An Overview of Hi-Gel™ Corn
What Is Hi-Gel™ Corn?
Hi-Gel™ corn is a specially processed corn ingredient created through high-shear dry extrusion, altering the physical and chemical structure of corn into a more nutritionally available feed ingredient. The result is a product with high levels of starch gelatinization, which significantly enhances its digestibility and energy availability for animals.
The Science Behind High-Shear Dry Extrusion
The extrusion process involves subjecting corn to intense heat, pressure, and mechanical shear within a short time frame. Here’s what happens during this transformation:
- Heat and Pressure: The extruder rapidly heats the corn to temperatures while applying pressure.
- Shear Forces: Rotating screws inside the extruder apply mechanical shear, breaking down the corn’s cellular structure.
- Starch Gelatinization: The combination of heat and shear disrupts the crystalline structure of starch granules, converting them into a gel-like state. This is known as gelatinization.
- Expansion and Cooling: As the corn exits the extruder, the sudden drop in pressure causes it to expand and cool rapidly, locking in the gelatinized structure.
This unique process results in a product with over 90% starch gelatinization, compared to less than 30% gelatinization in ground corn.
Why Gelatinization Matters
Starch gelatinization is a critical factor in feed efficiency. Gelatinized starch is:
- More digestible: Animals, especially poultry and swine, can more easily break down gelatinized starch, leading to better nutrient absorption.
- Improved feed conversion: Enhanced digestibility translates to better growth rates and feed efficiency.
Hi-Gel™ Corn vs. Ground Corn: Key Advantages
When comparing Hi-Gel™ corn to traditionally fed ground corn, the benefits are clear:
- Enhanced Digestibility
Ground corn retains much of its native starch structure, which is less accessible to digestive enzymes. Hi-Gel™ corn’s gelatinized starch is readily broken down, improving nutrient uptake.
- Higher Metabolizable Energy
Studies illustrate that Hi-Gel™ corn delivers significantly more metabolizable energy, especially in poultry and swine diets. This means animals get more usable energy per unit of feed.
- Reduced Anti-Nutritional Factors
The extrusion process can reduce certain anti-nutritional factors like mycotoxins, making the feed more digestible and effective.
Applications in Animal Feeding
Hi-Gel™ corn is particularly beneficial in:
- Poultry diets: Enhances energy availability for reaching market weights up to 2.4 days sooner than ground corn.
- Swine diets: Improved digestibility of amino acids by 7% compared to ground corn in diets..
- Dairy diets: 9% improved net energy for lactation compared to steam flaked corn in diets.
Hi-Gel™ corn represents a leap forward in feed ingredient technology. By leveraging Insta-Pro International’s high-shear dry extrusion process, producers can offer animals a more digestible, energy-rich, and consistent feed component. Whether you’re formulating for poultry, swine, or dairy, adding Hi-Gel™ corn can deliver measurable improvements in performance and efficiency like those noted above, making it a smart choice for modern animal feed formulations.
