Potassium Diformate!... The first animal nutrition growth-promoting product as a nonantibiotic.

Potassium Diformate is white or light-yellow crystal or crystal powder, it is easily soluble in water and highly hygroscopic. It is stable under acidic conditions, and easy to decompose into formic acid and potassium formate under neutral or slightly alkaline conditions. Potassium diformate is odorless, low-corrosive and easy to handle.

Potassium Diformate is also called as Formic Acid, Potassium Salt (2:1); Potassium Formate (1:2); Potassium Hydrogen Diformate (KHF).

Potassium hydrogen diformate is a kind of novel microbiotic growth promoter surrogate product of developing in recent years. Feeding test-results shows, adds the Potassium hydrogen diformate of 0.6%-1.2% in swine rations, can significantly improve the gaining effect of pig, reduces because the dead quantity that infectation of bacteria causes. Calendar year 2001 is used by European Union's approval, is first kind of non-antibiotic feedstuff additive product that is used for substituting the microbiotic growth promoter of European Union's approval, has an extensive future. Maximum inclusion level of potassium diformate is 1.8% as registered by the European authorities which can improve weight gain up to 14%.

Antibiotic growth promoters have been widely used in animal feed, with considerable success. Antimicrobial feed additives are widely used to improve the performance and ecology of animal production. Ban on antibiotics as growth promoters in the European Union, and the resulting pressures on meat exporters around the world have increased interest on alternatives like herbs, herbal products, prebiotics, probiotics organic acids (formic, fumaric, citric, lactic, propionic etc.). Organic acids and their salts have received much attention as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. These vary in the growth promoting effect and mode of action. Also, physical properties such as ease of handling, odor and corrosion during feed processing and on the farm should be taken into account when evaluating the different formulations. Numerous studies have demonstrated that formic acid is effective against pathogenic bacteria and enhancing growth performance but strong odor and corrosiveness limit its use. To overcome these problems, Potassium Diformate (PD) has received attention as an alternative to formic acid because of its easiness to handle and also effective in enhancing growth performance.

The European Union (EU) has approved it as non-antibiotic growth promoter, for use in non-ruminant feeds. Non-ruminant animals are animals with a single-compartment stomach, such as swine, poultry, horses, dogs, cats, and humans. Non-ruminant nutrition looks at the diet of these animals as it relates to their digestion, growth, performance, and overall health.

The method of production Potassium hydrogen diformate provided by the present invention, with formic acid and potassium hydroxide or salt of wormwood is raw material, be at 45-80 ℃ of reaction 2-6h with the formic acid solution of 80-90% and potassium hydroxide or solution of potassium carbonate, then at the 1/2-2/3 of 65-75 ℃ of following vacuum concentration to the reactant cumulative volume, concentrated solution is cooled to 20 ℃ of following stirred crystallization 20-28h, obtains product.

Also need pass through centrifugation, drying step after the product crystallization, the centrifugation condition is generally centrifugal 5-10min under the 2000-3000rpm.

React the used potassium hydroxide or the mass percent concentration of solution of potassium carbonate and be generally 50-70%; The formic acid solution preferred concentration is 85%.When reactant was potassium hydroxide, formic acid was 1.5-2.5 with the ratio of the amount of substance of potassium hydroxide: 1, be preferably 2: 1; During for salt of wormwood, formic acid is 3.5-4.5 with the ratio of the amount of substance of salt of wormwood: 1, be preferably 4: 1.The preferred temperature of reaction is 60 ℃.

 

On this product, conclusions from the different researchers are as below,

-        We conclude from our research that our dietary potassium diformate can reduce mortality in Pacific white shrimp caused by the Gram-negative, pathogenic bacterium V. harveyi. It may be expected that similar outcomes may result with other Gram-negative bacterial pathogens in commercial shrimp farming operations. Considering our results on growth performance and survival rates, we believe that potassium diformate is a promising additive for economic and sustainable shrimp production, and should be considered in compound feeds for commercial, outdoor shrimp farming operations. - Dr. Christian Lückstädt; Orapint Jintasataporn, Kai-J. Kühlmann

-        The results indicate the promising potential of acidifiers in fish diets and provide evidence to encourage aquafeed manufacturers to consider using such additives. The dietary inclusion of Potassium Diformate (KDF) not only enhances the growth performance and the apparent protein digestibility of O. niloticus, but it also has an eubiotic effect on the proliferation of indigenous LAB, which plays a prominent role in activation of the immune response against diseases. - Nermeen M. Abu Elala, Naela M. Ragaa

-        Potassium diformate improves animal performance in terms of weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion. The improvements in performance are equal to growth promoters. Therefore potassium  diformate with  its  performance and  health  enhancing properties is an effective  alternative  to feed  antibiotics.  Effect on  the  microflora  is  regarded  as  the  main mode  of  action  and  no  risk  of  developing  resistance  in  microorganisms. It reduces the incidence of E. coli and Salmonella in meat products and therefore contributes to food safety. - Rakhi Chowdhury, Khan Md. Shaiful Islam, Mj Khan, Md Najmul Haque

-        Based on the results of the research that has been done, it can be concluded that the addition of potassium diformate in artificial feed against the growth rate of Nilem fish (Osteochilus hasselti - Valenciennes, 1842) seed at a dose of 0.1% to 0.5% tends to be effective for increasing survival. The 0.3% dose results in the highest daily growth rate and efficiency of feed utilization. - Ayi Yustiati, Amanda Shafira Chaerani, Rosidah, Iis Rostini

 

Applications are as below,

- Adjust the palatability of feed and increase intake of feed;

- Improve the internal environment of the digestive tract and lower the pH value in stomach and small intestine;

- It has the effect of an antibacterial and growth-promoting agent. The addition of potassium diformate can significantly reduce the content of anaerobic bacteria, Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella in each segment of the digestive tract, improve the resistance of animals to diseases, and reduce the rate of deaths due to bacterial infections;

- It can significantly increase the daily gain and feed conversion rate of pigs;

- Prevent and heal piglet diarrhea;

- Inhibit harmful components such as mold in the feed, ensure the quality of the feed, and improve the shelf life of the feed.

Potassium Diformate increases performance