Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Food or edible as carrier for pharmaceutical
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2001-12-04
Levy, Neil S. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Food or edible as carrier for pharmaceutical
C424S438000, C514S060000, C426S053000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06326024
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
At the end of grow-out, feed is typically withdrawn from meat producing monogastric animals for a period of time prior to livehaul, in order to minimize feed wastage and empty the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of contents. The latter is of primary importance, in that failure to properly empty the GIT may result in contamination of the carcass from ingesta and/or fecal material during processing. During the feed withdrawal period, however, particularly if this period is prolonged, the yield of salable product is reduced, and negative effects on product quality due to tissue dehydration, etc. can result. In addition, as the period of withdrawal continues, progressive loss (breakdown) of the intestinal lining (mucosa) occurs, with thinning of the gut wall and liquification of its contents. This dramatically increases the risk for microbial contamination during mechanical evisceration and subsequent steps in processing.
The process of feed withdrawal is a balancing act, with less than ideal results, even under the best circumstances. With no feed withdrawal, the upper portion of the GIT is generally filled with feed particles that vary in consistency and moisture content, depending upon region of the tract and stage of digestion, with the upper portion of the tract particularly at risk for regurgitation of contents during handling and processing of the animal. Once feed is withdrawn, the upper portion of the tract empties, however, emptying of the lower portion tends to decline beyond a certain time period. This is largely a function of the decline in lower gut motility and removal of upper gut stimuli (which normally induce evacuation of the rectum) that occurs when feed intake ceases. As feed withdrawal times increase, breakdown of the mucosal lining (which is maintained only with feed ingestion) occurs. This increases the risk for fecal contamination and “watery guts” syndrome, particularly if total time without feed extends beyond 12 hours, a situation that realistically does occur in commercial practice.
Ideally, animals should be maintained on feed and water for as long as possible prior to slaughter. This would minimize stress, and maximize live weight and dressed yield, and maintain soft tissue (i.e., skeletal muscle) hydration and product quality. However, the issue of carcass contamination and related food safety issues are of paramount concern to the industry.
A product with nutritive value and palatable to, but rapidly and completely digested by the animal, would provide a mechanism to allow animals to remain fed and hydrated until close to the time of slaughter, with no increase in the risk for contamination during processing. Accordingly, the invention methods, and compositions are disclosed which accomplish this objective.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The feed withdrawal composition disclosed herein is a predominantly starch hydrolysate product which is almost totally digestible to monogastric species, including humans, and therefore contributes essentially no residue to the lower intestinal tract when consumed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, compositions and methods are disclosed which are applicable to any monogastric meat animal. This would include domestic poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, and ducks), as well as mammalian species (such as swine). The compositions and methods result in improvement in live weight at slaughter, increased product yield and/or quality and reduced risk of carcass contamination in comparison to conventional programs of total feed withdrawal prior to slaughter.
The highly digestible nature of the components of the formulated product contribute virtually no residue to lower gut contents. Animals taken off feed and fed the feed withdrawal composition of the invention maintain a normal lower gut motility; thus emptying of residue remaining from the feed will occur much more completely than occurs with conventional feed withdrawal. Also, because of the high solubility and digestibility of the formulated product, the time required to empty the upper portion of the gastrointestinal tract of composition is nominal in comparison to conventional feed withdrawal periods. Thus, once feed has moved through the tract as a result of withdrawing feed and offering only the composition of the invention for a period, the time required to reduce the presence of composition in the upper portion of the tract is nominal (approximately 1-2 hours).
It is further contemplated that the compositions and methods of this invention may be used for various conditions and circumstances other than feed withdrawal wherein it is desired to empty feed residue from the gastrointestinal tract of an animal. Such conditions and circumstances are readily ascertainable by those skilled in the art and may include but are not limited to farrowing, preparation for medical testing, medical procedures, etc.
The compositions and methods of the invention are primarily fed to animals prior to slaughter during the same period within which all feed is removed under current practices. Traditionally this is within the final 24 hours before slaughter. The composition of the invention may instead be provided to these animals ad libitum after final growth, continuing up to 1-2 hours prior to slaughter, as a couple hours is the only time necessary to remove the fast absorbing components from the digestive tract of the animal.
The composition of the invention comprises primarily a starch hydrolysate in the amount of 70% by weight or greater, to be directly administered to the animals primarily in the form of a solid composition. While the composition will perform its intended purpose if the starch hydrolysate is included in a concentration of at least 70%, it appears to perform best within the range of from about 80-85% by weight starch hydrolysate, depending on the species of animal being fed and whether the composition also includes a highly digestible protein source, such as egg white. For instance, 84% by weight composition is optimum if the composition includes egg white and is fed to a broiler chicken. Generally, if the composition includes a non-animal protein source, the amount of starch hydrolysate will be slightly lower than if an animal protein source of high biological value is included. From an economical standpoint, the composition preferably contains from about 84-99.9%, starch hydrolysate since the starch hydrolysate is normally less expensive than various other carriers and nutrients that may also be included in the formulation.
The “starch hydrolysates” of this invention are also referred to in the art as maltodextrins, corn syrup solids, and starch conversion products. The starch hydrolysates of this invention are low dextrose equivalent (DE) starch hydrolysate. DE is a common expression in the art for describing the total reducing sugars content of a material, expressed as percent dextrose, dry basis. Such starch hydrolysates for use in this invention are characterized by blandness of taste and low sweetness. They are also fully and readily soluble in water and non-hygroscopic. The starch hydrolysates for use in this invention have a low D.E. of preferably between about 15-25, with a preferred D.E. of between about 15-20, and a most preferred D.E. of about 18. Such low D.E. starch hydrolysates and starch conversion products are known in the art. Generally, they are produced by the hydrolysis of starch with acids or enzymes. Various production methods for starch hydrolysates are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,689,088, 3,849,194, 3,853,706, 4,447,532, 4,699,670, and 5,886,168, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The feed withdrawal product of this invention may include one starch hydrolysate having a particular D.E., or a mixture of more than one starch hydrolysate having different D.E.s, so long as the cumulative D.E. range of the hydrolysates is between about 15-25.
The starch hydrolysates may be derived from various starch sources, including potato, red milo, tapioca, wheat, rice,
Dann Dorfman Herrell and Skillman, P.C.
Levy Neil S.
The Penn State Research Foundation
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