FeedOPERATIONS

Aquatic feed pelleting

techniques: Part 1
The first half of this two-part article explains the
role that induced chemical changes, binders
and feed particle size play in creating optimal
aqua feed pellets.
by KOH Hui Meng

A pellet mill used to produce Fish pellets

dtech g,
om/fee
edlink.c om Koh Hui Me
n
w.e fe
Visit ww tips fr .
eting xpert
ed pell logy e
for fe Techno
Link’s F e e d
eFeed

P
ELLETING can be defined as
an extrusion type thermoplas-
tic moulding operation in which
finely divided particles of feed ration
are formed into compact, easily handled
pellets. It is thermoplastic because the
protein and sugar of feed ingredients
become plastic when heated and diluted
with moisture.
However, over and above meeting
the demand for aqua culture feed, sup-
pliers must calibrate processing technol-
ogy to produce high quality aqua culture
feeds at a reasonable price and a healthy
profit margin. Pellet extrusion is one of
the most versatile and energy efficient
processes in feed production for aqua
culture feed.
Why are we pelleting
aqua feed?
1. The combination of moisture
and heat produces a degree of gelati-
nisation, which enables the animals to
utilise the ingredients.
2. Destruction of Salmonella bac-
teria.
3. Pelleted feed prevents selec-
tive feeding on the basis of ingredients
favoured by the fish.
4. Pelleting prevents the segrega-
tion of ingredients in handling or tran-
sit.
5. Pelleting increases feed bulk
density and simplifies handling.
However, there are profound differ-
ences in the processes of manufacturing
pelleted animal compound feeds and
aquatic feeds. These include the ingre-
dient preparation process prior to the
pellet mill, differences in the fineness
of grind, preconditioning of feed mash
before the pelleting and the post-condi-
tioning of pellets prior to cooling. The
water stability of feed pellets is of the
utmost importance when manufacturing
shrimp feed.
From a nutritional point of view,
there are many benefits to using pel-
leted aquatic feeds. From a nutritional
standpoint, fish / shrimp will consume
a consistent balance of nutrients at each
feeding. Moreover, agglomerated feeds
have been shown to be more acceptable
to the fish / shrimp and often results in
improved feed efficiency. These im-
provements have been found to reduce
dustiness and increase availability.
In addition to their nutritional ad-
vantages, other important benefits can
also be obtained from pelleted fish or
prawn feed. For example, they are ex-
tremely stable in a dry state and can
be stored for extended periods without
nutrient degradation. Moreover, pellets
maintain their physical integrity for a
prolonged period, allowing more feed
to be consumed while preserving the
water’s quality. The pellet formulated
diet contains all required nutrients while
its long lasting water stability greatly
reduces the loss of water soluble nutri-
ents.
Operational pelleting:
What techniques does the aqua feed
mill operator have available to optimise
the quality of pellets being produced?
Basically there are six measures a feed
miller can take:
1. Inducing chemical changes
in the feed pellets by use of additives
– Key additives play a critical role in
the efficient manufacture, digestion, and
long-term stability of aqua feed pellets.
2. Binding agents – Natural or ar-
tificial binders. These agents bind feed
ingredient particles together upon being
affected by temperature and pressure.
3. Particle size – In general terms,

40 FEED Business ASIA | SEP/OCT 2007


A pellet mill used to produce Shrimp pellets
the finer a product is ground prior to pelleting, the better the
pellet quality.
4. Preconditioning – With heating (usually in the form
of steam) prior to pelleting. This is the most common means of
improving pellet quality, particularly with grain-based feeds.
The heat induces starch gelatinisation which results in well
bound pellets.
5. Die specifications – Pressure and temperature in-
duced by the die configuration during the actual extrusion of
pellets. During actual pellet manufacturing, frictional heat re-
places the steam heat used during preconditioning.
6. Efficient and effective drying (preconditioning) /
cooling of the pellets – As far as aquatic feed is concerned, we
only have binders, particle size, steam-based preconditioning
and die specification. In this context, efficient drying and cool-
ing is a crucial procedure in the creation of consistently hard,
water resistant pellets.
FeedOPERATIONS
the concentration desired. Second, the pellets become harder,
thereby allowing for efficient storage and transport stability.
However, upon contact with water, the pellets become soft
without disintegrating. Thus, the fish can pick up, absorb and
digest the pellets more efficiently. Moreover, such pellets will
float in the water for a much longer period of time.
Particle size: Consistent, fine particle size for each for-
mula ingredient is essential for the production of high quality
aquatic feeds. An exceptionally fine feed texture is required
for good pellet quality, water stability and feed digestibility.
The last point is particularly critical in feeds for small fish,
fry, or larvae.
Fineness of grind also enhances pellet hardness and du-
rability. Finely ground ingredients have long been known to
improve the quality of pellets made in compaction type mills.
Due to their reduced surface area, fine particles fill a greater
proportion of void spaces, thereby eliminating those large in-
terior surfaces where fractures or water absorption can occur.
Tests have also been made with somewhat coarser ground
formulas or by merely adding different types of artificial bind-
ers to increase pellet water stability. Nevertheless, similar re-
sults can be achieved by simply using finely ground formulas
and natural binders. A minimum feed texture of 40 to 60 mesh
(420 to 250 microns) is recommended for aquatic feeds.
Next month in part 2, we examine how preconditioning,
die specifications, efficient cooling and drying of the pellets
affect the creation of ideal aqua feed.

