Feed represents 60-70% of the total cost of livestock and poultry production and is critical to a producer’s bottom line. It can be a balancing act to find ways to maximize efficiency or reduce input costs while still meeting the nutritional requirements for optimal animal performance. Hence, from an economic perspective, enhancing the energy efficiency of these raw materials is of great importance. Fats and oils serve as significant energy sources in poultry diets due to their high energy value and energy density. The amount of energy that animals can obtain from dietary fat primarily depends on the digestibility of the fat. Fat digestibility is considerably reduced when emulsifying molecules, such as bile salts, are absent or produced in very small quantities in poultry.
One way to maximize the fat utilization in poultry is to include an emulsifier in their diet.
What is Emulsification?
Emulsification is the process that involves the breakdown of large fat globules into smaller globules that are soluble in water. It is important to emulsify fat so it can be easily broken down by enzymes into fatty acids. It takes place in the small intestine by the action of bile salts.
Role of Emulsifier in Lipid Digestion
Fats are insoluble in water, do not solubilize in the aqueous phase of the gastrointestinal tract, and need to be emulsified before they can be hydrolysed by lipase. As a polar amphipatic molecule, consisting of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties, an emulsifier (more accurately termed surfactant) can form a bridge between water- and fat-soluble materials, and improve fat utilisation, especially of animal fats. Emulsifiers may also play a particular role in overcoming the inadequacies of naturally low bile production and recirculation in young birds. Emulsifiers, which are normally used in the feed industry, can be categorised into two groups, namely natural (such as bile and bile salts) and nutritional (such as lecithin and lysolecithin) emulsifiers.
Hydrophilic–Lipophilic Balance (HLB) Value:
HLB (Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance) is a numerical scale (typically from 0 to 20) that indicates the balance between the water-loving (hydrophilic) and oil-loving (lipophilic) portions of an emulsifier. Low HLB values (3–6) indicate lipophilic (oil-soluble) emulsifiers — suitable for water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions. High HLB values (8–18) indicate hydrophilic (water-soluble) emulsifiers — suitable for oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. 
Without emulsification, lipid digestion would be inefficient, and absorption of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble nutrients would be greatly reduced. An emulsifier added to the feed will help to break down fats and oils easily in poultry birds.
VINEMULSI is a unique and carefully controlled combination of Lysophospholipids, phospholipids, and glycolipids, which makes it a natural emulsifier. It optimizes lipid digestion, emulsification, hydrolysis with micelle formation, and nutrient absorption. It increases the available surface for bile salts and lipases to interact. VINEMULSI provides a more consistent fat utilization response and improves poultry’s performance. The HLB value of lysophospholipids contained in VINEMULSI (8-12) not only determines its emulsification properties but also contributes to the stability of the emulsion.
Benefits:
- Supports fat emulsification and utilization
- Enhances nutrient absorption
- Improves feed conversion ratio and overall performance.
- Reduces feed costs
- Aids in minimizing oxidative stress.
“Turn fats into fuel, naturally”