Functional fibres

Natural and renewable

Natural and renewable, fibres of plant origin are ecological products at their best. Thanks to their multifunctional properties and compatibility with nearly all other substances, fibres offer solutions for many products of daily life.

Advanced milling

How fibres are processed makes all the difference. It takes a finely tuned interaction of suitable milling technology and fractionation to manufacture optimised products.

An impact mill, for example, acts on a fibre with high shear forces. This results in a strong fibrillation of the material, resulting predominantly in long, thin fibres (picture 1). Such fibres are characterised by a high binding capacity for liquids – be it water, oil or other liquids.

In contrast, a cutting mill mainly shortens the fibre length, but is not able to split fibre bundles into individual fibres very well. This mainly produces shorter particles with a less pronounced fibre structure (picture 2), which are less effective, but have a better flow ability and a better dosing and mixing ability.

Other so-called ‘rotor-stator systems’ create fine powders, which do not have high functionality but can be used in higher concentrations and can be easily and homogeneously incorporated into a wide variety of formulations. They also have good sensory properties.

Scientific transparency meets technical application

The structural differences between various types of fibres can help to indicate certain functional properties, but often these are not very well understood in the industry. This is the key moment where scientific transparency meets technical application: researching the functional benefit of a new potential product in a real application, like in main meal or snacks.

JRS set up a pilot facility in 2017, to be able to conduct this kind of research and testing in-house. Only after extensive internal trials and critical analysis are products manufactured on a larger scale, in order to be able to run first trials with dedicated customers. In this way, it is possible to develop real, innovative product concepts, which are new to the market before they become standard across the pet food world.

Applications

Whether in the development of innovative new solutions, or in daily production, there are numerous challenges where a fibre can help to optimise production. Some fibres have the capability to generate a network, helping to keep the shape of a product intact or keep a gravy clear during sterilisation. Others can prevent syneresis in raw meat food or alternatively in all meat sausages, ensuring that excessive water can be retained over the shelf life.

Fibres designed by nature, in combination with R&D and technical application knowledge, are the future road for many new ideas around the globe beyond nutrition.

Torsten Trampe

Head of Technical Application

JRS Animal Nutrition

torsten.trampe@jrs.de

jrs.de

Dr. Hans-Georg Brendle

Head of Research and Development

JRS Animal Nutrition

dr.brendle@jrs.de

jrs.de