June 15, 2006

BASF says treating grains with propionic acid the cost-effective way

Propionic acid treatment is a more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way to preserve grain than drying and storage silos, according to a study by BASF, which also markets the chemical.

Producers who use propionic acid do not incur the additional costs of buying or leasing drying equipment. They also save on energy costs used to dry grains, BASF said.

BASF said the advantages using propionic acids also apply to large grain volumes.

Even though larger grain silos are cheaper, they are very environmentally friendly.

Since propionic acid destroys the harmful microbes naturally present in grain and animal feed, it facilitates digestion and keeps animals healthy, BASF said.

BASF said demand for propionic acid is growing. In the EU, for example, propionic acid-based preservatives are used to increase the quality of grain and feed.

The market for farm-mixed feed is growing rapidly in Germany and so is the UK according to Roland Preuss, BASF product manager for propionic acid.

Other users include the US and Asian markets.

BASF has an annual production capacity of 110,000 tonnenes of propionic acid, of which more than 40 percent of that is used for preserving animal feeds.