH was added until the compound was dissolved and a clear solution was obtained. Then for Clostridia strains, 2x TPGY broth (Trypsin-Peptone-Glucose-Yeast Extract Broth; casein tryptic digest 50 g / L, yeast extract 20 g / L, peptone 5.0 g / L, glucose 4.0 g / L and sodium thioglycolate 1.0 g / L) was prepared; while for Streptococcus strains, 2x BHI broth was prepared. For both broths, the pH value was set to 6.5 and used to prepare 10 different stock solutions with increasing amounts of the corresponding compound. Two different concentration ranges were prepared: one range of 0-0.0018% in 10 steps of 0.0002% and the second range of 0-0.00045% in 10 steps of 0.00005%. The complete culture medium was sterilized by autoclaving. 200 μl of each solution was then transferred to a sterile Bioscreen honeycomb 100-well plate (Oy Growth Curves Ab Ltd, Helsinki, Finland). The filled plates were placed overnight in the Bioscreen, which was placed in an Invivo2 anoxic anaerobic cabinet (Ruskinn Technology Ltd / Ruskinn Life Sciences Ltd, Brigend, UK) equipped with a Rushkinn gas mixer Q (N2) and the oxygen level was set to 0.1%.

[0082] Bioscreen plates were inoculated with 3 μl of 10-fold diluted actively growing Clostridia and Streptococcus cultures. For Clostridia, the plates were cultured at 37°C for 72 hours and for S. suis at 30°C for 72 hours. The optical density of the cultures was measured every 20 minutes at 420-580nm using a broadband filter of Bioscreen C (Oy Growth Curves Ab Ltd, Helsinki, Finland). The plates were moderately shaken before each reading. After the growth experiment, the final growth on the plates was checked with the naked eye and the results were confirmed with a microscope.

[0083] The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ​​of all strains were determined. The results are summarized in Tables 5 and 6 below.

[0084] Table 5: Experiment 1: MIC values ​​(in ppm) of LL / ML blends (70 / 30 weight ratio) against various Clostridium strains at 37° C. for 72 hours

[0085]

[0086] Table 6: Experiment 2: MIC values ​​of (LL / ML) / OL blends with and without MPG and MPG alone against C. perfringens and two S. suis strains at 30°C for 72 hours

[0087]

[0088] Example 8: Stable LL-based liquid ingredient composition

[0089] The stability of a liquid ingredient composition containing lauroyl lactylate (LL) and oleyl lactylate (OL) and optionally monopropylene glycol (MPG) as a diluent was determined at different temperatures (i.e., about 1, 20, and 40° C.) during storage for 4 weeks. The stability was monitored by visual inspection. The results are shown in Table 7. The meanings of letters, numbers, and symbols are the same as those described in Example 1 of Table 1. Percentages are based on weight and temperatures are in degrees Celsius (° C.). RT stands for room temperature, which is approximately 20° C.

[0090] Table 7: Thermal stability of liquid ingredient compositions comprising LL and OL during storage at different temperatures for 4 weeks

[0091]

[0092] Example 9: Stability of stock solutions from LL-based liquid ingredient compositions

[0093] Stock solutions (5 wt. % in tap water) were prepared from some stable LL-based liquid ingredient compositions of Example 8, and the stability was determined at different temperatures (i.e., about 1, 20, and 40° C.) during 4 weeks of storage. The stability was monitored by visual inspection. The results of the thermal stability test are shown in Table 8. The meanings of the letters, numbers, and symbols are the same as those described in Table 1 Example 1.

[0094] Table 8: Thermal stability of stock solutions (5 wt. % in tap water) of LL-based liquid ingredient compositions.

[0095]

Claims

1. A stable liquid ingredient composition comprising oleoyl lactylate and / or its salts (OL); and a further lactylate (FL), the further lactylate being selected from lauroyl lactylate and / or its salts (LL), or a mixture of lauroyl lactylate and myristoyl lactylate and / or their salts (LL / ML blend), the LL / ML blend comprising 50-95 wt.-% LL and 50-5 wt.-% ML, based on the total amount of LL and ML, wherein the further lactylate is present in the stable liquid ingredient composition in a FL / OL weight ratio in the range of 1 / 99 to 60 / 40 by weight.

