Crude Glycerin: residue of biodiesel and its use in feed for poultry and pigs

Abstract

In today's world, where maize is being used for ethanol production, the use of alternative foods feed assumes a relevant role. The Brazilian poultry and pork have gone through periods of constant instability, especially for the low price of the product associated with the high costs of production and supply has been the focus of greater participation in the total cost of production, representing a percentage from 70.0 to 75, 0% of the total cost of the activity. Because of this and virtues of the ingredients used in feed for swine and poultry in Brazil are corn and soybean meal, a change in the price of these inputs can have direct impacts on the producer's profit margin. In recent years, research efforts involving the use of alternative foods, especially by-products or waste resulting from industrial processing of agricultural products and practices of modern mechanization, have aroused the interest of the scientific community. The surveys have been instrumental for the discovery of new ways of using the products and by-product, and limitations for different categories of animals within each species. Currently, besides the agricultural branch of research, studies on the use of renewable energy have been intensified. Among the renewable sources has received great attention biodiesel. However, the increase in biodiesel production could be economically viable only if it finds new uses for the products generated, such as crude glycerin. It has been found that for every 90m ³ of biodiesel produced by transesterification reaction, are generated 10m ³ of crude glycerin. Glycerin when purified can be used in the production of tobacco, in the food industry, beverages and cosmetics products. However, complex processes are needed and high cost of raw material that reaches the purity requirements necessary for these purposes. With the recent surge in biodiesel production and the availability of large quantities of crude glycerin has been interest in its use in animal feed. There are studies whose results indicate the possibility of use of this byproduct in diets as an energy source for pigs and poultry because it is rich in energy.