Below we examine in detail the first three of these

factors:
Induced chemical changes: Adding strong alkalis to feed
mash greatly improves pellet quality by inducing a chemical
change in the fibrous material, thereby enabling it to gelatinise
more efficiently later on. Using lignocellular materials such as
rice straw has also been demonstrated to improve the strength
of the pelleted end-product.
Binding agents: Incorporating these into the feed formu-
la reduces fines and increases water stability. Pregelatinised
starches, alginates, carboxymethycellulose (CMC) and other
hydrocolloidal materials with good binding properties can be
used to great advantage.
For example, using hydrophobic silica provides the fol-
lowing benefits. First, the fat content can be increased up to

SEP/OCT 2007 | FEED Business ASIA 41

FeedOPERATIONS

Aquatic feed pelleting

techniques: Part 2
In the second half of this two-part paper, we
examine three key factors that determine the om/fee
dtech g,
edlink.c om Koh Hui Me
n

quality of aqua feed pellets and efficiency of Visit ww w.e

ed pell
fe
eting
tips fr
logy e
.
xpert
echno
their manufacturing process. for fe
eFeed
Link’s F e e d T

by KOH Hui Meng

A
SSUMING that chemical changes induced in the feed made up of different ingredients, come in a diversity of sizes
mash, binding agents and particle size have been opti- and must remain stable in both their dry state and also in water.
mised in the manner specified in part 1 of this article Therefore, a different approach is required.
(published in FBA 16), three other factors exert a critical influ- Consequently, aqua feed pellets need a much longer con-
ence over aqua feed pellet quality. These are preconditioning, ditioner that is steam jacketed while featuring steam injection.
pellet die design and the cooling / drying process’s efficiency. With this method, more consistent control of moisture and
Below we conduct a detailed examination of how these vari- temperature can be obtained, greatly reducing the proportion
ables can be fine-tuned to optimise aqua feed pellet quality of defective pellets produced.
while enhancing the efficiency of their manufacture and equip-
ment lifetime. Pellet die specifications
Theoretically, a pellet die can be designed in many ways
Preconditioning feed material so as to raise the pellet quality and accommodate a diverse va-
This is the conditioning of feed materials to form hard, riety of feed ingredients. Unfortunately, in practice, pellet dies
smooth, high quality pellets. Traditionally, this involves inject- are expensive and relatively hard to change. Consequently,
ing steam into the formulated feed. This raises both the mois- many compromises have to be made when calibrating a die for
ture and temperature to a point where optimal quality pellets a given job. Therefore, selecting the right die for a particular
can be extruded. Raising feed ingredients’ temperature in the aquatic feed is extremely important as it strongly affects the
presence of moisture decomposes some of their starch into pellet quality, stability in water and the unit die cost per metric
sugar, creating gelatinous bonds. This interaction of starch, ton. Hence, consideration must be given to the following five
sugar, heat and steam profoundly augments the pellet’s cohe- factors:
sive strength. ■ Choice of stainless steel, steel alloy or chrome/steel die
Upon compression and cooling, the resulting feed gelati- ■ Thickness of die diameter to be used
nisation enables the formation of hard, high quality pellets. In ■ Die hole patterns
the traditional steam preconditioning used to make livestock ■ The type of relief in holes
feed pellets, a major challenge is that the critical moisture level ■ Designs customised to create feed pellets suitable for
cannot exceed 16 to 18 percent. However, aqua feed pellets
DELA_InseratFeedBusAsia209x73_1007 02.10.2007 12:58 Uhr Seite 1
are various fish species

Sick of Ammonia?
Learn more about Ammonia and its prevention!

Subscribe for the DELACON dossier at

www.delacon.com/dossier

Performing Nature.

Delacon Biotechnik Ges.m.b.H., Weissenwolffstr. 14, A-4221 Steyregg, Austria

Contact person: Dr. Sze Eng Kian, Mobile + 6012-202 69 91, esze@delacon.com, www.delacon.com