2. The stable liquid ingredient composition according to claim 1, wherein the FL / OL weight ratio is 30 / 70 to 55 / 45 by weight.

3. The stable liquid ingredient composition according to claim 1, wherein the FL / OL weight ratio is 45 / 55 to 55 / 45 by weight.

4. The stable liquid ingredient composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the selected additional lactylate (FL) is lauroyl lactylate and / or a salt thereof (LL).

5. The stable liquid ingredient composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the selected additional lactylate (FL) is a mixture of lauroyl lactylate and myristoyl lactylate and / or their salts (LL / ML blend).

6. The stable liquid ingredient composition according to claim 5, wherein the LL / ML blend comprises 65-75 wt. % LL and 35-25 wt. % ML, based on the total amount of LL and ML.

7. The stable liquid ingredient composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the composition further comprises a diluent selected from monopropylene glycol (MPG), sunflower oil or tricaprylin.

8. The stable liquid ingredient composition according to claim 7, wherein the diluent is present in a concentration of 20 to 50 wt. %, based on the total weight of the composition.

9. The stable liquid ingredient composition according to claim 7, wherein the diluent is selected from monopropylene glycol (MPG).

10. The stable liquid ingredient composition according to claim 8, wherein the diluent is selected from monopropylene glycol (MPG).

11. The stable liquid ingredient composition of claim 7, wherein the diluent is MPG, and wherein the composition comprises 25-35 wt.% of lactyllactate selected from LL or LL / ML blend, 25-35 wt.% of OL, and 30-50 wt.% of MPG, based on the total weight of lactyllactate and diluent.

12. A stable stock solution comprising 0.4 to 12 wt.% of the liquid ingredient composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11 in water, the weight percentages being based on the total weight of the stock solution.

13. The stable stock solution according to claim 12, comprising 0.5 to 7.5 wt.% of the liquid ingredient composition.

14. A liquid animal feed comprising the liquid ingredient composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the final concentration of the liquid ingredient composition in the liquid feed is 0.01 to 1.0 wt.% based on the total weight of the liquid feed.

15. The liquid animal feed according to claim 14, wherein the final concentration of the liquid ingredient composition in the liquid feed is 0.05 to 0.1 wt.%.

16. Liquid animal feed according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the liquid animal feed is selected from milk, milk replacer, mash or normal drinking water.

17. The liquid animal feed according to claim 16, wherein the liquid animal feed is normal drinking water.

18. Process for the preparation of a stable liquid ingredient composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a lactyllactate selected from the group consisting of LL or LL / ML blends is blended in the molten state with OL at elevated temperature and under inert conditions.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein further, a diluent is added simultaneously with or after the addition of OL, and the diluent is selected from monopropylene glycol (MPG), sunflower oil or tricaprylin.

20. Process for the preparation of a stable liquid ingredient composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a fatty acid selected from lauric acid or a mixture of lauric acid and myristic acid is blended with oleic acid in a reactor and subsequently reacted with lactic acid and a base at elevated temperature and under inert conditions to obtain in situ a LL / OL or (LL / ML-blend) / OL lactyllactate mixture.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein further, after the reaction is completed, a portion of the reaction product is blended with a diluent selected from monopropylene glycol (MPG), sunflower oil or tricaprylin.

22. Use of the stable liquid ingredient composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or the stable stock solution according to claim 12 or 13 in the preparation of liquid feed for animals.

23. Use of the stable liquid ingredient composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or the stable stock solution according to claim 12 or 13 for preparing drinking water for animals.

24. Use of the stable liquid ingredient composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the liquid animal feed according to any one of claims 14 to 17 or the stable stock solution according to claim 12 or 13 in the preparation of a formulation for preventing or reducing bacterial infections in animals.

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