A safer alternative to pure organic acids
SoftAcid® is a unique and patented technology. SoftAcid acidifiers are less corrosive, safer to use and easier to handle than pure organic acids, like for instance formic, propionic and acetic acid.
SoftAcid - The friendly feed acidifier
Users of feed acidifiers should not have to compromise between safety and efficacy of their chosen product. For this purpose, we have specifically developed SoftAcid - a product range that consists of one ore more organic acids and a modified lignosulfonic acid. It is the presence of the latter that gives the product its name “Soft,” due to its ability to moderate the aggressive nature of the organic acids, without reducing efficiency.
SoftAcid acidifiers are consequently less corrosive, safer to use and easier to handle than pure organic acids. In addition to these benefits, SoftAcid products provide a clear inhibition of bacterial colonisation and a reduction of biofilm adhesion on gram-negative bacteria. Feeding trials and laboratory trials have shown the efficiency of SoftAcid to be equivalent to pure organic acids and more efficient than buffered acids.
Watch our brand new video below to learn more about SoftAcid!
Softacid applications
Pig feed
Softacid® can be used instead of conventional organic acids in pig feed and offers the farmer a number of unique benefits.
Piglet feed
Softacid® is a unique and efficient acidifier for piglet feed. piglets have a fragile digestive tract, which is why we have developed a specific blend for them, containing both lactic and formic acid.
Poultry feed
Softacid® is a unique and efficient acidifier for poultry feed, that contains organic acids and lignosulfonic acid.
Drinking water systems
Softacid® products work very well in drinking water systems for both poultry and pigs. these acidifiers offer a strong ph effect with less corrosion problems than pure acids, and also give a high antimicrobial effect.
Wet feeding
Softacid® gives very good results in wet feeding systems, where yeasts and bacteria can grow easily.
Tmr - total mixed ration
Softacid® is a very efficient tool to avoid an unwanted temperature increase in total mixed ration (tmr). such a temperature increase can occur due to fermentation.
Silage preservation
Softacid® is a unique and efficient additive for silage preservation. grass silage is a cost-effective way of preserving grass to animal feed, but if not done correctly, poor quality feed will be the result. it is important to optimise the conditions in order to keep the right protein balance in the milk.
Cereal and raw material preservation
Softacid® is a very efficient additive for cereal and grain preservation. the product is safer to use and easier to handle than propionic acid farm grown cereals and grains undergo storage until animal feed manufacturers select, grind and use them. during this storage period the grain is vulnerable to microbiological growth, which could lead to a severe disturbance of animal health.
By-product preservation
Softacid® is a very efficient additive for preservation of by-products from the food (bread, biscuits, candy, sweets, meat, etc.) and non-food (ddgs, okara, etc.) industry.
Shrimp farming
Softacid® aqua deca is a unique and efficient acidifier that can be used in all phases of shrimp production, from larval to growing phase. it can also be used to support algae growth.
Fish preservation
Softacid® aqua e is a very efficient preservative for the fish meal industry, where species like blue whiting, capeline and sandeel are raw materials. softacid aqua e inhibits bacterial growth and delays the degradation of fish. the result is reduced total volatile nitrogen (tvn) and higher value products delivered to the fish meal factory. furthermore, the product will take better care of your production equipment than other products on the market.
Fish silage preservation
Softacid® is a very efficient acidifier for fish silage production. the product preserves the fish by-products from oxidation and reduces corrosion. by-products from both farmed species and wild fish are used as raw materials for fish silage preservation. for this application we have developed a combination of formic acid and lignosulfonic acid, which controls the ph and reduces corrosion.
About softacid
Webinar: the key is lignosulfonic acid
Video of borregaard's presentation at misset/all about feed's webinar on antibiotic reduction 12 oct 2022.
Laboratory trials
Laboratory trials conducted with questpharma in spain. different acid formulations were tested on salmonella choleraesuis and fusarium verticiloides. clear benefits with softacid were observed.
Technological benefits
Softacid has been found to be significantly less corrosive towards skin, carbon steel and other metals than formic acid. softacid also reduces the evaporation of organic acids, which leads to an increased efficiency over time.
Bacterial inhibition properties
The organic acids in softacid have two functions as antimicrobial agents. their primary action is through ph depression. in addition, the ability of organic acids to change from undissociated to dissociated form, depending of the environmental ph, makes them effective antimicrobial agents.
Feeding trials
Softacid makes an excellent alternative to antibiotic growth promoters (agps) in livestock feed, due to its specific and unique ability to either kill or inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi.
Lca: softacid vs formic acid
A life cycle analysis compared softacid® to pure formic acid for animal feed. the results confirm that softacid is the overall most sustainable choice.
More on acidifiers
All you need to know about bacterial inhibition
Although microorganisms are very small in size, too small to be seen by the eye, they cause substantial economic losses each year for both the food and feed industry. microbial growth can be controlled either by prevention or inhibition – using an antimicrobial agent.