40 FEED Business ASIA | NOV/DEC 2007


Each of these factors is influenced by the intended type of
fish feed pellets, chemical composition of that species’ feed
mash, amount of binders used, size and the age of fish intended
to eat the pellets in question.
When the die is in operation, it must be fed evenly. It is
most important to keep all holes on the die face working during
the life of die. Distribution of feed mash across the entire die
face is essential if it is to operate at full operational capacity
and maximise the die’s working life. Deflectors take feed from
a revolving cone and distribute it across the die face. Modify-
ing the angularity of deflectors changes the feed distribution
pattern across the die.
Similarly, wipers located at the top, bottom and rear of die
deflect feed mash back into the working area. Worn out deflec-
tors and wipers will affect wear pattern on die face, thereby
shortening its working life. Hence, they must be inspected as
often and thoroughly as the die itself. Moreover, pellet mills
should be run at full capacity in order to achieve maximum
efficiency.
Sometimes, feed mash congestion, wear and tear make it
impossible to achieve maximum productivity at full capacity.
Plugged holes should be punched or drilled out so they again
become working holes. For this reason, visual inspections
should be done to spot prominent instances of uneven wear
and tear on the die face. To keep productivity and aqua feed
pellet quality from suffering, uneven wear and tear on the die
face requires immediate repairing.
Assuming all parts are working well, pre-conditioned feed
FeedOPERATIONS
mash is forced into a rotating die as rollers compress the prod-
ucts through selected die hole sizes and specifications. Hence-
forth, pellets emerge from the outer edge of the die and are cut
to proper length by adjustable knives.
If all mechanical components are working properly and
feed mash has been well formulated, aqua feed pelleting has
one advantage over the creation of livestock feed. Due to the
lower temperatures employed in making aqua feed, pelleting
has no great effect on enzyme activity (though it still does gela-
tinise some starch). Much however, hinges on the die’s design
specifications, maintenance, mechanical movement relative to
other parts, and die alloy’s suitability for the feed formulation
in question.
Efficient cooling and drying of aqua feed
pellets
Cooling is critical to the final setting and hardening of
aqua feed pellets. Poor, inefficient cooling systems will result
in pellets with abnormally high moisture content. As water
evaporation is an important means of removing excess heat,
overly moist fish pellets will then be too hot for safe and ef-
fective storage. At the same time, a high number of fines are
produced during a botched cooling process and such pellets
usually degrade quickly in water.
To overcome the above possible problems, we recommend
that the cooling system has the following basic criteria: a high
volume airflow with a longer retention time of pellets in the
cooler for aquatic feed pellets. A cooler with an air flow >>
NOV/DEC 2007 | FEED Business ASIA 41
 FeedOPERATIONS
of at least 800 to 1,000 CFM for per ton / hour and a retention
time of 15 minutes should be used to prevent the above men-
tioned problems from occurring.
Generally, Counter Flow Coolers and Horizontal Coolers
are commonly used for aqua feed pellet processing. The cooler
used must be strong and consistent enough to prevent hot spots
from building up in corners of the unit. Otherwise, pellets de-
posited in such areas become a deadweight loss that drag down
overall quality and efficiency.
Naturally, this implies that there are profound disadvan-
tages to taking a “budget” approach to cooler quality. If the
airflow volume is too small or the retention time is too short,
pellets will have too high a moisture content and insufficient
time to coalesce to their required hardness. In this respect, a
cooler’s air flow must be sufficient to remove the water added
by steam and to reduce moisture levels below the accepted in-
dustry standard of 12 percent.
In shrimp feed pelleting, after processing, pellets are
dropped into a “holding bin” (post conditioner) fitted with
steam heating coils before being placed in a cooler. The hold-
ing bin gives the still hot pellets an opportunity to be retained
at a near-constant temperature for approximately 10 to 15 min-
utes. During this transition period, constant, consistent heating
mends hair line cracks on the pellet and evenly distributes heat
over its surface and interior. This heating also removes addi-
tional water, enabling the pellets to achieve a moisture content
below 10%, thereby enabling them to remain stable in water
for a longer time.
42 FEED Business ASIA | NOV/DEC 2007
Summary
Having now looked at all the relevant factors that effect
aqua feed pellets, we will try to summarise what is required
to manufacture high quality fish pellets. First, in their opera-
tions, all aquaculture feed plants must have an efficient grind-
ing system to ensure an even particle size for all of the feed
ingredients.
Ideally, ingredients used should have a moisture content
around 14 percent, as this allows for the maximum utilisation
of the preconditioning window for gelling pellet mash. As the
moisture content increases during steam pre-conditioning, fur-
ther processing is achieved by either dry heat preconditioning,
additional post conditioning heating, or more intense mechani-
cal energy induced by increased die compression ratios.
The so-called “art” of pelleting is not merely a mechanical
operation. It is an intersection created by the selected ingredi-
ents, their condition and pelletability, product texture, thermo-
chemical interaction with steam, mechanical compatibility
with the pellet die design and metal alloy.
To produce top quality aqua feed pellets, all these factors
should be carefully adjusted. Adjustments in die configuration,
speed, or simply changing dies in order to create the vast diver-
sity of particle sizes and textures required by fish and shrimp
are just some of the techniques not commonly found or required
when making livestock feed pellets. More than in other feed
sectors, humidity, temperature conditions, die configuration
and design, and full knowledge of ingredient properties assume
a critical importance in the manufacture of aqua feed.